Book Review: “Those Amazin’ Mets from Worst to Verse”

As with that “heavenly coffee” of days past, the incredible book “Those Amazin’ Mets from Worse to Verse” by George H. Gregor is “chock full” of information (that is) and as the title suggests, poems.

Mr. Gregor, in very creative and at times heart rendering fashion has written poems, all 8 verses in length, about each of the 53 New York Mets’ baseball seasons from their first one in 1962 through 2014.

Additionally, on the same page as each poem is a list of every Mets’ player for that season.

For example on the 1963 page is “Ed Kranepool, still young, got into some games,” and at the bottom of the page Kranepool, acknowledged in the book as the player with the most games played in Mets’ history in a special records section, is listed among “other hitters.”

Ed is in the “other hitters” category because he was not in a typical 1963 day lineup, a detail Mr. Gregor has included for all 53 seasons.

That is not even close to all, as every one of the 984 players to play for the Mets are cited, with some detail following each one.

There is a leaders’ category, a list of every All Star (on our own we can add Jacob deGrom from this season) and a section on the 1962 Mets from which one can ascertain pitcher Dave Hillman at age 87, is the oldest living Met from that year’s team.

A thorough highlights section is included and the book is dedicated to the great Gil Hodges, who managed the Mets to the 1969 World Series title.

Mr. Gregor feels as I do, that Mr. Hodges should be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Mr. Gregor’s book with great verse and unbelievable information is “Hall of Fame stuff” as well.

Click here for info on how to purchase the book.