Ya Gotta Believe!: The 40th Anniversary New York Mets Fan Book » (First Edition)

Michael Lichtenstein was born and bred in Brooklyn and now lives in Manhattan. A longtime staff member of The New York Times and devoted fan of the Mets for many decades, he is also the author of The New York Giants Trivia Book.

Are you a true Mets fan? Were you there when they won the 1986 World Series in the seventh game? Did you stand and cheer as the Mets demolished the St. Louis Cardinals to become the National League Champions in 2000? Do you know why the original team colors were orange and blue? How much do you really know about those lovable heroes who have brought fortune, glory, and two World Championship trophies to New York? Are you a true believer?

Do you know:

*Who the Hall of Fame outfielder was who played for the Mets in their inaugural season and went on to become a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Phillies?

*Which Mets outfielder ran the bases backward after hitting his

100th career home run in a game in 1963?

*Which rookie outfielder swiped 24 bases in 1981 and became one of the most popular players ever to play for the Mets?

*When Tom Seaver’s rookie year was?

*Who holds the single-season Mets record for home runs?\

It’s all here, with highlights of the team’s exciting history, from the club’s beginnings in 1962 to today, including postseason play. From Casey Stengal to Tom Seaver; from Doc to Mookie— to Mike and Fonzie—questions and answ—ers, sidebars, fascinating bios and photos gathered by lifelong Mets fan Michael Lichtenstein. Much more than just facts and trivia, Ya Gotta Believe! is something no Mets fan can do without.

Library Journal

In 1962 the brand-new Mets filled the gap in New York baseball after the move West of the Dodgers and Giants several years before. Now Lichtenstein (The New York Giants Trivia Book) offers a commemorative testimonial to the upstart team in its four decades since. A brief history covers the progress of the Mets from the early Casey Stengel-led losers up to the subway series contenders of 2000. He adds profiles of significant Mets Stengel, Gil Hodges, Mookie Wilson, Dwight Gooden, Tom Seaver, and current star Mike Piazza among them. Concluding is a trivia section that answers the question, "Who coined the rallying cry, `Ya Gotta Believe!'?" Of primary appeal to public libraries serving fans of the Mets and of sports trivia, this fan's book is optional elsewhere. Morey Berger, St. Joseph's Hosp. Lib., Tucson Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.