Shea Hey Shea Stadium: A Photographic Tribute to My Favorite Place Ever

LETS GO METS are the words I say most, so I can’t describe how psyched I was to find a bunch of old photos of the Mecca – Shea Stadium – to fix up.

Located in Flushing Meadows, Queens, Shea was home to the New York Mets for 44 years. While the Mets only brought home two World Series championships, Shea was home to countless memorable playoff games and other special events.

Your choices for climbing Shea Stadium included a massive switch-back ramp

As a die-hard fan, I could write volumes about all of my fond memories of Shea. From the highs to the lows, it was my second home for much of my life and it’s demise in 2008 finally inspired me to get a dslr and properly document the place while I still could.

Tom Seaver throws the last pitch ever at Shea Stadium to Mike Piazza

Sure it wasn’t perfect. The concourse was narrow, cold, gray and separated from the game. Watching the game while waiting for food meant squinting at an old tube TV on the far wall and the walk back to Upper Deck seats could often involve two flights of stairs. As the saying goes, “it was a dump, but it was our dump.” That may be, but it also was the best place to watch nine innings with 55,000 cheering friends.

Three giant escalators transport fans up the the top levels of Shea Stadium while an empty ramp waits to be filled post-game

You can imagine my excitement why I stumbled across some old shots I took during the last summer at my favorite place in the world.

Ominous clouds hover above Shea Stadium before what would become the final game ever due to a Mets loss.

(above) Ominous clouds hover above Shea Stadium before what would become the final game ever due to a Mets loss.

Fans pass by the large neon outfielder that adorned the outside wall of Shea Stadium before a Mets vs Yankees Subway Series game. (below)

Fans pass by the large neon outfielder that adorned the outside wall of Shea Stadium before a Mets vs Yankees Subway Series game.

Visit the Shea Stadium photo gallery

Setting up for the Shea Goodbye celebration after the final out of the 2008 season.

(above) Setting up for the Shea Goodbye celebration after the final out of the 2008 season.

Shea Stadium lives on with a plaque that marks the spot where the bases and pitcher’s mound once stood, which is now located in the Citi Field parking lot. (below)

Shea Stadium lives on with a plaque that marks the spot where the bases and pitcher's mound once stood, which is now located in the Citi Field parking lot.