Citi Field

[Matt The Hammer]

Could you imagine today's ballplayers playing on a field in this type of condition.

Amazing how well kept today's fields are expected to be. Even looking at stuff from the 80s you'll see worn edges and all.

That Ebbets infield must have been pretty fast.

[GordonGecko]

Could you imagine today's ballplayers playing on a field in this type of condition.

Nope, but looking back at those pics it seems a whole lot more geuine. It's not about how pretty the field is or what type of maki combos you can get delivered by waitstaff. It was all just about a bunch of guys playing baseball

[StadiumPage]

I stopped by to pick up my tickets from the blood drive today. There's a new entrance on the first base side, just a few feet from the Hodges entrance.
The awning says "PAYSON". I took a close up picture, but but accidentally deleted it. Just a plain black awning with Payson in silver or white print.

Can see it a bit in this far away picture...
payson.jpg

[StadiumPage]

That was the only different thing that I saw there. The 50th anniversary bricks weren't in yet.

[StadiumPage]

Another "Payson" shot:
payson2.jpg

[drdg]

Nope, but looking back at those pics it seems a whole lot more geuine. It's not about how pretty the field is or what type of maki combos you can get delivered by waitstaff. It was all just about a bunch of guys playing baseball

oh and they did a lot more to WIN the hearts of the fans, than todays multi-million dollars players

I like what was said at 2:55
"the only thing more colorful than the fans were the ads at ebberts field"

where you didn't see the ads, the color of the fence was black, as mention before by AL
It is like the colors of the fence at Wilpon field, that is until april 2012
and after that, the fence color will be blue,
the same color that Mr. Wilpon had the fence
at shea stadium repainted when he bought his share of the mets
by the way B.W. the color of the wood fence at shea was green
just like the color of the fence at the polo grounds

as for colorful, in my opinion, the ads at wilpons field (Citi-field) are
NOT as colorful as the ones at ebberts field

nice song=talking baseball

B.W.=before wilpon

[majorleads]

Nope, but looking back at those pics it seems a whole lot more geuine. It's not about how pretty the field is or what type of maki combos you can get delivered by waitstaff. It was all just about a bunch of guys playing baseball

At Shea, even though we had season tickets back when the team was good, my favorite thing every time was always walking up the ramp to my seats and seeing the field for the first time. Ahhh the anticipation of seeing that perfect diamond and green grass. I could sit there and stare at the field all day long with no players on it. I do like the filed at Citi, but they killed everything when they built the open concourses. The walk to the seating area is just not the same.

[djs40]

Joan Whitney Payson was a sports enthusiast who was a minority shareholder in the old New York Giants Major League Baseball club. She and her husband opposed moving the team to San Francisco in 1957. After the majority of the shareholders approved the move, Ms. Payson sold her stock and began working to get a replacement team for New York City. Along with M. Donald Grant, the only other director who opposed the Giants' move, Payson put together a group that won a New York franchise in the Continental League, a proposed third major league. The National League responded by awarding an expansion team to Payson's group, which became the New York Mets.

"Payson served as the team's president from 1968-1975. Active in the affairs of the baseball club, she was much admired by the team's personnel and players. She was inducted posthumously into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1981. She was also the first woman to buy majority control of a team in a major North American sports league, rather than inheriting it.[3]

Payson was instrumental in the return of Willie Mays to New York City baseball in May 1972 by way of trade and cash from the Giants.[4]"

[StadiumPage]

Joan Whitney Payson was a sports enthusiast who was a minority shareholder in the old New York Giants Major League Baseball club. She and her husband opposed moving the team to San Francisco in 1957. After the majority of the shareholders approved the move, Ms. Payson sold her stock and began working to get a replacement team for New York City. Along with M. Donald Grant, the only other director who opposed the Giants' move, Payson put together a group that won a New York franchise in the Continental League, a proposed third major league. The National League responded by awarding an expansion team to Payson's group, which became the New York Mets.

"Payson served as the team's president from 1968-1975. Active in the affairs of the baseball club, she was much admired by the team's personnel and players. She was inducted posthumously into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in 1981. She was also the first woman to buy majority control of a team in a major North American sports league, rather than inheriting it.[3]

Payson was instrumental in the return of Willie Mays to New York City baseball in May 1972 by way of trade and cash from the Giants.[4]"

Yep, knew that... Just pointing out a new gate at the park. Not even sure what the door would lead to. Maybe a separate player entrance.

