Faith and Fear in Flushing made its debut on Feb. 16, 2005, the brainchild of two longtime friends and lifelong Met fans.
Greg Prince discovered the Mets when he was 6, during the magical summer of 1969. He is a Long Island-based writer, editor and communications consultant. Contact him here.
Jason Fry is a Brooklyn writer whose first memories include his mom leaping up and down cheering for Rusty Staub. Check out his other writing here.
Jim Beauchamp, wearing the number he was issued when 24suddenly needed to be ripped off his shirt, indeed did some fancy pinch-hitting as a 1973 National League Champion Met, landing on base at a .325 clip when called off the bench and into action by Yogi Berra. Ken Boswell lost his second base job to Felix Millan that same season but he, too, did his part to inspire the ’74 yearbook’s caption writer, belting a pair of pinch-homers in a reserve role. You’d think that two guys who combined to start all of 21 games in 1973 wouldn’t be smiling all that much. But if you look closely, you might recognize the setting for this photo as the Oakland Coliseum. Beauchamp and Boswell were pinch-hitters on a World Series team. Jim Beauchamp’s final appearance in the big leagues, for that matter, was in that Fall Classic, the only one in which he played.Knowing that, I ask you, why wouldn’t you smile?
Sorta like two competing mustaches on the same upper lip. And dig the 1967 Topps font that identifies them…even the caption seems a semi-conscious homage to METS MAULERS of the past.
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The Faith and Fear in Flushing "numbers" shirt has been seen from Verona, N.J., to Venice. You can get yours right here -- price about as cheap as we can make it.
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Faith and Fear in Flushing: An Intense Personal History by Greg Prince (foreword by Jason Fry), is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers.
Boswell looks homeless. Good Lord, the 70's.
Sorta like two competing mustaches on the same upper lip. And dig the 1967 Topps font that identifies them…even the caption seems a semi-conscious homage to METS MAULERS of the past.