The roster is set. The grass is cut. Citi Field is ready for a near-sellout crowd as the New York Mets begin their 2013 season taking on the San Diego Padres. To kick-off the Opening Day festivities, the Mets have planned quite a pre-game ceremony for those lucky enough to be in attendance.
The Mets will honor heroes and volunteers who have played an integral role in the response to Hurricane Sandy in a pre-game, on-field ceremony that begins at 12:30 p.m. More than 500 first responders will be honored and the Mets have donated 1,000 Opening Day tickets to citizens who were heroic in their response to Sandy, and those who were affected by the devastation. A nice move by the Mets to dish out so many Opening Day tickets to those who have helped to restore our area following Superstorm Sandy.
Throwing out the ceremonial first-pitch for the Mets will be none other than “Le Grand Orange” himself, Rusty Staub. You saw Rusty on his Google Hangout last month that included MMO’s own Stephen Hanks. The hangout took place in an effort to raise awareness for his charity, the New York Police and Fire Widows and Children’s Benefit Fund, started by Rusty in 1985 to help the widow’s and children of New York first responders killed in the line of duty.
“It’s a thrill to represent my teammates from the 40th anniversary of our N.L. Championship club,” said Staub. “It’s particularly special given the others who will be on the field that day — the heroes in the Sandy relief effort. I was born in New Orleans and saw what storms can do to a region.”
In addition to throwing out the first pitch, Rusty turns 69 today! Perhaps we should sing Happy Birthday to him prior to his first pitch!
Will let Rusty Staub throw out first pitch instead of me. Said I can catch pitch though. He is making me wear an an orange wig in his honor.
— Jay Horwitz (@Jay_HorwitzPR) March 30, 2013
We’ve seen a number of antics by Mets Vice President Jay Horowitz this winter thanks to his Twitter account, wonder if we should expect “Le Jay Orange” come game time.
Emmy Rossum, singer, actress and star of Showtime’s Shameless, will perform the National Anthem backed by 50 choir members from the Scholars’ Academy School Chorus from the Rockaways.
Keith Carradine, Allison Case, Kathleen Monteleone and David Larsen — stars in the popular Broadway show “Hands on a Hardbody” — will perform God Bless America. The popular show opened on March 21 and is based on the 1997 documentary of 10 hard-luck Texas who fight to keep one hand on a brand-new truck in order to win it.
Standing Room Only tickets start at $45 and are on sale at Mets.com. I will have a place to sit for today’s game! Way up in the 500’s!
Finally, the phenomena known as the Harlem Shake has invaded Cleveland, Tampa Bay, and now Flushing with none other than Jay Horowitz getting things started. My favorite part has got to be at the 0:33.
https://youtu.be/sxDpnqmIrpc
Hope everyone is ready for some Mets baseball!!! I can hardly wait! MMO will have nine of our guys (myself included) on hand at Opening Day to give you all the sights and sounds of Opening Day! Let’s go Mets!
