A little while back, I began running a series in which reader Brad Bierman, who has collected, mounted and framed every (or almost every) patch worn by every Major League franchise, has been periodically showing them off. (Click here to see the Athletics, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Minnesota Twins. Also multiple-team patches for MLB and the NFL).
Brad returns today with his individual team patches, and a look at the patch history of the New York Mets.
by Brad Bierman
Welcome to this week’s installment of reviewing my MLB team patch collection. It’s a National League team in rotation, and I am ready to wish Phil a “Happy One Year Anniversary” at the helm of Uni Watch by taking a look at his lifelong favorite team, the New York Mets.
Believe it or not, by my count, the Mets have worn at least a staggering 64 patches in their 64 seasons of existence. That’s adding up all the patches they have worn individually as a team, with multiple teams for special MLB in-season events, and the postseason. That’s an average of one patch for every season from 1962-2025. Amazin’!
If there was one late 1990s-early 2000s memorial patch trend with the Mets in various seasons between 1996-2004, it was having the memorials directly embroidered on the sleeve of the jerseys, thus making the patch, if you will, impossible to remove without ruining the jersey. There were four instances when the Mets wore such jerseys, and they’re listed below. That work is done by the team’s longtime Queens-based official tailor, Stiches, a company whose founder, Russ Gompers, has been profiled on numerous occasions on Uni Watch.
The Mets Team Store (and sometimes manufacturer Emblem Source) periodically offers for sale slightly smaller versions of certain patches worn on-field for special occasion games, annoying to longtime collectors looking for the correct size, but the team does actively participate on the MLB Auction website offering game-worn patches with proceeds to charitable causes, so we applaud them for that.
The Mets, like plenty of other teams, have also resorted to donning slightly smaller versions of patches moving to commemorative (smaller) cap patches (or “hat” patches as they’re referred to by MLB) in recent seasons, including for number retirement ceremonies of former players, also listed below.
Off my soapbox, and on to this week’s 26 patches worn by the Mets in game action, plus two bonus patches that I have taken the liberty of including in honor of Phil.
1964-65
While not a Mets fan, I have nothing against the franchise, and in fact I can proudly say as a MLB fan that I went to games in the inaugural and final seasons at Shea Stadium. My first big league game was September 3, 1964, Mets-Giants, and the Mets wore this Unisphere patch to celebrate the World’s Fair going on next door during the first two seasons at the new ballpark. I also attended the Fair in 1965, so this Mitchell & Ness version of the patch has a lot of meaning to me. Worn on home/away jerseys for both seasons.
This patch is “infamous.” By that I mean I removed it directly from a 1986 team-issued clubhouse shirt of one-time Mets equipment manager Charlie Samuels. It is a royal blue pullover with the interlocking “NY” orange logo on the front, the surname “SAMUELS” on the back in orange letters, and the incorrect 25th anniversary patch (it was the team’s 25th season, not anniversary) on the left sleeve. Samuels, the team’s equipment manager for 27 seasons, was fired in November 2010 for “conduct in violation of club policies,” and in 2019 was sentenced to five years probation and restitution after reaching a plea bargain to avoid a trial for criminal possession of stolen Mets merchandise and embezzlement.
I was always fascinated by the fact that over a year before the Mets new stadium opened on April 17, 1964, New York City Mayor Robert Wagner signed a bill to officially name the new ballpark William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, after the New York lawyer, philanthropist, civic leader, and sports team owner. Shea worked behind the scenes for several years with Branch Rickey in their efforts to bring National League baseball back to New York, after the Dodgers and Giants moved west in 1957. After Shea died in October 1991, the Mets wore this “S” patch on home/away jerseys during the 1992 season.
Love this patch design honoring the 1969 “Miracle Mets” World Series title over the heavily favored Orioles. Too bad it was worn during the strike-shortened 1994 season, alongside the MLB 125th Anniversary patch, as the baseball schedule came to a grinding halt on August 12, 1994. This is also the last patch featuring the Mets’ New York Skyline logo in which the small interlocking orange “NY” letters appear next to the cursive “Mets.” The “NY” was, unfortunately in my opinion, removed for good in 1999.
