Shea Stadium - wikipedia Shea Stadium For other uses, see Shea Stadium ( disambiguation ). Shea Stadium Shea Stadium Shea Stadium Former names Flushing Queens Stadium ( 1964 -- 1965 ) Address 123 -- 01 Roosevelt Avenue Location Queens, New York Coordinates 40 ° 45 ′ 20 '' N 73 ° 50 ′ 53 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.75556 ° N 73.84806 ° W ﻿ / 40.75556 ; - 73.84806 Coordinates : 40 ° 45 ′ 20 '' N 73 ° 50 ′ 53 '' W ﻿ / ﻿ 40.75556 ° N 73.84806 ° W ﻿ / 40.75556 ; - 73.84806 Owner City of New York New York Mets Operator New York City Department of Parks and Recreation ( 1964 -- 1981 ) New York Mets ( 1964 -- 2008 ) Capacity Baseball : 57,333 Football : 60,372 Field size Left Field 338 ft ( 103 m ) Left Field ( ' 64 - ' 77 ) 341 ( 104 ) Medium Left - Center 358 ( 109 ) Left - Center 371 ( 113 ) Left - Center ( deep ) 396 ( 121 ) Center 410 ( 125 ) Right - Center ( deep ) 396 ( 121 ) Right - Center 371 ( 113 ) Medium Right - Center 358 ( 109 ) Right Field 338 ( 103 ) Right Field ( ' 64 - ' 77 ) 341 ( 104 ) Surface Kentucky Bluegrass Construction Broke ground October 28, 1961 Opened April 17, 1964 Closed September 28, 2008 ( Final game ) Demolished October 14, 2008 -- February 18, 2009 Construction cost US $28.5 million ( $225 million in 2017 dollars ) Architect Praeger - Kavanagh - Waterbury General contractor Carlin -- Crimmins J.V. Tenants New York Mets ( MLB ) ( 1964 -- 2008 ) New York Jets ( AFL / NFL ) ( 1964 -- 1983 ) New York Yankees ( MLB ) ( 1974 -- 1975 ) New York Giants ( NFL ) ( 1975 ) Shea Stadium ( formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium ) / ʃeɪ / ) was a stadium in Flushing Meadows -- Corona Park, Queens, New York City. Built as a multi-purpose stadium, it was the home park of Major League Baseball 's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008, as well as the New York Jets football team from 1964 to 1983. Shea Stadium was named in honor of William A. Shea, the man who was most responsible for bringing National League baseball back to New York. It was demolished in 2009 to create additional parking for the adjacent Citi Field, the current home of the Mets. Contents 1 History 1.1 Planning and construction 1.2 Opening 1.3 Demolition 1.4 Redevelopment 2 Stadium usage 2.1 Sports 2.1. 1 Baseball 2.1. 2 Boxing 2.1. 3 Football 2.1. 4 Soccer 2.2 Concerts 2.3 Other events 2.4 In popular culture 2.5 1975 : Four teams, one stadium 3 Features 3.1 Design 3.2 Home Run Apple 3.3 Seating capacity 4 Homages 5 References 6 External links History Planning and construction The origins of Shea Stadium go way back to the Brooklyn Dodgers ' and the New York Giants ' relocations to the U.S. west coast, which left New York without a National League baseball team. New York City official Robert Moses tried to interest Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley in the site as the location for a new stadium, but O'Malley refused, unable to agree on location, ownership, and lease terms. O'Malley preferred to pay construction costs himself so he could own the stadium outright. He wanted total control over revenue from parking, concessions, and other events. New York City, in contrast, wanted to build the stadium, rent it, and retain the ancillary revenue rights to pay off its construction bonds. Additionally, O'Malley wanted to build his new stadium in Brooklyn, while Moses insisted on Flushing Meadows. When Los Angeles offered O'Malley what the City of New York would n't -- complete ownership of the facility -- he left for southern California in a preemptive bid to install the Dodgers there before a new or existing major league franchise could beat him to it. At the same time, Horace Stoneham moved his New York Giants to the San Francisco Bay Area ( although he originally considered moving them to Minneapolis ), ensuring that there would be two National League West Coast teams, and preserving the longstanding rivalry with the Dodgers that continues to this day. In 1960, the National League agreed to grant an expansion franchise to the owners of the New York franchise in the abortive Continental League, provided that a new stadium be built. Mayor Robert Wagner, Jr. had to personally wire all National League owners and assure them that the city would build a stadium. On October 6, 1961, the Mets signed a 30 - year stadium lease, with an option for a 10 - year renewal. Rent for what was originally budgeted as a $9 million facility was set at $450,000 annually, with a reduction of $20,000 each year until it reached $300,000 annually. The Mets ' inaugural season ( 1962 ) was played in the Polo Grounds, with original plans calling for the team to move to a new stadium in 1963. In October 1962, Mets official Tom Meany said, `` Only a series of blizzards or some other unforeseen trouble might hamper construction. '' That unforeseen trouble surfaced in a number of ways : the severe winter of 1962 -- 1963, along with the bankruptcies of two subcontractors and labor issues. The end result was that both the Mets and Jets played at the Polo Grounds for one more year. A game at Shea during the 1964 season It was originally to be called `` Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium '' -- the name of the public park on which it was built -- but a movement was launched to name it in honor of William A. Shea, the man who brought National League baseball back to New York. Opening After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Pittsburgh Pirates beating the Mets 4 -- 3 before a crowd of 50,312. There were no prior exhibition games or events, and the stadium was barely finished in time for opening day. Because of a jurisdictional dispute between Local 3 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and Local 1106 of the Communications Workers of America, the telephone and telegraph wiring was not finished in time for opening day. The stadium opened five days before the 1964 - 65 New York World 's Fair, across Roosevelt Avenue. Although not officially part of the fair grounds, the stadium sported steel panels on its exterior in the blue - and - orange colors of the Fair. The panels were removed in 1980. Demolition In accordance with New York City law, Shea Stadium was dismantled, rather than imploded. The company with the rights to sell memorabilia was given two weeks after the final game to remove seats, signage and other potentially saleable and collectable items before demolition was to begin. The seats were the first ( $869 per pair plus tax, a combination of ' 86 and ' 69, the team 's two World Series championship years ), followed by other memorabilia such as the foul poles, dugouts, stadium signage, and the giant letters that spelled out `` SHEA '' at the front of the building. Demolition in progress. Top photo : close - up view of the stadium during demolition. Bottom photo : demolition as viewed from the IRT Flushing Line. After salvaging operations concluded, demolition of the ballpark began on October 14, 2008. On October 18, the scoreboard in right field was demolished, with the bleachers, batter 's eye and bullpens shortly thereafter. By November 10, the field, dugouts and the rest of the field level seats had been demolished. By mid-December, all of the loge level seats and a good portion of the mezzanine level seating were gone as well, leaving only the outer shell remaining. Plaque commemorating the location of Shea Stadium 's home plate, now in Citi Field 's parking lot. Demolition work on the upper deck began by January 1, 2009. The next day, all that remained of sections 26 -- 48 of the upper deck was the steel framework. By January 8, the steel framework for sections 36 -- 48 of the upper deck had been completely removed ; all that remained of the `` Live & In Person '' advertising banner at the top above Gate A was the extreme right portion with the Shea Stadium Final Season logo. As of January 15, the far left field portion of Shea was completely demolished and the left field upper deck ( sections 25 -- 47 ) was stripped to its steel framework. The remaining letters at the top of the ballpark behind home plate were taken down on January 21. Approximately two - thirds of the stadium 's outer superstructure was gone by January 24. On January 31, Mets fans all over New York came to Shea Stadium for one final farewell. Fans took a tour of the site, told stories, and sang songs. The last remaining section of seats was demolished on February 18. Fans stood in awe as the remaining structure of Shea Stadium ( one section of ramps ) was torn down at 11 : 22 that morning. The locations of Shea 's home plate, pitcher 's mound, and bases are marked in Citi Field 's parking lot. The plaques feature engravings of the neon baseball players that once graced the exterior of the stadium. Redevelopment On October 9, 2013, the New York City Council approved