Shea Stadium facts for kids
| Shea Stadium, Shea | |
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| Location | 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue Flushing, New York 11368-1699 |
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| Owner | City of New York |
| Operator | New York City Department of Parks and Recreation |
| Capacity | 57,333 |
| Surface | Grass |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | October 28, 1961 |
| Opened | April 17, 1964 |
| Closed | September 28, 2008 (Final game) |
| Demolished | October 14, 2008 - February 18, 2009 |
| Construction cost | US $28.5 million |
| Architect | Praeger-Kavanaugh-Waterbury |
| Tenants | |
| New York Mets (MLB) (1964-2008) New York Jets (AFL/NFL) (1964-1983) New York Yankees (MLB) (1974-1975) New York Giants (NFL) (1975) |
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William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, often called Shea Stadium or just Shea, was a famous sports stadium in New York City. It was mostly known as the home of the New York Mets baseball team. The Mets played there from 1964 until 2008. After that, they moved to their new stadium, Citi Field.
Shea Stadium was also home to other sports teams. The New York Jets football team played there from 1964 to 1983. Even the New York Yankees baseball team used Shea Stadium for two seasons, in 1974 and 1975. This happened while their own stadium, Yankee Stadium, was being fixed up. The stadium was taken down between October 2008 and February 2009.
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Building Shea Stadium
Work on Shea Stadium started on October 28, 1961. It took a few years to build this big sports venue. The stadium officially opened its doors on April 17, 1964. The total cost to build Shea Stadium was about $28.5 million. This was a lot of money back then! The stadium was designed by a group of architects called Praeger-Kavanaugh-Waterbury.
Home of the Mets and Jets
Shea Stadium was built to be a home for both baseball and football. It had a grass field where many exciting games were played. The stadium could hold a lot of fans, with a seating capacity of 57,333 people. Imagine how loud it could get with that many fans cheering!
New York Mets Baseball
The New York Mets were the main team at Shea Stadium. They played all their home games there for 45 seasons. Many famous baseball moments happened at Shea. The Mets won the World Series in 1969 and 1986 while playing in this stadium. Fans loved going to Shea to watch their favorite players.
New York Jets Football
Before the Jets moved to another stadium, they played their home games at Shea. The stadium was set up differently for football games. The Jets had some great seasons there too. One famous moment was when O.J. Simpson broke a rushing record at Shea Stadium.
Life and End of Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium was owned by the City of New York. The New York City Department of Parks and Recreation helped manage it. The stadium was a big part of the Flushing, Queens area. It was a place where many people made lasting memories.
The last game played at Shea Stadium was on September 28, 2008. After the Mets moved to Citi Field, Shea Stadium was no longer needed. It was taken down over several months. The demolition started in October 2008 and finished in February 2009.
Shea's Legacy
Even though Shea Stadium is gone, parts of its history live on. In the parking lot of Citi Field, there is a plaque. It marks the exact spot where Shea Stadium's home plate used to be. Some parts of the stadium, like the famous home run apple, were moved to Citi Field. The apple would rise from a box in center field after a Mets home run.
Images for kids
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Shea during its inaugural 1964 season
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A panoramic view of Shea Stadium from the upper deck behind home plate before a baseball game in 2008. The construction of Citi Field is visible beyond the outfield wall.
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Shea Stadium prior to the start of a New York Mets game in 2008. Shea had the best attendance in the National League that year, averaging over 51,000 fans per game.
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A concept drawing of Shea Stadium in football configuration
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Shea Stadium and vicinity, with the Manhattan skyline in the distance, 1981
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One of the neon players on the outside of Shea Stadium.
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Shea's exterior, pictured here in 1964, was decorated with blue and orange panels from 1964 until their removal in 1980.
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Shea Stadium in 2005
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The skyline from Shea's scoreboard, now on top of the Shake Shack in Citi Field.
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See also
In Spanish: Shea Stadium para niños
