There Was So Much Going On At This Mets Game’s $1 Hot Dog Night

1. For those of you who have been with me since back in the Hot Clicks days, you’ll remember that I often did giveaways in the column.
I learned very quickly that people LOVED free stuff. It didn’t matter what it was, either. I could be giving away the most useless item and there would still be a frenzy for it.
But what really makes people lose their minds more than anything else when it comes to getting something for free or dirt cheap is food.
This leads me to Tuesday night’s Cubs-Mets game at Citi Field. It was $1 hot dog night at the ballpark. And it was quite an event.
For starters, SNY sideline reporter Steve Gelbs, dressed as a hot dog, did a hard-hitting report in front of the “$1 Wiener Boys” where he explained that the Mets normally sell 4,100 hot dogs per game. For $1 hot dog night, the team ordered 70,000 frankfurters.
Groundbreaking Dollar Dog Night journalism from @SteveGelbs 🌭 pic.twitter.com/5aPUDbbq7W
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 1, 2024
However, all the excitement over $1 hot dogs was just too much for some Mets fans to handle. One fan who made it his mission to consume as many dogs as possible caused so much excitement that other fans started throwing their wieners at him.
😂😂 so this guy was just all about the $1 dog night. Totally embraced it. The story goes… in the 9th inning everyone started throwing their extra dogs at him. Cops had to toss him so everyone else would stop. He wasn’t thrown out for having a good time and apparently left… https://t.co/v1TiJtvvVP
— The 7 Line (@The7Line) May 1, 2024
Unfortunately, this caused the fan, who kept track of how many hot dogs he ate and how many beers he drank on his shirt, to get removed from the ballpark, which then led to a hilarious “Let him eat” chant” from those around him.
#locallegend pic.twitter.com/KegYo4Lile
— Mitch (@mitchboorstein) May 1, 2024
Security got scared that he would “incite” the fans, asked the cops to kick him out. Cops kicked him out but apologized to him while they were doing it. Dugout + fans were all on board, but security was afraid of objects thrown
— Brian Cushman I (@bbcush) May 1, 2024
When all was said and done, the attendance for the Cubs-Mets game was 22,880 and 44,269 hot dogs were sold.
44,269 hot dogs have been sold tonight at Citi Field tonight for Dollar Dog night, a new record pic.twitter.com/7B2UeQ5m46
— SNY (@SNYtv) May 1, 2024
2. Everything about the agony that sports can cause is summed up in this photo from the Sixers' shocking comeback win against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night thanks to an out-of-this-world performance from Tyrese Maxey, who had 46 points, including a dagger 3-pointer from WAY downtown to send the game to overtime.
Respect to Maxey…but damn…I’m clearly getting too old for this shit… pic.twitter.com/XjOkPOfaaQ
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) May 1, 2024
3. We told you yesterday about NBC making a big play to steal the NBA from TNT. CNBC reports that if that happens, John Tesh would be fine with NBC using the classic and popular NBA theme song he composed, Roundball Rock, that was a staple when the network used to air the NBA.
OK Internet, I came through for you.
— Alex Sherman (@sherman4949) April 30, 2024
I reached John Tesh. If NBC gets back the NBA, all NBC needs to do is give him and his lawyer a call and hammer out a deal …. and “Roundball Rock” can return.https://t.co/cwHqanMaXT
4. What a scene in Arizona last night. The Dodgers-Diamondbacks game was delayed for nearly two hours because a colony of bees decided to set up show on the netting behind home plate.
The stadium had to call on beekeeper, Matt Hilton, to take care of things and he instantly become a local hero.
🐝🐝MUST SEE🐝🐝
— Darren M. Haynes (@DarrenMHaynes) May 1, 2024
- Bees delay Dodgers - Diamondbacks game 🐝
- Bee keeper comes in & removes the bees🐝
- then the bee keeper throws out the ceremonial first pitch!!!🐝
BEE MAN FOR MVP!!!🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 pic.twitter.com/RjVpIwX7CZ
The @Dbacks rewarded beekeeper Matt Hilton with a ceremonial first pitch!
— MLB (@MLB) May 1, 2024
He is pure electricity. pic.twitter.com/We6hMwOgBJ
Bee keeper Matt Hilton on having thousands of people cheering for him at Chase Field:
— PHNX Diamondbacks (@PHNX_Dbacks) May 1, 2024
"It was a little nerve racking, I'm not gonna lie. It was a lot of pressure to get this game going, but I was happy to come and take care of it." pic.twitter.com/tKMihV18Gu
5. This was quite a take from Stephen A. Smith on Mike Trout, who is now sidelined indefinitely after suffering a torn meniscus.
Not sure what’s going on with his voice, but Stephen A. Smith doesn’t understand how Mike Trout and baseball players get hurt. pic.twitter.com/fVjYzv9O40
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) May 1, 2024
6. The latest SI Media With Jimmy Traina features a conversation with newly retired New York Yankees radio legend, John Sterling.
Sterling, who was the radio voice of the Yankees for 36 seasons before stepping away from the job in mid-April, talks about his decision to retire now and clarifies reports on his health. He also addresses the social media backlash the Yankees faced after giving him an 83-inch television as a retirement gift.
Sterling also shares the advice he’d give the person who succeeds him as the Yankees radio play-by-play person, shares his thoughts on his “streak” of calling 5,060 straight games and remembers his time as a sports talk radio host. Sterling also reveals the one Yankees player who asked him to change his famous home run call and talks about the role Mike and the Mad Dog played in helping the home run calls become a thing.
Following Sterling, Sal Licata from WFAN and SNY joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week’s topics include the NFL draft, Aaron Boone’s ridiculous ejection, the upcoming unedited The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady on Netflix, Taylor Swift’s new album and more.
You can listen to each podcast by clicking into the tweet below. You can also listen on Apple and Spotify.
New SI MEDIA PODCAST with John Sterling.
— Jimmy Traina (@JimmyTraina) April 26, 2024
-Retirement reaction
-Backlash to Yankees giving him a TV
-Player who asked for a new HR call
-Advice for his replacement
-Mike & Mad Dog role in HR calls becoming a thing
Apple: https://t.co/ck0BFM7TyA
Spotify: https://t.co/diM3f0Z0wr pic.twitter.com/tpBRFU4tbq
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: I can’t get enough of these videos that have “Gorilla Monsoon” and “Bobby Heenan” call memorable sports moments.
By request:
— Joe Marotta (@the_joe_marotta) April 30, 2024
Gorilla calls Armando Galarraga's near-perfect game pic.twitter.com/ahVsjkMP18
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok.