Tom Seaver

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Seaver won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967 and the NL Cy Young Award in 1969, 1973, and 1975. He was a 12-time All-Star and ranks as the Mets' all-time leader in wins. During his MLB career, Seaver accumulated 311 wins, 3,640 strikeouts, 61 shutouts, a 2.86 earned run average, and pitched a no-hitter in 1978. In 1992, Seaver was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility, receiving the highest percentage of votes ever recorded at the time. Along with Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltrán, he is one of three players wearing a New York Mets hat on his plaque in the Hall of Fame. Seaver's No. 41 was retired by the Mets in 1988, and New York City changed the address of Citi Field to 41 Seaver Way in 2019. Seaver is also a member of the New York Mets Hall of Fame and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Seaver’s career took a dramatic turn known as the 'Midnight Massacre.' By 1977, contract negotiations between Seaver and Mets ownership had stalled. Chairman M. Donald Grant refused to budge on Seaver's salary demands, while columnist Dick Young published unattributed stories claiming Seaver was greedy due to his wife's envy of Nolan Ryan. Believing he could not co-exist with Grant, Seaver requested a trade. On June 15, 1977, the Mets traded him to the Cincinnati Reds for Pat Zachry, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, and Dan Norman. The move sparked sustained negative fan reaction as the Mets plummeted to last place for three seasons. However, Seaver’s emotional return to Shea Stadium in 1977 saw him go 5–1 against his former team, striking out 11 batters and hitting a double amidst a lengthy ovation from the New York crowd.

Reader's Guide

Seaver was born in Fresno, California, to Betty Lee (née Cline) and Charles Henry Seaver. He attended Fresno High School and was a pitcher for the school's baseball team. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve on June 28, 1962, serving through July 1963. After active duty, he enrolled at Fresno City College and remained a part-time member of the reserve until 1970. The University of Southern California recruited him; after a stellar summer with the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks in 1964, he earned a scholarship. In 1965, he posted a 10–2 record for the Trojans and was drafted in the tenth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the Dodgers passed when he asked for $70,000. In 1966, he signed with the Atlanta Braves, but the contract was voided by Commissioner William Eckert because USC had played two exhibition games. After his father complained, Eckert ruled that other teams could match the Braves' offer, and the Mets won his rights in a lottery. In 1966, Seaver pitched for the Jacksonville Suns, going 12–12 with a 3.13 ERA. He made the Mets' roster in 1967, was named to the All-Star Game, and got a save by pitching a scoreless 15th inning. In his rookie season, he was 16–13 with 18 complete games, 170 strikeouts, and a 2.76 ERA, winning Rookie of the Year. Before the 1967 All-Star Game, he approached Hank Aaron for an autograph; Aaron replied, "Kid, I know who you are, and before your career is over, I guarantee you everyone in this stadium will, too." In 1968, Seaver started on Opening Day and won 16 games. In 1969, he won a league-high 25 games, including nine consecutive complete-game victories, and won his first Cy Young Award. On July 9, 1969, at Shea Stadium, he threw 8+1⁄3 perfect innings against the Chicago Cubs before Jim Qualls broke it up with a single. In the NL Championship Series, he outlasted Phil Niekro for a 9–5 win. In the World Series, he lost Game One but pitched a 10-inning complete game win in Game Four. He received the Hickok Belt, Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year, and The Sporting News Sportsman of the Year. On April 22, 1970, he set a major league record by striking out the final ten batters of a game and tied Steve Carlton's record with 19 strikeouts in a nine-inning game. He led the NL in ERA (2.82) and strikeouts (283) in 1970. In 1971, he led the league in ERA (1.76) and strikeouts (289) while going 20–10, but finishe

Did You Know?

• Seaver is one of three players wearing a New York Mets hat on his Hall of Fame plaque, alongside Mike Piazza and Carlos Beltrán.
• He struck out 19 batters in a nine-inning game on April 22, 1970, tying Steve Carlton's record at the time.
• Seaver's no-hitter came in 1978 while he was with the Cincinnati Reds.
• He served in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve from 1962 to 1970.