RIP Tom Seaver

Was (Not Wasdin)

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An all time great, the black ink on his B-Ref page for the first decade of his career is truly impressive.

What might have been, if he didn't get hurt in '86
 

mauidano

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Just a huge part of my and many others childhood. Been a tough time health wise for him. Rest In Peace.
 

Buster Olney the Lonely

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This is so sad. When I was a kid my parents always took me to Met games (even though we lived in the Bronx). I have a lot of fond memories of those mid-to-late 70s teams even though Seaver was the only attraction. Then of course he got traded to the Reds for Pat Zachry, Doug Flynn and Steve Henderson and I didn’t pay much attention to him until 1986. RIP, Tom. Thanks for the memories.
 

joe dokes

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Has a 50year old record that I think will stand for a long long time.
He not only struck out 10 guys in a row (and 19 overall) in a 1970 start, but it was the last 10 guys of the game in a 2-1 win. Got home from school to see him mowing pricks down.

Edit: fuck dick young and m. donald grant.
 

bob burda

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My absolute favorite non-Red Sox player as a 9-12 yr old little league runt in the early/mid 70s.

I still think Game 1 of the 1973 NLCS is one of the more heroic pitching performances in playoff history (it included Seaver doubling in the Mets' only run). It was like one guy taking on the entire Big Red Machine and almost beating them on his own.
 

TeddyBallgame9

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Was at a Yankee Stadium for his 300th win when he was with the White Sox. Growing up in NJ I watched a lot of Mets games and when he pitched it was always must see on channel 9 with Lindsey Nelson, Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner. Still think the Sox win in ‘86 if he was healthy enough to pitch in the WS. RIP to one of the best I ever saw.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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RIP Tom. He and Steve Carlton were the "elder statesmen" of pitchers when I was just getting old enough to follow baseball. From interviews and historical baseball shows, never mind his short stint on the Red Sox, I always perceived Seaver to be a mensch and Carlton to be a real dick. But not sure if that was rooted in reality.
 

joe dokes

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Two of his '69 teammates shamsky and harrelson (also suffering from dementia) took a trip to CA to see him, much like the pesky/dimaggio trip to see Ted.
It's documented somewhere.
 

Mugsy's Jock

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Always seemed like an upbeat, cheerful guy. Incredible pitcher...really wish he could’ve stayed healthy as a Red Sox as he definitely still had enough to win games.

Dick Young should burn in hell
 

Archer1979

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Always had a bit of dirt on his knee when pitching. Something I tried to emulate as a kid. Great pitcher and from what I've read, a good guy.
 

ledsox

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I adored that "73 Mets team. Though I was a budding Sox fan, Mays and Seaver were my first favorite player and pitcher.
Sad day. I may have to have a glass of wine.
 

Deweys New Stance

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I was a big Seaver fan in the early-mid 70's as well. He was the consummate professional on the mound. As Roger Angell once put it, "Tom Seaver executes". The Mets had been largely a joke before he arrived. He was their first home grown star and remains the greatest player in their history...so fitting that he was nicknamed The Franchise,

I was in attendance for his 300th win, a complete game victory against the Yanks in Yankee Stadium that was caught by Pudge Fisk; Seaver ended up overshadowing what started out as Phil Rizzuto Day. I can't believe that was 35 years ago. And I was absolutely thrilled when the Sox traded Psycho Lyons for him for the '86 pennant run. In a just baseball world, it would have been Seaver making the difference for the Sox against the Mets in '86.

RIP Tom Terrific
 

Deweys New Stance

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Edit: fuck dick young and m. donald grant.
Dick Young should burn in hell
So I think I posted this story once on SoSH, but as a kid I attended Willie Mays' Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown back in 1979. Before the ceremony I jockeyed for position in the front of the standing area right behind the roped off seating area for invited guests. There were several Met fans standing around me. So when the ceremony started, Dick Young as BBWAA president went up to the podium to introduce Willie. Being an impudent wise ass, I started yelling "BRING BACK TOM SEAVER!!! TRADE DICK YOUNG TO CINCINNATI!" several times at the top of my lungs. This prompted the Met fans to start chanting "Bring back Sea-vuh!!!" Willie was sitting on one side of the dais and started laughing so hard I thought he was going to fall out of his chair. On the other side, Bowie Kuhn was turning beet red; in hindsight I'm surprised he didn't have me tossed. Went the chant finally died down, Dick Young started his intro with "Ladies, gentlemen, and Tom Seaver fans..."
 
