BY MICHAEL J. FEENEY / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
One wants a street near legendary center fielder’s old home. Another wants a highway service road near where the old Polo Grounds used to stand.
Thanks to NYGPS Member Greg Prince for finding this!!

Somehow, an easy can of corn has become a political hot potato in Harlem. There are currently two completely different proposals before the City Council to co-name a street for legendary New York Giants slugger Willie Mays — one at the 82-year-old Hall of Famer’s St. Nicholas Pl. home and the other on a highway service road near the Polo Grounds. Councilman Ydanis Rodriguez favors the service road location, but found himself stranded at third when Councilman Robert Jackson later pushed the 80 St. Nicholas Pl. location because, as he put it, “Willie Mays did not live on that service road.” And the baseball giant’s son knows which proposal is the better one: “It’s historically correct that he lived on St. Nicholas Pl.,” said Michael Mays, 54. “That would be the proper place (to honor him).” Under Jackson’s plan, the stretch between W. 153rd and W. 155th Sts. would be co-named “Willie Mays Place.” The other location — which would be called “Willie Mays Drive” — is located along a Harlem River Drive service road starting at Edgecombe Ave. and W. 155th St. Michael Mays said he was not sure why the service road was even suggested. “I don’t know what it has to do with anything. I don’t really know where that idea came from,” the Washington Heights resident said, referring to the desolate service road. That location was initially approved by Community Board 10 in 2008, but it has been stalled. Jackson and Michael Mays now hope to get the name change approved before Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game, which will be played at Citi Field on July 16. Rodriguez issued a statement late Tuesday trying to toss a tarp over the controversy, saying both locations should be named for Mays.

Sat, 22 Jun, 2013 – Sun, 23 Jun, 2013

Celebrate the World Champion San Francisco Giants at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. June is Giants’ month at the Hall, and on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, June 23 the Hall of Fame will celebrate the rich history of the Giants organization and their 2012 World Series Championship. Throughout the day visitors can learn about the history of the Giants through guided tours and artifact spotlights. Trivia contests and craft stations will round out the program offerings. As a special treat, the 2012 World Series trophy will be on display for photo opportunities on both days. On Saturday, June 22, the Hall of Fame will welcome author Larry Hogan to talk about his new book, So Many Seasons in the Sun: A Century of Conversations with Baseball’s Greatest Clubhouse Managers.
This from the Hall of Fame website:
For the second time in three years, a green summer will turn orange with Giants fans as the World Series trophy visits the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown. The San Francisco Giants’ 2012 World Series trophy will be on exhibit at the Museum June 22-23 as part of Giants Weekend and a celebration of the Hall of Fame’s Autumn Glory exhibit.The Giants made history with their first World Series championship in San Francisco in 2010. Their predecessors, the New York Giants, had already achieved mythical status as one of the powerhouse teams of the first century of play in the National League – winning five World Series crowns before moving to the City by the Bay in 1958.
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Received this photo from Staci Slaughter and the Giants last night from the Giants Trophy Tour Day.

The NYGPS presented a check to Larry Baer at the Giants Trophy Tour in Manhattan, to the Jr. Giants Fund. The $400 was used to buy new gloves for underpriveleged youths in SF. This was our way of saying THANK YOU for the Giants remembering us as well as contributing to a very worthy cause. We continue to contribute when we can (meetings etc.) If you would like to help, let us know or contact the Giants directly.

HELD ON MAY 1, 2013
NYGPS Member Peter A. Magowan, the former managing general partner of the San Francisco Giants and now the Giants President Emeritus, was kind enough to send us his introduction of W…illie Mays at Mae Mays’ funeral ceremony a few weeks back. What a beautiful piece!! Here is his speech:
THANK YOU, MALCOLM FOR THAT VERY GENEROUS INTRODUCTION. AS YOU KNOW, LARRY BAER, WHO RUNS THE GIANTS, IS RECOVERING FROM AN UNEXPECTED SURGERY, AND CANNOT BE WITH US TODAY, MUCH AS HE WANTED TO BE. HE HAS ASKED METO REPRESENT THE GIANTS AS WE PAY OUR RESPECTS TO WILLIE AND HIS FAMILY.

I’D LIKE TO BEGIN BY TELLING A STORY THAT I THINK SHOWS HOW MUCH WILLIE LOVED MAE.

RIGHT AFTER WE BOUGHT THE GIANTS I ASKED WILLIE TO VISIT ME. WHEN HE ARRIVED I SAID THAT THE GIANTS WANTED HIM TO ASSUME A PROMINENT ROLE IN OUR ORGANIZATION. WILLIE ASKED IF THERE WOULD BE A CONTRACT AND, IF SO, FOR HOW LONG AND I TOLD HIM THE GIANTS WERE PREPARED TO OFFER HIM A LIFETIME CONTRACT. WHEN I SAID LIFETIME THE TEARS STARTED ROLLING DOWN HIS CHEEKS. HE WAS THAT SURPRISED AND THAT HAPPY.

TEN YEARS WENT BY AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I GOT A CALL FROM WILLIE ASKING TO SEE ME. SO WE GOT TOGETHER AND HE SAID “I NEED TO DISCUSS MY CONTRACT”. I WAS QUITE SURPRISED, AS WE WERE PAYING HIM WHAT I THOUGHT WAS QUITE A GENEROUS AMOUNT ANNUALLY. I ASKED HIM, “IS THERE SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE MONEY?” “OH NO”, HE REPLIED, “THE MONEY IS FINE”. “IT’S THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT THAT BOTHERS ME.” “THE LENGTH OF THE CONTRACT”, I ASKED, QUITE SURPRISED, “DO YOU WANT ME TO MAKE IT SHORTER”?.. “NO, NO” WILLIE REPLIED, “I NEED AN EXTENSION”. “AN EXTENSION”? NOW I’M REALLY SURPRISED. “AN EXTENSION ON A LIFETIME CONTRACT? I NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING.” “YES, THAT’S WHAT I NEED. I NEED ONE MORE YEAR FOR MAE TO MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT WHEN I’M NO LONGER THERE TO TAKE CARE OF HER”. Continue reading →

WILLIE MAYS TURNS 82 ON MAY 6.

