Overview
- Valentine donned sunglasses and a fake mustache and threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Citi Field as part of a themed event that included giveaway disguise kits and a costumed Mr. Met.
- The appearance was tied to his upcoming induction into the New York Mets Hall of Fame and was staged to celebrate a memorable moment from his time as manager.
- The disguise traced back to June 9, 1999, when Valentine was ejected, snuck back into the dugout in sunglasses and eye-black 'mustache,' and was later fined $5,000 and suspended two games.
- Valentine said he used the stunt to lift a struggling club and show support for his players, a move that preceded a 40-15 run that helped the Mets return to postseason contention.
- The promotional night ended with a 9-7 Mets win in 10 innings on an MJ Melendez two-run walk-off, and the reenactment highlighted how teams fold colorful past moments into fan engagement and team history.