When the New York Mets were formed as one of the National League’s new expansion teams in 1962, the lack of an existing farm system made it obvious that they would be light on talent for some time. With a roster cobbled together from castoffs from other clubs and over-the-hill veterans, a special kind of manager was needed. That man was Casey Stengel. Before he won seven World Championships with the Yankees, Stengel spent two decades managing miserable Brooklyn Dodgers and Boston Braves clubs.

     What the Mets management thought Stengel could bring to the new team was a combination of respectability and humor. And that is just what Casey did. His wit helped defuse an otherwise grim outlook for the team. Quips such as “we have this fine young catcher named Goossen, who is only twenty years old, who in ten years, he has a chance to be thirty” kept the sportswriters interested and helped endear the team to an otherwise embittered fanbase abandoned by the Dodgers and Giants. Stengel managed the Mets through the 1965 season, and his unmistakable grandfather-like mug pictured in the Mets dugout came to embody the new team. And, in each of those photographs is this blue undershirt.

     The classic baseball undershirt has a heather gray body with Mets blue sleeves. The inside collar has a Rawlings size 44 tag and a “duo fold” size 44 tag. “NY” has been hand written below in faded black marker. The front placket has all three white plastic buttons affixed and the blue sleeves have not been shortened. Just below the back of the collar is “37 Stengel” hand written in black marker. The shirt shows moderate wear with no visible tears or rips. Overall the garment shows some toning from age but no obvious stains or blemishes. The shirt is accompanied by a signed letter of provenance from Sandy Westrup whose mother was Casey’s caretaker at the end of his life. Mrs. Westrup’s mother was willed many of Stengel’s possessions after his passing in 1975. A unique game worn shirt from the first manager of the New York Mets. The shirt comes with an LOA from noted game used jersey expert Dave Miedema for the game use and Sandy Westrup for the provenance.

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