Skip to content
 

Uni Watch DIY Project: Behold the Metsmobile

Metsmobile1.jpg
Click photo for larger version

The MLB postseason begins today, and my team is once again on the outside looking in. But it wasn’t always that way. The photo you see above comes our way from — and prominently features — reader Gordon Blau, circa 1986, when the Amazin’s were atop the baseball world.

Gordon had a lot to say about the car. So today I present his story. If you’re not a Mets fan, just substitute your own team and imagine a comparable car, a symbol of better times gone by — and hopefully better times to come.

+ + + + +

My Metsmobile

By Gordon Blau

The car was formerly red(ish) and I painted it white with Sherwin Williams exterior latex and a roller. The pinstripes were laboriously hand-painted, as were the logos. My girlfriend at the time helped me with this. That is one of the reasons she is now my wife.

Driving this around Long Island and NYC was amazing. Horns honking, fists pumping everywhere I went. I was a season ticket holder at the time, so I was at every playoff and World Series game, and this was my transportation. We’d do laps around the parking lot before the games to rally the crowds. I enjoyed many free pregame beers.

After Game 7, we drove around Flushing. People poured out of the bars and piled onto the car until the tires rubbed on the wheel wells. I sure do miss those days.

Metsmobile2.jpg
Click photo for larger version

On the day of the victory parade, I took off from work (cough) and drove down to the parade route with a buddy of mine. We intended to try to get the car in the parade. Surprisingly, we came pretty close to it! One of the cops working the route actually discussed it with us quite seriously and went off for a while to explore the possibility. In the end they said no, due to security concerns.

Despite not getting into the official parade, we were one of the last few cars to drive down Broadway before they closed it down. Thousands of people had already gathered along the route, and we cruised slowly down the Canyon of Heroes. I had my Mets cap and an orange blazer (salvaged from the security detail at a closed Korvettes store) and my friend sat on the trunk lid and waved as though he were a player. The roars were deafening. I will never forget that as long as I live.

The car was, quite literally, a rust bucket and soon became unsafe to drive due to extensive rot near critical suspension components. After it sat by the side of my grandmother’s garage for a year or so while I dreamed that I could repair to roadworthiness, I gave up and had a local garage tow it away. They told me later that someone took it with hopes of restoring it; apparently that particular model was somewhat rare. Never heard about it again.

Metsmobile3.jpgClick photo for larger version

———

Paul here. Awesome stuff, right? Gordon says he has photos of himself doing the paint job on the car, but he hasn’t been able to find them. Let’s hope he eventually turns them up.

+ + + + +

Extracurricular frustrations: The good news is that the Brooklyn outpost of Fleisher’s has opened. The place looks great, and business is already brisk. The bad news is that I will no longer be writing for the Butcher’s Case. I just had too many projects going on, and something had to give.

Meanwhile, Slate unexpectedly (at least to me) unveiled a new page format yesterday, one consequence of which is that the Permanent Record series has become a complete mish-mash. The old URLs for the articles no longer work, and I don’t want to give out the new URLs yet because the content is all jumbled up — photo links are in the wrong places, entire swaths of text have disappeared, etc. A serious mess — extremely frustrating! I know some of you were taking your time to get through the series, or had bookmarked it with plans to read it later. Well, now you can’t. Yes, that totally sucks. Even worse, the editor and art director who produced the series both left Slate just as the articles were being published, so now the whole project is orphaned. Grrrrrr. I’ve sent a note to Slate’s ed-in-chief, asking for the content to be corrected, restored, or whatever. Keep your fingers crossed.

+ + + + +

Uni Watch News Ticker: Been looking for a vintage Oakland Invaders tee? Today’s your lucky day. … New hoops uniforms for VCU. … The events of Wednesday night — and of September as a whole — led someone to come up with a clever use of logos. … The Schilter Farm in Olympia, Washington has designed its annual corn maze as a tribute to local hero and Seattle Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller (from Markus Kamp). … Did you know that the Rockies went NNOB for the franchise’s first home series back in 1993? I didn’t, until Bo Baize sent me this. Interesting! … UTEP wore this helmet decal last night, to mark the 75th anniversary of their first bowl team, the 1936 squad (from Mark Haarmann). … The Rangers played an exhibition game yesterday against Sparta Prague, which used a European 7 (great spot by Terence Kearns). … Latest development in the world of wired athletic gear: smart soccer cleats (thanks, Brinke).