[sheagoodbye1010]

Yep, knew that... Just pointing out a new gate at the park. Not even sure what the door would lead to. Maybe a separate player entrance.

I once saw Fred Wilpon and his presumptive security man walk thru that door, so I guess it is some kind of super VIP entrance.
I’m shocked he named it “Payson”. I think “O'Malley” would have been appropriate considering Citi Field is homage to the Dodgers.

[Blue387]

Another "Payson" shot:
payson2.jpg

This is a shot from 2010. Is this the Payson entrance in the background?

[StadiumPage]

This is a shot from 2010. Is this the Payson entrance in the background?

Yep, the open door in the 2010 picture (Between the Seaver and McGraw banners).

[DN4L]

That was the only different thing that I saw there. The 50th anniversary bricks weren't in yet.

They weren't??
And I was looking forward to seeing my 50th Anniversary Brick on Opening Day..
I received my personal replica back in December.

[Gary Dunaier]

According to blueprints, the Payson entrance is just outside one of the entrances to the Press Conference Room. (The other entrance is just inside the Hodges VIP Gate.) The closed door in Blue387's photo leads to a stairway.

[schnu]

They weren't??
And I was looking forward to seeing my 50th Anniversary Brick on Opening Day..
I received my personal replica back in December.

I would imagine the new bricks will be in before opening day.
Back when the stadium opened in 2009 they finished installing the bricks the week before the SJU-GU game.

[islandxtreme26]

According to blueprints, the Payson entrance is just outside one of the entrances to the Press Conference Room. (The other entrance is just inside the Hodges VIP Gate.) The closed door in Blue387's photo leads to a stairway.

[alpineinc]

Love the nod to Joan Payson, a champion of the Mets' cause the minute the Giants left. A tearful Willie gives the Mets' matriarch a bouquet on his night in 1973.

image.jpg

Although just a side door, still a nice touch. Should add a small picture or likeness above, like the other dedicated entrances, maybe like the one below.

[DN4L]

I would imagine the new bricks will be in before opening day.
Back when the stadium opened in 2009 they finished installing the bricks the week before the SJU-GU game.

Ok, thanks for the info..

[Gary Dunaier]

Now, the big question is - what purpose will the Payson entrance serve? It's obviously not meant for the public... and my thinking is that if it was (or is) supposed to be a kind of "secret entrance" for mega-VIPs and such, that function would have been better served by not marking it at all, keeping it less conspicuous.

[alpineinc]

If it's just for the press room, maybe they should call it the Horwitz entrance.

image.jpg

[minorleaguer]

418225_10151404373390078_94421890077_23767278_1181897902_n.jpeg419133_10151404373235078_94421890077_23767277_1428253006_n.jpeg423065_10151404373690078_94421890077_23767284_888757480_n.jpeg423509_10151404373485078_94421890077_23767280_171814021_n.jpeg425668_10151404373570078_94421890077_23767282_1013589619_n.jpeg

[Johan Wright]

my that does like a bluetiful outfield idk if theyre going to change the black around it, doubt it, but that contrast with the orange line between really makes the blue pop off the walls...this is definitely a finite step in the right direction but i think what would really Mets-ify the place is painting the Shea bridge that color blue with orange lights that light up the frame at night and place either the banners or the retired numbers up there, really make it an attraction all in itself, not just another way to get around the stadium

[nymTom]

my that does like a bluetiful outfield idk if theyre going to change the black around it, doubt it, but that contrast with the orange line between really makes the blue pop off the walls...this is definitely a finite step in the right direction but i think what would really Mets-ify the place is painting the Shea bridge that color blue with orange lights that light up the frame at night and place either the banners or the retired numbers up there, really make it an attraction all in itself, not just another way to get around the stadium

Finally some color in the place,, although it proves more and more the green seats were a mistake.. With the bright blue colorfull walls, everything else looks dull and dreary.. HMM, They need to lose alot more of that soot black in that place starting with the Shea Bridge...

[nymTom]

That Party deck is looking nice, and yes is Sturdy.. The Blue walls are looking great and for those that were complaining about the cheap looking chain link fence, well its looking better and better with the padding going up.. its Ok to critique but sometimes u just have to wait and see the finished product..

[sheagoodbye1010]

[QUOTE=alpineinc;1989267]If it's just for the press room, maybe they should call it the Horwitz entrance.

Wilpon probably would name it the “Richman” entrance. The Late Arthur Richman served the team in many roles including PR Director.
And more importantly to Wilpon is that Mr. Richman was fired by Nelson Doubleday.