Thanks for visiting our new website.
On this site you will be able to buy personalized memorabilia, get information about Art’s appearances and baseball clinics. Also, Art will be using this website to communicate to his fans about the 1969 Mets and other thoughts on baseball.
Feel free to come and visit anytime.
Mr. Shamsky:
I’m a long time citizen of University City and I’m active in the U City School District, the Library,
the Historical Society (I was waiting to get old so I could appreciate it!)… so I like history. University City High School sponsors a U City High Hall of Fame every two years. It is very popular and we get to met some interesting and amazing folks because of this event. I would like to enter your name in the running for the 2019 group of outstanding and famous U City folks in this years program. I have been reading all the things I can find about your life in University City, U City High School, and of course, all about your baseball career. I’ve bought your first book and waiting for the latest one. I am very excited to hear from you. Hope you can! Roger Davenport /784Yale Ave/ U City MO Thank you Art! Thank you. Hope to hear from you. I am a fan!!
Just finished your marvelous (should I say “Marv Thronberry”) “After the Miracle.” Wonderful human interest details regarding your old Mets teammates and the local, national and international (Vietnam) impact of that amazing season. I grew up in the Bronx as a Dodger fan and saw my first games at Ebbets Field – of course, including Gil Hodges (apparently a giant of a man). But did transfer allegiances to the Mets when they arrived in ’62. And as luck would have it, since my father’s company’s legal representative was a guy named William Shea, we saw many a game from his box in the second set of boxes behind the Mets dugout and right behind Lindsey Nelson’s box, usually occupied by Mrs. Nelson. I saw many of the games that summer of ’69 but unfortunately watched the playoffs and Series on TV away at college. Anyway, thanks for bringing tears to my eyes with memories of what seems like a happier time – when a group of men playing a child’s game could bring our world a little closer together for a Miracle Moment.
Hi Art,
My wife Emily and I just finished reading “After the Miracle” and really enjoyed it. It was quite a trip down memory for us. We lived in NYC from the mid- 60’s to the mid-70’s. We were friends of Tug and Phyllis McGraw. I met Tug through a mutual friend that was one of Tug’s high school buddies. You certainly hit the bull’s eye with your numerous descriptions of Tug. Your book gave us a lot of laughs and smiles when we flashed back to the fun (and sometimes crazy) times that we had with the McGraws: Tug being funny/outrageous and Phyllis trying to keep him “between the lines” (no easy task for sure). Thanks for “After the Miracle” and that great 1969 Mets season.
Hello Mr. Shamsky,
I saw you in Sarasota and bought your book that you signed- thank you. When I was there I asked about how we can help to get the late Gil Hodges elected into the Hall of Fame. I wrote to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. The following is what they wrote to me and my response. If you wish to share it with others to copy my letter to submit to the GDEC please feel free to do so.
wrote to the Baseball Hall of Fame asking about how we can support Gil Hodges being enshrined into the Hall. Here is what they wrote to me: Hi Henry! Gil Hodges remains eligible for Hall of Fame election under the Golden Days Era committee, which meets every five years to consider candidates whose greatest contribution to the game came from 1950-69. To write a letter of support to the Committee, you can send your letter to: Golden Days Era Committee, Baseball Hall of Fame, 25 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY, 13326. All letters of support to the committee are made available to the committee should members ask to see them.
Here is my letter that I wrote to the GDEC, please use what you want from my letter, but send it to the GDEC:
Henry A. Tenenbaum, Ph.D.
Psychologist PY0004871
School Psychologist SS155
5554 Simonton Street
Bradenton, FL 34203
Telephone: 941 737-4878
Email: drdad7@comcast.net
May 10, 2019
To: Golden Days Era Committee (GDEC)
Baseball Hall of Fame
25 Main Street
Cooperstown, NY 13326
Re: Mr. Gil Hodges – First Baseman, Brooklyn and LA Dodgers and World Champion Manager – Consideration ranges from 1950 to 1969.
Dear GDEC,
I wish to ask that Mr. Gil Hodges be placed into the Hall of Fame. He was certainly a mainstay at first base and an outstanding ball player. He was significantly instrumental in the Dodgers legacy and winning a World Series.
His defensive abilities are well known. His career hitting stats include 370 homeruns and life time batting average of 273 (All drug free). His slugging percentage at 487 is magnificent. Of course, playing for eighteen years and being part of the legacy transition from Brooklyn to Los Angeles was noted history in baseball. He also was part and parcel of the good will during the Jackie Robinson era and welcomed him as a valuable team mate.