+ + + + +

Screen shot 2011-09-28 at 9.26.42 PM.png

Looking ahead: By the time you read this, I’ll be on an airplane, heading off on my annual trip to Wisconsin, where I’ll be through the middle of next week. Hitting the Northwoods region this year, instead of my usual Milwaukee-and-environs itinerary. Should be lovely, and boy can I use the getaway. The last few months have been the most hectic of my life.

Phil will handle the weekend, as usual, and he’ll also be writing the main entries next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. The Tickers for those days will be produced by webmaster John Ekdahl. The main Uni Watch e-mail address is being forwarded to him until I return, so don’t expect an immediate reply if you write to me with a question or other non-Ticker communiqué, but I’ll try to catch up on stuff when I get back.

I’ll be back in the saddle next Thursday. See you then.

 
  
 
Comments (104)

    Heh.. true enough. I’ve spent a little bit of time in Atlanta and yeah, the words “I don’t really follow college football” get you some really odd looks.

    Hey now… rednecks aren’t exclusive to the South. I’ve met many of them in my travels to Illinois and Pennsylvania, for example.

    “Hey now… rednecks aren’t exclusive to the South. I’ve met many of them in my travels to Illinois and Pennsylvania, for example.”

    Look no further than rural Massachusetts.

    Mad love for the 1969 Chrysler, extra ups for being the model year of the Mets’ first Series victory. How can you not feel like a king riding around in one of those?

    Being a redneck is a state of mind. It’s not a matter of location.

    Anyway, that’s a fantastic job, Gordon! Only thing missing is the ’86 racing stripe, though. ;)

    Hmmm, wonder what my car wouild look like with link

    I was about to get all uppity and say that Rangers were in the Champions League and that is far from an exhibition..but I guess it was, and they’re not.

    Bounced out by Malmo in the qualifying rounds, wow.

    And Sparta Praha were ousted by Vaslui in the Europa League. Not much better…

    Pop Quiz: If you paint your car to resemble your favorite European Football Club, you might be a … ?

    Hooligan with too much free time?

    I don’t know… but I’m sure that every civilized country has it’s redneck equivalents.

    Yeah, I was wondering which Rangers — Texas, Glasgow, Queens Park, or New York!

    Cool “7”, though.

    You may have heard that Ryan Roberts paid homage to (his manager) Kirk Gibson after hitting his game-winning grand slam on Tuesday.

    What I DIDN’T know about that until seeing Sportscenter’s top MLB plays of the year this morning is that after hitting it out, and after pumping his arm, he crossed home plate without a jersey on – taking it off before entering the crowd of teammates surrounding home plate:

    link

    That run totally shouldn’t count. Out of uniform, unsportsmanlike conduct – 15 yard penalty, replay the dow…err.. at bat.

    I’m willing to forgive a breach or two of etiquette for the sake of high spirits, but don’t these players remember Kendry Morales and Chris Coghlan? Act like a professional, for pete’s sake.

    It’s not about fun, it’s about leaving your damn uniform on until the game’s over.

    If he wanted to do backflips down the 3rd base line, that’s perfectly fine. Step on the plate and officially win/end the game, then you can strip if you feel the need.

    He had fun. He did the Kirk Gibson thing. Kinda cool, really. He had a throng of people willing to jump with him in unison at home plate (which I can see being cool in elementary or even middle school … sort of odd for men in their 20s and 30s, but whatever).

    No doubt he had a chance to celebrate with his clothes of after the game as well, but until he crossed the plate, the game wasn’t over, and he should have been fully clothed.