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joe dokes

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His 1st game at fenway with the white sox was delayed for a while by rain. By the time it started, we got great seats. Seaver beat Eck.
 

bob burda

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RIP Tom. He and Steve Carlton were the "elder statesmen" of pitchers when I was just getting old enough to follow baseball. From interviews and historical baseball shows, never mind his short stint on the Red Sox, I always perceived Seaver to be a mensch and Carlton to be a real dick. But not sure if that was rooted in reality.
Carlton was an altogether strange person, and even his chief apologist McCarver had some difficulty defending him. This article suggests that some crazy comments made after retirement were reflective of his overall personality, and not a one-off. In today's "paranoid personality disorder is the new normal" world, he'd fit right in.
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/14/sports/on-baseball-was-silence-better-for-steve-carlton.html
My recollection with Seaver is that he could be difficult with the press. He was bright and polished and he didn't suffer their foolishness well, which some branded as arrogance (see above comments on Dick Young). He "presented" so well mostly, that it kind of didn't affect his reputation. The city of New York adored him - Jeter is the other player who received similar sainthood in NY - but Seaver was more authentic and less of an act, and I want to say that was a thing that was appreciated about him. He was also really, really good.
 

RorschachsMask

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He was my first really big “before my time” favorite player. I wasn’t born until 1986, but I loved reading about and watching old Seaver clips.
 

Pablo's TB Lover

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My recollection with Seaver is that he could be difficult with the press. He was bright and polished and he didn't suffer their foolishness well, which some branded as arrogance (see above comments on Dick Young). He "presented" so well mostly, that it kind of didn't affect his reputation. The city of New York adored him - Jeter is the other player who received similar sainthood in NY - but Seaver was more authentic and less of an act, and I want to say that was a thing that was appreciated about him. He was also really, really good.
Well said, thanks for that.
 

RoDaddy

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He was Tom Terrific b4 Brady was!

So cool we got to see Seaver and Marichal in Sox uniforms before they retired
 

monty10

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Made sure to see him when with the Sox . In the seats right behind the bullpen. We got there early to see him warm up. It was amazing . The drive and intensity were surely felt 20 rows deep. To this day I can hear the grunt and see the dirt on his knee.
 

Ale Xander

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Steve Lyons' best contribution to baseball was being traded for him

I kid.

Tom Terrific had 9 straight 200K seasons, had the 3rd lowest career ERA in the live-ball era, (trailing only Whitey and Sandy)and only he and Walter Johnson had 3000 career K, 300 W, and a career ERA under 3.

RIP Tom. Too bad you got hurt in '86
 

h8mfy

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Growing up in metro NY I was originally much more of a Mets fan and of course Seaver - I always tried to get my shin dirty when I pitched.

Someone above me mentioned he was bright. I remember a story announcer told about him getting a degree in geology and doing research on the characteristics of different infields he played on for a final thesis.

A sad day for baseball.
 

Bergs

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Anyone wanna feel old? There was ~16 years between Seaver pitching for the Sox and Tom Brady winning his first Super Bowl. It has been 19 years since Tom Brady won his first Super Bowl.
 

Zupcic Fan

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This one hits hard. the Dodgers left when I was 10. I latched on to the Mets in 62 and suffered through all 120 losses. They stunk for years. And then Seaver arrived He wouldn’t accept losing. It’s almost like he singlehandedly turned the franchise around. A joy to watch. In that glorious 1969 season I attended every game in September. Paid 1:30 each game for standing room and stood behind the line behind home plate with the same 30 or 40 guys every game as they closed about a 9 game deficit to the Cubs from late August on. With my closest friend Matt Blender who died 11 years ago. Such amazing memories Makes me remember why I love this sport so much. And it wasTom Seaver more than anyone else who made it all happen. I attended the night they retired his number at Shea. Still have chills. Damn
 

curly2

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I think most everyone knows how Dick Young basically ran Seaver out of town when he left the Mets the first time, but his second departure was truly bizarre. After he pitched well in 1983 (despite a 9-15 record) the Mets left him unprotected in the free agent compensation pool, and the White Sox got to draft him because they lost Dennis Lamp to the Blue Jays -- how convoluted was baseball's system at that time?

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/21/sports/white-sox-take-seaver-mets-are-stunned.html

The Mets were so close in 1984 and 1985 while Seaver was pitching well with the White Sox. If they had still had him, they might have won their division one of both of those years. Heck, maybe they would have won in 1985, partied themselves out that offseason, and not been there to face the Sox in 1986.

I was also at Seaver's 300th win in Yankee Stadium. I was also there for what should have been his last victory, but Steamer blew the save and vultured the win as La Schelle Tarver scored the winning run.
 

GoJeff!