The 2nd meeting of the year of the NYGPS was held 4/23/2013 at the Bergino Clubhouse in lower Manhattan. It was a night to remember as Dr. Larry Hogan discussed his book, “So Many Seasons in the Sun”. A wonderful Q&A followed. The NYGPS wants to thank Mr. Hogan and Jay Goldberg ((Owner of the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse
http://www.bergino.com/
for a wonderful and enlightening evening!! The photo is of Larry on left and Jay on right with some parting gifts courtesy of the NYGPS. Here is the podcast from last night’s event. http://berginobaseballclubhouse.podbean.com/2013/04/24/so-many-seasons-in-the-sun-with-dr-lawrence-hogan/
Thanks to Jay Goldberg for all he does for our group. Give a listen, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!!

This is an edited version of NYGPS member Greg Prince’s latest Faith and Fear in Flushing entry on his Mets blog found at http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/. Greg has more knowledge of the Mets than anyone I know. He has written many books on his beloved Metropolitans, his latest being The Happiest Recap: First Base (1962-1973): 50 Years of the New York Mets As Told in 500 Amazin’ Wins (Volume 1) Greg joined our group due to his love of the game and the Mets tie into the NY Giants. Greg also wants to thank fellow NYGPS member John Barr with his help for the piece. ENJOY!!
Rebuilding is often as much about preservation and restoration as it is rehabilitation or transformation, so another thumb up for the Mets taking part in a terrific episode of making New York whole again. The Mets, along with the Yankees, the Jets and two teams of Giants have chipped in to make passable once more the John T. Brush Stairway, the last physical connection remaining to the cradle of your New York Metropolitans.
The staircase — which connected the 1911 version of the Polo Grounds to the road above it on Coogan’s Bluff — was presented to the City of New York by the baseball Giants in memory of Brush, their then recently deceased owner, one hundred years ago this July. And one half-century ago this month, the Mets commenced their second season in that same staircase’s shadow; 1963 marked the last spring and summer the grand old ballpark would be filled with fun and frolic (not to mention 34 wins for the good guys). A year later, one week before Shea Stadium opened, the Polo Grounds succumbed to the wrecking ball. While a housing project rose, everything else came down…everything but the stairs, though those fell into terrible disrepair. You could still make out the dedication plaque that was etched into one of its landings if you were in the neighborhood, but climbing the steps could be hazardous to your health. Continue reading →

NYGPS member Stew Thornley, author of Land of the Giants: New York’s Polo Grounds wrote me the following:
“I will be editing an anthology on the Polo Grounds for McFarland Publishers that will feature historical research and essays and memories from players and fans. The book will probably not be out until 2016 and (as you may have figured) there will no remuneration, only fame and a warm, fuzzy feeling, for contributors. Essays may be of any length, covering a particular topic or just a brief memory of time spent at the Polo Grounds. Thanks for your help.” If you are interested in this venture, please email me with your real email address and I will send you a release form and where to mail your work.
Here’s your chance to be a celebrity and explain your love for the NY Giants and the famed PG’s!!

CO-FOUNDER & CO-PRESIDENT OF THE NYGPS STEVE ROTHSCHILD

SPEAKER & FORMER NY GIANTS BATBOY ED LOGAN

SPEAKER & STADIUM CONNOISSEUR FRANK DANIEL

Surprise, Arizona 4/10/13
What better time to have the first West Coast Meeting of the New York Giants Preservation Society Meeting? Yesterday marks 50 years that the last opening day was held at the Polo Grounds.It was not the Giants but the New York Mets.They had their second opening in their history at a stadium filled with history but really neglected.In addition we are only a short while away from the dedication of the John T. Brush Staircase.

Steve Rothschild, Frank Daniel (he was at the Polo Grounds for the final NY Giants Home Game on 9/29/57) and Former Batboy Ed Logan handled the meeting and displayed quite some memorabilia.Frank had some amazing large framed photos from the late 1940s and early 1950s.Ed Logan had some fantastic items as did Steve.

Frank showed us where he was in that famous photo from 9/29/57 with everyone leaving towards the famed clubhouse in CF.Frank was in the photo under the 483′ sign about to remove the sign when a cop told him to get lost!!
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BY KEN BELSON OF THE NY TIMES 4/9/13

Ebbets Field is in the spotlight this year because the long-departed home of the Brooklyn Dodgers is in the centennial of its birth. But this is also a significant month for the Polo Grounds, the other New York home for National League baseball that succumbed to the wrecking ball decades ago.
After all, it was on April 9, 1963, that the Polo Grounds hosted the last opening day in its long history.
The Mets — not the Giants, who left for San Francisco after the 1957 season — were the home team that day, 50 years ago. And the Mets were reluctant tenants. They had hoped to move into Shea Stadium at the start of that season, their second in the major leagues, but delays in the construction of Shea forced the team to play an extra year in Upper Manhattan.
By then, the final incarnation of the Polo Grounds, which opened in 1911, was on its last legs. There was limited parking, the locker rooms were cramped and the concession stands outdated. Maintenance and restoration work had all but ceased.
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