After a Mets infielder went down with a serious injury earlier this postseason, a local medical supplies developer offered some support. The response was more than she could have imagined. NY1's Ruschell Boone filed the following report.
Ralph Pascane has been selling Mets canes for a couple of months, without much fanfare, until Ruben Tejada used one to take a dramatic walk onto Citi Field after suffering a broken leg in Game 2 of the Division Series against the Dodgers. Now, they're a hot item at C.O. Bigelow Chemists in the West Village.
"The canes have been doing very well," Pascane said. "We've had a lot of calls, most of them gifts for fathers, and some for mothers, too."
The publicity is one of the biggest gifts Teresa Taylor could have gotten. Her company sells the cane, and she's the designer.
"I actually cried for about five days, and I literally did cartwheels down the street," Taylor said.
Taylor lives with Art Shamsky, one of the Miracle Mets who played in the 1969 World Series. After Tejada broke his leg, she sent the cane to his doctor but didn't know if Tejada would use it until she saw him on TV.
It was a great moment for Shamsky as well.
"A lot of people have seen it, and for her to get that kind of publicity, especially at that time of year in the playoffs and everything, was really great," Shamsky said.
Taylor launched her company in 2000 after she broke her foot and realized some of the medical supplies could use some personality.
"I said, 'There's nothing in these stores I would buy. I want something to enhance my healing.' You know, something that would give me a psychological benefit and a lift," she said.
Taylor also sells cow-patterned slings and furry crutch covers, among other items.
The canes are sold with 10 different team logos, and yes, that includes the Yankees.
The canes retail for about $40. If you would like to find out more the canes and other products, you can go to teresataylorproducts.com.