By Tom Momberg
The New York Mets are headed to Kansas City, Mo. Tuesday to take on the Kansas City Royals in their first World Series matchup in 15 years and Queens is preparing a major send-off.
Borough President Melinda Katz is hosting a hometown rally Monday afternoon with former Mets players and other special guests before the team goes off to its first game following its victory against the Chicago Cubs in the National League Championship Series.
Although the first two games of the seven-game series is being played halfway across the country, Katz said New Yorkers will be there to see the Mets through.
“The World Series is coming back to the World’s Borough,” Katz said in a statement, with the Mets scheduled to play Friday, Saturday and Sunday, if needed. “The Mets have done all New Yorkers proud, redeeming millions of loyal fans and even inspiring a few more … New York is united as one sea of blue and orange behind the Mets in this captivating run. Ya gotta believe — now let’s go, Mets!”
Katz’s rally is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Borough Hall, 120-55 Queens Blvd. The event is free and open to the public, but Queens Boulevard will be blocked off, so those who plan to go should expect to arrive early to make their way through traffic and find parking.
Also, before the first game of the series, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown has challenged his Kansas City counterpart, Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, to a traditional baseball food wager, putting up specialty heroes on the line from Mama’s of Corona.
This follows a similar wager Brown had issued and won against a Chicago prosecutor during the championship series.
Mama’s, also commonly known as Leo’s Lattacini, is a popular traditional Italian deli near CitiField, where it also has a concessions stand in the stadium. On Brown’s wager is “Mama’s Special,” an Italian hero with prosciuttini, salami, mozzarella, mushrooms and peppers.
In exchange, Peters Baker has offered up some of her hometown eats if the Mets win the World Series.
“As the New York Mets chewed through their competition during the playoffs to make it to the World Series, I am now anticipating chewing on some tasty Kansas City barbecue in the post-baseball season,” DA Brown said.
Reach reporter Tom Momberg by e-mail at tmomb
