March 6

From The Met Wiki

1961: The New York Metropolitan Baseball Club Inc., formally receives a certificate of membership from National League President Warren Giles. The Mets' name was judged by club owner Joan Payson as the one that best met five basic criteria: 1) It met public and press acceptance; 2) It was closely related to the team's corporate name (Metropolitan Baseball Club, Inc); 3) It was descriptive of the metropolitan area; 4) It had a brevity that delighted copy readers everywhere; 5) It had historical background referring to the Metropolitans of the 19th century American Association. Other names considered included Rebels, Skyliners, NYBs, Burros (for the five boroughs), Continentals, Avengers... as well as Jets and Islanders, names that would eventually find their way onto the New York sports scene.