We will play an exhibition game at West Point's Doubleday Field at Johnson Stadium against the Army baseball team on Friday, 3/31 at 3:00p. pic.twitter.com/rng29U9URu
— New York Mets (@Mets) February 15, 2017
The New York Mets will play at West Point against their collegiate team in March for the first time since 1984.
The New York Mets are returning to West Point for the first time in 33 years this spring.On Wednesday, the Mets announced that they will play Army in an exhibition game at Johnson Stadium on March 31. The game will be the ninth exhibition matchup between the Mets and Army, but it will be the first since 1984, according to the Associated Press.
The first time the Metropolitans played at West Point was in 1963, one year after they joined the National League. The two teams also played in ’65, ’67, ’71, ’73, ’75, ’79 and ’84. The Mets have won all eight games against Army.
“We are excited to have the New York Mets back at West Point before the start of the 2017 Major League Baseball season,” Boo Corrigan, Army’s athletic director, said. “This is a great opportunity for our cadets and the entire West Point community.”
The Mets are also excited about the game.
“Sandy Alderson and I were so inspired by our visit to the West Point campus last year that we wanted our players to have that experience,” Jeff Wilpon, the Mets’ chief operating officer, said in a statement. “The Mets are proud to be able to continue the strong bond we have with our military, and this is a new way to show our appreciation for the sacrifices and bravery of our nation’s armed forces. We are looking forward to the game.”
New York’s other team, the New York Yankees, also have played at West Point. The Yankees have played Army a total of 22 times, with the last coming in 2013. The Black Knights, who have played professional teams since 1914, are 4-64-1 against them, according to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports.
The Mets’ game at West Point will be their final exhibition match before the 2017 season. They open the year at Citi Field on April 3 against the Atlanta Braves.
