The Home Run Apple is a motorized apple prop in the batter's eye at Citi Field in New York City, New York, United States; which rises whenever the New York Mets hit a home run there. [1] The original, smaller apple was first installed in Shea Stadium in 1980 at the behest of Al Harazin with a replacement being installed at Citi Field upon that stadium's opening in 2009. [2] The original was 9 feet (2.7 m) tall while the replacement is 18 feet (5.5 m) tall and 16 feet (4.9 m) wide. [3]
The Home Run Apple was originally installed at Shea Stadium in 1980 as a way to improve the atmosphere at New York Mets games, and an apple was chosen as a play on New York City's nickname of the "Big Apple". [2] When it was first constructed, it was made of fiberboard and came out of a top hat with the slogan "Mets Magic" (this was replaced a few years later with the words "Home Run"). [4] However, the Mets won only 67 games during the 1980 season and the Home Run Apple became known as "Harazin's folly". [5] Often the Apple would get stuck, which necessitated an electrician to be sent to repair it. [4] Over time the Apple became misshapen (due to periodic harsh weather conditions) and was hard to maintain, with a Mets executive stating, "It was just totally fabricated out of plaster layered on top of a metal screen with a wood frame inside". [5]
In 2007, the Mets announced that the Home Run Apple would be retired. In response, Mets fans started a petition website called [savetheapple.com] in order to preserve the Apple. [6] Due to popular demand, including 89% of surveyed fans stating they wanted it moved over from Shea Stadium, the New York Mets announced that they would construct a new Home Run Apple to be installed in Citi Field. [3] The old Home Run Apple from Shea Stadium was installed outside Citi Field near the home plate entrance. [7]
The Home Run Apple at Shea Stadium was operated using a motor and pulley-operated elevator mechanism, while the Home Run Apple at Citi Field is powered by hydraulics and is operated from the control room, which requires a key to be turned and button to be pressed to activate it. [2] Despite the improved engineering on the new Apple, it is still susceptible to failure. In 2009 (Citi Field's first year), when Fernando Tatís hit a home run for the Mets, the Apple did not rise. The fans booed and chanted "We Want Apple!" for two and a half minutes until it was eventually raised. [8] It happened again in 2017, when Travis d'Arnaud hit a home run, and the apple failed to rise, making the Citi Field chant "We Want Apple!" again, just like in 2009. The Apple did rise two batters after d'Arnaud hit the home run. [9]
During Major League Baseball games, the Home Run Apple is raised only for New York Mets home runs. An exception to this happened in 1998 when the Mets' Subway Series rivals, the New York Yankees, were forced to play one of their home games at Shea Stadium because of a building code violation at Yankee Stadium. [10] During the game, former Mets player Darryl Strawberry hit a home run and the Apple was partially raised for him, stopping before the Mets insignia was exposed. [2]
In 2015, after Travis d'Arnaud hit a home run that struck the Home Run Apple in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, a bandage was placed on the apple the next day in the place the ball had hit it. [11]
On June 1, 2024, the Home Run Apple was given a temporary makeover by adding green seed decals and a large green leaf decal, resembling a strawberry. The Mets logo was also replaced by a pinstriped "18" patch in honor of Darryl Strawberry, whose number was retired that day. [12]
The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East Division. They are one of two major league clubs based in New York City, the other being the New York Yankees of the American League (AL). 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 evoke the blue of the Dodgers and the orange of the Giants.
Shea Stadium, formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Opened in 1964, it was home to the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1964 to 2008, as well as the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1983.
Darryl Eugene Strawberry is an American former professional baseball right fielder who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Throughout his career, Strawberry was one of the most feared sluggers in the sport, known for his prodigious home runs and his intimidating presence in the batter's box with his 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) frame and his long, looping swing that elicited comparisons to Ted Williams.
Subway Series is the name given to a series of Major League Baseball (MLB) rivalry games played between teams based in New York City. Currently, the series is contested by the Yankees and the Mets. Previously, the term also applied to the Giants and Dodgers, before they moved out of New York City. Every historic and current venue for such games has been accessible via the New York City Subway, hence the name of the series.
Citi Field is a baseball stadium located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, in the borough of Queens, New York City, United States. Opening in 2009, Citi Field is the ballpark of Major League Baseball’s New York Mets. The stadium was built as a replacement for the adjacent Shea Stadium, which had opened in 1964.
