By WNBC Producer, Stephanie Christopulos

It started out as an assignment. I was asked to produce a half-hour special on the history of Shea Stadium, but it turned into so much more for me. Listening to the stories from some of the famous 1969 Mets team, I got an education, a whole new view of the game, and a great history lesson.

First, photographer Brian Quinn and I went to interview Bud Harrelson, Mets shortstop from '65 -'77. We met him at his current job at Citibank Field on Long Island where he is the co-owner of the Long Island Ducks. That day his organization was taking photos for their team yearbook and Bud was all dressed up. He talked about his kids. He talked about the Ducks and how he became involved, first with managing, then becoming a co-owner of the team. Then we talked about the Mets.

He was young and had never been to New York City when he was called down from the minor league team in Buffalo. He and another teammate drove down the New York State Thruway, headed to Shea Stadium for the first time.

"There was Yankee Stadium. We continued over the Triborough Bridge and LaGuardia Airport coming around, we knew we were close. We'd come around the corner and there she is - Shea Stadium," he said.

But it was when Bud Harrelson talked about 1969 that he got a special look in his eyes.

"We beat Atlanta in the playoffs, then we had Baltimore, beat us in the first game and then they never won another game. We went from second to last place to being world champions," he said.

And then there's Art Shamsky. Art was a Mets outfielder from '68-'71. He took the time to come to NewsChannel 4 for the interview. We chatted about his book that was recently published and the broadcasting work he has done. But when I asked him about 1969, he got that same look in his eyes. He reminisced about the team and what it meant to win the World Series in '69.

He said, "All of a sudden we become a good team and fighting for the national league east and then the pennant and then the World Series and being at Shea, with that kind of excitement is just an incredible memory for me."

A few weeks later, while continuing to shoot for the special, I went to interview Ed Charles, the glider. Ed played third base for the Mets from '67-'69. We met at Shea Stadium, where the Mets were kind enough to let us shoot in the diamond club.

Ed is a warm and funny man. Although he is originally from Florida and spent the early years of his baseball career in Kansas City, Ed has made New York his home.

We talked about Shea, and the thing that stuck out to Ed was the fans. Over and over, he told us how incredible the fans at Shea are.

"When I arrived at Shea in '67 from Kansas City, I never experienced the type of fans enthusiasm with the energy in the ballpark, so it was something that really struck me." he said.

And then, you guessed it, we got to talking about the 1969 team. He explained that season as an example of the unexpected things that have happened at Shea.

He told us: "We came out of nowhere in ninth place in a 10-team division and we were sitting on top of the baseball world. These guys, what's happening you know. They were expected losers and all of a sudden we're champions. That's the unexpected!"

A few days later, we met with Ed Kranepool, the former first baseman from '62-'79. Kranepool was only 17 when he joined the Mets. He saw Shea Stadium being built and remembers that it felt like a fishbowl to him.

He proudly showed us his beautiful collection of photographs and memorabilia from his long career.

And he, too, got that look in his eye when we talked about the '69 World Series.

"Winning in '69 is the biggest thing that could have happened to any player around," Kranepool said.

"New York has never forgotten the '69 Mets."

The year 1969 was a special time for New York sports fans and especially Mets fans. The stories I was privileged to hear firsthand will be passed down as part of Mets history not only from former players but from the fans too.

And even though my assignment was to produce a special about Shea Stadium, I realized the events that happen, the places they happen in, while important, it's really about the people.

Our special, "The Amazin' Shea" airs Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on WNBC. I hope you'll watch.