baseball
“ THE METS SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A SPOT FOR JAYHORWITZ .”
FORMER METS MANAGER TERRYCOLLINS
been with some great ones , they all treat their former players with huge respect , and it starts with Jay ,” says former Mets manager Terry Collins . “ That ’ swhy the attendance at the Old Timers ’ Day was so huge , and so many guys who didn ’ t go wanted to go because of the fact Jay treats those guys with such huge respect because they were former Mets .”
The tributes have included the Mets renaming the Citi Field press box in honor of Horwitz last April , recognizing how he became “ an iconic figure in New York sports beloved by the front office , players and media .” And at the upcoming Mets Hall of Fame induction onJune 3 , featuring the enshrinement ofHoward Johnson , Al Leiter , Gary Cohen and Howie Rose , Horwitz will be receiving the Hall of Fame Achievement Award . “ I know he ’ s very shy , but he deserves every bit of recognition for that award , which is richly deserved ,” Wilson says .“ And if I know Jay , he ’ s alittle worried about his speech , but it ’ ll be ahome run .”
NATURAL STORYTELLER
Horwitz graduated from NYU with ajournalism degree and served as the sports information director atFairleigh Dickinson University between 1972- ’ 80 . He says he got the role with the Mets because of his affinity for humaninterest stories at FDU , which featured everything from ahockey-playing priest to a43-year-old freshman football place kicker .
His facility for storytelling has helped him reconnect with former players and offer ahand when needed . Horwitz did what he could to spread the word when Kranepool needed akidney transplant in 2019 and got the word out when Cleon Jones was supporting his local Mobile , Alabama , community by building roofs on houses in the area . This compassion repeatedly surfaced throughout Horwitz ’ stenure with the Mets . “ I can hear him in the back of my mind like , ‘ Do the right thing . Dothe right thing by the organization . Do the right thing by the player ,’” Wilson says .“ It ’ sadelicate balancing act , and do the right thing by the media .”
As the Mets family continues to extend with each passing year , Horwitz is looking to set ahealthy foundation for the future while honoring its past successes .“ Keep doing what we ’ re doing ,” Horwitz says .“ Keep bringing people back in the family , not just guys
PART OF THE TEAM ( Top ) Horwitz with former Met David Wright ; ( Above ) Aplaque commemorates the Mets renaming their Citi Field press box in honor of Horwitz . who made All-Star teams and won pennants . Ifsomebody calls for tickets , call them back . When people have birthdays , acknowledge their birthdays . Kind of make the people who played for the Mets feel important .”
He has already left alasting legacy . “ The things he did for people who worked with him and worked for him , and the respect he has for people and the game itself , is just off the charts ,” Collins says .“ He loves it . And that ’ swhy , inmyopinion , the Mets should always have aspot for JayHorwitz .” ■
HORWITZ AND WRIGHT : COURTESY OF THE NEW YORK METS ; PLAQUE : CHRIS ISEMAN
10 MAY 2023 WAYNE MAGAZINE