Matthew Silverman - Shea Stadium Remembered: The Mets, the Jets, and Beatlemania

Special thanks to Howie Rose for fleshing out details of a life lived the right way at Shea. Additional interviews were conducted with, among others: Marty Appel, Eddie Boisson, Buzz Capra, John Cornell, Pete Flynn, Bud Harrelson, Keith Hernandez, Bob Heussler, Ron Hodges, Steve Jacobson, Jerry Koosman, Ed Kranepool, Paul Lukas, Jon Matlack, Todd Radom, Ed Randall, and Rusty Staub. Special thanks to Marty Gover of Momentum Sports Management, Scott Forman of sports-reference.com for answering my late-night queries, and Greg Prince of Faith and Fear in Flushing for his advice and steel-trap Mets memory.

Rick Rinehart of Taylor Trade came to me with this idea. My agent Anne Marie OFarrell made it happen. My sincere appreciation goes to the family of Dana Brand, especially Sheila Fisher. I know many people who loved Shea, but none did so in a more sincere and cerebral way than Dana. Like Shea, he was unique in a world of imitators and gone too soon.

As always, this would not be possible without my family, all of whom went with me to the Big Sheaagainst their will when necessary. That not only includes the current roster of Debbie, Jan, and Tyler, but the original lineup of my dad, Syd, siblings Michael, Mark, and Marie, plus Aunt Gee, Uncle Brother, and various cousins, nieces, nephews, and countless friends, especially Alec Dawson, John Booth, Linc Wonham, John Salerno, and Dan Carubia. My mom, Jan, never went to a game but listened for the scores to get a sense of my mood. You people have always been my home, but after I went to that first Mets game I never stopped thinking about when I could head back to Shea Stadium. Judging by all those colorful seats, I was not the only one.

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