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In 1957 the Dodgers and the Giants moved to California leaving New York without a National League baseball franchise. Two years later, in an attempt to draw a team to New York, Attorney William Shea formed a new league, the Continental League.

The two already-existing major leagues, the National and American, agreed to build two new expansion teams in each league if Shea dissolved the Continental League. Although the CL didn't play a single game, Shea got what he was aiming for — by 1960 New York had a National League team again.

Joan and Charles Payson, the owners, decided to call the team the Metropolitans or the Mets after a baseball team that played in New York City from 1880-1887.

(Trivia Note: some of the other names considered were the "Bees", "Burros", "Continentals", "Skyscrapers", "Jets", and the runner-up:"Skyliners".)

The management wanted to appeal to the fans' warm and fuzzy memories of the good ol' times, so the 1962 Mets weren't exactly young players with bright futures. Instead, older players with successful histories were selected from the Dodgers, the Giants, and the Yankees.

Most famous of all, Casey Stengel, the retired Yankees manager, was hired to manage this team of stars - but all to no avail. The team became most famous for their complete and utter lack of energy and talent. In short, there was no team that could beat the Mets...at losing.

Eventually, the team got tired of being called baseball's underdogs and finally, in 1969, they slowly began climbing out of the basement. Not only that, but they somehow managed to make it to the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles - and won! It wasn't long before they became known as "The Miracle Mets", "The Amazin' Mets" or simply "The Amazin's"

However, over the next ten years they would face many obstacles such as bad trades including Nolan Ryan for Jim Fregosi in 1971, and the "Midnight Massacre" trade of Tom Seaver in 1977. Not to mention the passing of Gil Hodges, the manager who brought them to the World Series, and Joan Payson, their owner. This great team couldn't seem to get on its feet before something else would happen to knock them down ... again.

In 1984 Davey Johnson became manager, and with players like Keith Hernandez, Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry the Mets looked like they had another fighting chance.

In 1986, the team won the division by a landslide, 108-54, and went on to win the NL Pennant before moving on to play in the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. Most fans can probably still hear "Darrryylll !!" being chanted every time Strawberry was at bat. Finally, a hush fell over Shea Stadium when in the last inning, and with only one strike left, the Mets triumphed! It was a deja vu miracle all over again. Keith Hernandez was named the team's first captain the following year.

New Yorkers always love a Yankee and Mets match-up, but the two teams have only faced each other in the World Series twice, the last time in 2000. That year, the Mets lost to the Yankees 4-1 in the ultimate "Subway Series", but they put up a good fight scoring only three total runs less than the Yankees.

More about the Mets around the Web:

MLB.com - New York Mets - Official New York Mets site with all the news, all the time, with links to breaking stories, player profiles, the complete schedule, stats.

Yahoo! Sports - New York Mets - This site is the place to visit to get scores, schedule rankings, standings, stats, team photos, live broadcasts, and message boards.

ESPN.com - New York Mets - All New York Mets news, all the time, with links to breaking stories, players profiles.

Wikipedia.org - New York Mets - Detailed sections on the different eras of this team.

Newsday.com - New York Mets - Get the scoop on the New York Mets from a local New York newspaper. Has a blog and news from the past week so you can catch up on anything you might have missed.

also see in Travel -> New York City Tourist Attractions

Also see -> Baseball | Baseball World Series

New York Yankees | Boston Red Sox