Shea Stadiums arm twister lady

[Jim Vaz]

Okay I know this sounds silly but its the best way I can describe her. Back in the mid to late 80's and even the early 90's before they altered the area behind home plate, there used to be an older lady who would make distracting moves with her arms at opposing pitchers. You would see her at just about every game, she would be twisting her arms back and forth and you could not miss her. She would always be wearing a white hat, the kind you see at political conventions, and I think she even had dangly earrings.

Does anyone who knows who I'm describing know what happened to her? Did she retire from going to games, get moved somewhere else, or has passed on?

[ipitch]

Yeah, I remember her! I haven't seen her in about 15 years or so. Perhaps she lost the use of her arms due to carpal tunnel syndrome?

[Aviator_Frank]

I remember her well. She sat just to the left of the center of your TV picture.

I have the 86 Series DVDs and she's there in all her glory.

[ipitch]

I did a little Googling and found this at NYTimes.com. Heh.

No Place For This Wave
Published: May 10, 1987

To the Sport Editor:

Today my wife and I watched the Mets-Expos game on TV. As during the World Series last fall, a woman in the box just behind home plate waved her arms and made other motions in an apparent effort to distract the opposing pitchers. This time, she had children in the box with her, and it appeared she had them join her in her unsportsmanlike conduct, as they also waved their arms.

This is unsportsmanlike, and not only exposed her to criticism but left a bad impression as to what the sportsmanship of Mets fans may be. DAVID F. BRINEGAS Scottsdale, Ariz.

[Aviator_Frank]

I'd hate like hell to have sitting behind the basket while trying to shoot free throws . . .

Actually I'd think she was way too far from the catcher for pitchers to even notice. I'd think they're focusing on the catcher's target, and probably don't even notice the backstop let alone what's above it.

At least she didn't hold up a flourescent green John 3:16 placard and block the view of 10 people behind her like some of those other schmucks from that era.

[Gary Dunaier]

I don't know her personally, but I know of whom you're talking about.

Her name is Bo Field, and she and her husband Bob still have the same seats (at least up to 2006, when the below photo was taken).


(Photo taken May 20, 2006. © Gary Dunaier)

In the above photo, Bo and Bob have the two orange seats just behind the row of blue seats in front. The pairs of orange seats in the middle of the photo were original, the ones to the left were added when they added the blue "Home Plate Club" seats in the late 1990s.

It would be interesting to find out what their reaction was when they learned that not only were they no longer in the front row, but there were going to be additional seats to their left (our right, when watching the games on TV).

[Jim Vaz]

Oh thats pretty cool. I had not seem her in years so I kind of wondered.

Yea I would like to know their reaction as well when that happened.

[stlfan]

Reading this post made me laugh and remember how much I hated her. Back in the 80's when I was growing up, the Cards and Mets were huge rivals. I remember watching the Cards play and Shea and seeing that lady.

[Chevy114]

Not to get off topic but didn't a guy back in the 90s go to the Knicks games with one of those black spirls on a white shirt and shake around when other teams shot from the foul line?

[whoisonit]

Watching the home opener and the guys are sharing all kinds of Shea memories and info. Had to laugh beacause daring just bought up the "shaking arms lady". Said he saw her in Florida during ST.

[Aviator_Frank]

From game 6 of the 86 Series DVDs

[Reds41]

I remember her very well. Always wondered what happened to her.

I remember that woman and that guy at Dodger stadium that was always behind the screen behind home plate that tracked the speed of the pitches. I always remembered that hat he wore.

I think if I was a pitcher, I'd have to let one "slip" and hit the screen.

[Aviator_Frank]

I remember her very well. Always wondered what happened to her.

I remember that woman and that guy at Dodger stadium that was always behind the screen behind home plate that tracked the speed of the pitches. I always remembered that hat he wore.

I think if I was a pitcher, I'd have to let one "slip" and hit the screen.

IIRC his name is Mike Brito and he always wore that famous Panama hat and had a cigar Vin Scully said "he could bat 300 with". He's a scout now for the organization.

[whoisonit]

IIRC his name is Mike Brito and he always wore that famous Panama hat and had a cigar Vin Scully said "he could bat 300 with". He's a scout now for the organization.

If I remember correctly, he was the Mexico scout responsible for finding Fernando Valenzuela. He was given the gun job as a reward. He was such a fixture at Dodger Stadium, you could rank him in a 'Ballpark icons' listing.

[Aviator_Frank]

Yes he did find Fernando.