Mets celebrate first Women’s Day at Citi Field
The 72-39 New York Mets began Wednesday on a five-game winning streak and held a seven-game lead over the second-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East standings. However, the Amazins celebrated something other than their recent achievements before and during the afternoon series finale versus the Cincinnati Reds.
Per a Monday press release, the Mets hosted their first Women’s Day at Citi Field on Wednesday meant to "be a celebration of women in sports with female-focused pregame and in-game programming in honor of Women’s Equality Day."
Ahead of the contest's first pitch, multiple Mets players named their favorite female athletes for a video shared on Instagram:
As Mark W. Sanchez noted for the New York Post, Mets in-game personality Emily Reppert hosted a pregame panel that included team director of major league operations Elizabeth Benn, director of revenue innovation & strategy Janaki Cash, executive director of broadcasting & special events Lorraine Hamilton, vice president of ballpark operations Sue Lucchi and Erica Scherzer, the wife of Mets ace Max Scherzer.
While warming up for his start, Mets right-hander Taijuan Walker had "Run the World (Girls)" by Beyonce blast over the loudspeakers. Slugger Pete Alonso changed his walk-up music to "Edge of Seventeen" by Stevie Nicks, while star shortstop Francisco Lindor went with "My Boo" by Ghost Town DJs. Catcher James McCann couldn't select just one walk-up tune, so he used both "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton and "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls.
Others in the Mets lineup also changed their walk-up music:
"It means a lot to me and our organization," Mets manager Buck Showalter commented about the occasion before the game. "It’s been something that’s just a given – why wouldn’t it be? And why hasn’t it been? I mean, we’ve won games this year I think sometimes [because of] contributions we’ve had from people in the organization that happen to be women. I hope we get to the point where there’s not a need for this recognition. But right now, there is. So it’s very important."
Queens native and pitcher Olivia Pichardo, who was recently named to the 2022 Women’s National Baseball Team, tossed the ceremonial first pitch.
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