a plan to build a mall and entertainment center called Willets West in the Citi Field parking lot where Shea Stadium stood, as part of an effort by the city to redevelop the nearby neighborhood of Willets Point. However, in 2015, the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court ruled that the site, considered parkland, could not be used for commercial development without permission from the New York state government. Stadium usage Sports Baseball Shea Stadium prior to a game in September 1969. Shea Stadium was the home of the New York Mets starting in 1964, and hosted the Major League Baseball All - Star Game that year, with Johnny Callison of the Philadelphia Phillies hitting a home run in the ninth inning to win the only Mid-Summer Classic held in the Queens ballpark. A month earlier, on Father 's Day, Callison 's teammate, future Hall of Fame member and United States Senator Jim Bunning, pitched a perfect game against the Mets. The stadium was often criticized by baseball purists for many reasons, even though it was retrofitted to be a baseball - only stadium after the Jets left. The upper deck was one of the highest in the majors. The lower boxes were farther from the field than similar seats in other parks because they were still on the rails that swiveled the boxes into position for football. Outfield seating was sparse, in part because the stadium was designed to be fully enclosed. At one time, Shea 's foul territory was one of the most expansive in the majors. This was very common for ballparks built during the 1960s, in part due to the need to accommodate the larger football field. However, seats added over the years in the lower level greatly reduced the size of foul territory by the dawn of the 21st century. On the plus side, Shea always used a natural grass surface, in contrast to other multi-purpose stadiums such as Three Rivers Stadium, Veterans Stadium, and Riverfront Stadium, which were built in the same era and style and used artificial turf instead of natural grass. Shea Stadium hosted postseason baseball in 1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 1999, 2000, and 2006 ; it hosted the World Series in 1969, 1973, 1986, and 2000. It had the distinction of being the home of the 1969 `` Miracle Mets '' -- a team led by former Brooklyn Dodger Gil Hodges that defied 100 -- 1 odds and won the World Series, after seven straight seasons in last or next - to - last place. Shea became famous for the bedlam that took place after the Mets won the decisive Game 5 of the 1969 World Series, as fans stormed the field in celebration. Similar scenes took place a few weeks earlier after the Mets clinched the National League East title, and then defeated the Atlanta Braves in the first National League Championship Series to win the pennant. Tommie Agee, Lenny Dykstra, Todd Pratt, Robin Ventura, and Benny Agbayani hit post-season, game - winning home runs at Shea. Tommie Agee was the only player in the history of the ballpark to hit a home run into the upper deck in left field. The spot was marked with a sign featuring Agee 's number, and the date, which was April 10, 1969. Teammate Cleon Jones said the ball was still rising when it hit the seats, so it very likely could have been the longest home run ever hit at Shea Stadium. In 1971, Dave Kingman -- then with the San Francisco Giants and later to play for the Mets on two occasions -- hit a home run that smashed off the windshield of the Giants ' team bus, parked behind the left field bullpen. For many years, the Mets ' theme song, `` Meet the Mets '', was played at Shea before every home game. Jane Jarvis, a local jazz artist, played the popular songs on the Thomas organ at Mets games for many years at the stadium. On October 3, 2004, the stadium was the venue for the last game in the history of the Montreal Expos when the Mets defeated the Expos 8 -- 1. Their story ended where it had started 35 years earlier : at Shea Stadium. The following year, the Expos relocated to Washington, D.C., where they were renamed the Nationals. As of June 10, 2005, the Mets had played more games at Shea Stadium than the Brooklyn Dodgers did at Ebbets Field. The last game played at Shea Stadium was a loss to the Florida Marlins on September 28, 2008. However, the Mets were in the thick of the playoff chase until the last day. A win would have meant another game for Shea as the Mets were scheduled to play the Milwaukee Brewers in a one - game playoff for the National League Wild Card had they won. Following the game, there was a `` Shea Goodbye '' tribute in which many players from the Mets ' glory years entered the stadium and touched home plate one final time so that fans could pay their last respects to the players and the stadium the Mets called home for 45 years. The ceremony ended with Tom Seaver throwing a final pitch to Mike Piazza, then, as the Beatles `` In My Life '' played on the stadium speakers the two former Met stars walked out of the centerfield gate and closed it behind them, followed by a display of blue and orange fireworks. A baseball game at Shea Stadium in 2007. The construction of Citi Field is visible beyond left field. Three National League Division Series were played at Shea Stadium. The Mets won all three, and never lost a Division Series game at Shea. 1999 against the Arizona Diamondbacks -- Mets won 3 games to 1 2000 against the San Francisco Giants -- Mets won 3 games to 1 2006 against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- Mets won 3 games to 0 Seven National League Championship Series were played at Shea Stadium. 1969 against the Atlanta Braves -- Mets won 3 games to 0 1973 against the Cincinnati Reds -- Mets won 3 games to 2 1986 against the Houston Astros -- Mets won 4 games to 2 1988 against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- Dodgers won 4 games to 3 1999 against the Atlanta Braves -- Braves won 4 games to 2 2000 against the St. Louis Cardinals -- Mets won 4 games to 1 2006 against the St. Louis Cardinals -- Cardinals won 4 games to 3 ^ The decisive seventh game of this series was played at Shea Stadium, marking the only time that the Mets ever lost the deciding game of a National League Championship Series at Shea. Four World Series were played in Shea Stadium. 1969 against the Baltimore Orioles -- Mets won 4 games to 1 1973 against the Oakland Athletics -- A 's won 4 games to 3 1986 against the Boston Red Sox -- Mets won 4 games to 3 2000 against the New York Yankees -- Yankees won 4 games to 1 The Yankees ' World Series win in 2000 was the only time that visiting teams won a World Series at Shea Stadium. The Mets won both their World Series titles at Shea Stadium ( in Game 5 in 1969, and Game 7 in 1986 ). Shea Stadium prior to the start of a New York Mets game in 2008. Shea had the best attendance in the National League that year, averaging over 51,000 fans per game. The New York Yankees played their home games in Shea Stadium during the 1974 and 1975 seasons while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. The move to Shea had been proposed earlier in the decade, but the Mets, as Shea 's primary tenants, refused to sign off on the deal. However, when the city stepped in to pay for renovating Yankee Stadium, the Mets had little choice but to agree to share Shea with the Yankees. On the afternoon of April 15, 1998, the Yankees also played one home game at Shea, against the Anaheim Angels after a beam collapsed at Yankee Stadium two days before, destroying several rows of seats. With the Mets playing a game at Shea that evening against the Chicago Cubs, the Yankees used the visitor 's locker room and dugout and the Angels used the home dugout and old locker room of the New York Jets. Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry, then playing for the Yankees, hit a home run during the game. Stadium operators partially raised the Mets ' home run apple signal before lowering it back down, to the delight of the crowd. Shea Stadium also hosted the first extra-inning regular season baseball opener ever played in New York, on March 31, 1998, when the Mets opened their season against their rival Philadelphia Phillies, playing the longest scoreless opening day game in the National League and the longest one in Major League Baseball since 1926. The Mets won the game 1 -- 0 in the bottom of the 14th inning. During the 1977 New York City blackout the stadium was plunged into darkness at approximately 9 : 30 p.m. during a game between the Mets and the Chicago Cubs. It occurred during the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Mets losing 2 -- 1 and Lenny Randle at bat. Jane Jarvis, Shea 's organist ( affectionately known as Shea 's `` Queen of Melody '' ) played `` Jingle Bells '' and `` White Christmas ''. The game was eventually completed on September 16, with the Cubs winning 5 -- 2. Boxing Shea Stadium held boxing matches in the mid-sixties. Football A concept drawing of Shea Stadium in football configuration The New York Jets of the American Football League and later, the National Football League played at Shea for 20 seasons, from 1964 to 1983 ( excluding their first home game in 1977 played at Giants Stadium ). The stadium hosted three Jets playoff games : the American Football League Championship in 1968 ( beat the Oakland Raiders, 27 -- 23 ), an AFL Divisional Playoff in 1969 ( lost 13 -- 6 to the Kansas City Chiefs ) and the 1981 AFC Wild Card Playoff game ( lost 31 -- 27 to the Buffalo Bills ). For most of the Jets ' tenure at Shea, they were burdened by onerous lease terms imposed at the insistence of the Mets. Until 1978, the Jets could not play their first home game until the Mets ' season was finished. For instance, in 1969, the defending Super Bowl champion Jets did n't play a home game until October 20 due to the Mets advancing to ( and winning ) the World Series. As a result, the 1969 Jets opened with five consecutive road games, and then played all seven home games in consecutive weeks before closing with two road games. Even after 1978, the Mets ' status as Shea 's primary tenants would require the Jets to go on long road trips ( switching Shea from baseball to football configuration was a complex process involving electrical, plumbing, field and other similar work ). The stadium was also not well maintained in the 1970s. The Jets moved to Giants Stadium for the 1984 season, enticed by the more than 15,000 additional seats there. Fans ripped apart Shea after the last game of the 1983 season, which also was the last game for Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who threw two touchdown passes to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 34 -- 7 victory. Even the scoreboard operator had a field day, displaying the home team as the `` N.J. Jets ''. O.J. Simpson pictured breaking the NFL 's single - season rushing record at Shea Stadium. It was at Shea Stadium on December 16, 1973 that O.J. Simpson became the first running back to gain 2,000 yards in a single season ( and, to date, the only player to do it in 14 games or fewer ). In the 1983 season, a Jets game against the Los Angeles Rams featured an 85 - yard touchdown run by rookie Eric Dickerson, as well as a brawl between Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater and Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau when Slater blindsided Gastineau after the Jet performed his infamous `` Sack Dance '' over fallen Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo. The NFL 's New York Giants played their 1975 season at Shea while Giants Stadium was being built. The Giants were 5 -- 9 that year ( 2 -- 5 at Shea ). Their coach was Bill Arnsparger and their quarterback was Craig Morton. The Giants played their final five home games of 1973 and all seven in 1974 at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut after Yankee Stadium was closed on October 1, 1973 for a massive rebuilding, which was completed in time for the 1976 baseball season. On the night of October 9, 1965, Shea Stadium hosted the football rivalry between Army and Notre Dame for the first and only time. The Fighting Irish blanked the Cadets, 17 - 0, beginning a 15 - game winning streak for Notre Dame in the storied series. In 1966, the Brooklyn Dodgers of the minor Continental Football League unsuccessfully sued the Jets in an attempt to use the stadium ; the team wound up playing on Randall 's Island and soon folded. In 1974, the New York Stars of the nascent World Football League also made inquiries to play at Shea, whose schedule was already overcrowded by the Mets, Jets and Yankees ( and the following year, the Giants ; see below ). The Stars also moved out to Randall 's Island, playing only a handful of games before shifting to Charlotte. The football field at Shea extended from around home plate to centerfield, with the baseline seating rotating out to fill left and right fields. Soccer The first soccer game at Shea Stadium occurred during International Soccer League tournament play on June 17, 1965. Date Winning Team Result Losing Team Tournament Spectators June 17, 1965 Portuguesa 6 - 3 West Ham United International Friendly -- The original New York Cosmos beat the Washington Diplomats, 2 - 0, in an NASL playoff game at Shea on August 17, 1976. New York United of the American Soccer League called Shea home in 1980. Concerts Shea Stadium and vicinity, with the Manhattan skyline in the distance, 1981 On Sunday, August 15, 1965, the Beatles opened their 1965 North American tour there to a record audience of 55,600. `` Beatlemania '' was at one of its peaks at their Shea concert. Film footage shows many teenagers and women crying, screaming, and even fainting. The crowd noise was such that security guards can be seen covering their ears as the Beatles entered the field. The sound of the crowd was so deafening that none of the Beatles ( or anyone else ) could hear what they were playing. Nevertheless, it was the first concert to be held at a major stadium and set records for attendance and revenue generation, demonstrating that outdoor concerts on a large scale could be successful and profitable, and led the Beatles to return to Shea for a successful encore on August 23, 1966. The attendance record stood until 1973 when it was broken by Led Zeppelin with 56,800 fans at Tampa Stadium. The next major music event to play Shea Stadium after the Beatles successful appearances was the Summer Festival for Peace on August 6, 1970. It was a day - long fundraiser, which featured many of the era 's biggest selling and seminal rock, folk, blues and jazz performers including : Janis Joplin, Paul Simon, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf, The James Gang, Miles Davis, Tom Paxton, John Sebastian, and others. The next music show at Shea Stadium was the historic 1971 concert by Grand Funk Railroad in 1971, which broke the Beatles ' then - record for fastest ticket sales. Humble Pie was the opening band. The same filmmakers for the documentary of the Rolling Stones concert at Altamont were commissioned to film it, but to date, a final film has not been released. The stadium hosted numerous concerts since then, including Jethro Tull with opening act Robin Trower in July 1976 ( billed as Tull v. Boeing because of the proximity to LaGuardia Airport ), The Who with opening act The Clash in October 1982, and Simon & Garfunkel in August 1983. On August 18, 1983, The Police played in front of 70,000 fans at Shea, a concert that the band 's singer and bassist Sting described as `` like playing the top of Everest '', and announced near the end of the concert : `` We 'd like to thank the Beatles for lending us their stadium. '' The Rolling Stones performed at Shea for a six - night run in October 1989, and Elton John & Eric Clapton played a concert in August 1992. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at Shea in early October 2003. The last concert event was a two - night engagement by Billy Joel on July 16 and July 18, 2008. The concert was dubbed The Last Play at Shea, and featured many special guest appearances, including former Beatle Paul McCartney who closed the second show with an emotional rendition of the Beatles classic `` Let It Be ''. Other artists that joined Joel on stage for the shows were former Shea performer Roger Daltrey of The Who, Tony Bennett, Don Henley, John Mayer, John Mellencamp, Garth Brooks, and Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. The concert was the subject of a documentary film of the same name, which is used along with Shea 's history to tell the story of changes in American suburban life. Other events The 1978 International Convention of Jehovah 's Witnesses was held at Shea Stadium from July 12 to July 16, 1978. During his tour of America in October 1979, Pope John Paul II was also among those hosted by Shea Stadium. On the morning of the Pontiff 's visit, Shea Stadium was awash in torrential rain, causing ankle - deep mud puddles, and threatened to ruin the event. But as the Popemobile entered the stadium, the rain stopped although the deep mud remained. On December 9, 1979, as part of the halftime show of a National Football League game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots, a model airplane group put on a remote control airplane display. The grand finale was a remote control airplane, weighing 40 lbs, made to look like a red flying lawnmower. The pilot lost control of the airplane, and it crashed into the stands, hitting Kevin Rourke, of Lynn, Massachusetts and John Bowen of Nashua, New Hampshire. Both suffered serious head injuries ; Rourke survived but Bowen died four days later. Between 1972 and 1980, Shea also