Union County, NJ – Officials say from the moon landing to the Woodstock music festival, 1969 was an extraordinary year in American history.
It was also the year of the “miracle” World Series win by the New York Mets baseball team.
Now Union County residents can experience all of these events together from the perspective of former Mets outfielder, broadcaster and author Art Shamsky, who played a role in the Mets’ improbable march to victory.
According to Union County officials, Mr. Shamsky will give a talk on the 50th Anniversary of the “Miracle Mets” on Tuesday, September 17, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Union County’s Warinanco Sports Center, located at 1 Park Drive in Warinanco Park, in Roselle.
The event is free but pre-registration is suggested through the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs at ucnj.org/parks-recreation.
“It’s a real pleasure to host Mr. Shamsky at the Warinanco Sports Center. He brings a wealth of unique insights and observations to our understanding of this period in our nation’s history,” said Union County Freeholder Chair Bette Jane Kowalski.
“As someone who is not only an avid Mets fan, but also a baseball fan, I am looking forward to Mr. Shamsky’s talk about the unique bond between the players on the ’69 ‘Miracle’ Mets team,” said Freeholder Vice Chairman Alexander Mirabella. “This team was one of the greatest sport underdogs of all time, and it makes for a compelling story. It was certainly a unique time in New York sports history, with the Mets, the Knicks and Jets winning championships.”
The talk will focus on Shamsky’s new book, After the Miracle. The book places the incredible 1969 baseball season in the context of other major events of the time, and chronicles the brotherhood that developed among members of the 1969 team through the years.
The event includes question-and-answer period, and copies of After the Miracle will be available for purchase.
This event is sponsored by the Freeholder Board through the Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in the Department of Parks and Recreation, and is funded in part by a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a Division of Cultural Affairs in the Department of State.