Greenpoint, October, 2015

Monday, January 16, 2012

Meet the Metropolitans

"Wicket cool."
That's friend of the blog and President of the Winfield Heights Alliance for Preservation (W.H.A.P.) Dan Allen in Walker Park on Staten Island. Readers of Joseph O'Neill's Netherland will recognize it as the home of the Staten Island Cricket Club. Founded in 1872 (at then Livingston Park), it is the oldest continuously operating cricket club in the United States. The club's site has links to some great old New York Times "Cricket Notes" pieces, including this one from 1875 about the SICC taking on the Manhattans of Brooklyn. Huh?

(Courtesy Univ. of California, San Diego)
For two season, 1886 and 87, the park was home to the New York Metropolitans, a baseball club founded in 1880. The club was bought out by the Brooklyn Dodgers after the 1887 season "to gain territorial protection" and get hold of the contracts of several of the Metropolitan's star players. Given the latter-day Mets' recent records and Madoff-initiated sell-off of talent, maybe they should consider taking up cricket instead.

3 comments:

  1. Um, have you ever heard the term "back lit"? It usually isn't such a great idea when taking photographs. I guess we have to believe you that that is Dan, and based on the silhouette, I suppose it is, but.....??

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