hosted 3 wrestling events held by the then World Wrestling Federation. In 1980, it hosted a simulcast of the first fight between Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard, won by Duran. In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the stadium became a staging area for rescuers, its parking lots filled with food, water, medical supplies, even makeshift shelters where relief workers could sleep. Ten days later Shea reopened for the first post-attack sporting event in New York where the Mets beat the Braves, behind a dramatic home run by Mets catcher Mike Piazza. In popular culture In the television serial drama, Mad Men, the main character, Don Draper, has his secretary buy a pair of tickets for the Beatles ' concert at Shea Stadium in 1965. Shea Stadium was parodied as `` Che Stadium '' for The Rutles film All You Need is Cash for a sequence that spoofed the Beatles ' concert at the stadium. Shea Stadium was parioded as Spray Stadium in an episode of Batman 66 In 1987, Marvel Comics rented Shea Stadium to re-enact the wedding of Spider - Man / Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson. Recently on VH1 's documentary series 7 Ages of Rock, Shea Stadium was named the most hallowed venue in all of rock music. In Godzilla : The Series the stadium was destroyed in a fight between Godzilla and Crackler. Shea Stadium was used in the 1970s for filming the 1973 movie Bang The Drum Slowly starring Robert De Niro and Michael Moriarty and the 1978 film The Wiz. In the latter film, the exterior pedestrian ramps were used for a motorcycle chase scene with Michael Jackson & Diana Ross. A scene in the 2002 movie Two Weeks Notice takes place at Shea. In Men in Black, a Mets game at Shea was featured in the film, with outfielder Bernard Gilkey dropping a fly ball after being distracted by an alien spacecraft in the sky. Shea was also featured in Men in Black 3 which is where K and J intercept Griffin and the ArcNet in 1969 before Boris the Animal can capture it. 1975 : Four teams, one Stadium The Mets, Yankees, Jets and Giants all called Shea home in 1975, the only time in professional sports history that two baseball teams and two football teams shared the same facility in the same year. As Yankee Stadium was being renovated and Giants Stadium was nearing completion, there were scheduling clashes between the New York teams in baseball from April through September and both football teams from October through December. The Jets and also the Giants could not play `` home '' games at Shea Stadium until the baseball season ended for the main tenant Mets and the temporary incumbent Yankees. In 1975, there was only a two - week overlap between the baseball and football seasons ( the NFL season started on Sunday, September 21 that year, and the Major League Baseball season ended on Sunday, September 28 ). This meant the Jets opened at home on Sunday, October 5, the third week of the season, and the Giants on Sunday, October 12, the season 's fourth week. It also meant that the Giants and Jets had to play a combined 14 home games in the final 12 weeks of the 14 - week NFL season. To do so, the Giants played two Saturday afternoon home games, neither of which were televised, and both of which were played the day before a Jets ' Sunday home game. Either the Jets or the Giants had a Sunday home game every weekend from October 5 through December 21. In total, the `` Big Four '' drew 3,738,546 customers to Shea : 1,730,566 by the Mets ( 76 home dates ) ; 1,288,048 by the Yankees ( 71 home dates ) ; 361,102 by the Jets ( seven home games ) and 358,830 by the Giants ( also seven ). Having both the Giants and Jets share Shea Stadium for one season foreshadowed what was to come in the future with the Meadowlands ( a.k.a. Giants Stadium ) after the Jets left Flushing Meadows for New Jersey following the 1983 NFL season. Features Design Shea was a circular stadium, with the grandstand forming about two - thirds of a circle around the field and ending a short distance beyond the foul lines. The remainder of the perimeter was mostly empty space beyond the outfield fences. This space was occupied by the bullpens, scoreboards, and a section of bleachers beyond the left field fence. The stadium boasted 54 restrooms, 21 escalators, seats for 57,343 fans, and a massive 86 ' x 175 ' scoreboard. Also, rather than the standard light towers, Shea featured lamps along its upper reaches. Some deemed Shea a showplace, praised for its convenience, even its `` elegance ''. The stadium 's scoreboard in right field, one of the largest in MLB when it opened, weighed over 60 tons. One of its distinctive features was a giant rearview slide projector screen on the top center of the scoreboard ; it was intended to display a picture of the current player at bat ( a very groundbreaking innovation at the time ) ; however, due to lighting issues ( it only worked at night when the light was really low ; during day games, the picture would not show up at all ), it was not used very often and was eventually covered with a giant Mets logo ( or a Jets logo when they played ). The stadium was located close to LaGuardia Airport. For many years, interruptions for planes flying overhead were common at Shea, and the noise was so loud that radio and television broadcasts could n't be heard. Later, flight plans were altered to alleviate the noise problem. One of the neon players on the outside of Shea Stadium. Shea was originally designed with two motor - operated stands that allow the field level seats to rotate on underground tracks, allowing the stadium to be converted between a baseball and an American football / soccer configuration. In 1982, a new Mitsubishi DiamondVision screen was installed in left field ; the messageboard on the main scoreboard subsequently became covered with a Budweiser advertisement for the rest of the stadium 's life. After the New York Jets football team moved to Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey in 1984, the Mets took over operation of the stadium and retrofitted it for exclusive baseball use. As part of the refitting, Shea Stadium 's exterior was painted blue and neon signs of baseball player silhouettes were added to the windscreens prior to the 1988 season. The original scoreboard was removed, and a new one installed in its place ( fitting into the shell left behind by the old one ), in 1988. The original ( wooden ) outfield wall was removed also removed at that time, and replaced by a padded fence. Shea 's exterior, pictured here in 1964, was decorated with blue and orange panels from 1964 until their removal in 1980. Banks of ramps that provided access from the ground to the upper levels were built around the outside circumference of the stadium. The ramps were not walled in and were visible from outside the stadium. The ramps were originally partly covered with many rectangular panels in blue and orange, the Mets ' colors. These panels can be seen in the 1970s movie The Wiz, which used the exterior pedestrian ramps for a motorcycle chase scene with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. The 1960s - style decorations were removed in 1980. The banks of ramps resulted in the outer wall of the stadium jutting out where the banks existed. The design also allowed for Shea Stadium to be expandable to 90,000 seats, simply by completely enclosing the grandstand. It was also designed to be later enclosed by a dome if warranted. In March 1965, a plan was formally announced to add a glass dome and add 15,000 seats. The Mets strongly objected to the proposal. The idea was later dropped after engineering studies concluded that the stadium 's foundation would be unable to support the weight of the dome. The distances to the right and left field foul poles were initially both 341 feet ( 104 m ). There was a horizontal orange line that determined where a batted ball was a home run or still in play. In 1978, Manager Joe Torre suggested moving in the fences to 338 feet ( 103 m ) in the corners with a wall in front of the original brick wall, to decrease the number of disputed calls. Originally, all of the seats were wooden, with each level having a different color. The field boxes were yellow, the loge level seats were brown, the mezzanine seats were blue, and the upper deck seats were green. Each level above the field level was divided into box seats below the entrance / exit portals and reserved seats above the portals. The box seats were a darker shade than the reserved seats. The game ticket was the same color as the seat that it represented, and the signs in the lobby for that section were the same color as the seat and the ticket. Before the 1980 baseball season, they were replaced with red ( upper deck ), green ( mezzanine ), blue ( loge ), and orange ( field level ) plastic seats. Shea Stadium