Gil was a true gentleman and a great ambassador to the game. His 1969 World Series championship as the manager of the Mets, was and still is considered one of the top ten World Series feats in baseball history. As you know taking a solid last place team to a world championship and beating a heavily favored Oriole team five games to one continues to amaze those who study the game (I was at the fifth game with my now deceased mother).
His awards include being nominated to the Hall of Fame
Playing in eight All-Star Games
1959 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award
MVP consideration nine times!
Three Golden Gloves
Slugging Percentage at 487 placed at 158th all time!
Total Bases 3422 at 191st all time (Seven seasons top 10)
943 Base on Balls (148th all time!)
Three years of being first on fielding percentage and eleven seasons being top ten!
As you know Gil Hodges consistently is ranked in the top fifty of all time first base players (i.e., ESPN, Baseball Egg).
To grow up in Brooklyn, New York everyone knew of “Gilly,” The Duke, Pee Wee, Jackie and Campy. How can you not know them as every youngster tried to imitate Gil’s reach and watch him with bated breath to see if another Hodges home run was being ignited.
I pray he is entered as this wonderful gentleman can only bring more pride to the already magnificent Hall of Fame. And of course, put smiles on we Brooklyn Bums who always knew that one day Gilly would be enshrined.
Thank you,
Henry Tenenbaum, PhD.
Art,
I just finished reading After the Miracle and had to write to you.
Great book! Brought me right back to 1969 when I was 18.
You and the ‘69 Mets team gave all of us New Yorkers something to be excited and proud about back then. Even 50 years later we can still remember how exciting and incredible it was.
Thank you for writing such an excellent book including so many interesting behind the scenes anecdotes and for all that you and the Mets accomplished back in 1969.
Sid Garai
Art,
I just want to say “thank you” for writing “After the Miracle”. While vacationing in Hawaii I read William McGurn’s column in the WSJ making the case for Gil Hodges’ induction in the baseball HOF. In his column he referenced your book which I immediately downloaded. I want to say thank you for bringing me back to perhaps the most memorable sporting fan experience of my life. I was 17 that summer and recall vividly the incredible season. I was at game 4 of the WS and had a clear view of both Rocky’s catch and JC’s bunt. I watched every pitch of the “imperfect game” and to this day believe it was the greatest single game pitching performance of all time. Hearing about Tom Seaver is sad to say the least. I’m glad to hear is doing well.
I have so many sports related memories that I shared with my daughters growing up and now with my grand children. They’ve all told me to write a book – maybe. Your book was bittersweet bringing me back to a wonderful time in my life (growing up in NY) and creating an incredible amount of nostalgia. I have lived in California the past 33 years and continue to be an avid sports fan. I could go on for pages.
Your book has inspired me to begin writing all my sports related memories dating back to when I was 8 years old. Who knows maybe it will become a book some day. Thank you for the inspiration.
Dear Art,
I ordered a signed baseball from your website about a week and a half ago. I wasn’t sure if your website was able to autograph how I liked it. If you could sign it to Tom remember the marshmellow 1969. I was there the night after you guys won the series that day. It was an incredible experience to be there . I will never forget . I later became a regular at the marshmellow like so many people at that time. I always remember talking with you and Phil Linz. You two were always very nice, very approachable and always ready to talk baseball. I also remember the great music that was played there. Alot of great memories from that place.I just finished reading your book. Couldn’t put it down. What Memories. Thankyou. I wish i would have bought the book from your website so you could autograph it. I’m glad to see your still around and doing well . I would have loved to have been at Citi field the day you were autographing your book but I live in Las Vegas Take Care and look forward to putting your ball in my home office.
Sincerely Tom Stiffey
Dear Art Shamsky,
I recently purchased a signed baseball from your website.I did recieve the ball aok. The only problem was I wanted it personalized . I tried before to tell you when I ordered the ball how I wanted it signed but I guess it didn’t go through. I also wanted to tell you I was there the night you opened the marshmellow with Wayne Garrett and Tug McGraw. What a wild scene it was. I’ll never forget it. I use to see you and Phil Linz at the marshmellow and I always remember that both of you were always very nice and aproachable.Unbelievable memories! I didn’t know what did happen with you until I saw your book on Amazon . I wonder if I can send the ball back to you and you can sign it.
Tom remember the marshmellow 1969 , that would be awesome. I wished I was at your book signing at Citi Field but i live in Las Vegas
Sincerely, Tom Stiffey
tomstiffey@centurylink.net
949-400-6106
I just completed “After the Miracle” which I bought while in Cooperstown last month. In the book, it talks about people who claim they were at the last game of the world series but I really was. My Mom picked me up at school, I was 15 and we went to the game. Our tickets were along the first base line and it was hard to see but I remember it like yesterday. I was getting somewhat negative when we were losing and my Mom in strong language, said wait, just wait. And then Al Weiss hit the home run. I have lived in Chicago for over 30 years and I have never loved a team like the 69 Mets. Reading the book reminded me why they were so special. Thanks, Art. I really enjoyed celebrating 50 years after the win. You guys were the greatese.