    OK, that was badly written in the moment … imagine this – Two outs, top of the ninth, the bases are loaded with home team’s up 3-2. The next batter hits a sky-high pop fly, and easy catch for the second baseman. While the ball’s at the top of the arc and about to be caught, the pitcher rips his jersey off Hulk Hogan-style.

    Are you good with this, too?

    As long as the catch is made, sure. If the fielder drops the ball, then the pitcher will look like an idiot.

    Nah, even if you get excessive celebration on a touchdown in football, it’s penalized on the kickoff – it doesn’t negate the touchdown. But the pitcher should get to move up five yards on the next pitch.

    Don’t see a problem with it. End of game celebrations are different from ones during the game.

    I tend to lean slightly towards the “act like you’ve been there before” crowd, but I’m glad no one’s used that here. How many people can say, “Walk-off grand slam? Yeah, been there, done that…”

    BUT THE GAME WASN’T OVER when he took his jersey off. It was a tie game at that point – 6-6. Until a guy hits a game-winning home run in the bottom of the 9th, and walks off the field before circling the bases (and without being penalized), the game is still being played. I’m not a big fan of taking it off on the field, but what he does after the game is his business. During the game? That’s different.

    In NCAA Football celebrations are accessed on the spot of the foul. If a OU player ripped his jersey off at the 5 yard line before scoring the offence would have to start at the 20 yard line (after the 15 yard infraction was added).

    A real shame that Slate screwed-up the Permanent Record series. Enjoyed it a lot. Maybe you left the wrong writing gig?

    What a great lead this morning. Way to be, Gordon!

    Click on that third photo, with the stern of the Met-mobile facing the camera. Does that bumper sticker really say “My Other Car Is a Piece of Shit Too”? Genius.

    Gordon – without giving away too much, would those photos have been taken in a certain community in Nassau County by Grumman? Looks a lot like my old high school (BHS)

    Last photo of Metsmobile, the bumper sticker reads, MY OTHER CAR IS A PIECE OF SHIT TOO. Makes me wonder: Was that on the car before Gordon repainted it, and he left it on, or was it an ironic addition after the Metsization? Because once you do what Gordon did to a car, the one thing you can’t call it anymore is a piece of shit. What a thing of beauty, and what a time that must have been. Great photos, great car, great story.

    Good catch! I had forgotten about that bumper sticker. And in fact, it was placed on the car BEFORE the new paint job.

    Regarding that line about the NNOB Rockies jerseys in 1993… didn’t they go NNOB all season long?

    That was my question, too. I thought the Rockies didn’t wear names on the home uniforms throughout the ’93 season.

    I’ve slept a few times since then, but I don’t recall them wearing NOB for any game at Mile High.

    Just curious, Chance. Do you live in Milwaukee proper? [I recall your submission of the Milwaukee municipal seal as one the most ridiculously over-busy, over-symboled logos of all time.]

    Ugh… I loathe Slate’s site. Great content and god-awful overdone design. And now they’ve topped it with double the god-awful overdone design.

    I believe their design philosophy is “lets get a bunch of designers in a room, and we promise all of them we won’t say no to any of their ideas”

    My wife tried to read the Permanent Record series on her Android. It was so frustrating I think it led to a little fight between us.

    Maybe it is just me but I found the story of the Mets car to be totally depressing. From complete and utter joy then to abandonment and loss. The True American Dream/Story?

    If it had been the Tigersmobile instead of the Metsmobile, I think you’d maybe have something. But the whole arc of declining from the flush of youthful enthusiasm to the gears rusting out, abandonment, loss, and final wistful memory isn’t an American story. It’s the fundamental story of all life everywhere. We’re all that car, brother, and one day soon we’ll each of us get towed off by a junker with only the vague hope of later restoration.

    Alternate interpretation: The car isn’t a metaphor for America. It’s a metaphor for Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden and so many of the rest of that tragic Mets roster.

    Good points. I guess it is more of the tragedy of life it self. Also, being a disillusioned college grad that can’t get a career started has changed my perspective and looking for those types of metaphors.