from the air, 2005. Citi Field was later built in the parking area to the right ( east ) of the stadium. Unlike Yankee Stadium, Shea was built on an open field, so there was no need to have it conform to the surrounding streets. Before Shea Stadium closed in 2008, it was the only stadium in the major leagues with orange foul poles. This tradition is carried on at Citi Field as the foul poles there are the same color. After the Jets left Shea, the exterior of the stadium was painted blue and white, two of the Mets ' team colors. In 2003, large murals celebrating the Mets ' two world championships were added, covering the two ends of the grandstand. The 1986 mural was removed after the 2006 season because of deterioration ( the wall was re-painted solid blue, and a window was opened on the mezzanine level where fans could view the progress of Citi Field ), but the 1969 mural survived until the final game at the end of 2008. The skyline from Shea 's scoreboard, now on top of the Shake Shack in Citi Field. The scoreboard was topped by a representation of the New York Skyline, a prominent part of the team logo. After the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center were kept unlit, with a red - white - and - blue ribbon placed over them. The scoreboard was demolished in October 2008, but the skyline was preserved and is now located on the Shake Shack in Citi Field 's `` Taste Of The City '' food court behind the giant scoreboard in center field. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the construction of Citi Field was visible beyond the left and center field walls of Shea. From 1973 to 1979, fans could estimate the distance of home run balls, since there were several signs beyond the outfield wall giving the distance in feet from home plate, in addition to the nine markers within the field. Home run apple Further information : Home Run Apple Shea 's home run apple The Home Run Apple came out of a magic hat after every Mets home run at Shea Stadium. It was first installed in May 1980 as a symbol of the Mets ' advertising slogan `` The Magic Is Back ! '' ( the hat originally said `` Mets Magic '' in script but was changed in the mid-1980s to a simple `` Home Run '' in block capital letters ). A bigger apple was placed in center field at Citi Field. The original apple was installed inside Citi Field 's bullpen gate and was visible from outside, on 126th Street. In 2010, the original Shea apple was relocated outside the Citi Field, in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Seating capacity Baseball Years Capacity 1964 -- 1984 55,300 1985 -- 1993 55,601 1994 -- 2001 55,777 2002 -- 2003 56,749 57,405 2005 57,369 2006 -- 2008 57,333 Football Years Capacity 1964 -- 1983 60,372 Homages Four players in the National League named their children after Shea Stadium. Former Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones named his second son Shea after Jones ' success in Shea Stadium against the Mets ; he hit 19 home runs there, more than any other road park. Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin named his eldest daughter Brielle D'Shea, as he enjoyed playing at Shea Stadium. Former Houston Astros third baseman Gary Cooper named his youngest daughter Shea after Shea Stadium. He also named his son Camden after Camden Yards in Baltimore. Current New York Mets third baseman David Wright named his first daughter Olivia Shea. Wright began his career playing everyday in Shea Stadium for the Mets. Actor Kevin James, who is a devoted Mets fan named his youngest daughter, Shea Joelle after the ballpark. References Jump up ^ `` Citi Field Side - by - Side Comparison ''. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved February 20, 2010. Jump up ^ Brown, Gerry ; Morrison, Mike ; Morrison, Michael ( 2007 ). ESPN Sports Almanac 2008 : America 's Best - Selling Sports Almanac. New York : ESPN. p. 583. ISBN 1 - 933060 - 38 - 7. Retrieved September 26, 2011. Jump up ^ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. `` Consumer Price Index ( estimate ) 1800 -- ''. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2018. ^ Jump up to : `` History of Shea Stadium ''. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved August 18, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Shea Stadium ''. Ballparks.com. Retrieved October 15, 2011. Jump up ^ Scanned picture of the dedication handout that shows the stadium is in Flushing Meadows -- Corona Park. Jump up ^ `` Historic Documents : September 12, 1957 -- September 7, 1962 ''. walteromalley.com. Retrieved February 20, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Mets Lease New Park '', Daytona Beach Morning Journal, Associated Press, October 7, 1961, retrieved June 3, 2014 Jump up ^ Scanned image of the groundbreaking ceremony in which it is named Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium. ^ Jump up to : Koppett, Leonard ( April 18, 1964 ). `` Shea Stadium Opens With Big Traffic Jam ''. The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved August 19, 2013. Jump up ^ `` Pittsburgh Pirates vs. New York Mets -- April 17, 1964 Box Score ''. Baseball Almanac. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Jump up ^ `` A Dispute Arises at Shea Stadium ''. New York Times. April 14, 1964. p. 43. Retrieved 3 November 2017. Jump up ^ Richard, Sandomir ( March 30, 2008 ). `` You Ca n't Just Blow Up History ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 13, 2009. And explosive charges will not be set off to blow the ballparks to smithereens, or more technically, to implode them. The city also prohibits implosions. Jump up ^ `` At $869 a Pair, Shea Seats Sell Briskly ''. The New York Sun. Associated Press. September 5, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2010. Jump up ^ Sandomir, Richard ( October 23, 2008 ). `` Demolition Takes Shea Stadium Piece by Piece ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2009. Jump up ^ `` Photo Gallery : Shea Stadium Dismantlement ''. WFAN. New York City. November 10, 2008. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009. Retrieved February 20, 2010. Jump up ^ Warren, Matthew R. ( January 31, 2009 ). `` On a Mound of Debris at Shea Stadium, Mets Fans Kiss That One Goodbye ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2009. Jump up ^ Baumbach, Jim ( February 18, 2009 ). `` Shea Stadium 's Demolition Is Complete ''. Newsday. Retrieved October 24, 2009. Jump up ^ Wentworth, Bridget J. ( February 18, 2009 ). `` Shea Stadium Demolition Ends ''. The Star - Ledger. Newark. Retrieved May 6, 2010. Jump up ^ Belson, Ken ; Hine, Chris ( August 15, 2009 ). `` Signs of Glory Rise at Citi Field, From 1969, 1986 and 2000 ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2010. Jump up ^ `` Neighbors Protest Plan For Mall In Citi Field Parking Lot ''. CBS New York. July 10, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` City Council Approves Sweeping Redevelopment Plan For Willets Point ''. CBS New York. October 9, 2013. Retrieved October 11, 2013. Jump up ^ `` De Blasio 's Dilemma : Fight for a Mall Near Citi Field or Disavow It ''. New York Times. July 8, 2015. Retrieved July 9, 2015. Jump up ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. ( June 22, 1964 ). `` Bunning Pitches a Perfect Game ; Mets Are Perfect Victims, 6 to 0 ''. The New York Times. p. 1. The Phils won the contest... before 32,904 fans who were screaming for Bunning during the last two innings... Yesterday 's perfect pitching turned the usually loyal Met fans into Bunning fans in the late innings. From the seventh inning on... Bunning had the crowd... behind him. ^ Jump up to : Smith, Curt ( 2001 ). Storied Stadiums. New York City : Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0 - 7867 - 1187 - 6. Jump up ^ Collins, Glenn ( February 1, 2010 ). `` Recalling a Meeting With the Pied Piper of Shea ''. The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2012. Jump up ^ Caldwell, Dave ( October 4, 2004 ). `` Zeile Exits on High Note, Spoiling Expos ' Farewell ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 16, 2010. Jump up ^ Durso, Joseph ( April 9, 1969 ). `` Mets Lose on Opening Day for 8th Time in Row as Expos Win, 11 -- 10 ; Montreal Victor in Its First Game ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 16, 2010. Jump up ^ Shpigel, Ben ( September 28, 2008 ). `` Bitter Repeat on Stadium 's Final Day ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2010. Jump up ^ Robinson, Joshua ( September 28, 2008 ). `` Immersed in Gloom, a Farewell to Shea Still Enchants ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2010. Jump up ^ `` April 15, 1998 Anaheim Angels at New York Yankees Play by Play and Box Score ''. Baseball - Reference. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Lin, Albert ( 1999 ). `` The New York Yankees Greatest Hits ''. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Kleinfield, N.R. ( April 16, 1998 ). `` One Stadium, Four Teams, No Problem ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2010. Jump up ^ Chass, Murray ( April 16, 1998 ). `` Strawberry Gets The Apple to Rise ''. The New York Times. Retrieved January 18, 2010. Jump up ^ Vecsey, George ( April 1, 1998 ). `` Mets Take An Opener For the Ages ''. The New York Times. p. C1. Jump up ^ Salisbury, Jim ( April 1, 1998 ). `` For Openers, Zilch Phils Fall in 14th Without a Run ''. The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. E1. ^ Jump up to : Diamos, Jason ( April 1, 1998 ). `` A Midsummer Classic in March as Mets Nip Phillies ''. The New York Times. p. C1. ^ Jump up to : Noble, Marty ( September 22, 2008 ). `` Great Moments at Shea Stadium ''. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Keese, Parton ( September 17, 1977 ). `` Mets Finish Two - Month Loss to Cubs ''. The New York Times. Jump up ^ `` Remembering Shea stadium ''. espn.com. Retrieved February 2, 2018. Jump up ^ Eskenazi, Gerald ( December 11, 1983 ). `` Unruly Fans Mar Shea Farewell As Jets Lose, 34 -- 7 ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Groznik, Brad. `` Shea Housed The Jets For 20 Seasons ''. Queens Tribune. Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved January 9, 2012. Jump up ^ Chass, Murray ( December 17, 1973 ). `` Simpson Breaks Mark as Bills Rout Jets ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Briordy, William J. ( June 18, 1965 ). `` Portuguesa Upsets West Ham In Soccer at Shea Stadium, 6 -- 3 ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2010. Jump up ^ Cosmos Homes Away From Home Jump up ^ Yannis, Alex ( February 21, 1980 ). `` Soccer Team to Call Shea Stadium Home ''. The New York Times. Retrieved July 27, 2010. Jump up ^ Badman, Keith ( 2000 ). The Beatles Off The Record. London : Omnibus. p. 193. ISBN 0 - 7119 - 7985 - 5. Jump up ^ Davis, Stephen ( 1985 ), Hammer of the Gods : The Led Zeppelin Saga. p. 194. Pan Jump up ^ `` Police play Shea Stadium ''. BBC. Retrieved January 26, 2014 Jump up ^ Gamboa, Glenn ( April 20, 2010 ). `` ' Last Play at Shea ' Documentary Tells Stadium 's Story ''. Newsday. Retrieved July 26, 2010. Jump up ^ Quindlen, Anna ( October 4, 1979 ). `` At Shea, A Moving Goodbye ''. The New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2009. Jump up ^ `` A spectator at a football game was killed by a flying model lawnmower ''. Snopes.com. Retrieved November 7, 2007. ^ Jump up to : Moehringer, J.R. ( September 29, 2008 ). `` One Last Trip Home ''. ESPN. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Jump up ^ New York Daily News < Jump up ^ Gross, Michael ( June 2, 1987 ). `` Spider - Man to Wed Model ''. New York Times. Jump up ^ Topel, Brett ( 2016 ) When Shea Was Home : The Story of the 1975 Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Jets. New York : Sports Publishing ( 1 ) Jump up ^ http://www.allamericanscoreboards.com/pages/about/news/archives/1965-shae_stadium.php Jump up ^ http://www.thisgreatgame.com/ballparks-shea-stadium.html Jump up ^ http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/ballpark/history.jsp Jump up ^ Bennett, Charles G. ( March 18, 1965 ). `` Dome Is Proposed for Shea Stadium ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 20, 2008. Jump up ^ Montgomery, Paul L. ( October 12, 1965 ). `` Glass Dome for Shea Stadium ? Mets Object ; Project Would Cost $9 Million and Add 14,000 Seats ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 20, 2008. Jump up ^ Lukas, Paul ( September 26, 2008 ). `` Be It Ever So Humble, There 's No Place Like Shea ''. ESPN. Retrieved January 2, 2010. Jump up ^ Collins, Glenn ( March 24, 2009 ). `` For Mets Fans, a Menu Beyond Peanuts and Cracker Jack ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2009. Jump up ^ McCarron, Anthony ( April 21, 2008 ). `` Mets ' Home Run Apple Loved to Core ''. Daily News ( New York ). Retrieved January 24, 2010. Jump up ^ Albanese, Laura ( March 26, 2010 ). `` Home Run Apple A Core Value for Mets Fans ''. Newsday. Retrieved March 27, 2010. Jump up ^ Berkow, Ira ( November 13, 1990 ). `` Sports of the Times ; An Empty Patch in Right Field ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2013. Jump up ^ Acee, Kevin ( April 14, 1997 ). `` New York Awaits Robinson Tribute : President Will Lead Mid-Game Celebration ''. Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved August 19, 2013. Jump up ^ Official Major League Fact Book 2003 Edition. 1 ( 1 ed. ). New York : Sporting News. 2003. p. 60. ISBN 0 - 89204 - 701 - 1. Jump up ^ Henninger, Thom ; Nistler, Tony ; Zminda, Don ( January 10, 2005 ). The Scouting Notebook 2005. 1 ( 1 ed. ). New York : Sporting News. p. 532. ISBN 0 - 89204 - 768 - 2. Jump up ^ Palmer, Pete ; Gillette, Gary ; Shea, Stuart ; Silverman, Matthew ; Spira, Greg ( 2006 ). The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia. New York : Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. p. 1729. ISBN 1 - 4027 - 3625 - 8. Retrieved August 19, 2013. Jump up ^ Newman, Mark ( March 30, 2006 ). `` Big, Bigger, Biggest of the Big Leagues ''. Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Retrieved August 19, 2013. Jump up ^ Carroll, Maurice ( April 21, 1983 ). `` Jets Get City Offer On Shea ''. The New York Times. Retrieved August 19, 2013. ^ Jump up to : `` Jones Has 17 Home Runs at Shea Stadium ''. ESPN. August 31, 2004. Retrieved January 9, 2009. Jump up ^ ( 2 ) Archived June 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Shea Stadium. Baseball portal National Football League portal New York City portal Ballpark Digest Visit to Shea Stadium Shea Stadium Opening Day 2006 Photo A Photographic Documentary of the Final Summer of Shea ESPN : `` Be it ever so humble, there 's no place like Shea '' In Mudville, Queens, Shea Scavengers Hunt Soggy Discarded Relics by Corey Kilgannon, The New York Times ( New York edition ), September 30, 2008, page B3 ( retrieved on October 3, 2008 ) With Stadiums Going, Going, Ashes May Be Gone by James Barron, The New York Times, New York edition, October 11, 2008, Page A17, retrieved on October 12, 2008 ( Relatives grieve over ashes smuggled into and left under or over Shea and Yankee stadiums. ) Pics from the 3B Side, 2008 Season Events and tenants Preceded by Polo Grounds Home of the New York Mets 1964 -- 2008 Succeeded by Citi Field Preceded by Polo Grounds Home of the New York Jets 1964 -- 1983 Succeeded by Giants Stadium Preceded by Yankee Stadium Home of the New York Yankees 1974 -- 1975 Succeeded by Yankee Stadium Preceded by Yale Bowl Home of the New York Giants Succeeded by Giants Stadium Preceded by Municipal Stadium Host of the All - Star Game 1964 Succeeded by Metropolitan Stadium Links to related articles New York Giants Founded in 1925 Based and headquartered in East Rutherford, New Jersey Franchise Franchise Seasons Coaches Players First - round draft picks Quarterbacks History 1925 -- 78 1979 -- 93 1994 -- present Financial history Stadiums Polo Grounds Yankee Stadium Yale Bowl Shea Stadium Giants Stadium MetLife Stadium Culture Cleveland Bulldogs The Duke Crunch Bunch Gatorade shower Big Blue Wrecking Crew I 'm going to Disney World ! Little Giants `` New York Groove '' `` We Fly High '' `` The Masseuse '' ( Seinfeld episode ) Big Fan Bob Sheppard Jim Hall Yankee Stadium Legacy License Plate Guy Lore Sneakers Game The Greatest Game Ever Played The Fumble Wide Right 2007 game vs. New England Patriots Helmet Catch The Comeback Rivalries Dallas Cowboys Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins San Francisco 49ers New York Jets Key personnel Owners : John Mara, Steve Tisch General Manager : Dave Gettleman Head Coach : Pat Shurmur Division championships ( 16 ) 1933 1934 1935 1938 1939 1941 1941 1944 1946 1986 1989 1990 1997 2000 2005 2008 2011 Conference championships ( 11 ) 1956 1958 1959 1961 1962 1963 1986 1990 2000 2007 2011 League championships ( 8 ) 1927 1934 1938 1956 1986 ( XXI ) 1990 ( XXV ) 2007 ( XLII ) 2011 ( XLVI ) Retired numbers 7 11 14 14 16 32 40 42 50 56 Ring of Honor Jessie Armstead Carl Banks Tiki Barber Mark Bavaro Al Blozis Rosey Brown Harry Carson Charlie Conerly Frank Gifford Pete Gogolak Mel Hein Jim Lee Howell Sam Huff Dave Jennings Tuffy Leemans Dick Lynch Jack Mara Tim Mara Wellington Mara George Martin Joe Morrison Charlie Conerly Steve Owen Bill Parcells Andy Robustelli Phil Simms Michael Strahan Ken Strong Lawrence Taylor Bob Tisch Y.A. Tittle Amani Toomer Emlen Tunnell Brad Van Pelt Alex Webster George Young Tom Coughlin Michael Strahan Justin Tuck Ernie Accorsi Media Broadcasters Radio network Bob Papa Carl Banks Howard Cross Current league affiliations League : National Football League Conference : National Football Conference Division : East