New York teams

[scrapple]

I've been trying to find out what makes a particular fan of the Yankees vs. Mets or Giants vs. Jets. Is it geography ? is it Blue collar vs White collar? Or is it just family....my father was a Jets fan, so I grew up as a Jets fan. I've heard that the Queens borough is traditionally pro Mets. Is that true?
I would appreciate any insights you could provide.
:ho:

[ConnieNonnie]

Hi! I was born n Brooklyn & grew up a Yankee fan,
My cousins in Queens were Met fans. But, we are all
Fans of any NY team that make it to post season.

[VIN574]

Born in Brooklyn. Dad and uncles only spoke of the National League. Giants and Dodgers. Sadly they moved off to sunny California. Amazingly Bill Shea got a National team back for us. I was told once the other league had a team in the Bronx.

Oh and since the Jets played at Shea and won the championship the same year as the Mets.... Well, that's my story.

[ugotme]

SIMPLE:

BORN a Yankee fan

RAISED a Yankee fan

Will DIE a Yankee fan

[bookseller61]

Was a Yankee fan in 1961 and flOllowed Mantle and Maris Home Run rampage to overtake Babe Ruth. Mets came along in 62 and I have been a fan ever since. Just my nature to favor the underdog. Still followed Yankees until Steinbrenner came along and started to out spend everyone else and buy championships! Incidentally, read on Internet once about the demographics for Mets vs Yankees , majority upstate Ny and northern Jersey favor Yankees and Bronx and Staten Island. Mets are more favored in Brooklyn and Queens and Long Island. Manhattan tied. Look it up. Let's go Mets. Take back New York!:

[Shirleevee]

SIMPLE:

BORN a Yankee fan

RAISED a Yankee fan

Will DIE a Yankee fan

Agree and we are from Brooklyn!

[onslowe]

Been a Mets fan since '62 in high school (four blocks from Yankee Stadium!) When we came out from England, my aunt and uncle, Bushwick Avenue Brooklynites, were rabid Dodger fans. Thus we became ones too. No cherce.:)

After they went to LA, I was traumatized. I "hate" the Dodgers now!

Mets are real life - ups and downs, guys who can make mistakes but get up and go on, no expectations like the Yankee types - only hopes, forever hopes. It's real life, and it's been magnificent. I bleed Mets blue and orange! I miss Gary, Keith and Ron, the very best of the best of announcers.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Was a Yankee fan in 1961 and flOllowed Mantle and Maris Home Run rampage to overtake Babe Ruth. Mets came along in 62 and I have been a fan ever since. Just my nature to favor the underdog. Still followed Yankees until Steinbrenner came along and started to out spend everyone else and buy championships! Incidentally, read on Internet once about the demographics for Mets vs Yankees , majority upstate Ny and northern Jersey favor Yankees and Bronx and Staten Island. Mets are more favored in Brooklyn and Queens and Long Island. Manhattan tied. Look it up. Let's go Mets. Take back New York!:

Didn't the Yankees buy a lot of championships when Col. Ruppert paid $100,000 (a fortune at the time) to purchase Babe Ruth from the Red Sox? And didn't the Yankees have the highest payroll in all of MLB during the 1920s, 30s and 40s when they won the majority of their championships?

How was Steinbrenner any different from previous Yankee owners?

[Nucky]

When my Dad was alive..Football=Notre Dame. Baseball=Mets. When the Mets were on Channel 9 our family, Mom, Sister, Dad, Myself were to be together to watch the games when the timing was possible. It was his way of having the family stick together. We were also to attend church together as a family. Meals were to be eaten together. Mom used to ring a cowbell out the door and we would come a running. What a great life. When Dad died the family left behind and the people who came into the family picked new sports teams. It basically is that we are for the NY team no matter what the sport is. For me & my wife its Football=Giants Baseball=Yankees Basketball=Nets Hockey=Rangers. Its not easy being a NY sports fan as they break your heart on a regular basis. College football is watched but no real favorite but we do notice people in the south are passionate about their College teams. Great question....Thank You.

[Patty55]

My family was from the Bronx so of course were Yankee fans. Shea was more convenient to us, so we went to more Mets games than Yankee games. The best of both worlds was the season where the Yankees played at Shea.

[kellyjam]

I lived in The Bronx so I was a Yankee Fan until 1962. (remember rushing home from school just in time to see Bill Mazeroski hit that homer in 60 I was crushed). My parents felt that Casey Stengel got a raw deal from the Yankees so we all became Met fans and still are to this day. The Mets won their first championship on my 18th birthday. Best Birthday present ever.

