Brett Topel – författare

In the nearly 60-year-history of the New York Mets, fans have been treated to countless firsts—the first Met pitcher to record a win at Shea Stadium (Al Jackson), the first Met to hit a homer at Citi Field (David Wright), the first Cy Young Award winner for the Mets (Tom Seaver), the first Met to pitch a no-hitter (Johan Santana), and the first to appear in an All-Star Game in a Mets uniform (Richie Ashburn). The list goes on.In New York Mets Firsts, Brett Topel presents the stories behind the firsts in Mets history in question-and-answer format. More than a mere trivia book, Topel’s collection includes substantive answers to the question of “who was the first…?” on a variety of topics, many of which will surprise even seasoned fans of the Amazin’s.

Four teams, 175 games, 3,738,546 fans—one stadium. If 1975 wasn’t the most successful year in New York sports—and it wasn’t—then it was certainly one of the oddest. For that one crazy season, all four New York teams—the Mets, Jets, Yankees, and Giants—called Shea Stadium home.When Shea was Home includes interviews with the stadium’s former head groundskeeper, the legendary Pete Flynn, as well as Jerry Koosman, Bud Harrelson and Ed Kranepool of the Mets, Giants owner John Mara, Rich Caster of the Jets, former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Doug Williams, who played that year at Shea for Grambling, and many more!This well-written narrative includes information about the stadium, the teams, the players, how the teams coexisted, and how they didn''t. When Shea was Home takes New York sports fans on a unique trip down memory lane, offering context on the national and local history and culture of the time. It is perfect for the avid New York sports aficionado—regardless of team allegiance!Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

So You Think You’re a New York Mets Fan? tests and expands your knowledge of Mets baseball. Rather than merely posing questions and providing answers, this book will give you the details behind each—stories that bring to life players and coaches, games and seasons.This book is divided into multiple parts, with progressively more difficult questions in each new section. Along the way, you’ll learn more about the great Mets players and managers of the past and present, from Tom Seaver to Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Lee Mazzilli, Davey Johnson, Dave Kingman, Gil Hodges, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, John Stearns, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Matt Harvey, David Wright, and so many more. The many questions that this book answers include:• Who was drafted number one overall by the Mets in 1984?• Who was on deck when Mookie Wilson hit his famous ground ball to Bill Buckner?• There are two men enshrined in Cooperstown wearing Mets caps on their plaques, but there are 12 other Hall of Famers who played for the Mets at one point in their career. Name them.• What do the Mets' World Series MVPs from 1969 and 1986 have in common?• The two pitchers who were on the mound in 1969 and 1986 when the final out of each World Series was made were actually traded for each other. Name them.This book makes the perfect gift for any fan of the Amazin’s!

So You Think You’re a New York Mets Fan? tests and expands your knowledge of Mets baseball. Rather than merely posing questions and providing answers, this book will give you the details behind each—stories that bring to life players and coaches, games and seasons.This book is divided into multiple parts, with progressively more difficult questions in each new section. Along the way, you’ll learn more about the great Mets players and managers of the past and present, from Tom Seaver to Gary Carter, Keith Hernandez, Lee Mazzilli, Davey Johnson, Dave Kingman, Gil Hodges, Jerry Koosman, Jon Matlack, John Stearns, Darryl Strawberry, Mike Piazza, Edgardo Alfonzo, Matt Harvey, David Wright, and so many more. The many questions that this book answers include:• Who was drafted number one overall by the Mets in 1984?• Who was on deck when Mookie Wilson hit his famous ground ball to Bill Buckner?• There are two men enshrined in Cooperstown wearing Mets caps on their plaques, but there are 12 other Hall of Famers who played for the Mets at one point in their career. Name them.• What do the Mets'' World Series MVPs from 1969 and 1986 have in common?• The two pitchers who were on the mound in 1969 and 1986 when the final out of each World Series was made were actually traded for each other. Name them.This book makes the perfect gift for any fan of the Amazin’s!

In 1969, the New York Mets took on a nickname that was certainly fitting for that season—the "Miracle Mets." Nevertheless, even beyond 1969, there have been numerous moments in the history of the Mets that have proven miraculous, from the pitcher''s mound to the batter''s box and from the regular season to the playoffs. In Miracle Moments in New York Mets History, Brett Topel details the team’s greatest achievements, from the Mets'' first win in franchise history in 1962, to Tom Seaver''s near-perfect game in 1969, the 1986 World Series, the trade for Mike Piazza, Al Leiter''s two-hitter during the 1999 one-game playoff, Jacob deGrom’s 2015 All-Star Game appearance, and much more. In doing so, Topel highlights the key players and coaches and reveals the high level of excitement that comes with being a Mets fan. Complete with full-color photos, this book makes the perfect gift for young and old fans alike of the New York Mets!

Mount Rushmore, located in the Black Hills of Keystone, South Dakota, is one of the most iconic landmarks in the United States. The face of the mountain features 60-foot heads of Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. It depicts four of the greatest men our country has ever known.   In recent years, it has become fashionable for sports fans to select the Mount Rushmore of their franchise’s history. For some franchise’s, which have been around for 100+ years, it can be a daunting task. Even for younger franchises, such as the New York Mets, picking a Mount Rushmore can be a challenge. Mostly because fans always seem to favor players that they have seen play—leading older and younger fans to differ on who belongs carved on that fictional mountain in Queens.   In 2015, Major League Baseball announced its decision for each team’s Mount Rushmore. For the Mets, voters chose Keith Hernandez, Mike Piazza, Tom Seaver, and David Wright. No one would argue that Tom Seaver is on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore. He was, after all, “The Franchise.” Some might even argue that the Mets’ Mount Rushmore is Tom Seaver four times! However, that not-withstanding, when it comes to rounding out the other three players, did MLB get it right?? Thankfully, Mount Rushmore of the New York Mets tackles such a question. Covering the team by decade, author Brett Topel share the best players from the team’s almost sixty-year history. From Jerry Koosman and Ed Kranepool, Dwight Gooden and Darryl Strawberry, to Edgardo Alfonzo and Jose Reyes, each decade is covered, reliving the highs and lows of the Metropolitans.   So whether you remember the Miracle Mets, the Amazin’ run of 1986, or the almost of the 2000s, Mount Rushmore of the New York Mets breaks down the fan favorites who earned their prominence in the Polo Grounds, Shea Stadium, and Citi Field.