Bonilla is celebrated every July 1 because that's the day the Mets have to pay him $1.2 million. Bonilla hasn't played in the majors since 2001, but receives yearly checks from the Mets after agreeing to a deferred deal with the team in 2000.

While most of us are firing up the grill and easing into the holiday weekend, New York Mets fans are bracing themselves for a tradition that’s somehow become more famous than anything their team has done on the field in years.