    Perhaps it’s depressing if you look at it from the viewpoint of the car. But the story is not about the ultimate fate of a cherished vehicle as much as it is about my then-unbridled enthusiasm for my beloved Mets.

    These days perhaps someone would get a tattoo instead, but for me converting a $300 rust-bucket to an object of boundless attention was the thing to do.

    Look at it this way: Had it gone unpainted, it would have been just another in a long list of mostly forgotten jalopies I had driven. Instead, this dilapidated heap gained an eternal life through the serendipitous timing of its ownership.

    And though it eventually languished in slow inexorable oxidation, it had for a brief glorious moment, an identity of its own.

    Rather uplifting, I’d say!

    And though it eventually languished in slow inexorable oxidation, it had for a brief glorious moment, an identity of its own.

    Oh, man, what a sentence! And so true. I read this as a wonderful, if somewhat melancholy, story of uplift and wistful remembrance.

    Well said. That certainly makes it seem better. The cherished memory of the automobile is almost as good as having it still. I’m glad you could share them.

    I felt a sense of depression too, but not for the car. The part Gordon mentions about almost getting into the parade just exemplifies where we’ve come as a society. I’m sure at the point in time, the security measures were more for the safety of the fans and participants…nowadays it’s to prevent terrorism.

    Although I am not a Mets fan, I loved the entire story. The fact that Gordon painted the car with a roller and had his girlfriend (now wife) help him makes it that much more endearing.

    Great piece to take us into the postseason. Thanks for sharing Gordon!

    What a great week to be heading to America’s Dairy Land. The Fall colors are getting real nice. Excluding today, it is going to be sunny and 70 every day. Oh, and don’t forget the sports. Badgers/Huskers, Brewer playoffs, and a Packer home game Sunday!

    I won’t be in the Northwoods this week, but if you come to South Central Wisconsin, let me know, and I will buy you a Leinenkugel’s Ocktoberfest.

    That sounds great, especially the part about “beer”. I really have to get up to that part of the country someday. Everything is still green here in southern Tennessee, though we are actually looking at sunny skies and high 60s this weekend. Perfect!

    Enjoy da Nortwoods dere, Paulie. Good times ta be had up Nort, donchaknow.

    Seriously, welcome to perhaps the (currently) most sports-blessed state. Packers are Super Bowl champs and 3-0, Brewers win the division for the first time in 29 years and the Badger football team is ranked #7 with a big home game on Saturday night. No wonder people are putting these logos on shirts nowadays:
    link

    Enjoy the break, Paul! You’ve definitely been a busy worker-bee! I am bummed to hear about the debacle over on The Slate. Been busy myself lately, so I had not gotten around to reading that series.

    Cheers,
    C

    Paul – welcome back to WI – as others have mentioned – going to be a fun weekend around here – there will really only be three topics anyone will want to talk about this weekend here – Packers / Badgers / Brewers!

    Next time you are in Milwaukee – let me know – will have to take you to the 4th Base bar where they hae Harvey Kuehn’s prothesthic leg with stirrup hanging from the cieling.

    For you CFL fans (and sorry if I’m jumping on JimBC’s toes), BC Place reopens tonight.

    link

    link

    For reference, the old setup was basically the Metrodome, only twice as dingy.

    link

    Great line from one of the articles:
    “…a retractable/convertible fabric roof, ventilation louvres for those hot days (all four of them) each summer…”

    Vancouver’s a little different.
    Most temperate of Canada’s major cities.
    I think the average winter high temp is something like 54 degrees.
    Snow infrequently accumulates.

    Warm Japanese Current and all that.

    Great, great city.

    “I think the average winter high temp is something like 54 degrees.”

    ~~~

    making it the ideal location to host a winter olympics

    …what?

    Ah, but there’s a precipitous rise when you hit the Rockies, and Whistler, for example, is only abut 75 miles away.

    Unique place, Vancouver.

    The dome was a good defence against rain (Vancouver is like Seattle that way), but like the Kingdome or the Metrodome, the last place people wanted to be on a sunny day or warm evening was inside watching sports. Especially in a great city like that with so many other choices.

