Rare Sports Films

  1963-1964
NEW YORK METS
"Casey At The Mets"

     Here's a great tape for fans of the early New York Mets and Casey Stengel, as well as Pittsburgh Pirate fans who enjoy remembering the late Bob Prince, famed radio and TV broadcaster of the "Buccos"! Thanks to the film restoration expertise of "Rare Sportsfilms", two vintage baseball films "Casey At The Mets" and a Stengel interview by none other than "The Ol' Gunner" himself, are now available on a new 45-minute Black & White video! This one's a must for Casey Stengel fans especially, as both films revolve predominately around "The Ol' Professor".

     The tape begins with the only remaining example of a KDKA-TV Pittsburgh Pirates baseball pre-game show of the early 1960's. Before the game of June 29, 1963 at New York, Bob Prince interviews Casey Stengel, manager of the Mets and Phil Pepe, baseball writer of the New York World Telegram. To open the interview, Casey comments on the tradition of neatness in the old Yankee clubhouse and what Tony Kubek once said he learned in the Army. Then Phil Pepe talks about the difference in covering the old Yankees and now the "New Breed" Mets. Stengel then talks about beating the Yankees two out of three so far in the annual "Mayor's Trophy" game and the fan reaction around New York. Pepe then talks about Mets fans sneaking signs and banners into Yankee Stadium for the 1963 game. After a commercial break (and a couple more cigarettes smoked by Prince), Casey talks about using sparklers during his Yankee managerial days to poke fun at his old friend Bill Veeck at Comiskey Park, home of Veeck's huge exploding scoreboard! At this point, Prince asks Casey to tell the story about carrying a sparrow in his cap during a game before doffing his hat at home plate! You'll hear the true story as told by "Ol' Case" himself! Next, Prince asks Stengel about the Mets' newest acquisition, Jimmy Piersall. In true 'Stengelese', Casey goes on about Piersall, extolling his virtues, but also saying he sometimes gets "too excited". He also talks about Piersall running around the bases backwards on his 100th home run! Finally Phil Pepe tells how different it now is interviewing players of the Mets after a loss, compared to interviewing Yankee players after a loss during his days of covering the club located on the other side of the Harlem River. To wind things up, Prince asks Stengel to talk about what it's like managing the losing Mets, as compared to his days managing the winning Yankees. This vintage kinescope is significant, because it was the one show Bob Prince chose to keep himself over the years. "Rare Sportsfilms" acquired this film from the late HOF broadcasters' estate following his untimely demise from cancer.

     The last third of this video is the film "Casey At The Mets". Included are shots of several New York baseball greats (Ruth, Ott, Dickey, DiMaggio, Gehrig, Ford, Yogi, Mantle, Mays, Durocher, etc), along with baseball scenes in the Polo Grounds during those early Met years. For New York fans of the struggling Mets, it was love at first laugh. You'll see and hear Mets fans chanting "Let's Go Mets!" and several ridiculous and sometimes funny interviews with Mets fans who even then, were becoming famous for their signs and banners at the Polo Grounds. You'll see some construction of new Shea Stadium, and shots of some of the young Mets like Dick Selma and Larry Bernarth in Spring Training. Then Casey himself explains why the losing Mets drew so many fans to the Polo Grounds last year. Also shown is the night the Shea Stadium crowd sang Happy Birthday to Casey and a Dodger sextet of Don Drysdale, Jim Gilliam, Lee Walls, Wally Moon, Maury Wills and Willie Davis honored Stengel with a song of their own! This video is an absolute must for any Met or Casey Stengel fan!

     To get your video copy of this entertaining and historic baseball video, send $29.95 plus $5.00 for shipping and handling (Illinois residents must add $2.00 sales tax) to:

"RARE SPORTSFILMS N", 1126 Tennyson Lane, Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 527-8890


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