The New York Mets (Paperback)

This work offers a closely observed set of retrospective essays on the best and most interesting years of the New York Mets' history, especially '69, '73, and '86. Every essay is a snapshot along the unpredictable route that the Mets have taken over the years, a personal chronicle written by a fan who never missed a moment in the unfolding drama of America's favorite pastime. The standout piece holds close to the personal narratives of Mets pitcher Terry Leach and the author's own experiences playing and watching the sport.The lives of a professional athlete and a die-hard fan serve to underscore the ways in which franchise baseball has come to fail not only its fans, but also its players. With a foreword by award-winning "New York Post" sports writer Mike Vacarro, this collection has the sophistication in tone, diction, and style to qualify the book as an exception among the mass-marketed sports literature available today. All the essays flow together to maintain a big picture consciousness of America's favorite pastime throughout. It is difficult to leave the book unconvinced of the sport's decline from the salad days when teams were homegrown to the current moneyball scenario of multi-million dollar athletes.