Parachute Jump to sport major Mets pride throughout World Series run

BY JAIME DEJESUS & MEAGHAN MCGOLDRICK

Amazin’.

The Coney Island Parachute Jump will light orange and blue in honor of the New York Mets, announced Luna Park reps immediately following the team’s National League Championship Series win Wednesday evening against the Chicago Cubs.

In the past, the attraction—an open-frame steel structure that hovers 250 feet over the Coney Island Boardwalk and serves as a local staple, despite being closed—has been illuminated to show support for such charitable efforts as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and Autism Awareness Day.

“The parachute jump is an iconic New York landmark and the New York Mets are a beloved baseball team so our ‘Go Mets’ lights are a perfect way to celebrate their outstanding achievements,” said Angie Morris, brand marketing manager at Luna Park. “We will keep the lights on every night until they bring the World Series Championship back home.”

Since their inaugural season in 1962, the Amazin’s have made four appearances in the Fall Classic, winning two of them. Their last World Series championship was in 1986, nearly thirty years ago.

Their next appearance was the long-awaited “Subway Series” in 2000. However, the Flushing Faithful were only able to celebrate a single victory and lost on their own home field, Shea Stadium, in five games to the rival New York Yankees.

This year, though, the Mets will have the city’s undivided attention.

“Being a Mets fan is often difficult in New York City with the Mets most times living in the shadow of that ‘other’ famous Bronx based outfit,” said lifelong Mets fan and Executive Director of the Guild for Exceptional Children, Paul Cassone. “But all the years of pain and heartache make it that much sweeter when they suddenly and often, surprisingly, break through and become nearly mythical in how they win. We saw that in 1969 and 1986.

“They keep you on the edge of your seat and their victories are somehow surreal – the stuff of baseball legend,” Cassone went on. “Hardcore Mets fans are not surprised because it seems that the Amazin’s have a nearly magical way of winning. You gotta believe, indeed!”

Although the Mets haven’t reached the postseason often, they’ve gone deep into October baseball when they have, winning at least one series seven out of their eight playoff appearances.

Today, even younger long suffering fans are savoring the improbable ride.

“I’ve been a Mets fan all my life, and the last time my team won the Pennant and went to the World Series was 2000. I was eight years old,” said Cassone’s son, Chris. “Now I’m 23, but I feel like a kid again. Being a Mets fan is an emotional roller-coaster, so it’s only fitting that their Single-A farm team be named after one.”

But the losses, he said, only made the Mets’ dominant postseason sweeter.

“I’m experiencing the first ‘miracle mets’ season of my lifetime, and it’s been a blast,” said Chris.

Fans have taken to this year’s roster for several reasons, perhaps the biggest being that the group is reminiscent of the 1969 World Champion Miracle Mets, also considered huge underdogs most of the season.

The Mets, who started the season ranked 22^nd in team payroll, hung around—despite offensive struggles—thanks, in great part, to stellar young pitching. The team reached their full stride when General Manager Sandy Alderson made several acquisitions, including game-changing outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, who catapulted the offense and helped the team win 90 games.

To boot, sixteen of the current players on the roster are homegrown from the team’s farm system, always a favorite way to build a team among fans. Among those players is team captain David Wright, their elite rotation that includes Jacob DeGrom and, of course, NLCS MVP Daniel Murphy, who has been on the team since 2008—longer than any player other than Wright.

The Cassones are also excited about Coney staying true to the orange and blue.

“I love that the parachute jump is showing support for my Mets. The jump stands right outside of MCU park, where I’ve seen a few future Mets play before getting called up to the big leagues,” Chris said. “The support for this team, which is always considered the underdog but always plays like the favorite, just proves how much time these guys put in to get to the majors. I believe they won’t quit fighting until the ring is on their finger.”

The Mets begin their chase for the championship on Tuesday, October 27 at 8 p.m.

The Coney Island icon will light orange and blue every evening until the end of the series. It will start around dusk and will also spell out “Go Mets.”