WINGS OVER FLUSHING

Jets set to take final bow at Shea

The Jets and Mets were like one big, happy family when the teams shared Shea Stadium for 20 years. That’s why John Schmitt, the center for the Jets on their Super Bowl III championship team, couldn’t be more excited about returning to Shea Tuesday when the Mets celebrate Jets Night. Schmitt will join fellow Jets Wesley Walker, Marty Lyons, Greg Buttle (pictured at left returning an interception in 1976), Emerson Boozer and Randy Beverly.

“You have to remember, when we started our season, the Mets were still there,” said Schmitt who played with the Jets from 1964-75. “We ate at the same places, socialized together and won together. It was a great era.” Schmitt remembers one particular story concerning his son John and Tom Seaver: “It was right before a game that Seaver was starting. He was on the training table getting a rub from the trainer. He asked me if my son wanted a picture. Tom proceeded to get off the table, take the photo and go back to his rubdown. I don’t think that kind of thing happens anymore.”

In three weeks, Schmitt will have left-hip replacement surgery. “I’ve already had my right one done,” he said. “I left a lot of blood and broken bones on the field at Shea. It’s going to be tremendous to see that place one more time.” The Mets will salute their former Shea housemates during an on-field, pregame ceremony including first-pitch and in-game video tributes. A limited number of tickets are still available at mets.com or by calling (718) 507-TIXX.

Yeah, babies!

Team Baby Entertainment and Topps will distribute limited-edition trading cards featuring photos of MLB players – including David Wright and Johnny Damon – when they were babies. This is the first time MLB players have lent their baby photos to be featured on Topps cards, making them instant collectibles. Fans who purchase MLB themed Team Baby Entertainment titles at Toys R’ Us or Babies R’ Us will receive the limited edition Topps baby card packaged with the DVD.

Just send a gift

Mike D’Antoni and Vittorio Gallinari, father of Knicks No. 1 draft pick Danilo Gallinari, were teammates for eight years for Milan and roommates for two seasons. But neither got a chance to go to each other’s wedding. That’s because both got married only a week apart in June, 1986. When Vittorio married Italian track star Marilisa, Mike and his bride-to-be, Laurel, a former fashion model, were in the US, making final wedding plans. When the D’Antonis got married, the Gallinaris had just left on their honeymoon.

Getting Wright on it

David Wright took notice of his surroundings during the Mets’ four-game series in St. Louis and made a donation through his foundation to the United Way 2008 Midwest Flood Recovery Fund. “It’s important for our foundation to recognize where there is a crisis in the country and where people are in need,” said Wright, whose foundation’s work primarily is centered in the tri-state area and his hometown of Norfolk, Va. “We are all Americans.”

All-Stars all over

Justin Tuck of the Super Bowl-champion Giants will put his No. 91 on a baseball jersey next Sunday at Yankee Stadium when he joins celebrity teammates Chris Rock, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, George Lopez and Spike Lee to play softball against baseball greats, including Yankee Hall of Fame inductee Goose Gossage, Dave Winfield, Wade Boggs and Gary Carter, along with former Yankees Tino Martinez and Paul O’Neill. The Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game will take place at the Stadium at 4 p.m. MLB will be donating funds to Tuck’s designated charity, First Book, through Tuck’s R.U.S.H. for Literacy initiative.

Gossage will join MLB president & COO Bob DuPuy, Yankees senior adviser Gene “Stick” Michael and famous pop artist Charles Fazzino Wednesday evening at the Sports Museum of America for the unveiling of Fazzino’s “All-Star Tribute to Yankee Stadium,” as well as his hand-painted Official Home Plate for the Ceremonial First Pitch for the All-Star Game. . . . Kids ages 6-12 can swing for the fences at the first annual “New Era 4th Street Slam” on Tuesday from 1-4 p.m. outside the NYC New Era Flagship Store on East 4th Street. New Era Caps will host a home run extravaganza to help begin 2008 MLB All-Star Week festivities. More than 60 kids from the Boys & Girls Club of America will participate in the challenge. Yankee favorites Bucky Dent and Roy White will be there to participate in the program and sign autographs, along with Mr. Met.

Venus in great Shape

Venus Williams, cover girl for August’s issue of Shape magazine, admits she would never make it in the 9-to-5 world, having to rise early every morning.

“I used to have a huge battle with the bed, and usually the bed won,” Venus told Shape. “Eventually, though, I started to worry about sleeping in. I realized that if I didn’t practice in the morning, I’d be really nervous when I had to play a match. I only have so many hours in the day to get everything done, so now I force myself out of bed.”

Venus lives now with Serena in a pad in West Palm Beach. As far as motivation goes, Venus said her younger sister, whom she vanquished in the Wimbledon final yesterday, has inspired her the most.

“It’s Serena, no question,” Venus said. “Without her, I couldn’t have achieved anything. She’s helped me believe in myself.”

Serena loves to give Venus little sayings to remember, such as, “If you take your opportunities, more opportunities will come.”

“That got me through one final at Wimbledon,” Venus recalls. “It was a ridiculously difficult match, and I was behind until the last three minutes. I kept saying that line over and over in my head.

I was also thinking, ‘I want to be like Serena; I want to win like Serena.’ And I did.” During the photo shoot, Venus was with her boyfriend, pro golfer Hank Kuehne, and his son.

Globe-al Ewing

Nearly 23 years to the day that his Hall-of-Fame-bound father was selected first overall by the Knicks, Patrick Ewing Jr. was taken with the first-overall pick of the Harlem Globetrotters’ 2008 draft Wednesday. The 6-foot-8 Georgetown forward, who was also a second-round selection of Sacramento, is more likely to try and follow his father’s footsteps into the NBA, but the Globetrotters have a No. 33 jersey with his name on it just in case.