David Wright‘s Number 5 Retired by Mets in Emotional Ceremony
NEW YORK – Teh New York Mets officially retired the number 5 jersey of former captain David Wright on Saturday,honoring the beloved third baseman in an emotional ceremony at Citi Field. Wright, who spent his entire 14-year career with the Mets, became the 11th player in franchise history to have his number retired.
Wright, 42, emerged from the third-base dugout and walked to a specially placed gold-plated base, standing atop it and blowing kisses to a sold-out crowd. the ceremony, emceed by broadcaster Howie Rose, also featured the unveiling of his retired number high above the left-field seats, accompanied by a plane taking off from nearby LaGuardia Airport.
Wright’s career, which began on July 21, 2004, against the Montreal Expos, was marked by early success. Through his frist 10 seasons, he posted extraordinary numbers, hitting .301 with 222 home runs, 876 RBIs, and an .888 OPS, putting him on a trajectory for Hall of Fame consideration alongside legends like Brooks Robinson and George Brett.
Though, his career was significantly impacted by chronic back, shoulder, and neck injuries, and also a diagnosis of spinal stenosis.Wright played only 211 more games after his initial decade,spending more then two years between major league appearances before concluding his career with brief cameos in September 2018.Reflecting on his career and the ceremony, Wright expressed gratitude for the opportunity to live out his dream. “Ther was nothing that I could do to do the thing anymore,” Wright stated.”It took a while for my brain and my heart to kind of match up with that. But I think that very, very few athletes get the ending that they want — that storybook ending.I certainly wouldn’t call mine a storybook ending, but it’s better than 99% of what athletes get, and I’ll forever be thankful for getting that opportunity.”
Wright, the Mets’ most recent captain, was lauded for his ability to connect with both stars and everyday people, as well as his deep thankfulness for Mets history. During his speech, he acknowledged late media relations executive Shannon Dalton Forde and late team photographer Marc Levine, and also thanked the Wilpon family, who owned the team throughout his tenure.
A Virginia native who grew up attending Mets Triple-A games in Tidewater, Wright shared his childhood aspirations. “If you would have told a young David Wright to close his eyes and imagine this day, I would have said you’re crazy, no way, unfeasible,” he said.”And then I would have went out in my backyard in Virginia and hit off a homemade tee with balls that were falling apart at the seams until it got dark outside to prove you right.”
He concluded his remarks with a heartfelt message to the fans: “Thank you so much for allowing me to live out my dream in front of you each night. I love you so much. Let’s go Mets.”
David Wright is the 35th member of the New York Mets Hall of Fame.He joins managers Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges, as well as Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Jerry koosman, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays, Darryl Strawberry, dwight Gooden, and Jackie Robinson (whose number 42 is retired across all of Major League Baseball) as players with retired numbers for the Mets.