memorial patches for bud harrelson and jerry grote

when bud harrelson passed away in january of 2024, i wasn't sure that the mets would wear a patch in his honor. his number is not retired by the club, but he did play for the team as well as serve as its manager during his baseball career, so it wasn't really a surprise when the team announced that they would, in fact, honor harrelson with a memorial patch.

pete alonso's 2024 topps archives card shows the patch on his right sleeve

it may look like a "b" for bud, but it's really his number 3 with "buddy" in vertical text at the left of the number. it also looks like the patch is directly affixed to the jersey.

harrelson's longtime teammate (and former dodger) jerry grote passed away three months after harrelson, and a couple months later, the mets added another memorial patch to their jerseys. this time, they affixed a singular patch that contained two memorial patches. here's a getty photo that explains it better:

the mets didn't bother to use a pinstriped patch for the home whites, but here's paul blackburn's 2025 topps card anyway

that shows both patches. of course, the mets also wore a willie mays patch after the hall of famer passed away, but it's not visible on blackburn's card (i posted a mets example here).

harrelson and grote were key members of the miracle mets of 1969, as well as the pennant winning club of 1973, and they each spent the majority of their career with the metropolitans. it's nice to see the mets honor these fan favorites, and they are doing so again by wearing a patch in 2025 for ed kranepool. i will write more about that when his "7" patch shows up on cardboard, but i will note that the mets don't seem to have a definitive style for memorial patches. stay tuned.