After spending an hour at (What’s left of) Shea Stadium today, my fingers have only just thawed out enough to start typing again. A few days ago, word went out: Shea Stadium was near the end stages of demolition. If we were going to say a final goodbye to the old girl, this had to be it. Facebook and Metsblog helped get us all together, and then, on a bone-chillingly freezing Saturday afternoon, I was happy to experience some good ole’ off-season Mets fan camaraderie. I would tip my (stocking) cap one last time to the stadium where I became a baseball fan.

I ran into buddy Brian right off the train, and a few steps later, this is what we saw, looming larger than pictures make it seem, and right smack dab in front of us. When you’re used to hopping off the train and scampering to Gate E, checking the lineup cards over the ticket window on your way to see who’s playing that day, well, yes, trudging to a demolition site feels very different. Like, for one thing, there is no Gate E.

Soon, Brian and I found Metsie and Mrs. Metsie, Dykstraw, and everyone’s favorite senior editorial producer for SNY.tv, Ted Berg. I think at another time, we might have stood around telling stories, leisurely strolling to see every angle of what was once our former ballpark home. But people, oh it was cold. Literal finger-numbing cold. So we basically took lots of pics, kissed cheeks, and headed home.

I posted the full public album here on facebook, for anyone who might want to half cringe, half sigh. For instant gratification, here are a few doozies, below. The album has some warm-fuzzies, including two Mets dogs, Shea and Mikey P, and Mets fan friends posing, snapping pics, linking arms, and smiling during what could have been quite a gloomy moment–but in the end, since spent among brethren, wasn’t too bad.