Tom Seaver

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Seaver's path to greatness began at Fresno High School before he joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in June 1962. After a stellar summer with the Alaska Goldpanners in 1964, USC head coach Rod Dedeaux awarded him a scholarship. Although selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965, they passed on his $70,000 asking price. In 1966, Seaver signed with the Atlanta Braves as the 20th overall pick, but Commissioner William Eckert voided the contract due to exhibition game rules involving USC. Following a lawsuit threat by Seaver's father, a lottery was held among matching teams, and the Mets won his signing rights. He made his debut in 1967, winning Rookie of the Year after going 16–13 with 18 complete games. His relationship with Hank Aaron, whom he admired as a fan, became legendary when Aaron told him before the 1967 All-Star Game: 'Kid, I know who you are, and before your career is over, I guarantee you everyone in this stadium will, too.'

In Their Own Story

On July 9 at Shea Stadium, Seaver dominated the division-leading Chicago Cubs, throwing 8+1/3 perfect innings. Rookie Jim Qualls broke up the bid with a clean single to left field. In the 1969 World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, Seaver lost Game One but pitched a 10-inning complete game for a 2–1 victory in Game Four, helping the 'Miracle Mets' win the series. By April 22, 1970, he set a major league record by striking out the final ten batters of a game against the San Diego Padres, tying Steve Carlton's record with 19 strikeouts total. However, contract negotiations in 1977 soured after columnist Dick Young published unattributed claims about Seaver's wife being envious of Nolan Ryan's salary. Believing he could not co-exist with chairman M. Donald Grant, Seaver requested a trade and was sent to the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, 1977, in a deal dubbed 'the Midnight Massacre'. He returned to Shea Stadium later that year for an emotional 5–1 victory over his former team.

Reader's Guide

Seaver's delivery featured a famous 'drop and drive' overhand motion powered by his legs and trunk. Between 1970 and 1976, he led the National League in strikeouts five times. He won three Cy Young Awards: 1969, 1973, and 1975. His career stats include a 2.86 earned run average and 61 shutouts. He played for the Mets (1967–1977), Reds (1977–1982), White Sox, and Red Sox. Seaver's No. 41 was retired by the Mets in 1988. In 2019, New York City renamed the address of Citi Field to 41 Seaver Way. He is one of only three players wearing a Mets hat on their Hall of Fame plaque, alongside Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltrán.

Did You Know?

• Seaver was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round of the secondary January draft but his contract was voided by Commissioner William Eckert.
• In 1970, Seaver set a major league record by striking out the final ten batters of a single game.
• He received the highest percentage of votes ever recorded at the time when inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1992.
• Seaver finished runner-up to Willie McCovey for the Most Valuable Player Award in 1969 despite winning a league-high 25 games.
• New York City changed the address of Citi Field to 41 Seaver Way in 2019 to honor his number.