Metsies, put it in the books! Howie Rose has officially signed off from broadcasting after 50-plus years. With the weather cooperating, Rose called the New York Mets’ last home game of the season. The Mets fell to the Philadelphia Phillies 7-2, and while that might not have given the veteran broadcaster a storybook ending, the result felt secondary to the love and respect that flooded Citi Field on Sunday.

After the final out, the Mets had a special goodbye waiting for our beloved Howie.

Despite postponing the pregame retirement ceremony to Opening Day 2027, Howie Rose’s official final game from the Mets’ broadcast booth was no less meaningful. As the Citi Field PA system played the Beatles’ “Hello, Goodbye” after the eighth inning, 33,611 fans turned to the broadcast booth and cheered for an emotional Rose.

After a choked-up Rose delivered his final sign-off, Mets players and staff came out of the dugout and tipped their ballcaps for the legendary broadcaster in front of the booth. Rose blew them kisses. SNY Mets captured the beautiful moment and posted it on X.

“The Mets tip their cap to Howie Rose after today’s game,” captioned the X handle.

Mets Hall of Famer Howie Rose has spent the majority of his career calling games in New York.

In 1987, he joined the Mets broadcast team as the host of Mets Extra and later transitioned into a regular play-by-play role. Since 1995, Howie Rose has been a fixture in the radio booth. In 2006, he became the full-time lead radio play-by-play announcer for the Mets radio.

For 40 years, Rose painted a picture of the field for the Mets fans tuned in to the radio, as if he was sitting right beside them.

Before becoming the regular Mets voice, Rose had already delivered his famous “Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!” call for the New York Rangers’ 1994 Stanley Cup run. He had also called games for the New York Islanders.

Filling in for Marv Albert on radio during the Rangers’ 1994 run, Rose’s legendary call turned him into a household name across New York sports.

Though he did not get to say “Put it in the books” in his final sign-off, his last message was equally meaningful.

“We’ve known each other a long, long time, and whether we’ve met personally or not, it feels as though we’re on a first-name basis with each other, right?” exclaimed Rose as the ninth inning ended.

“We’ve been together in the car, at the beach, enjoying a backyard barbecue, maybe even under the covers if you tried to hide your radio or smartphone from Mom and Dad during those West Coast games.

“But most importantly, we shared some time bonding over the exploits of the team we love, the New York Mets. And so, as I said yesterday in closing, thank you, and I love you all.”

Long before “fan-centric” sports talk was the norm, Rose pioneered the concept of an unvarnished, raw connection with the audience. Having grown up sneaking into Shea Stadium, he called games with the precise emotional frequency of the fans listening in their cars or homes. He extended that legacy with mentorship.

Rose took younger broadcasters under his wing in the booth. Peers like Wayne Randazzo and Steve Gelbs have frequently cited Rose as an irreplaceable mentor who taught them how to prepare, conduct interviews, and navigate the grueling demands of a major league season. Kenny Albert even listed the veteran announcer as one of his primary professional role models and influences.

Talkin about Rose’s retirement, Michael Kay expressed his honest feelings in August:

“There are two types of broadcasters in the world. No. 1 is a broadcaster’s broadcaster, where every other looks at them and goes, ‘Wow, that’s perfect!’ The other broadcaster would be the type of guy or gal that you’d want to sit down and have a beer with… Howie Rose is the rare combination of both… I’m so so sorry that he has decided to retire simply because of the fact that I’m not done watching him yet.”

As the Mets tipped their caps for Rose, Gary Cohen described it as  a “fitting tribute for a legend who has called his last major league game.”

With the official retirement ceremony postponed, fans also played their part in giving the announcer a befitting farewell.

Howie Rose chokes up in the ninth

From a playoff standpoint, Sunday’s game was meaningless for the New York Mets. They have already been eliminated, and the result alters nothing for them. But it was a different story altogether, emotionally.

September 20 was Howie Rose’s last day in the broadcast booth.

After decades of listening to the same soundtrack in Mets games, it was time to let go. The moment was as poignant for Rose as it was for the fans. The 72-year-old radio legend choked up on air during the ninth inning.

As he signed off, saying a final “I love you”, fans chanted “Howie! Howie” in front of the broadcast booth.

A video posted by Ryan Field of ABC7NY on X captured the moment when an emotional Rose removed his microphone while wiping his eyes with a tissue.

Holding a pouch of tissues, Rose later joked, per The NY Post, “[Rangers great] Mark Messier taught me a long time ago, you ever get into a situation where you think you’re going to be emotional, pack some Kleenex.” 

The announcer also promised that this was not a goodbye.

It might have been time for his last game, but he will be back in Citi Field.

“It’s not goodbye as far as I’m concerned,” said Rose, per the New York Post. “I’ll still be here for the ceremonies, and I don’t mean the retirement ceremonies; I mean Opening Day and when we have Mets Hall of Fame Day or retire a number or have an Old Timers Day. So I’m stepping away, basically a retirement … and I certainly appreciate your cheers if you’re listening in the ballpark.” 

For now, we will wait for the 2027 Opening Day to hear from him again. And probably another future legendary voice.