Football I was a Giants fan Sam Huff was my idol. Had 70 on everything I owned. The Giants traded him in 1964 to the Washington Redskins and I was "the fan to be named later" . Didn't understand trades as a 12 YO.

[jblum315]

I was a Mets fan when I lived in Rye,NY. for me it was because I never liked the Yankees. Also it was exciting to follow a brand new team.

[EnglishJW]

Father was a Yankees fan. Grandfather and one uncle who lived next door were Giants fans. Another uncle who lived upstairs was a Dodgers fan. There were no Mets. I became a Yankee fan. Growing up in NJ, all the other choices were simply based on geography (Giants/football, Knicks/basketball, Rangers/hockey - there were no Jets, Nets, Islanders or Devils).

[cmj1210]

SIMPLE:



BORN a Yankee fan



RAISED a Yankee fan



Will DIE a Yankee fan


Ditto to that, from Long Island. [emoji106]

[jimbo2012]

Grew up in Queens then Long Island

I recall when shea was first built, so Mets

[2BNTV]

SIMPLE:

BORN a Yankee fan

RAISED a Yankee fan

Will DIE a Yankee fan

:agree: but to answer the question:

When the Dodgers and Giants left for SF in the late 50's, (57 I believe), and the Mets came into existence in the National league, (1962 I believe), many people transferred their loyalty to them.

Many people living in that area also had a team to root for.

Many fans I know got their loyalties through family ties, (father, uncle, brother,etc).

The 50's were the golden years of baseball, as the Yankees were always playing the Dodgers and the Giants. I remember the 51 series, (Yankees and Giants), as it was Willie Mays rookie year. Doris Kearns Goodwin, (Pulitzer prize winner), wrote a book, "The Year the Dodgers Won The Pennant), if anyone is interested.

[bookseller61]

Didn't the Yankees buy a lot of championships when Col. Ruppert paid $100,000 (a fortune at the time) to purchase Babe Ruth from the Red Sox? And didn't the Yankees have the highest payroll in all of MLB during the 1920s, 30s and 40s when they won the majority of their championships?

How was Steinbrenner any different from previous Yankee owners?i it is tire that the Yankees spent more in the 20's ,30's' ,etc. they bought other teams best players and outspent for all the best prospects and for this reAson MLB instituted the major league draft. Prior to 1964 or 1965 there was no draft.if you had good scouting and deeper pockets you got the best teenagers. Another was the instutution of the rule 5 draft so that the Yankees could no longer stockpile the best minor leaguers and keep them from ever being able make it to the big leagues!

[tomwed]

Once upon a time in New York your baseball heroes lived in your neighborhood. I wonder what that was like for kids and grown-ups.

[bookseller61]

Didn't the Yankees buy a lot of championships when Col. Ruppert paid $100,000 (a fortune at the time) to purchase Babe Ruth from the Red Sox? And didn't the Yankees have the highest payroll in all of MLB during the 1920s, 30s and 40s when they won the majority of their championships?

How was Steinbrenner any different from previous Yankee owners?

Cbs owned Yankees prior to Steinbrenner and did not spend. Yankees languished from 1964 to mid 70"s until Steinbrenner took over and free agency came about. It is true the Yankees outspent everyone in the 20's,30's,40's,etc but to not to the extent that the free agency rules allowed them to. In the good old days they were able to put spend for all the best teenage talent available because they had deeper pockets. Hence, Mlb instituted Mlb player draft in mid 60's and the rule 5 draft

[Patty55]

Once upon a time in New York your baseball heroes lived in your neighborhood. I wonder what that was like for kids and grown-ups.

A few years back you'd see Ray Knight hanging around in TV. IIRC, his daughter had her wedding at Katie's.

[tomwed]

A few years back you'd see Ray Knight hanging around in TV. IIRC, his daughter had her wedding at Katie's.
That's pretty cool.
"Ray Knight was previously married to Nancy Lopez, a now retired LPGA golfer.[9] They had three daughters together: Ashley Knight who is the oldest, Erinn Knight who is the middle, and Torri Knight who is the youngest. He also briefly caddied for her. They lived in Albany, Georgia and also had a home at The Villages, Florida. He also has a son from a previous marriage, Brooks Knight. Knight is a member of the Golden Gloves boxing association."
Nancy lived in Medord Lakes NJ a long time ago. That's my neck of the woods.

[John_W]

My neighbor has a Yankee and a Mets hat, lately he's been wearing the Mets hat, the word bandwagon fan comes to mind.