baseball
All in the Family
Future Mets Hall of Fame Achievement Award recipient Jay Horwitz honors teamalumni
WRITTEN BY ANDREW TREDINNICK
AMAZIN ’ CAREER Jay Horwitz served as Sports Information Director at New York University and Fairleigh Dickinson University before becoming Director of Public Relations and then Vice President , Media Relations , for the Mets .
For 43 years , the New York Mets players and coaches have been family to Jay Horwitz . Now Horwitz , a Clifton native , is using his role as the club ’ s vice president of alumni relations to showcase the rich history ofthe franchise , which he joined as amember of the media relations staff in 1980 , working his way up to media relations vice president .
The 77-year-old Horwitz played a leading role in last season ’ s Mets Old Timers ’ Day , which made its return for the first time since 1994 . It sparked a reunion of68players , from the likes of original Mets Ed Kranepool and JayHook and World Series champions Cleon Jones and Dwight Gooden .
Horwitz continues tocoordinate the visits offormer players — both with the team and to Citi Field — and illuminates their stories onhis weekly podcast , Amazin ’ Conversations with Jay Horwitz . “ My goal and what I ’ m trying to do is bring back people in the Mets family — not just the All-Star guys , but the 25th guys on the team ,” Horwitz says .“ Ireach out to them when they ’ re having abirthday , stuff like that . The new ownership is very supportive of what we ’ re doing alumni-wise .”
Last season was abanner campaign for Mets alums . The franchise unveiled the TomSeaver statue outside Citi Field ahead of the home opener , and retired Keith Hernandez ’ s No . 17 , along with Willie Mays ’ No . 24tofulfill late owner Joan Payson ’ s promise . And of course , Gil Hodges was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame .
Horwitz was originally reluctant to take onhis new role ahead of the 50th anniversary ofthe 1969 World Series champions . Hehad enjoyed being inthe clubhouse with the players and traveling with the team across the country . But he has thrived lifting up the alumni . He always had their best interests in mind since the days of working with them from amedia relations standpoint . “ I think hereally is someone that , like his book says ,‘ He ’ s Mr . Met ,’” says Ethan Wilson , referring to Horwitz ’ s 2020 memoir Mr . Met : How aSports- Mad Kid from Jersey Became Like
Family toGenerations of Big Leaguers ; Wilson joined the media relations team in 2010 and currently serves as its director .“ He ’ s lovable . Heisalittle chaotic , but there ’ sareason why those players would do anything for him .”
Those relationships helped spearhead asuccessful blast from the past during last season ’ s Old Timers ’ Day . “ All of the great franchises , and I ’ ve
COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK METS
8 MAY 2023 WAYNE MAGAZINE