Carroll’s Column: Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli enshrined in Mets Hall of Fame

Image Credit: George Napolitano/Latino Sports

NEW YORK, NY — An Amazin’ afternoon took place in Queens to honor two icons of the orange and blue. 

It has been a dreary season for Mets fans, but whenever their team honors their stars of the past, the present can be forgotten for at least a few moments anyway. This past Saturday, the Mets enshrined Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli into their Hall of Fame.

Although Bobby Valentine played for the Mets on their putrid late 1970s post-Tom Seaver teams, he earned this honor for being one of the best managers in Mets history, as he guided the Mets to postseason runs in 1999, and 2000, when they came up short in the World Series against the Yankees. 

Bobby Valentine has reminded me of ex-Jets head coach Rex Ryan. Both men had swagger which was very much in short supply in the history of both the Mets and Jets. Players of their respective teams enjoyed playing under them. Most importantly, both men got results when they had decent players.

Sportswriters loved to cover Bobby Valentine because he enjoyed the Q&A give-and-take, and he never gave cliched answers. There was also never a dull moment with him. He will always be remembered for getting tossed by an umpire from a 1999 game against the Toronto Blue Jays.

That happens to every manager. What made Bobby V become a part of baseball folklore is he returned to the dugout wearing a fake mustache and sunglasses combo. It obviously did not fool anyone. Valentine was suspended for two games and fined $5,000 by Major League Baseball.

Of course, that was a pittance compared to the public relations value the incident added to his legacy. Last Friday night, the Mets gave out fake glasses and mustaches to every fan entering Citi Field as a way of celebrating Bobby V’s entering the Mets Hall of Fame.

Lee Mazzilli was a teammate of Bobby Valentine during those lean late ‘70s years when the Mets were lucky to draw 5,000 fans a night to Shea Stadium. There was not much to cheer for in Flushing then, but Mazzilli was clearly the fan favorite.

Blessed with good looks and plenty of baseball talent. It also helped that he grew up in Coney Island and was a graduate of Abraham Lincoln High School. Not surprisingly, Mazzilli became the focus of the various Mets advertisements including the “Take your kids to see our kids!” campaign aimed at families.

Mazzilli hit the first Mets homer in an All-Star Game which helped propel the National League to a 6-5 win over the American League at Seattle’s Kingdome in 1979. For Mets fans, it was a rare chance to puff their chests that year.

He was traded in 1982 to the Texas Rangers for pitchers Ron Darling and Walt Terrell. It was fitting the Mets reacquired him in 1986 where he became a contributor to that World Series-winning team.    

José Alvarado stops by Citi Field

Knicks guard José Alvarado visited Citi Field last Wednesday to watch the Mets take batting practice, as well as throw out the ceremonial first pitch before their game with the Cincinnati Reds.

The Mets “unretired” David Wright’s number 5 uniform as he wore a Mets jersey with his name on the back along with #5. Before anyone thinks that is sacrilege, it should be noted Alvarado’s Knicks uniform number is also five.    

Alvarado was a star player at Christ the King High School in Middle Village. He said he enjoyed going to Mets games on occasion after school ended.

A Bright Spot for Mets: Rookie AJ Ewing

Mets rookie outfielder AJ Ewing has been one of the few bright spots this season. I asked him if his parents were fans of the old Friday night CBS soap opera, “Dallas,” and if AJ was meant to be a riff on Larry Hagman’s villainous JR Ewing character. “I have gotten asked about that in the past. My name is Anthony Joseph Ewing, but my parents always liked calling me by my initials.”

Ewing wears Brandon Nimmo’s old #9 uniform number. I told him I was surprised the Mets did not give him #33, the uniform number of a legendary Ewing who wore blue and orange for many years for the Knicks, Patrick Ewing.

“I’ve gotten that one asked of me as well!” he replied with a smile.

Ewing was busy last Wednesday night with the Reds hitters, as he caught countless fly balls with his back up against the 408-foot mark in center field. Mets pitchers made use of every inch of Citi Field that night as the team snapped their five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win. It was one of the rare occasions where luck was on the Mets’ side.

Mike Tiricio takes home 2026 Sports Emmy for outstanding play-by-play broadcaster

Whitestone native and Bayside High school alum Mike Tirico won the 2026 Sports Emmy for outstanding play-by-play broadcaster. Tirico was not present at the Frederick P. Rose Theater at Lincoln Center as he was broadcasting Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Competing with Tirico in that category was the pride of Forest Hills, Ian Eagle, who was a presenter at the ceremony.

Interestingly, Ian was also up against his son, Noah Eagle, who has quickly become a key broadcaster for NBC Sports on WNBA, and college football telecasts. He also calls Brooklyn Nets games on the YES Network when his dad, or Ryan Ruocco, is busy with national TV assignments.

50 Cent to perform at halftime of Saturday’s UFL United Bowl

Granted, it is not quite the same as the Super Bowl, but South Jamaica hip-hop legend Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson will be the halftime entertainer at Saturday’s United Football League championship game, the United Bowl, which will be played at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. ABC will televise the game.   

RAFA: Netflix debuts new documentary series on tennis great Rafael Nadal

Netflix has debuted its documentary series about tennis great Rafael Nadal which is simply titled, “Rafa.” Expect to see plenty of footage of his many appearances at the US Open at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, especially his matches against his longtime rival, Roger Federer.

Paley Museum to host advance screening of History Channel’s “The Clash of Nations: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling” on Thursday, June 18th 

The Paley Museum in midtown Manhattan will host an advance screening of the History Channel’s “The Clash of Nations: Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling” on Thursday evening, June 18.

The two fighters split their two fights, with Schmeling winning in 1936, while Louis emerged victorious in 1938. Both bouts took place at Yankee Stadium. Joe Louis’s son, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. will take part in a panel discussion following the screening,      

International Franchise Expo at the Javits Center

The annual International Franchise Expo took place at Javits Center last weekend. That trade show is always a good barometer of retail trends. There was no shortage of casual dining restaurants, but all the representatives I spoke with brought up the hardships of high rent and labor costs in big cities. The other negative reality in the restaurant industry these days is many dining establishments are closing because the children of owners do not want to take the businesses over from their parents which results in closings, even though they are profitable.    

When I first started covering the Franchise Expo, frozen yogurt emporiums and health clubs were the major exhibitors. They did not have much of a presence at this year’s show.    

It is not a surprise with baby boomers now in the senior citizen category, assisted living facilities are now active in the franchise market. That is a depressing reminder of mortality for many of us.

You can read more of Lloyd Carroll’s columns posted weekly on The Queens Chronicle.