Tales from the New York Mets Dugout: A Collection of the Greatest Mets Stories Ever Told

by Bruce Markusen

In ?fty years of existence, the New York Mets have experienced almost every phase of success and failure that can be encountered by a major league team. Written by veteran baseball author Bruce Markusen, Tales from the New York Mets Dugout relives some of the favorite moments in Mets history while also telling an array of little-known stories about the players. Stand on the mound with Tom Seaver, watch from the dugout with Davey Johnson, and kneel in front of the umpire with Hall of Famer Gary Carter. Tales from the New York Mets Dugout is the perfect book for anyone who believes in something amazin’.

Genres: Baseball

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2005

Reviews

[Al · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a bathroom reader. I don’t mean that as a criticism.

This book is composed of a variety of interesting trivia tidbits (usually less than four paragraphs) in chronological order about the Mets

In which case, it’s a perfect gift book, bathroom reader, or grist for the completist.

The title of the book implies that there is some “insider” information. There’s nothing really of that sort. That said. Markusen has dug into old baseball yearbooks and included interviews from people like announcers Howie Rose and Gary Cohen.

There’s surely enough here for longtime fans and younger Mets fans as well. The nature of trivia and the light touch of a book like this is that a flashy player like Willie “The Hot Dog” Montanez who played a short time with the team in their worst years gets as much print as Jerry Koosman or David Wright.

That’s not the only player since the Mets have had some of the most colorful players and managers in the game- Marv Throneberry, Jimmy Piersall, Casey Stengel, Yogi Berra, Turk Wendell, Bobby Valentine, Keith Hernandez, Rickey Henderson and many more. The Mets have gave us Hollywood style underdog stories in 1969 and 1973. In the mid 80s, they were the hardest partying and most talented team in the world.

The book ends with the double end of season collapses of 2007 and 2008, with Terry Collins seemingly over performing in 2011. Which means Markusen needs an update not only to include the 2015 Pennant but also a variety of things that have happened since.

Recommended them for anyone (like myself) who has a “Mets” shelf. I think at worst, a Mets fan will find it quick and enjoyable, if hardly essential. Not so much a history, as a trip down memory lane. For those who are more general fans of the sport, it’s certainly a fun read and worth the time, though of course, I would expect that potential reader to go elsewhere first.

[Craig Adamson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read. Didn’t cover as much on the ‘80s Mets as I’d have liked. Lots of stories about hit players and losing teams and not much on all the stars and winning teams.

Instead of finishing with a nostalgic last chapter look at Shea Stadium and new Citi Field that was the second to last chapter. The book ended awkwardly.

[Jason · Rating 1 out of 5]

If you have Google and cannot pronounce names properly, you could also write this random collection of nonsense that omits pockets of important details and years in the history of the Mets.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

There are some good stories in here, but you have to work through a lot of chaff to get to them. The writing is abysmal: awkward phrasing, dramatic setups with no payoffs, and odd timing being just some of the problems. Also, Mets fans will already know many of the stories in this book. There are some gems in here, but I didn't think they were worth all the trouble.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Mets fan my entire life, I loved the stories in this book. Unfortunately, I did this as an audio book and the narrator mispronounced at least a dozen names of players. I do not know how this happens. Didn't anyone involved with the production know the proper pronunciations?

[Ron Kaplan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mets

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stories from the beginning in Casey Stengels days, pretty cool!