March is National Reading Month, and with the excitement of a new baseball season on the horizon, there is no better way to celebrate than with a book about the Mets. But, with so many Mets books out there, which are the best ones to read?
I'll be honest...when I sat down to write this, my goal was to come up with five Mets-related books that I recommend most. Then, as I started to think about the books I've enjoyed, and as I talked to fellow Mets fans about their favorites, I quickly came to the realization that narrowing all the books down to a simple list of five was an exercise in futility.
So I decided to break the books down into different categories (and as you'll soon see, sub-categories) and offer a different Top 5 book list for the next few weeks. The categories are: books about specific seasons (1969, 1986, and others), books about the overall franchise history, and biographies.
As always, please keep in mind that this list is intended to initiate conversation and is not meant to be the end of a debate.
For this week, we'll start with books dedicated to the Miracle Mets of 1969...
Mets Books About 1969
5. The Miracle Has Landed: The Amazin’ Story of How the 1969 Mets Shocked the World by Matthew Silverman and Ken Samelson w/Associate Editors Len Levin and Bill Nowlin
This book was a project of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), and could just as easily have been considered for the "compilation & anthologies" category. Still, with its focus so squarely on the 1969 season experience, this week seemed just as appropriate. Unlike the other books on this week's list, "The Miracle Has Landed..." is more of an encyclopedia of the Mets 1969 season than a narrative. It's an incredibly complete encyclopedia at that, with contributions from over thirty SABR members, presented in an engaging, educational, and endlessly entertaining way.
4. After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the '69 Mets by Art Shamsky and Erik Sherman
As we know, the 1969 season was such an amazing story that it's easy to listen to a detailed retelling over and over again. This version takes an especially sentimental turn, as former Mets outfielder Art Shamsky chronicles his attempt at a reunion of the players from that team, recalling special anecdotes along the way. Shamsky gathered some other key members of the '69 team to pay a visit to the ailing Tom Seaver, who was in the midst of his own story. As much as this is a book about the championship team, the bittersweet ending is a reminder that at its heart, it's a book about friendship.
3. Here's the Catch: A Memoir of the Miracle Mets and More by Ron Swoboda
In a season full of magical moments, Ron Swoboda's play in the outfield that can succinctly be called "The Catch" and any fan would understand the reference. With his book, Swoboda offers up his own experiences with that team in an honest (and often self-deprecating), humorous, and insightful way. While Ron Swoboda will always be remembered for that one incredible moment, the stories that led up to that play, and life after it, will also be long-lasting.
2. They Said It Couldn't Be Done by Wayne Coffey
While the entire 1969 experience makes for a fascinating story, Coffey's book predominately focuses on the details of the postseason games while interspersing the backgrounds of the characters that got them there. More than just a recap of game facts, the book provides an engaging narrative of the final weeks of the miracle season, offering up stories that we either never knew or had forgotten about. Perhaps most impressively, Coffey's storytelling captures the intrigue of these games, even though we've known the endings for over 50 years.
1.The Year The Mets Lost Last Place by Paul Zimmerman and Dick Schaap
Most books about the 1969 season came out years later, after extensive research, interviews, thought, editing, and everything else that goes into it. This one, however, was released just days after the final out of the '69 series. Even decades later though, the book still feels fresh. Interestingly, this book does not cover the details of the entire season, nor does it delve deeply into the postseason. Instead, Zimmerman and Schaap document the excitement of a pivotal 9-game stretch during the 1969 regular season. The authors balance the intensity of the moment with a light-hearted and accessible approach that really captures the time.
In 1969, the Mets turned the moniker of the "Amazin' Mets" from sarcasm to sincerity. These five books, and no doubt many others, still enable us to re-live and celebrate that experience fifty-five years later.