When I spotlighted the Cubs patches back on April 9, 2025, I mentioned this advertising patch for the 2000 opening series in Tokyo between the Cubs and Mets would be featured on the Mets board, and here it is. Way before Presbyterian Hospital (see below), this was the first ad sponsor on a Mets uniform. Worn in games March 29-30, 2000.
With this patch worn on opening day only, April 9, 2001, the Mets honored former great Tommie Agee (20) and rookie Brian Coles (60) who both passed away before the 2001 season got underway. Agee, a World Series hero of the ’69 championship team, died at age 58 of a heart attack in New York City on January 22, 2001. Coles, only age 22 and a top team prospect, was invited to spring training for the first time in ’01 and died from injuries suffered in a car accident on the way home to Mississippi from Port St. Lucie, Fla. on March 31, 2001.
This time the Mets got their (40th) anniversary patch correct for the 2002 season, in a very simple and understated manner. This patch appeared on the right sleeve of home/away jerseys above a direct-embroidered 9-11-01 tribute patch (listed below).
Mirroring the 1964 World’s Fair path but in reverse colors, the team celebrated its 40th anniversary at Shea Stadium in 2004 with custom silhouette artwork of a pitcher and batter that also appeared around Shea Stadium’s exterior walls. This patch was worn on the right sleeve of home/away/black alternate jerseys above a direct-embroidered patch for Tug McGraw (listed below).
Just four seasons later, it was time to say goodbye to Shea with a Final Season patch. The patch beautifully highlighted both an early era and renovated stadium with the New York skyline, and was worn on home/alternate jerseys. I attended a game that last season on May 14, 2008.
This has to go down as one of the worst commemorative patches ever. Oversized and tilted on the right jersey sleeve of the home uniforms, the new ballpark’s title sponsor name “citi” couldn’t yet appear on a uniform patch, so the generic “INAUGURAL SEASON” took its place. MLB uniform guru Bill Henderson likened the patch to the Domino’s Pizza logo at the time, in his Game Worn Guide to MLB Jerseys Ninth Edition in 2020.
The correct 50th Anniversary patch, with its appropriate and sharp gold number and trim, replaced the normal team logo on the left sleeve of all four jerseys. It would have been better to remove the large “NY” at the bottom and restore it back within the skyline logo as in the aforementioned 1994 patch.
Nine days after the passing of Gary Carter on February 16, 2012, at age 57 due to brain cancer, the Mets announced they were adding a memorial patch for one of only four players at the time that had been a team captain, in his honor for the ’12 season. They wore one solid black version of the “KID 8” patch on the right sleeve of home/away jerseys, and one with a white border on the right chest of the black alternate jersey.
After hosting the All Star Game in Shea Stadium’s first season in 1964, the Mets had to wait until Citi Field’s fifth season to again host the ASG, and this use of the skyline logo was incorporated into the primary logo. There was an alternate version featuring the Mets script logo that would have looked even better on the left sleeve of the team’s five uniforms.
• After honoring longtime broadcaster Bob Murphy by direct-embroidering his name above the skyline logo on the left sleeve of the 2004 home jerseys, the Mets went with a memorial patch featuring a microphone for his longtime boothmate Ralph Kiner on the right sleeve of all six 2014 jerseys.
• Following his passing on June 30, 2014, the Mets announced that they would be adding a patch to honor former General Manager Frank Cashen, and from July 4-end of the season they wore an “FC” patch just below the Kiner patch on the right sleeve of all jerseys.
Worn for one game on July 30, 2016, the Mets honored Hall of Famer Mike Piazza, who played parts of eight seasons in Queens, by retiring his number 31 and donning this large, four-inch patch in a game against the Rockies. The patch adorned the right sleeve of the jersey, with a smaller cap patch worn on the unusual left side of the cap.
This was the memorial patch for former Mets player and broadcaster Rusty Staub, first nicknamed “Le Grand Orange” when he played in Montreal from 1969-1971 for his reddish/orange-colored hair. And sure enough, the “Rusty” signature on the patch is that color. Paul, of course, had a great story detailing Staub’s autograph style and how the final patch design came about.