Division Seasons ( 93 ) 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Championship seasons in bold New York Jets Founded in 1960 Formerly the New York Titans ( 1960 -- 62 ) Based in East Rutherford, New Jersey Headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey Franchise Franchise History Seasons Players Coaches Logos and uniforms First - round draft picks Quarterbacks Flight Crew Stadiums Polo Grounds Shea Stadium Giants Stadium MetLife Stadium Culture Fireman Ed Alex Anthony Flash Gordon The Wonder Years West Side Stadium Generation Jets The King of Queens Lore Heidi Game The Guarantee Announcerless Game New York Sack Exchange Clock Play The Monday Night Miracle Spygate Butt fumble Rivalries Buffalo Bills Miami Dolphins New England Patriots New York Giants Key personnel Owner : Woody Johnson Chairman / CEO : Christopher Johnson President Neil Glat General Manager : Mike Maccagnan Head Coach : Todd Bowles Division championships ( 4 ) 1968 1969 1998 2002 League championships ( 1 ) 1968 ( III ) does not include 1968 AFL championship Retired numbers 12 13 28 73 90 Ewbank Media Broadcasters WEPN WEPN - FM WCBS - TV SportsNet New York Current league affiliations League : National Football League ( 1970 -- present ) Conference : American Football Conference Division : East Division Former league affiliation League : American Football League ( 1960 -- 1969 ) Seasons ( 58 ) 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Championship seasons in bold Book : New York Jets New York Mets Based in Queens, New York Franchise History Expansion Draft Seasons Records Players New York Mets Hall of Fame Award winners and league leaders ( Sterling Award ) Managers Owners and executives Broadcasters Opening Day starting pitchers First - round draft picks SportsNet New York Logos and uniforms No - hitters Ballparks Polo Grounds Shea Stadium Citi Field Spring training Al Lang Stadium First Data Field Culture and lore New York Metropolitans Continental League Ca n't Anybody Here Play This Game ? Mr. Met Mrs. Met Kiner 's Korner Jane Jarvis Michael Sergio `` The Boyfriend '' ( Seinfeld episode ) `` Ya Gotta Believe ! '' Home Run Apple Generation K Sign Man Cowbell Man `` Meet the Mets '' The Odd Couple George Kalinsky Alex Anthony Frequency `` A Leela of Her Own '' ( Futurama episode ) `` Let 's Go Mets Go '' Sidd Finch Game 6 Grand Slam Single No - han The 7 Line Army Key personnel Owner : Fred Wilpon President : Saul Katz COO : Jeff Wilpon General Manager : Sandy Alderson Manager : Mickey Callaway Team Captain : David Wright Rivalries Philadelphia Phillies Atlanta Braves New York Yankees / Subway Series World Series Championships ( 2 ) 1969 1986 National League Pennants ( 5 ) 1969 1973 1986 2000 2015 Division titles ( 6 ) 1969 1973 1986 1988 2006 2015 Wild Card ( 3 ) 1999 ( tie - breaker game ) 2000 2016 Minor league affiliates AAA : Las Vegas 51s AA : Binghamton Rumble Ponies A Adv. : St. Lucie Mets A : Columbia Fireflies Short A : Brooklyn Cyclones Rookie Adv. : Kingsport Mets Rookie : GCL Mets DSL Mets I DSL Mets II Player overview Seasons ( 58 ) 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 New York Yankees Based in The Bronx, New York Franchise History Seasons Records No - hitters Awards Players Managers Coaches Owners and executives Broadcasters Opening Day starting pitchers Team captains Members of the Hall of Fame First - round picks YES Network Ballparks Hilltop Park Polo Grounds Yankee Stadium ( opened 1923 ) ( Events ) Shea Stadium Yankee Stadium ( opened 2009 ) Spring training : Whittington Park West End Park Barrs Field Bader Field Al Lang Stadium Fort Lauderdale Stadium George M. 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'' Robert Merrill John Sterling Ronan Tynan `` Here Come the Yankees '' `` New York, New York '' `` God Bless America '' The Pride of the Yankees The Babe Ruth Story Damn Yankees musical film The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant Safe at Home ! 61 * The Bronx is Burning Ladies and Gentlemen, the Bronx Is Burning The Bronx Is Burning The Bronx Zoo The Scout Bronx Bombers The Last Night of the Yankee Dynasty Everyone 's Hero Four Days in October Henry & Me Gene Monahan Dandy Freddy Sez George Costanza Paul Olden Yankee Stadium Legacy Yankees HOPE Week Yankeeography Yankees Classics Lore Curse of the Bambino Johnny Sylvester Murderers ' Row Babe Ruth 's called shot Ed Lucas M&M Boys Harmonica Incident 1978 AL East tie - breaker game Pine Tar Incident Jeffrey Maier The Yankee Years Core Four Perfect games Don Larsen David Wells David Cone Rivalries Boston Red Sox Subway Series New York Mets Los Angeles Dodgers San Francisco Giants Monument Park honorees Mel Allen Ed Barrow Yogi Berra Bill Dickey Joe DiMaggio Whitey Ford Lou Gehrig Lefty Gomez Goose Gossage Ron Guidry Elston Howard Miller Huggins Reggie Jackson Derek Jeter Mickey Mantle Roger Maris Billy Martin Tino Martinez Don Mattingly Joe McCarthy Thurman Munson Paul O'Neill Andy Pettitte Jorge Posada Willie Randolph Allie Reynolds Phil Rizzuto Red Ruffing Jacob Ruppert Babe Ruth Bob Sheppard George Steinbrenner Casey Stengel Mel Stottlemyre Joe Torre Bernie Williams Key personnel Owners : Yankee Global Enterprises Hal Steinbrenner Hank Steinbrenner General Manager : Brian Cashman Manager : Aaron Boone Championships ( 27 ) 1923 1927 1928 1932 1936 1937 1938 1939 1941 1943 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1956 1958 1961 1962 1977 1978 1998 1999 2000 2009 American League Pennants ( 40 ) 1921 1922 1923 1926 1927 1928 1932 1936 1937 1938 1939 1941 1942 1943 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1955 1956 1957 1958 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1976 1977 1978 1981 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2009 Division titles ( 17 ) 1976 1977 1978 1980 1981 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2009 2011 2012 Wild Card titles ( 6 ) 1995 1997 2007 2015 2017 Minors AAA Scranton / Wilkes - Barre RailRiders AA Trenton Thunder A Adv. Tampa Tarpons Charleston RiverDogs Short A Staten Island Yankees Rookie Adv. Pulaski Yankees Rookie GCL Yankees East GCL Yankees West DSL Yankees Seasons ( 118 ) 1900s 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910s 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930s 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950s 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970s 1970 1971 1972 1973 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s 1980 1981 1982 1984 1985 1986 1988 1989 1990s 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1997 1998 1999 2000s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010s 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Book : New York Yankees Sports venues in the New York metropolitan area Active The Bronx Draddy Gymnasium Gaelic Park Rose Hill Gymnasium Van Cortlandt Park Yankee Stadium Brooklyn Aviator Sports & Events Center Barclays Center MCU Park Generoso Pope Athletic Complex Schwartz Athletic Center Steinberg Wellness Center Manhattan Chelsea Piers Columbia Soccer Stadium Icahn Stadium John McEnroe Tennis Academy Levien Gymnasium Madison Square Garden Wien Stadium Rucker Park Sportime Stadium Fort Washington Avenue Armory Queens Aqueduct Racetrack Belson Stadium Carnesecca Arena Citi Field Metropolitan Oval USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Arthur Ashe Stadium Louis Armstrong Stadium Louis Armstrong Gymnasium West Side Tennis Club Staten Island Richmond County Bank Ballpark Spiro Sports Center Staten Island Cricket Club Long Island Belmont Park Bethpage Ballpark Island Garden James M. Shuart Stadium Mitchel Athletic Complex Nassau County Aquatic Center Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Riverhead Raceway New Jersey Arm & Hammer Park Asbury Park Convention Hall Bears & Eagles Riverfront Stadium Richard J. Codey Arena CURE Insurance Arena FirstEnergy Park Freehold Raceway High Point Solutions Stadium Hinchliffe Stadium Jersey City Armory Louis Brown Athletic Center Mennen Arena Meadowlands Sports Complex Meadowlands Racetrack MetLife Stadium Monmouth Park Racetrack MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field Old Bridge Township Raceway Park Princeton University Stadium Prudential Center Red Bull Arena Roberts Stadium Rothman Center TD Bank Ballpark Wall Township Speedway Yanitelli Center Yogi Berra Stadium Yurcak Field Westchester Fleming Field Yonkers Raceway Westchester County Center Rockland Palisades Credit Union Park Rockland Lake State Park Defunct 69th Regiment Armory Bloomingdale Park Boyle 's Thirty Acres Brighton Beach Race Course Bronx Coliseum Capitoline Grounds Commercial Field Coney Island Velodrome Eastern Park Ebbets Field Elysian Fields Freeport Municipal Stadium Dexter Park Downing Stadium Giants Stadium Gravesend Race Track Harrison Park Hilltop