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I think most everyone knows how Dick Young basically ran Seaver out of town when he left the Mets the first time, but his second departure was truly bizarre. After he pitched well in 1983 (despite a 9-15 record) the Mets left him unprotected in the free agent compensation pool, and the White Sox got to draft him because they lost Dennis Lamp to the Blue Jays -- how convoluted was baseball's system at that time?

https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/21/sports/white-sox-take-seaver-mets-are-stunned.html

The Mets were so close in 1984 and 1985 while Seaver was pitching well with the White Sox. If they had still had him, they might have won their division one of both of those years. Heck, maybe they would have won in 1985, partied themselves out that offseason, and not been there to face the Sox in 1986.

I was also at Seaver's 300th win in Yankee Stadium. I was also there for what should have been his last victory, but Steamer blew the save and vultured the win as La Schelle Tarver scored the winning run.
Never knew about that 1983 draft. And I guess the Wilpons have sucked for longer than I realized.
 

EnochRoot

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Some good memories going on here about Tom Terrific. I never saw him play, but as a kid who learned math on the back of mid to late 70s baseball cards, I always knew he was royalty.
 

sheamonu

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I remember going to his first game as a Red Sox. He was still quite good that year until his knee gave out. Would've been interesting if he had made the postseason squad. The Roger Angell pieces written about him in his books capture what he meant to the Mets. He's their Williams, their Ruth, their Jordan or Brady to carry the analogy across sports lines. An icon - RIP.
Carried over from P&G
 

DeJesus Built My Hotrod

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That 1971 season was kind of sick but so too was his 1985 season where he threw ~238 innings and had an ERA+ of 136 at age 40. Costas was just on MLBN saying how Seaver viewed pitching as an art form and that much was clear watching him. He was just a master of his craft and influenced countless pitchers including teammates like Clemens.
 
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richgedman'sghost

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Never knew about that 1983 draft. And I guess the Wilpons have sucked for longer than I realized.
The Wilpons did not own the tean in 1983. They are awful owners and committed many baseball crimes but letting Seaver go in 83 wasn't one of them. Doubleday Inc owned the team. The Mets GM Frank Cashen at the time of 83 draft did not believe there was a chance in hell a team would take Seaver if left unprotected. However, Jerry Reinsdorf the ex New Yorker took a chance on Seaver for the White Sox
 

Average Reds

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Carlton was an altogether strange person, and even his chief apologist McCarver had some difficulty defending him. This article suggests that some crazy comments made after retirement were reflective of his overall personality, and not a one-off. In today's "paranoid personality disorder is the new normal" world, he'd fit right in.
https://www.nytimes.com/1994/04/14/sports/on-baseball-was-silence-better-for-steve-carlton.html
Yes, Carlton was a paranoid, right-wing lunatic before it became fashionable. Even his family eventually got sick of him and the last anyone heard of him he was planning to ride out the inevitable apocalypse in his underground home in Durango, Colorado. (And no, I'm not making that up.)

My recollection with Seaver is that he could be difficult with the press. He was bright and polished and he didn't suffer their foolishness well, which some branded as arrogance (see above comments on Dick Young). He "presented" so well mostly, that it kind of didn't affect his reputation. The city of New York adored him - Jeter is the other player who received similar sainthood in NY - but Seaver was more authentic and less of an act, and I want to say that was a thing that was appreciated about him. He was also really, really good.
Seaver was one of those athletes who played for a rival and yet you couldn't help rooting for. And from all the evidence I've seen, he was authentic.

RIP
 

GoJeff!

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The Wilpons did not own the tean in 1983. They are awful owners and committed many baseball crimes but letting Seaver go in
Fred Wilpon was the president of the Mets at the time. He is mentioned in the article as being devastated by the loss of Seaver, but the blame is probably more on GM Frank Cashen.
 

Doug Beerabelli

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One of my more cherished baseball memories is of seeing Seaver pitch for the Sox on 9/3/86 (oh man, just realizing it was 34 years ago tonight). I was 12, and my Dad had gotten two free tickets to the game via a promotion for subscribing to NESN that year, back when it was a pay channel.

I remember being so excited, because the pitching match-up was Seaver vs. Charlie Hough, two legends! (Please remember, I was 12, so in the case of Hough, "legend" meant "old")

Seaver threw a gem: 8 innings, just 2 runs. Bob Stanley blew the lead in the 9th. But the Sox came back, and Boggs doubled to score pinch-runner extraordinaire LaSchelle Tarver to win it.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/BOS/BOS198609030.shtml
I'm sure the Sox win the WS that year if Seaver didn't get hurt.