Becoming Mr. Met

by Michael J. Boyle - October 2006

Why would you want to be Mr. Met?   He's friends with dignitaries and movie stars.

Have others tried to be Mr. Met?   Some have, but with limited success, including: 

Distant Cousin	Another Distant Cousin	Cincinnati's Mr. Red
Atlanta's Homer	Lexington Legend's Pee Wee	Bend Elk's Homer

 

Mr. Met Fun Facts

• In 1964, Mr. Met earned rookie-of-the-year honors as Major League Baseball's first modern live-action mascot.

• Mr. Met's image debuted in 1963 when it graced the covers of the official Mets yearbook and scorecard.

• Tony Clark was the first Met to wear 00, Mr. Met's number, doing so to begin the 2003 season.  Clark decided to change his number to 52 on June 5, after speaking to a group of Queens middle school students the day before.   The children wanted to know why the veteran first baseman had the same number as Mr. Met.  "Mr. Met had 00 long before I got here and he'll be here long after I leave," Clark said.  "It's his to keep."

• After changing his uniform number Clark hit a two-run, pinch-hit homer with two outs in the ninth inning of the next game.  The shot reduced the Mets' deficit to 8-7, but Cliff Floyd popped up to end the game.  Asked if the number change had an effect, Clark responded: "I wish it was that simple."

• Mr. Met's head is the only earthbound orb with its own gravitational pull, explaining why fans are so drawn to him.

 

Mr. Met Vital Statistics

• Born: April 11, 1962 (date of the first Mets game)

• Major League Debut: April 14, 1964

• Hometown: Flushing, NY

• Height: 6'10" (A stitch taller than a standard doorway)

• Weight: Top Heavy

• Throws: T-shirts, Cracker Jacks, and great parties

• Bats: Sleep upside down

 

 

Below is a photo timeline of creating Mr. Met from scratch

Start with a 55cm fitness ball.

 

Cover the top half of the ball in aluminum foil.

 

Cover the gaps in the layers of aluminum foil with masking tape.

 

Cover the foil with a layer of Mod Podge and moist newspaper, repeat twice more.

 

Remove from fitness ball, cut hole for head and tape seams and edges.

 

Apply another layer of Mod Podge to both sides of the shell.

 

Paint the entire shell, though the inside doesn't really matter.

 

We're done with the garage and head upstairs.

 

Cut out foam board to fit around "Amish" hat purchased at costume store.

 

Another foam board will slide in perpendicular to this one.

 

Test the top of the shell to ensure the foam board is cut to proper dimensions.

 

Have fun pretending you're a McDonald's Fry Guy.

 

Add a third foam board, this one horizontal across the equator.

 

The inside of Mr. Met's head looks like a gyroscope plus an Amish hat.

 

Inside foam supports into bottom half of shell and secure with white duck tape.

Place top half of shell over foam supports, that's his nose off to the right.

 

Tape on printouts of facial features for effect and add cowboy hat.

 

Get a feel for what that finished product might look like.

 

Cut out the opening for the mouth to allow visibility.

 

Prepare patient's head for craniotomy / draw lines for applying felt cover.

 

A surgical plastic tablecloth is draped over his head to create a template.

 

Mr. Met is already smiling, the craniotomy must have been successful.

 

The template is then traced on the white fleece fabric from JoAnn Fabrics.

 

The eyes are traced and then cut out.

 

The eyes are actually made from a soft foam coconut bra turned inside out.

 

The eyebrows were cut from some costume fur and a Sharpie was used to draw on the foam eyes.