Shea Stadium deconstruction begins

BY CARL MACGOWAN | carl.macgowan@newsday.com It's really happening, Mets fans. Shea Stadium is coming down, one thousand-watt lamp and one sink at a time. Centerfield's iconic 410-foot sign now lies in a fenced-in area outside the ballpark, along with other pieces of the outfield wall. The rightfield section of the upper deck yesterday was a sea of gray concrete, where once there was a vast expanse of red seats. Home plate was nowhere to be seen. Echoes of the stadium's glory days - the 1969 and 1986 World Series, the Beatles concerts in 1965 and 1966 - were faint yesterday, blown away by the swirling breezes so familiar to generations of fans. Shea, the Mets' home since 1964, is now a deconstruction zone. Less than 24 hours after the Mets were eliminated from playoff contention Sunday, and after Mets greats Tom Seaver and... [read full story]