The forgotten Met
It was a beautiful ring. I got the (NL pennant) ring in ’73, but the one in ‘69 really meant a lot to me, because it was a championship ring.
Stuff like this happens, but when it happens to you it’s kind of scary. The only thing I ever wanted from that ’69 year was the ring.
I had contacted the Mets, probably three years after I retired (his last MLB season was 1974), and I asked “Can I buy the ring?” And they said, well, it’s $3500. Never mind, keep the ring.
Things like that, they’re memories. They’re good memories. It just stuck in my craw.
Some guy from the Mets called and apologized on Saturday night. I didn’t know who it was, I said “it’s over with, forget it.”
DN: What did he say?
JG: Well it was apologetic. He says, we really messed up on all of this. Stuff happens, I said, but you could go on Google or just search your athletes or your previous athletes and see if they’re living or if they passed. It’s neglect on their part, whoever did it. A little common sense, a little looking into the background and you can find out things.
It’s over the dam, Denny, I had so many nice compliments. I had 128 people come on my Facebook to compliment me, to say “I’m glad you’re still here.”
DN: How long did it take from there for the Mets to contact you?
JG: It was about 10:30 at night on Saturday that the Mets called.
A guy from the Kansas City Historical Society talked to the Mets, and asked about the ring, and they said that’s not possible. But it is possible. He works for the Royals, and says that when the Royals won the championship, they gave out 900 rings. He said, “If they won’t get it for you, we’re gonna get it for you.” I said, that’s not necessary.
I was sitting here with my wife, and I’m in tears talking to him. That’s the only thing that really got to me…Amos Otis, he played on the team, he never got a ring. Bobby Heise never got a ring, Jesse never got a ring.
There’s a lot of guys on that club that never got a ring. What the hell? What’s a few hundred dollars?
DN: Do you follow the current Mets team or baseball generally?
JG: I signed with the Red Sox and I’d always been a big Red Sox fan. They gave me a chance to play. But I follow