• 2020: After the passing of Tom Seaver on August 31, 2020, the Mets honored the memory of “The Franchise” with in-stadium digital tributes and a pre-game ceremony before facing the Marlins. Four days later in a home game against the Phillies, the team debuted this No. 41 black sleeve patch for the rest of the season. It was the first time Seaver’s No. 41 had appeared on a Mets jersey since July 24, 1988, when it fittingly became the first number retired in franchise history during a pregame ceremony at Shea Stadium.
• 2021: The Mets appropriately again honored Seaver during the entire 2021 season by donning a larger commemorative “41” patch in team colors on the right sleeve of both home and away uniforms. Seaver is arguably the greatest player in team history, so a full-season, more ornate memorial patch made sense. This is a smaller version of the on-field patch, the only size made available for sale by the team.
On July 9, 2022, the Mets honored former first baseman, team captain, and current broadcaster Keith Hernandez by retiring his No. 17 in a pre-game ceremony before facing the Marlins . During seven seasons with the Mets, Hernandez was a three-time All-Star, winner of six consecutive Gold Gloves and a leader on the 1986 World Series team. The team wore a slightly larger version of the “17” patch on-field, and one is currently up for auction, although a tad pricey.
The next two are for Phil. With Old Timers Day back in 2022 for the first time since 1994, dozens of Mets alumni participated in the special outing held at Citi Field on August 27, 2022. Every era of franchise history was covered, including members of the original 1962 team, players from the 1969 and 1986 World Series champions, and some of the greatest Mets of the 21st century. The Old Timers Day patch was worn by the on-field participants, although it was a slightly larger version with a “citi” ad sponsorship. The festivities also celebrated the Mets’ 60th anniversary, although this patch was not worn in a game.
• We all know about the boondoggle the first time the Mets rolled out their initial ad sponsorship with New York’s Presbyterian Hospital. This 4″ by 4″ patch is in the hospital’s red/white color combination, which, of course clashed with the Mets’ blue/orange and too closely resembled the hated division rival Phillies. The patch was announced April 6, 2023, and immediately faced a backlash on social media and a vow from owner Steve Cohen to fix the mess by the team’s next homestand. The original ad patch was worn for home games on April 7-12, and on the road April 14-23.
• On April 25, 2023, the world returned to order because the Mets debuted the new, smaller ad patch on their jerseys in team colors of blue, framed with orange, in a game at home against the Nationals. Cohen made good on his pledge and the patch is still worn today along with a black version on the City Connect alternate uniforms.
For the first time in team history, the Mets simultaneously honored three former players with memorial patches during a season. The team first announced a Buddy Harrelson memorial patch on March 25, 2004 and wore the No. 3 diamond-shaped patch for the team Hall of Famer through games of June 28, 2024. On June 29, the Mets changed the Harrelson patch to be included in a dual diamond-shaped patch also honoring former Mets catcher Jerry Grote (No. 15) who died on April 7, 2024. That patch was worn above the Mets logo. The team also added a separate circular “24” patch in memory of all-time great and 1972-73 Mets player Willie Mays, who died June 18, 2024. The patch was worn above the ad patch.
Phil had all the details on the Ed Kranepool memorial No. 7 patch and several other Mets patches on this site back in March.
• 1972 – Black armband on left sleeve for manager Gil Hodges who died during Spring Training.
• 1976 – Black armband on left sleeve for first team owner, Joan Payson, and the team’s first manager, Casey Stengel, who died prior to the season.
• 1996 – Direct-embroidered memorial patch for umpire John McSherry, a New York native, who died on the field in Cincinnati on opening day.
• 1998 – The first of two (1999) “Shirts off our Backs” promotions benefitting the Muscular Dystrophy Association, with Mets Foundation patches on jerseys worn on-field, then auctioned off afterwards.
• 1999 – On August 15, 1999, the Mets wore a red AIDS ribbon in a game at San Francisco on “Until There’s a Cure” day. I featured that patch in my Giants rundown on April 23, 2025.
• 2001-02 – Following the attacks on September 11, 2001, the Mets wore a direct-embroidered patch consisting of two American flags and the date 9-11-01 on the right sleeve of jerseys, through the entire 2002 season as well.
