In 1957, the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Giants abandoned New York for California, leaving the largest city in the United States without a National League franchise.

Two years later, on July 27, 1959, attorney William Shea announced the formation of a third major baseball league, the Continental League.

He tried to get several existing clubs to move, including the Philadelphia Phillies, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Cincinnati Reds, but no National League club was interested.

The new team required a new name and many were suggested. Among the finalists were “Bees,” “Burros,” “Continentals,” “Skyscrapers” and “Jets,” as well as the eventual runner-up, the “Skyliners.”

Although Joan Payson had admitted a preference for “Meadowlarks,” the owners ultimately selected “Mets,” because it was closely related to the club’s already-existing corporate name, “New York Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc.,” it hearkened back to “Metropolitans,” a name used by an earlier New York team in the American Association from 1880 to 1887, and because its brevity would naturally fit in newspaper headlines.

The name was received with broad approval among fans and the press.

 

YEAR	MANAGER	DIV	W	L	PCT	GB	POS	FINISH
2018	Mickey Callaway	East	77	85	.475	13.0	4	–
2017	Terry Collins	East	70	92	.432	27.0	4	–
2016	Terry Collins	East	87	75	.563	8.0	2	WC
2015	Terry Collins	East	90	72	.556	—	—	NL
2014	Terry Collins	East	79	83	.475	17.0	2	—
2013	Terry Collins	East	74	88	.457	22.0	3	—
2012	Terry Collins	East	75	87	.457	24.0	4	—
2011	Terry Collins	East	77	85	.475	25.0	4	—
2010	Jerry Manuel	East	79	83	.432	18.0	4	—
2009	Jerry Manuel	East	70	92	.432	23.0	4	—
2008	W.Randolph – J.Manuel	East	89	73	.549	3.0	2	—
2007	Willie Randolph	East	88	74	.543	1.0	2	—
2006	Willie Randolph	East	97	65	.599	–	1	DIV
2005	Willie Randolph	East	83	79	.512	7.0	3	—
2004	Art Howe	East	71	91	.438	25.0	4	—
2003	Art Howe	East	66	95	.410	34.5	5	—
2002	Bobby Valentine	East	75	86	.466	26.5	5	—
2001	Bobby Valentine	East	82	80	.506	6.0	3	—
2000	Bobby Valentine	East	94	68	.580	1.0	2	NL
1999	Bobby Valentine	East	97	66	.595	6.5	2	WC
1998	Bobby Valentine	East	88	74	.543	18.0	2	—
1997	Bobby Valentine	East	88	74	.543	13.0	3	—
1996	D. Green – B. Valentine	East	71	91	.438	25.0	4	—
1995	Dallas Green	East	69	75	.479	21.0	2	—
1994	Dallas Green	East	55	58	.487	18.5	3	—
1993	J. Torborg – D. Green	East	59	103	.364	38.0	7	—
1992	Jeff Torborg	East	72	90	.444	24.0	5	—
1991	B. Harrelson – M. Cubbage	East	77	84	.478	20.5	5	—
1990	D. Johnson – B.Harrelson	East	91	71	.562	4.0	2	—
1989	Davey Johnson	East	87	75	.537	6.0	2	—
1988	Davey Johnson	East	100	60	.625	–	1	DIV
1987	Davey Johnson	East	92	70	.568	3.0	2	—
1986	Davey Johnson	East	108	54	.667	–	1	WS
1985	Davey Johnson	East	98	64	.605	3.0	2	—
1984	Davey Johnson	East	90	72	.556	6.5	2	—
1983	G. Bamberger – F. Howard	East	68	94	.420	22.0	6	—
1982	George Bamberger	East	65	97	.401	27.0	6	—
1981	Joe Torre	East	41	62	.398	18.5	5	—
1980	Joe Torre	East	67	95	.414	24.0	5	—
1979	Joe Torre	East	63	99	.389	35.0	6	—
1978	Joe Torre	East	66	96	.407	24.0	6	—
1977	J. Frazier – J. Torre	East	64	98	.395	37.0	6	—
1976	Joe Frazier	East	86	76	.531	15.0	3	—
1975	Y. Berra – R. McMillan	East	82	80	.506	10.5	3	—
1974	Yogi Berra	East	71	91	.438	17.0	5	—
1973	Yogi Berra	East	82	79	.509	–	1	NL
1972	Yogi Berra	East	83	73	.532	13.5	3	—
1971	Gil Hodges	East	83	79	.512	14.0	3	—
1970	Gil Hodges	East	83	79	.512	6.0	3	—
1969	Gil Hodges	East	100	62	.617	–	1	WS
1968	Gil Hodges	–	73	89	.451	24.0	9	—
1967	Wes Westrum – Salty Parker	–	61	101	.377	40.5	10	—
1966	Wes Westrum	–	66	95	.410	28.5	9	—
1965	C.Stengel – W. Westrum	–	50	112	.309	47.0	10	—
1964	Casey Stengel	–	53	109	.327	40.0	10	—
1963	Casey Stengel	–	51	111	.315	48.0	10	—
1962	Casey Stengel	–	40	120	.250	60.5	10	—