Jay Horwitz

By Jay Horwitz I can’t even fathom that this January marks my 43rd year with the Mets. After my disastrous interview with then general manager Frank Cashen in March of 1980, I never thought I would last 43 days, let alone 43 years. The interview lasted five minutes and I…

By Jay Horwitz Before I come to the Mets, I wanted to join the Kennedy Administration. I wanted to be the next Pierre Salinger, JFK’s press secretary. I was all in on Camelot. Then came the assassination. Like I do on every November 22, I think back to where I…

By Jay Horwitz It was a game that started 36 years ago tonight at Fulton-County Stadium and ended at about 4:10 AM the next morning. We survived two rain delays and 19 innings to hold off the Atlanta Braves, 16–13. Ron Darling pitched the 19th. Keith hit for the cycle. Official time was listed at 6 hours 10 minutes. The next day’s paper was already in my hotel room when we got back. No sleep that night. My notes for July 5 were filled with typos. I was happy because we won. Nothing else mattered.

By Jay Horwitz I am proud that our alumni zoom program has impacted close to 500 seniors at 30 different assisted living facilities since the start of the pandemic. Steve Trachsel will become the 33rd different alumnus to participate in the hour-long program when he speaks to a group of folks next week. These seniors, who are dressed in Mets t-shirts and hats, have had very little outset contact with the world since covid hit.

By Jay Horwitz Tom Robson, who passed away yesterday after a long illness, tried to stay out of the spotlight. He always gave the credit to his hitters. But there is no doubt in my mind we wouldn’t have made it to the 2000 World Series without Robbie’s expertise. Tom was our batting coach and he treated the guys the same, whether you were a star or someone who got in once a week. He always pushed the right button.

By Jay Horwitz For me Ed Kranepool is the real Mr. Met. He was there 59 years ago today for the first game in the Polo Grounds. He was there on April 17, 1964 when Shea Stadium opened and he was there in 2009 for the first contest at Citi Field.

By Jay Horwitz It probably was the worst job interview in the history of job interviews, and it happened 41 years ago this week. I flew down to St. Petersburg, Florida to speak to New York Mets General Manager Frank Cashen about becoming the team’s new public relations person. Nothing went right. I went to the wrong hotel and was a half hour late. Then, when I arrived at the restaurant I was so nervous I spilled a gigantic pitcher of orange juice on Mr. Cashen’s lap.

By Jay Horwitz She had the ability to touch all part of the Mets family; the players, the staff, the front office and ownership. Yes, the media loved Shannon Forde, too. She passed away five years ago today after a courageous nearly four-year battle with cancer. …

By Jay Horwitz On this day 36 years when we traded for Gary Carter. I remembered the last time I saw “The Kid” alive. It was mid-January 2012, Jeff Wilpon and I flew down to Florida to see Gary. …