New York Mets Trivia

NEW YORK METS TRIVIA

1) What year were the New York Mets founded?

1922 1942 1962 1902

One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed NL teams, the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants. The team's colors combine the Dodgers' blue and the Giants' orange.

2) What does "Mets" stand for?

METROPOLITANS METAPHORS METEORS METALWORKERS

"Mets," as any dyed-in-blue fan knows, is short for Metropolitans. Before a 1961 write-in campaign helped to decide their designation, however, owner Joan Whitney Payson entertained other names, including the Bees, the Islanders, the Continentals, the Meadowlarks and the Avengers.

3) Which ballpark did the Mets call home from 1964 to 2008?

POLO GROUNDS HILLTOP PARK EBBETS FIELD SHEA STADIUM

Shea Stadium was the home park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets for 45 seasons (1964-2008), as well as the New York Jets football team from 1964 to 1983. The venue was named in honor of William A. Shea, the man who was most responsible for bringing National League baseball back to New York after the Dodgers and Giants left for California in 1957.

4) Which Mets player broke the MLB rookie home run record?

CARLOS BELTRÁN PETE ALONSO JEFF MCNEIL DARRYL STRAWBERRY

Pete Alonso made his MLB debut during the 2019 season and became the first Mets player to hit 50 or more home runs in a season. In doing so, he set the Mets' single-season home run record (53) and also set the major league record for most home runs by a rookie, breaking Aaron Judge's previous record of 52 home runs.

5) Who was the first New York Mets pitcher to throw a no-hitter?

JESSE OROSCO DWIGHT GOODEN TOM SEAVER JOHAN SANTANA

On June 1, 2012, Johan Santana threw a no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals, the first no-hitter in the New York Mets then 51-year franchise history.

6) Which country music star tried out for the Mets?

KENNY CHESNEY GARTH BROOKS TIM MCGRAW JASON ALDEAN

The Mets invited Garth Brooks to spring training in 2000. After going 0-17 at bat, the team elected not to add him to their rotation.

7) Who is the Mets' all-time leader in triples and stolen bases?

HOWARD JOHNSON BUD HARRELSON JOSÉ REYES MOOKIE WILSON

A four-time MLB All-Star, Reyes led MLB in triples in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. He also led the National League (NL) in stolen bases in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

8) Which player did the Mets trade to the Cleveland Indians for catcher Harry Chiti?

GUS BELL HARRY CHITI NOLAN RYAN DON ZIMMER

In 1962, the Mets acquired catcher Harry Chiti from the Cleveland Indians for some cash and a vague promise of a "player to be named later." But Chiti's performance was uninspiring, and the team traded him back to the Indians, fulfilling their obligations in the original agreement: Chiti was traded for Chiti.

9) What year did the Mets win their first World Series?

1973 1986 2000 1969

The team never finished better than second-to-last until the "Miracle Mets" beat the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series, one of the biggest upsets in World Series history.

10) Which player coined the 1973 New York Mets' catchphrase "Ya Gotta Believe"?

RUSTY STAUB TUG MCGRAW WAYNE GARRETT FELIX MILLAN

In 1973, the Mets' season seemed lost, but from August 31st to the end of the season, they went 20-8. During his last 19 games, screwball-throwing lefty Tug McGraw not only had 12 saves, 5 wins, and an ERA of 0.88, but coined the now-famous rallying cry: "Ya gotta believe!"