Product Description

Rising among the factories and body shops off Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, Shea Stadium became the home of the New York Mets in 1964. Named after William A. Shea, the New York attorney responsible for bringing baseball back to the Big Apple after the departure of the Giants and the Dodgers, Shea Stadium has been the setting for many of the game’s greatest moments. Able to be converted from a baseball diamond into a football fi eld, the ballpark was home to the New York Jets from 1964 until 1983. From its opening in 1964 for the world’s fair to the unforgettable Beatles concert to the 1969 Miracle Mets, this book covers the history of Shea Stadium through its inception and up to the creation of the new modern-day Citi Field, which the

Mets will call home in 2009.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76860 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-19
• Released on: 2007-09-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

About the Author
Jason D. Antos, a local history writer with a focus on Queens, New York, is a graduate of the University of Miami. In 2006, he authored Whitestone, part of the Images of America series.

Customer Reviews

Antos Hits One Out of the Ballpark
With all that's written on the "House that Ruth Built" Jason Antos offers us to consider a timely chronicle on the rise of New York's "other" ballpark, Shea Stadium. A Queens resident, Antos combines local history and passion for Mets baseball for a nostalgic account of Flushing's first ballpark. He segues into the evolution of the franchise itself, from the "lovable losers" (the term he coined) before 1969 to World Champions. What's in store is a treat for history buffs and baseball fans alike.

Queens is still a place where the concept of local pride matters a great deal to its inhabitants. Despite Shea's futuristic design, that it was built more with suburbanites (and their autos) in mind, that it stands aloof from its immediate surroundings, local residents still embrace it as their own. Its magic lies in its ability to rally the entire borough. Shea, therefore, bears the hallmark of one of New York City's great open air sports venues, much like the Polo Grounds before it, Yankee Stadium, and even Ebbets Field. This is one of the fine impressions Antos' book leaves you.

What's more, the author ties in the mission of the 1964 World's Fair with the expectations placed on the fledgling ball club. Having opened its gates the same year, Shea's architecture was a metaphor. While its completion meant closure for national league fans mourning the departure of both the Dodgers and Giants, Shea's modern aesthetics--particularly the unobstructed view of the playing field fans were now afforded to--couldn't help but inspire the glory of a new era. All they had to do was believe, and they did.

Filled with eye-catching photographs, Antos' work is an informative and delightful piece of Queens history. Its all the more compelling since Shea's corporate-sponsored successor, Citi Field--designed to resemble Ebbets Field, ironically enough--is poised to take its place as the Mets' new home within a year. And Shea, and all that it represented, will be but a memory.

INFORMATIVE YET...FASCINATING!
This is a wonderful reference and remembrance for those of us who have grown up with the magic of Shea Stadium in Queens. For those of you who did not, this tome will serve as an introduction and full course of study on the history of the Stadium, its colorful intricacies, the incredible richness of its surroundings and the memorable characters who pre-dated it and those who were its contemporaries.
After having spoken to its author Mr. Jason Antos at one of his book signings, I realized why this anthem to Shea is as enlightening and readable as it is!! Simply put, Jason, armed with a life-long fascination with his Queens borough embarked on a quest to create the first (which it is!) all-encompassing tale of the Stadium which has many of its own tales to reveal to the curious.
Enriched with hundreds of photographs, many from the author's private collection, and his personal reflections and recollections, this book serves as a fitting and comprehensive memorial to a Stadium which shall cease to exist in a very short time. Mr Antos, I salute you for this masterful oeuvre and invite you to begin work on some volumes dedicated to my home borough of the Bronx!!

Bittersweet memories
Now that Shea is in the process of being demolished, this book serves as a living homage to what will soon just be a memory. And the photos are wonderful, chronicling the entire history of Shea, from the groundbreaking in the early 60s right up to the present. It's not about the Mets per se--there's very little about the players and teams' history--it's a love letter to the ballpark. My only reservation is that all the photos are b/w; I would have appreciated some color photos mixed in so we can get a complete feel for the blue and orange tiles, and the neon sculptures that decorated Shea in its later years. But aside from that, this really is a must-have for anyone who has fond memories of "The Big Shea." It is indeed a "Happy Recap."