• 2004 – Direct-embroidered patch, “Ya Gotta Believe” – Tug, is affixed below the Shea Stadium 40th Anniversary patch on right sleeve pf home/away jerseys to honor former pitcher Tug McGraw.
• 2004 – Direct-embroidered patch spelling out “BOB MURPHY,” is affixed above team logo on left sleeve of home jersey from August 3-end of season to honor the team’s longtime broadcaster.
• 2016 – On June 14, 2016, the host Mets (and Pirates) wore a silver safety pin ribbon on the chest of their jersey to stand in solidarity with the victims of the Orlando nightclub mass shooting two days earlier, in which 49 people were killed and 53 injured.
• 2021 – The Mets wore a No. 36 cap patch to honor pitcher Jerry Koosman’s number retirement on August 28, 2021.
• 2024 – The Mets wore a No. 16 cap patch in honor of pitcher Dwight Gooden, and a No. 18 cap patch to honor outfielder Darryl Strawberry following their number retirement ceremonies held on April 14, 2024 (Gooden), and June 1, 2024 (Strawberry).
I am on the lookout for any of these patches. Thanks in advance.
And here is the full framed set for the Mets:
Absolutely love that 2004 Shea Stadium patch, best of the bunch IMHO
The NY on the 1994 Miracle Mets patch isn’t exactly distinct and the 50th anniversary has a much more distinct NY, so putting it on a home plate outline below the banner was probably the best choice.
I just thought moving the “NY” back to its old spot pre-1999, would have been an ode to the 50th anniversary. It does look nicer below the logo because it is larger in size.
I was proud the Mets’ arm-twisting of New York Presbyterian Hospital yielded a drastically improved patch. Look at all the wasted white space on the original.
This is a fantastic collection and read! I do love the final season of Shea Stadium patch. And the Domino patch — oh boy. The patch they came up with for the side of the cap was so much better, and was probably a response to the Domino patch!
Thanks, Dave. Good point about the cap patch, although I just don’t.like patches taking over such a small amount of space on a cap. This year’s Braves cap looks terrible with the ASG patch.
I’ve always thought that Final Season logo for Shea looked similar to the one for Tiger Stadium. link
Did Todd Radom design both of these?
Yes, Patrick, Todd Radom designed both the Shea Stadium and Tiger Stadium final season logos, along with Yankee Stadium’s final season and countless other logos that turned into jersey patches. I have never met Todd, but through Uni Watch and his own online presence, and collecting jersey patches, I feel like I know him from a distance.
I love seeing personal collections of memorabilia when the collector’s passion for the pieces is so evident. I was kind of hoping you’d have snuck the 1997 50th Anniversary Jackie Robinson patch in here (which I know you have from your multi-team patch post) I was at Shea that night against the Dodgers when the tradition was unveiled and (to the best of my knowledge) considering the Dodgers had their own special version, the NY Mets were the very first team to wear it.
Thank you, I sincerely appreciate those sentiments about passion.
You make a good point about the JR 50 patch. Moving forward, I should consider adding separate pictures to certain teams capturing a patch that they wore along with multiple other (or every) teams. That would have been appropriate with the Giants patches I previously displayed, and the 1997 Interleague Patch that is on my Rangers board because they hosted the two games.
I checked games on April 15, 1997, and the Cubs hosted the Rockies that afternoon at Wrigley, both teams and the umpires wore the JR 50 patch. In the 5th inning of the game you were in attendance that evening, MLB announced that jersey No. 42 would be unilaterally retired throughout MLB.
Wonderful collection, and I am not saying this because I am a Mets fan. I own the 25th season patch (it is on the sleeve of ajacket I got in 1986) and the 50th (on the side of a black game replica hat) plus the beautiful final Shea patch (be it in totally different colors on a fashion hat). I even have a patch stitched in of the 1969 press pin on the side of a corduroy blue fashion hat, that logo shows the stadium from above.
Ingmar, as always appreciate your comments. I did not know you were a Mets fan and collector. What you describe sound like really unique collectables of Mets patches and memorabilia.
Agree, nice patch. I also think the front office knew Shea wasn’t going to get to a 50th Anniversary, so might as well celebrate. Smart tie-in with the stadium artwork.