Park Island Garden ( Original ) Meadowlands Arena Jamaica Racetrack Jerome Park Racetrack Lewisohn Stadium Long Island Arena Louis Armstrong Stadium ( 1978 ) Madison Square Garden ( 1879 ) Madison Square Garden ( 1890 ) Madison Square Garden ( 1925 ) Madison Square Garden Bowl Metropolitan Park Morris Park Racecourse Newark Schools Stadium Newark Velodrome Palmer Stadium Polo Grounds Ridgewood Park Roosevelt Raceway Roosevelt Stadium Ruppert Stadium Rutgers Stadium ( 1938 ) St. George Cricket Grounds Shea Stadium Sheepshead Bay Race Track Singer Bowl Suffolk Meadows Sunnyside Garden Arena Thompson Stadium Union Grounds Washington Park Yankee Stadium ( 1923 ) Proposed Belmont Park Arena Kingsbridge National Ice Center New York City FC Stadium In progress Port Imperial Street Circuit Never built Proposed domed Brooklyn Dodgers stadium West Side Stadium Bergen Ballpark The Lighthouse Project New York Cosmos Stadium Subway Series Teams American Association Brooklyn Bridegrooms American League New York Yankees National League Brooklyn Dodgers New York Giants New York Mets Stadiums Dodgers Ebbets Field Giants Polo Grounds Mets Shea Stadium Yankees Yankee Stadium Rivalries Bridegrooms -- Giants Giants -- Yankees Dodgers -- Yankees Mets -- Yankees World Series Bridegrooms -- Giants 1889 Giants -- Yankees 1921 1922 1923 1936 1937 1951 Dodgers -- Yankees 1941 1947 1949 1952 1953 1955 1956 Mets -- Yankees 2000 Histories Brooklyn Bridegrooms / Dodgers New York Giants New York Mets New York Yankees Related articles Interleague play New York City Subway Major League Baseball rivalries Defunct stadiums of the National Football League Early era : 1920 -- 1940 Akron 's League Park American League Park Armory Park Baker Bowl Bellevue Park Bison Stadium Borchert Field Bosse Field Braves Field Buffalo Baseball Park Canisius College Canton 's League Field Chicago Stadium City Stadium Cleveland Municipal Stadium Comiskey Park Commercial Field Cub 's Park Cycledrome Dinan Field Douglas Park Duluth 's Athletic Park Dunn Field East Hartford Velodrome Ebbets Field Eclipse Park Fenway Park Forbes Field Frankford Stadium Griffith Stadium Hagemeister Park Horlick Field Kinsley Park Knights of Columbus Stadium Lexington Park Luna Park Minersville Park Muehlebach Field Nash Field Navin Field Newark Schools Stadium Newark Velodrome Nickerson Field Nicollet Park Normal Park Parkway Field Philadelphia Municipal Stadium Polo Grounds Shaw Stadium Spartan Municipal Stadium Sportsman 's Park Staley Field Star Park ( possible ) Swayne Field Thompson Stadium Tiger Stadium Triangle Park Wisconsin State Fair Park Yankee Stadium ( 1923 ) Merger era : 1941 -- 1970 Alumni Stadium Astrodome Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium Balboa Stadium Baltimore Memorial Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Busch Stadium Cleveland Municipal Stadium Comiskey Park Dyche Stadium Ebbets Field Fenway Park Forbes Field Frank Youell Field Franklin Field Griffith Stadium Harvard Stadium Jeppesen Stadium Kansas City Municipal Stadium Kezar Stadium Metropolitan Stadium Miami Orange Bowl Milwaukee County Stadium Nickerson Field Nippert Stadium Philadelphia Municipal Stadium Pitt Stadium Polo Grounds Rice Stadium Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Shibe Park Tiger Stadium Tulane Stadium Wisconsin State Fair Park Wrigley Field Yankee Stadium ( 1923 ) Current era : 1971 -- present Anaheim Stadium Astrodome Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium Busch Memorial Stadium Candlestick Park Cleveland Stadium Cotton Bowl The Dome at America 's Center Foxboro Stadium Georgia Dome Giants Stadium Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome Kansas City Municipal Stadium Kingdome Metropolitan Stadium Miami Orange Bowl Mile High Stadium Milwaukee County Stadium Qualcomm Stadium RCA Dome Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Riverfront Stadium Shea Stadium Silverdome Sun Devil Stadium Tampa Stadium Texas Stadium Three Rivers Stadium Tiger Stadium Tulane Stadium Veterans Stadium War Memorial Stadium ( Buffalo ) Yankee Stadium ( 1923 ) Stadiums used by NFL teams temporarily Alamodome ( New Orleans Saints ) 1 Champaign Memorial Stadium ( Chicago Bears ) † Clemson Memorial Stadium ( Carolina Panthers ) † Frankford High School 's Community Memorial Stadium ( Frankford Yellow Jackets ) 1 Giants Stadium ( New Orleans Saints ) 1 Grant Field ( Atlanta Falcons ) Husky Stadium ( Seattle Seahawks ) 1 † Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium ( Tennessee Oilers ) † LSU Tiger Stadium ( New Orleans Saints ) 1 Marquette Stadium ( Green Bay Packers ) Philadelphia Municipal Stadium ( Philadelphia Eagles ) 1 Shibe Park 1 Stanford Stadium ( San Francisco 49ers ) 1 TCF Bank Stadium ( Minnesota Vikings ) 1 † University of Minnesota Memorial Stadium ( Minnesota Vikings ) 1 Vanderbilt Stadium ( Tennessee Titans ) † Yale Bowl ( New York Giants ) † † = Team 's stadium under construction or refurbishment at time 1 = A team used the stadium when their permanent stadium was unable to be used as a result of damage. Multi-purpose baseball parks ( open air ) -- Major League Baseball American League Angel Stadium ( Angels ; Anaheim, California ) Arlington Stadium ( Rangers ; Arlington, Texas ) Cleveland Stadium ( Indians ; Cleveland, Ohio ) Canadian National Exhibition Stadium ( Blue Jays ; Toronto ) Memorial Stadium ( Orioles ; Baltimore ) Municipal Stadium ( Kansas City, Missouri ) ( Athletics and Royals ) Oakland -- Alameda County Coliseum ( Athletics ; Oakland, California ) Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium ( Senators and Nationals ; Washington, D.C. ) Rogers Centre ( Blue Jays ; Toronto ) National League Atlanta -- Fulton County Stadium ( Braves ; Atlanta ) Busch Memorial Stadium ( Cardinals ; St. Louis ) Candlestick Park ( Giants ; San Francisco ) Mile High Stadium ( Rockies ; Denver ) Pro Player Stadium ( Marlins ; Miami Gardens, Florida ) Qualcomm Stadium ( Padres ; San Diego ) Riverfront Stadium ( Reds ; Cincinnati ) Shea Stadium ( Mets and Yankees ; Queens, New York City ) Three Rivers Stadium ( Pirates ; Pittsburgh ) Philadelphia Veterans Stadium ( Phillies ; Philadelphia ) Ballparks in bold are still in use for baseball. 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Pepper 's Lonely Hearts Club Band ( film ) The Twelfth Album Up Against It Other topics Apple Corps v Apple Computer Apple scruffs Beatle boots Beatles Day Fifth Beatle Lennon -- McCartney Jeff Lynne and the Beatles Paul is dead Recording technology Book Portal Flushing Meadows -- Corona Park Structures Stadiums Citi Field Former : Shea Stadium USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center Arthur Ashe Stadium Louis Armstrong Stadium Former : Singer Bowl Buildings New York Hall of Science New York State Pavilion Queens Museum Terrace on the Park Outdoor attractions Botanical Gardens Carousel Ice rink and swimming pool Marina Theatre in the Park Zoo Sculptures and relics Rocket Thrower Unisphere Westinghouse Time Capsules Transport Mets -- Willets Point ( subway ) Mets -- Willets Point ( LIRR ) Events World 's fairs 1939 1964 Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival in New York Geography Flushing Bay Flushing River Adjacent neighborhoods Corona Flushing Forest Hills Kew Gardens Kew Gardens Hills Queensboro Hill Willets Point Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shea_Stadium&oldid=827441455 '' Categories : Sports venues completed in 1964 Buildings and structures demolished in 2009 Defunct American Football League venues Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States Defunct National Football League venues Defunct college football venues Baseball venues in New York City Boxing venues in New York City New York Jets stadiums New York Yankees stadiums New York Giants stadiums Robert Moses projects Sports venues demolished in 2009 Former sports venues in New York City Demolished sports venues in New York ( state ) Demolished buildings and structures in New York City Shea Stadium Flushing Meadows -- Corona Park 1964 establishments in New York ( state ) 2009 disestablishments in New York ( state ) Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Coordinates on Wikidata All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from September 2016 Articles with unsourced statements from September 2008 Articles with unsourced statements from January 2017 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Cebuano Čeština Dansk Deutsch Español Esperanto Euskara Français 한국어 Italiano עברית Nederlands 日本 語 Norsk Polski Português Simple English Slovenčina Suomi Svenska 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 24 February 2018, at 19 : 19. 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Question: who played the first concert at shea stadium
Answer: the Beatles