New York Mets-1969 Memories

In April of 1969, when I was 16 years old, I went to Wrigley Field for a Cubs game against the New York Mets. I got to the game right when the gates opened at 9:30am, with the game not starting until 1:30. I loved to run around the ballpark taking photos and getting autographs of my favorite players.
I wandered over the to the right field bullpen where the young Tom Seaver and Jerry Grote were signing autographs. They couldn't have been nicer. Both of them posed for photos and signed my program.
Then I went over to the Mets dugout where manager Gil Hodges was signing along with Ron Swoboda. The Mets of 1969 were great to us Cub fans. They signed for all of us, including broadcaster Lindsay Nelson.
The Mets won the World Series that season. But in April of that year, no one expected them to do much. The Cubs, my team, were the ones expected to win the pennant.
Wrigley Field, back in the 1960's was simply a magical place. I met Jackie Robinson there in 1968, along with Satchel Paige in 1970, in addition to Stan Musial. Celebrities like that were always walking around the ballpark before the game. Hope some of you Cubs or Mets fans will read this...