By 
State Senator Jose Peralta (D-Queens) will honor National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Mike Piazza on Wednesday, March 9th, in Albany. One of the best hitting catchers in baseball history, Mike Piazza will be recognized for his contributions on and off the field. He is a twelve time All-Star and was named Rookie of the Year in 1993, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1992-1998), and continued his career with the New York Mets (1998-2005).
Senator Peralta introduced a resolution in the New York State Senate congratulating Mr. Piazza on his election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. The legendary New York Met will be officially inducted on July 24, 2016. Senator Peralta will present the resolution to the baseball star.
“I want to congratulate our very own Met great Mike Piazza on his election to the Hall of Fame. He is truly an inspiration to thousands of fans who dream of becoming professional ballplayers,” said Senator Peralta, who is a Mets fan.
He was thrilled to hear Mr. Piazza decided to be inducted as a New York Met. “Mike Piazza chose to be inducted as a Met, and this was terrific news for my district, for Queens, for New York and for all New York Mets baseball fans.”
Citi Field, home of the New York Mets, is located in the Senator’s district.
“Mike Piazza defended the New York Mets jersey with passion from 1998 until 2005,” said State Senator Jose Peralta. “It is truly an honor and a privilege to have the possibility of presenting him with a New York State resolution on this momentous occasion on behalf of my colleagues, my constituents and the State of New York.”
Senator Peralta noted, “The odds were against Mike Piazza. Picked in the 62nd round of the draft in 1988 by the Dodgers, Mike Piazza made his debut in the Majors four years later as a Dodger and his career never stopped ascending. His lifetime batting average was .308, with 427 career home runs and 1,335 RBIs. But his most memorable, most unforgettable home run was the one he hit at Shea Stadium ten days after the September 11th attacks.”
When he announced he was retiring as a baseball player, Mike Piazza said in a statement: “I can’t say goodbye without thanking the fans…Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland and Miami –whether it was home or on the road, you were all so supportive over the years. But I have to say that my time with the Mets wouldn’t have been the same without the greatest fans in the world. One of the hardest moments of my career was walking off the field at Shea Stadium and saying goodbye. My relationship with you made my time in New York the happiest of my career and for that, I will always be grateful.”
The New York State resolution states, “A hero to many New Yorkers, Mike Piazza will be long remembered for his towering and inspirational home run which was hit following the terrorists attacks of September 11, 2001.” In addition, the resolution notes, “Following the announcement of being inducted, Mike Piazza has proudly chosen to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a New York Met.”