Does anyone know how New York became the Mets... How name "Mets" originated and is it short for something.

Answer 1

Copied from the Mets official website (See link below):

1959-1969

1959 - July 27, 1959 - New York attorney William Shea announces the formation of a third major league, the Continental League, to begin play in 1961. One of the charter teams for the league would be placed in New York.

1960 - August 2, 1960 - The Continental League disbands on promises that four of its franchises would be accepted to the NL and AL as expansion franchises.


1961
- March 6, 1961 - The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc., formally receives a certificate of membership from National League President Warren Giles. The Mets' name was judged by club owner Joan Payson as the one that best met five basic criteria:
1) It met public and press acceptance;
2) It was closely related to the team's corporate name (Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc);
3) It was descriptive of the metropolitan area;
4) It had a brevity that delighted copy readers everywhere;
5) It had historical background referring to the Metropolitans of the 19th century American Association. Other names considered included Rebels, Skyliners, NYBs, Burros (for the five boroughs), Continentals, Avengers... as well as Jets and Islanders, names that would eventually find their way onto the New York sports scene.
May 8, 1961 - New York's National League club announces that the team nickname will be "Mets," a natural shortening of the corporate name ("New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc.")

See link below for more...

Answer 2

When the Mets were first created, there was I believe a survey type of thing where the future fans would vote on what the name of the ball club should be. They chose the Metropolitans. Of course, whenever a team has more than 5 letters, it has to have a nickname. So the New York Metropolitans became the New York Mets.

Answer 3

The original name for the New York Giants was the Metropolitans. Manager John McGraw said after one game played particularly great by the Metropolitans that they were not "players, but Giants". so the Metropolitan name was shelved. Then the Giants moved to SF. It was only natural to call the new NY team the Metropolitans, after the first NL Franchise in NY, and the name was shortened to Mets.

Answer 4

Mets is short for Metropolitans. In 1959, William Shea, an attorney, announced the formation of a third major baseball league, the Continental League. In 1960, Shea and the other Continental League organizers reached a deal with the established major leagues. They had to decide on a team name. The final choices were Bees, Burros, Continentals, Skyscrapers, Jets and Skyliners. The owners selected the Metropolitans of New York or Mets. They were created in 1962. They played their first game in Shea Stadium in 1964. They won two Championships in 1969 and 1986.

Answer 5

The team was called the Mets from its founding in 1962. The name comes from the New York Metropolitans, a team that played in the 1880s.

Answer 6

Mets is short for Metropolitans. Metropolitans basically meaning city people. New York is a large city so I'll be that is where the name comes from.

Answer 7

The club held a "name the team" contest, and Mets was chosen from over 800 entries. Not sure, but different sources it could have been a shortened version of Metropolitans

Answer 8

The name is short for Metropolitans.

Answer 9

I think its short for wikipedia a.k.a "Metropolitan Baseball Club of New York".

Answer 10

Can you say lack of creativity? The team was named after the citizens. They were named the Metropolitans.