The New York Mets mourn the loss of beloved superfan Seymour Weiner, who died Tuesday at age 98.
“We are saddened to learn of the passing of Seymour Weiner,” the Mets announced on X (formerly Twitter) during Tuesday’s 8-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The post already had over 8.4 million views as of Wednesday morning.
Weiner rose to prominence last spring when the Citi Field jumbotron named him their “Veteran of the Game.” The World War II vet left the military in 1947 and returned to New York, where he rooted for the then-Brooklyn Dodgers before eventually becoming a Mets fan.
Mets fans quickly and affectionately turned Weiner into a meme given his name. Weiner embraced the attention and even worked with the Mets ahead of a $1 hot dog night.
“To me, it’s been so enjoyable,” Weiner told The Athletic in 2024. “In no way does it annoy me. Just look at all the notoriety I got out of it!”
Seymour Weiner wants YOU to come to Dollar Dog Night 💵🌭
🎟️👉 https://t.co/jqCDgZM4UIpic.twitter.com/cAU0itvBul
— New York Mets (@Mets) April 24, 2024
Born in Brooklyn, Weiner saw games featuring the likes of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and Pete Alonso over the decades. Weiner even posed with Mets greats Mookie Wilson and John Franco during a game last April.
Weiner noted he even attended Robinson’s MLB debut on April 15, 1947, when the future Hall of Fame second baseman broke baseball’s color barrier.
“Only 12,000 people were at that game in Ebbets Field,” Weiner said, “so I may be the only person who was there and saw it and who is still alive.”
From seeing Jackie Robinson steal bases to becoming a social media meme, Weiner certainly lived an incredible life around baseball.
It is unclear if the Mets will honor Weiner ahead of Wednesday’s game against the D-backs.
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