    Early reviews from the Lions players are positive. “The lighting is better”. “The new seats look great (compared to the old blue ones”. etc. Bottom line is that it is a much improved facility.

    The government is taking some heat though. They say it’s on budget at $563 Million but apparently earlier estimates were in the $400 Mil range. Also, many Vancouverites don’t like the look of it from the outside. But whatever – it’s still an improvement.

    Of course “BC Place” will be no longer very soon – get ready for the corporate sponsorship… dammit!

    I can see where they’re coming from on the cost. That is a lot of money for a renovation for a CFL / MLS stadium.

    On the look of it from the outside, Vancouverites are a fickle bunch. They bitched about the appearance of the Wall centre (and made it worse as a result), Shangri-La, and just about every prominent building.

    I went to the old BC Place once, and it was the dreariest indoor arena I’ve ever seen. The renovations look spectacular.

    You want to liven up BC Place? Just bring in link

    But yeah, the place does look link

    link See, Seattle? When you live in a rainy sometimes-drearyish city, you wear bright colors to compensate. And the Esks have never looked…hey, is that link on the pants and helmets? When did you start wearing that? Tsk tsk.

    HEY PAUL…

    How ’bout a trip to Denver? I’m sure there are plenty of us out this way that would love to have a get together (drinking session) with you. I’d even buy the first round!

    It looks like the Seahawks voting is closed. The results appear next to the vote box on Saturday’s entry.

    Nice shout out to Kasey Keller. As a Timbers Army member though I have to mention that the Timbers also had their logo in a local corn maze.
    link

    I bought that at a Champion Factory Outlet store. Had no idea what that school was. It was cheap and it fit!

    Tebow billboards have officially started. Despite anybody’s opinion on Tebow’s playing ability the only way to find out is to let him play.
    link
    link

    R Scott R mentioned it up above, but everything about that vehicle was awesome and the jewel in its considerable crown was indeed that link.

    This story reminds me of a friend of mine in high school. He had painstakingly taken a silver Cutlass supreme and painted blue squares all over it to make a checkerboard pattern. On the hood, he painted the link.

    One day, to my dismay, the car had been painted black. I asked him what the hell happened and he explained that he hastily painted it (with a roller) because he had sideswiped someone and needed to disguise the car.

    A new whom-to-root-for infographic for the MLB postseason from my friend Paul and the folks at the Interpretation By Design blog:

    link

    For all the talk about Ray Emory’s new / logo-less pads, for his final game to earn a spot on the Blackhawks, he’s wearing his Anaheim pads from last year.

    No photos yet as the puck has yet to drop.

    Oy. I’ve seen some horrible screenprinted player names, but Utah State’s NOBs just might be the worst ever; and on a relatively ugly uniform with jersey numbers in the worst block font EVER to boot! BTW, does anyone know what that particular block font is called? I think it’s Athletic Block, but I’m not sure.

    NIKE PRO HIGH SCHOOL COMBAT ALERT:

    Servite High School (Anaheim, CA) will be wearing Nike Pro Combat uniforms tonight.

    Link: (link)

    And the image URL just in case Facebook’s giving you problems: (link)

    The game’s on ESPNU, BTW. They’re playing Bishop Gorman, who seems to be wearing their own Pro Combat uni in stealth and orange (their colors are link, although the linked photo has them looking like a high school version of link from last year). The broadcaster said that BGHS will be receiving school-colored uniforms later in the season. The Servite unis actually look pretty good. Can’t say the same for Bishop Gorman. Both teams in matte black helmets (actually, BGHS has a stealth helmet with a shiny black helmet stripe).

    Starting to rain in Las Vegas (where the game’s being played at), and you can see it on their helmets. Let’s see if the claim that the unis are lighter when wet than most conventional unis when dry is true.

    I agreee, Servite looks pretty good in their unis. Plus it’s fun to watch Servite run the T formation out of the backfield.

Comments are closed.