NY Mets history: The story of MLB's first mascot, Mr. Met

The first time I saw Mr. Met was during the first game of a particularly hot Sunday afternoon New York Mets doubleheader in 1964. It was the kind of a hot day that made the pipes separating the box seats too hot to touch. Mr. Met emerged from the stadium concourse near the right field foul pole and began shaking hands and slapping five to an enthusiastic multitude of young fans.

I watched our new mascot as he made his way through the crowd, working his way through the crowd while pausing several times to rest. His bulbous papier-mache head glistened in the hot afternoon sunshine and belied the amount of heat it must be generating within. “Here comes Mr. Met,” my father announced. I glanced out at our brand-new mascot and said, “That guy gets to dress up like Mr. Met every day. What a lucky duck!” My father commented, “Lucky? I think the poor fellow lost a bet!” 

Mr. Met is widely considered to be the first Major League Baseball mascot to appear in human form. He first appeared as a cartoon drawing in publications and programs at the Polo Grounds in 1963.
Who drew the first Mr. Met? Two artists are often named. One was Charles Palminteri, and the other being comic-book legend Al Avison, who also drew Captain America comics. There are no hard and fast facts on this subject, only legends and rumors.

Mr. Met made his first appearance in human form the following year at Shea Stadium. The mascot was originally portrayed by team ticket office employee (and lucky duck) Daniel J. Reilly. The mascot would often appear with his better half, Mrs. Met, or Lady Met as she was sometimes called, and were celebrated for years to come.

Mr. Met almost fades away, but then the NY Mets revive this old friend.

By the mid-70’s Mr. Met had practically been phased out. The team briefly experimented with a new mascot named "Mettle the mule" It was a living animal that would parade along the foul lines prior to a game, pulling a little cart behind. Due to the project’s similarity to Harness Racing, One sportswriter humorously renamed the mascot “Adios Victory.”

In 1992, long-time Mets fan, Lois Kaufmann of Queens, New York, wrote an appeal for the reinstatement of Mr. Met. In 1994, the team decided to follow her advice and revived Mr. Met as part of a promotion with Nickelodeon. After a long absence, Mr. Met was quickly re-embraced by New York Mets fans and has since remained a constant part of the franchise. In 2013, the Mets introduced batting practice caps with Mr. Met on the front. In 2014, a Mr. Met sleeve patch was also featured.

Even Mr. Met has experienced some controversy. On May 31, 2017, Mr. Met was heading back to the clubhouse after a Mets loss when he engaged in a heated exchange with an opposing fan. The argument ended with Mr. Met giving an obscene gesture to the fan, which was caught on video.

Currently, Mr. Met can be seen at Citi Field during and after games. He is usually found near Mr. Met's Kiddie Field where fans can meet and pose for pictures with him. He can be hired for special events and private parties.