The 1996 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was played to decide the winner of the American League pennant and the right to play in the 1996 World Series. It was contested by the East division champion New York Yankees and the wild card Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees won the series 4-1 and went on to win the World Series against the Atlanta Braves.
The 1988National League Championship Series was played between the National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the National League East champion New York Mets. The Dodgers won the Series four games to three, en route to defeating the Oakland Athletics in five games in the 1988 World Series.
The 1986 New York Mets season was the Mets' 25th season in the National League. They improved from a 98–64 record in 1985 to finish the season with a franchise record 108–54 record, giving them the division title. They went on to defeat the Houston Astros in six games in the NLCS and the American League champion Boston Red Sox in seven games in the World Series. This is their last championship to date.
The 1999 New York Yankees season was the 97th season for the Bronx-based Major League Baseball team. The team finished with a record of 98–64 finishing 4 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe Torre. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the playoffs, they got to the World Series and defeated the Atlanta Braves in 4 games to win their 25th World Series title. By winning their 25th World Series, the New York Yankees became the most successful team in North America, a record previously held by the NHL's Montreal Canadiens. In that year, free-to-air broadcasts returned to WNYW, the which had been the first Yankees television broadcaster in 1947, while cable broadcasts continued on MSG.
The 1988 New York Mets season was the 27th regular season for the Mets. They went 100–60 and finished first in the National League East. They were managed by Davey Johnson. They played home games at Shea Stadium.
The 1980 New York Mets season was the 19th regular season for the Mets, who played home games at Shea Stadium. Led by manager Joe Torre, the team had a 67–95 record and finished in fifth place in the National League East.
The Mets–Yankees rivalry refers to the latest incarnation of the Subway Series, which is the interleague rivalry between New York City's Major League Baseball (MLB) teams: the New York Mets and the New York Yankees. The Mets are a member club of MLB's National League (NL) East division, and the Yankees are a member club of MLB's American League (AL) East division.
The 2013 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 84th edition of the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. It was held on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at Citi Field in Queens, New York City, the home of the New York Mets. This was the first time that the Mets have hosted an All-Star Game since 1964, the team's inaugural season at Shea Stadium, and the ninth time the All-Star Game was held in New York City. The game was last held in New York City in 2008, when the old Yankee Stadium hosted it in its final season before being demolished. It was televised in the United States on Fox.
Travis Emmanuel d'Arnaud is an American professional baseball catcher for the Atlanta Braves of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the New York Mets, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Tampa Bay Rays. He made his MLB debut in 2013.
The history of the New York Mets began in 1962 when the team was introduced as part of the National League 's first expansion of the 20th century. The team has won two World Series championships and five National League pennants in their history.
Stephen Edward Dillon is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left-handed pitcher whose professional career lasted for four seasons (1962–1965), including major league stints with the 1963 and 1964 New York Mets. While Dillon appeared in only three major league games during his career, all in relief, he pitched in the first-ever night game played at Shea Stadium on May 6, 1964.
The 2013 New York Mets season was the franchise's 52nd season. The Mets hosted the 84th MLB All-Star Game on July 16 at Citi Field, their home for five seasons. The Mets finished the season with a record of 74–88, finishing third in the National League East. The season was the Mets' first non-fourth-place finish since 2008. It was also the final season for Ralph Kiner, who had been with their broadcast team since its first season.
The 2015 New York Mets season was the 54th season in the franchises' history. The Mets finished the regular season with a record of 90–72, winning the National League East title on September 26, their first division title since 2006 and sixth overall. They defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLDS in five games and swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLCS. They lost to the Kansas City Royals in five games in the 2015 World Series. It was the Mets' first appearance in the World Series since 2000 when they lost to the New York Yankees. It marked the team's first winning season since Citi Field opened in 2009.
The 7 Line Army is a group of fans of the New York Mets started in 2012 by Darren Meenan, the founder of The 7 Line, a company that makes Mets-themed apparel. The group is named after the 7 train of the New York City Subway, which stops near Citi Field at Mets–Willets Point. They occupy the Big Apple Reserved section of Citi Field during some Mets home games. The 7 Line Army also attends Mets road games, sponsoring outings which attract more than 1,000 fans.
The 2015 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff contested between the Chicago Cubs and the New York Mets for the National League (NL) pennant and the right to play in the 2015 World Series. The Mets swept the Cubs four games to none for their fifth National League pennant in franchise history. The series was the 46th in league history and TBS aired all games in the United States. Game 1 was played on October 17.
Media related to Home Run Apple at Wikimedia Commons
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