Mets To Retire Mike Piazza's No. 31 Jersey On July 30
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- It's going to be one hot ticket this summer.
Fresh off being voted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Mike Piazza will have his No. 31 jersey retired by the Mets on July 30, prior to the game against the Colorado Rockies at Citi Field.
Regarded as arguably the greatest hitting catcher to ever play the game, Piazza played eight of his 16 professional seasons with the Mets. He batted .296 with 220 home runs and 655 RBI during his time in New York and will join Tom Seaver, Gil Hodges and Casey Stengel as the only Mets to have their number retired.
"It is such a tremendous honor to have my number retired alongside the great Tom Seaver," Piazza said in a statement released by the team. "My time as a Met was truly special and I want to thank Fred, Saul, Jeff and the entire organization for this incredible gesture."
Piazza made it into Cooperstown with 83 percent of the vote and his Mets cap will be on his plaque when he is inducted this summer.
The Mets said in a statement that retiring Piazza's number was a fitting way to mark his tremendous career.
"We are truly thrilled to honor Mike by retiring his number during a weekend-long celebration recognizing his incredible career," Mets COO Jeff Wilpon said. "His offensive prowess, ability to deliver in the clutch, and tireless work ethic helped him become one of the great catchers of all-time."
The jersey retirement ceremony will be part of "Mike Piazza Weekend" in Queens. According to the team, all fans in attendance on Friday, July 29, will receive a Piazza replica jersey. The jersey retirement will follow on Saturday and then on Sunday there will be a Piazza bobblehead giveaway for the first 15,000 fans who attend the game against the Rockies.
