Wright enters the Mets Hall of Fame and they retire the #5

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David Wright Immortalized: The Mets Retire Number 5

In an emotional ceremony, the New York Mets paid tribute to David Wright, one of their most emblematic players, by retiring his number 5. The event, which took place almost two decades after his debut in the Major Leagues, celebrated the career of a player who left an indelible mark on the team’s history.

“I went straight from the airport to the stadium, and I couldn’t wait to see what number I was going to have,” Wright said in a press conference. “That spring I had 72, and I would have been perfectly happy with 72.”

David Wright
Wright, known for his skill in the field and his connection with the fans, debuted against the Montreal Expos on July 21, 2004. During his first ten years, he proved to be an elite player, with a batting average of .301, 222 home runs, 876 RBIs, and an OPS of .888. Despite the chronic injuries that limited his playing time in the final stages of his career, Wright is still remembered as an exemplary player and a leader on and off the field. The former Mets captain, the only player in team history to have his number retired after spending his entire career with the club, expressed his gratitude during a speech that concluded a half-hour ceremony. Wright, a father of three, known for his ability to connect with stars and ordinary people, as well as for his appreciation of Mets history, mentioned the late media relations executive, Shannon Dalton Forde, and the late team photographer, Marc Levine, during his press conference.
David Wright, el más reciente capitán de los Mets, habla durante la ceremonia de retiro de su número antes del partido del sábado contra los Rojos.
Near the end of his speech, he also thanked the Wilpon family, who owned the team throughout his career.

“If you had told a young David Wright to close his eyes and imagine this day, he would have said you’re crazy, no way, impossible,” said Wright, a Virginia native who grew up cheering for the Mets while attending their Triple-A games in Tidewater. “And then I would go out to my yard in Virginia and hit with a homemade tee with balls that were falling apart until it got dark to prove you were right.

David Wright
Wright is the 35th member of the New York Mets Hall of Fame and the 11th person to have their number retired, joining managers Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges, as well as Tom Seaver, Mike Piazza, Jerry Koosman, Keith Hernandez, Willie Mays, Darryl Strawberry and Dwight Gooden, as well as Jackie Robinson, whose number 42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball.
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