Mr. Shamsky:
I’m a friend of Dan Neville’s and would love to have the Reds ’65 Rookie card (featuring the two of you) autographed by both of you. Can youlet me know an address i could send it to, along with SASE for return, and how much you charge for the autograph?
Also I am the Event Coordinator for the Dave Parker39 Foundation and would like you to join us as a Celebrity Guest for our 2020 Cobra Classic Golf outing, on 9/25/20 here in Cincinnati.We don’t offer compensation/remuneration but are working on finding a deal with an airline for out of town guests. If you are interested please let me know. Dan played this year (even rescheduled his dialysis to be there) and I know he would be thrilled if you attended. What a picture -the two of you 55 yrs later.
Last , just read your book “After The Miracle” and loved it! I recommended it to Mike Shannon, editor of SpitBall magazine to be included in the running for the Casey Award, for the Best Baseball Book of 2019.
Art, just finished “After the Miracle”. Well done to you and Erik S. Very enjoyable to me as I remember playing against some players you mentioned, either in D,C,B,AAA or winter leagues, spring training games etc. In 1964 the Reds called up seven San Diego Padres in September. You and I and five others. I can recall Tommy Helms, Steve Boros, Jim Coates [still an a-hole] judging from a U-tube I’ve seen. I can’t remember the other two. My guess, Gus Gil and Ken Walters. Proud to say we played on two different teams together. Geneva Redlegs and the Padres. I was in Macon also but in 1963. Continued good luck and success. Dan Neville
I just finished reading your book “After the Miracle”. It brought back great memories of the exciting ’69 series. I was 23-years-old and working at Kings Park State Hospital on a work-related deferment. I watched most of the games in the ward’s dayroom with the teenage patients – all from NYC. The television was on a wall behind wire mesh. In the ’70’s I had a restaurant in Oyster Bay, Long Island. Eddie K and Ron S would come in as customers. It was great fun to have them at the restaurant.
As a 16 year old in 1969, I was a huge fan of the Mets and of you and Tom Seaver. I thoroughly enjoyed your book “After the Miracle”. It was an enjoyable read that brought back a lot of memories including my attending the clincher against the Cards at Shea as well as Game 4 of the World Series. It’s a shame that you had to ruin part of the book with your Mike Lupicaesque first paragraph on page 90. Totally unnecessary. Also a shame when professional athletes try to play politics – like watching NFL players in the 2018 season opener in London kneeling for our anthem but standing stoically for the anthem of the country that brought slavery to the United States for 150 years. Stick to Sports !!!!!
Just a question and not complaining. I have been an avid Met fan since childhood and recently have been showing my old cards to my Grandsons, passing the legacy on. During the time of pandemic, I have been trying to complete my series of autographed 69 Met baseball cards. In early May 2020, I sent my old 69′ card to Mr. Shamsky using a PO Box in NY as the address. I also put in a donation for his time. Does Mr. Shamsky still sign requests and does he utilize the PO Box in NY? I know he is most likely flooded with requests and it does take time, I was just wondering. I need Mr. Shamsky and Mr. Garrett to complete my 69′ autographed set.
Hello Art
Thank you so very much for sending “get well” wishes to my cousin Jeffrey Shapes, who is recovering from a bone marrow transplant. Our cousin Mitch Goldberger got in touch with you to arrange your message. Jeffrey and I grew up in Brooklyn and went to many games at Ebbets Field and became devoted Mets fans in 1962. I attended my first game in Brooklyn in 1954 and I saw Karl Spooner pitch his second game striking out 12, with Gil Hodges homering in the 7th for a 1-0 Dodgers win over Pittsburgh. Some memories never fade.
I’m writing you from Melbourne, Australia where I’ve been living since 1978. I saw the 1969 series while I was in the US Navy. You guys couldn’t
lose!
Stay well, healthy and happy. Many, many thanks.
Joel Migdal
Doug Almskog here (retired NYPD Sgt)
Hello
Mr. Art Shamsky.
I met you at the Retired NYPD Sergeant’s meeting on Wednesday Sept 30,2020, Mineola NY.
It was a real honor meeting you and having you autograph two books..
I just went on line & purchased another one,Oct3,2020 (Pay Pal/Am Ex card))
I wanted to get this autographed for my friends wife.:
“TO STEPHANIE” After paying for it I was not able to do that. Could you please make that happen. She is A Big fan of yours.(I’m still A “Bklyn Dodgers” fan)