Look! Out in the New York Mets dugout. It’s a surfboard. It’s a flip-flop. No, it’s a chancla. A what? Quick Google search. A slipper? This makes no sense.
Just the Mets with their chancla 🩴 #LGM pic.twitter.com/hj0seWLYko
https://twitter.com/Mets/status/1948117939514712395?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Well, it does actually. It’s almost too perfect of a way to celebrate a home run. It can have a million different deeper meanings. First, we need to look into what a chancla even is.
The chancla is near but maybe not so dear in Hispanic cultures
If you haven’t checked yet, the chancla represents discipline, usually from a mother. It comes from the idea of a parent removing their shoe to settle down some rowdy children. Okay, so maybe this isn’t the best representation in 2025 when an ill-timed burp can get a person cancelled.
The Mets haven’t exactly been the most politically correct with their celebrations. Many have seemed juvenile in the past. This one is a little more family-friendly even if it involves the scolding of a family member.
Gimmicks like this aren’t exclusive to the Mets. Tridents, cheeseheads, and more have dominated the landscape to celebrate the four-base hit.
This one feels a little different and representative of the players’ Latino roots which have been regularly embraced by the franchise. Even if you don’t have Latin blood, it’s good symbolism. A chancla comes out when someone needs a message sent to them about their behavior.
The Latin presence on the Mets runs deep from its superstar players to Alex Cohen who seems to be as much the owner of the team as her husband, Steve. What’s mine is yours, what’s yours is mine and all that. In a city like New York where every culture is represented, the city itself doesn’t seem to have that one thing about it perfect for a home run celebration. It’s too unique of a place. The Mets needed something personal and it feels like they found something.
Is the HR chancla to keep each other in line? Could it be a warning to the opposing team? There could be a number of possibilities. Until someone is asked and answers honestly, we’ll be left to speculate and appreciate. Good thing Javier Baez isn’t around to explain it too honestly.
It doesn’t hurt that the Mets rattled off four straight wins with the chancla debuting in between. We’ll see how far this one goes. A ceremonial first chancla throw could be coming to Citi Field soon enough.
