Top-nine Mets moments at the movies

by Tim Reilly October 13, 2017 0 Comments

Looking for plans this weekend that aren't hate-watching the Yankees? A movie is always good way to pass the time, and if you need to fill the baseball-sized hole in your heart at the same time, I've gone through the trouble of assembling the ultimate Mets at the movies guide.

Here are your top-nine Mets moments in the movies:

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9) The Scout 

Connection: Keith Hernandez is featured as the opposing hitter in a showcase for a young phenom. 

What I Love: Hernandez’s  most famous guest spot is well documented, but his cameo in ‘The Scout’ is almost never talked about. His personality was on full display in his lone scene, making sure to note that he hadn't been paid what he had been promised. After all, an MVP doesn’t work for free.

Brett Saberhagen also has a role pitching, if you need something bleached.

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8) City Slickers

Connection: Billy Crystal wears a Mets cap

What I Love: A well-known Yankees fan, Crystal dons a Mets cap for essentially the entire movie. He might still root for those guys in the Bronx, but his hat turned out to be the biggest star in ‘City Slickers.’ Seriously though, has a baseball hat ever been more in the spotlight in a non-baseball movie than this?

If you were wondering, this is why Crystal wore a Mets hat to begin with…

Though Crystal is well-known to be a diehard Yankees fan, his character was a Mets fan in the movie because the latter team had been more accommodating over the years. First, the Yankees declined Crystal’s request to hold a promotional day at Yankee Stadium for Comic Relief; the Mets, on the other hand, were happy to host it. On the first day of shooting in Spain (for the Running of the Bulls segment), the Mets agreed to waive the $40,000 licensing fee; the Yankees did not. (via MentalFloss.com)

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7) Coming to America

Connection: Eddie Murphy rocks a Mets jacket

What I love:  Murphy buys this sharp looking Mets jacket to fit in as a real New Yorker. Spot on, I say: A real New Yorker would indeed rock Mets gear.  But maybe ditch all the “I love NY” buttons…

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6) The Odd Couple

Connection: Oscar Madison is a sports writer that covers the Mets

What I Love: Oscar is on site at Shea Stadium when a phone call from Felix causes him to miss the Mets turn a rare triple play. I love how emotional he is, as a baseball fan, that he didn’t get to see the play in real time when highlight shows and replays didn’t yet exist. That was enough to end a friendship those days.

Also, I’m a sucker for any vintage shots of Shea…

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5) Men in Black Franchise

Connection: Bernard Gilkey makes his silver screen debut, and a flashback to Shea

What I Love: I could watch Gilkey’s reaction when a UFO flies over his head in the original Men in Black all day long. I’ll never get sick of it. There’s something about it that never fails to put a smile on my face.

In the third installment, the Men in Black time travel to Shea and catch the Mets winning the 1969 World Series. The movie sucked, but this scene didn’t.

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4) Bad Lieutenant

Connection: Harvey Keitel listens to a Mets game in his car.

What I Love: I've had more moments like this watching the Mets than I care to admit. I probably shouldn’t love that, but it reminds me how much every game this team plays means to so many of us. Sitting in your car and listening to and listening to the end of an inning is such a die hard fan thing to do.  

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3) Frequency

Connection: The 1969 World Series plays a focal part in this sci-fi thriller

What I Love: I’m a sucker for a father-son baseball relationship. Throw the Mets into the mix and you have my undivided attention. A blue-collar NYC fireman playing ball with his son, while wearing a Mets cap, and singing “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” every night before bed is as good as it gets.

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2) Rookie of the Year

Connection: Bobby Bonilla strikes out, and Heddo gives the Mets some attitude

What I Love: Watching Bonilla strikeout. If Rookie of the Year’ is on TV,  I start recording it solely so I can pause, rewind, and watch Bonilla strikeout over and over again. Joke's on me, though. Bobby Bo’s royalty check probably comes in the mail the same day as his annual payment from the Mets… 

As for Heddo, he is the villain I never knew I wanted on the Mets. You need one guy on the roster with a bit of that arrogant swag to shake things up. I know he failed to hit the floater, but I’d still love to have Heddo on my beer-league softball team.

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1) Last Play at Shea

Connection: This documentary covers the history of Shea Stadium, the Mets, and Billy Joel

What I love: Every. Single. Thing.

I can’t say enough good things about this documentary. I love the Mets, Shea, Billy Joel, and history – making this a must-watch recommendation from me. From Robert Moses’ plan for Queens, the evolution of the Mets, Paul McCartney returning to where “Beatlemania” began, and the backdrop Shea provided for Joel as he performed are as good as it gets for me.

I get chills every time I watch Joel’s performance of “Piano Man” when he stops singing, the lights go on, and the crowd takes it home. It might be the most surreal cinematic shot involving Shea with the camera positioned behind Joel looking out.

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