Shea Stadium

Shea Stadium
Shea
Shea Stadium exterior in 2007
Map
Shea Stadium is located in New York City
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
Location within New York City
Shea Stadium is located in New York
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (New York)
Shea Stadium is located in the United States
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium (the United States)
Full nameWilliam A. Shea Municipal Stadium
Former namesFlushing Meadows Stadium
(1961–1962)[1]
Address123–01 Roosevelt Avenue
LocationFlushing, Queens, New York
Coordinates40°45′20″N 73°50′53″W / 40.75556°N 73.84806°W / 40.75556; -73.84806
OwnerCity of New York
New York Mets
OperatorNew York City Department of Parks and Recreation (1964–1981)
New York Mets (1964–2008)
CapacityBaseball: 57,333[2]
Football:  60,372[3]
Field size
Left Field338 ft (103 m)
Left Field ('64-'77)341 (104)
Medium Left-Center358 (109)
Left-Center371 (113)
Left-Center (deep)396 (121)
Center410 (125)
Right-Center (deep)396 (121)
Right-Center371 (113)
Medium Right-Center358 (109)
Right Field338 (103)
Right Field ('64-'77)341 (104)
SurfaceKentucky Bluegrass
Construction
Broke groundOctober 28, 1961
OpenedApril 17, 1964 (1964-04-17)
ClosedSeptember 28, 2008 (2008-09-28) (Final game)
DemolishedOctober 14, 2008–February 18, 2009
Construction cost$28.5 million
($269 million in 2022 dollars[4])
ArchitectPraeger-Kavanagh-Waterbury[5]
General contractorCarlin–Crimmins J.V.[6]
Tenants
New York Mets (MLB) 1964–2008
New York Jets (AFL / NFL) 1964–1983
New York Yankees (MLB) 1974–1975
New York Giants (NFL) 1975
St. John's Red Storm (NCAA) 2000

Shea Stadium (/ʃ/ SHAY), formally known as William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, was a multi-purpose stadium in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park, Queens, New York City.[7] Opened in 1964, it was home to the New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1964 to 2008, as well as the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) from 1964 to 1983.

The stadium was named in honor of William Shea, who was most responsible for bringing National League baseball back to New York after the Dodgers and Giants left for California in 1957. It was demolished in 2009 to create additional parking for the adjacent Citi Field, the stadium built to replace it and the current home of the Mets.

  1. ^ "History of Shea Stadium". New York Mets. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  2. ^ "Citi Field Side-by-Side Comparison". Major League Baseball Advanced Media. Archived from the original on April 22, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2010.
  3. ^ Brown, Gerry; Morrison, Mike; Morrison, Michael (2007). ESPN Sports Almanac 2008: America's Best-Selling Sports Almanac. New York: ESPN. p. 583. ISBN 978-1-933060-38-5. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
  4. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference History of Shea was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Shea Stadium". Ballparks.com. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  7. ^ Scanned picture of the dedication handout that shows the stadium is in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park.