They are the kings of sport, the heroes of our childhoods, and perennial back page superstars. As kids, we would emulate their every move – their swings, their jump shots, their Hail Mary passes – aspiring to one day be the athletes we loved.

“Next stop, Shea Stadium.” Any lifelong Mets fan and experienced subway rider knows that those four words crackling over the 7 train’s speakers can only mean one thing: home is near. For 45 years, our beloved ballpark in Queens has provided us with memories to last a lifetime and summer afternoons to savor forever.

It’s the last week of the 2008 Major League Baseball season and much like every season since 1996, the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place of the American League (AL) East…WHAT?! The sports section of the newspaper has many typos these days. Either that or the absence of the word “devil” from the name of the team from Tampa actually boosted their performance.