A sea of orange and blue swarmed Queens Borough Hall in Kew Gardens on Monday to celebrate the New York Mets’ National League pennant and World Series run.
Queens Borough President Melinda Katz held the rally, and fans of all ages attended to show their support for the team on its quest for its third World Championship. Mr. and Mrs. Met, the team mascots, took pictures with the crowd, and Mets memorabilia was raffled off after the event.
Howard Beach resident Nick Giampietro was one of the most distinguishable Mets fans at the rally, with Mets pins covering every inch of his jersey and baseball cap. He’s been collecting the pins for nine years and purchases them at games and online. Giampietro has been a Mets fan since 1966 and has season tickets. He’ll be watching the home games from Citi Field and away games at bars in Flushing.
“I’ve been living on a high through the whole playoffs,” Giampietro said. “It’s been crazy. Every day I just wake up ready to go and all I think is Mets. I went to the Rangers game last night, I still had the Mets on my mind.”
Diana Socci, a Bayside resident, attended the rally with her son and said she has been a Mets fan since she was born. Socci said her fandom has required a lot of patience but that it has paid off.
“I feel absolutely amazing because you gotta believe and you gotta have patience and they’re here and it’s our time,” Socci said.
Public Advocate Letitia James also spoke about believing in the team that last won a National League pennant in 2000.
“You may not believe in Santa Claus. You may not believe in fairy tales. You may not believe in the Easter Bunny, but you gotta believe in the Mets,” James said to a crowd of screaming fans.
The Mets will play the first game of the World Series against the Kansas City Royals Tuesday night. The first two games are in Kansas City, and Citi Field will host its first World Series game ever on Saturday night. All of the games can be seen on WNYW-TV and Fox 5, and heard on WOR-AM radio 710.
