Mets Honor Three Team Legends with Jersey Patches
By Jay Horwitz
Having to put three memorial patches on a jersey yesterday was a first for long-time Mets equipment manager, Kevin Kierst.
We already had a patch for Buddy Harrelson who passed away last January. Saturday we added one for Buddy’s 1969 teammate Jerry Grote and the great Willie Mays. Kevin told me he could remember two patches, but never three.
Kevin gives credit to a multitude of other people for getting the job done, but he was the one who shepherded the process to completion.
What the general public might not understand is that the Mets have five different uniforms and each player and coach has two. The patches have to be color coordinated for each different uniform. KK has a deep sense of our history and he wanted to do the right things for our guys. Getting the uniforms done the right way a thing of passion for him.
This has not been a pleasant few months for our Mets alumni family. In addition to losing Harrelson, Grote and Willie, Jim McAndrew also passed.
In my role with the alumni, it really hurts when one of them leaves us. But I was extremely proud of the way we are not forgetting the people who were so important to our past.
For that Kevin Kierst deserves a great deal of thanks and gratitude.
