Can Honor Trump Money?

Is there no honor left in this world? Must money trump everything?

I am referring to the New York Mets’ decision to rename Shea Stadium in 2009. The successor to Shea, the club's home since 1964, is to be named Citi Field. There will no longer be any reference in the new stadium to William Alfred Shea, the gentleman responsible for reviving National League baseball in New York City — i.e., the Mets — after the departure of the Dodgers and Giants to California more than 50 years ago.

Of course, Citigroup deserves top billing. The company is donating $20 million a year to the Mets, plus providing a range of other benefits. But there is heart, history and heritage in the Shea name. Erasing that name is equivalent to razing historic buildings prior to the landmark law. We can only understand our present by preserving our past.

The Mets are to be commended for designating the Jackie Robinson Rotunda a focal point of the new stadium. Jackie Robinson was the former Brooklyn Dodger who broke the color-line as the first black player in baseball. So why not consider naming the new ballpark Shea Citi? Or why not designate the area around the stadium "Shea Plaza"?

Honor is part of what makes passion, and honor touches the heart. When you are a fan, passion and heart is what it is all about. They are both a critical component of good public relations, as well.

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