He sat in the audience watching it all, like a proud grandfather at a college graduation. Fred Wilpon, 86, had owned the Mets when their new class of Hall of Famers — Howard Johnson, Al Leiter and the broadcasters Gary Cohen and Howie Rose — made their marks with the team. At a news conference before the ceremony on Saturday, Wilpon beamed.
He did not take part in the on-field celebration. That was a stage for the new owner, Steven A. Cohen, whose generous spending and reverence for Mets history have made him the steward the fans always wanted.