Ringside Report Tribute For HOF Pitcher Tom Seaver (1944-2020)

[AdSense-A]

By Larry Daniels

The sports world was saddened to hear of the loss of Hall of Fame pitcher, Tom Seaver. “The Franchise”, or “Tom Terrific” died in his sleep on August 31,2020, as a result of complications of Lewy body dementia and Covid-19. He was 75.

As a young kid, I remember watching Tom take the mound and deliver the baseball with perfect pitching mechanics. He struck out hitters with an incredible leg drive towards home plate and uncanny accuracy. If you are a pitching coach at any level, take the time to watch a video of Tom pitching. All you need to know is right there.

At age 17, Tom joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve and served through July of 1963. After 6 months of active duty in the Reserve Seaver enrolled at Fresno City College. He remained a part-time member of the Reserve until his eight-year commitment ended in 1970. With careful recruiting and a little patience on the part of the University of Southern California, Tom was awarded a baseball scholarship based on his performance in a tournament held in Alaska. It was during Tom’s tenure at USC, that Hall of famer, Tommy Lasorda issued a scouting report on behalf of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Dated March 23rd, 1965, Tommy wrote, “Boy has plenty of desire to pitch and wants to beat you.” How right that statement was.

After contract discussions and possible lawsuits stemming from Tom’s eligibility for the draft, a lottery was held to select Seaver and offer a contract. The lucky New York Mets got their guy.

Holy Smokes, it really paid off! With the Mets, Seaver won the National League’s Rookie of the Year Award in 1967, won three National League Cy Young Awards as the league’s best pitcher. He was a 12-time All-Star and ranks as the Mets all-time leader in wins. During his major league baseball career, he compiled 311 wins, 3640 strikeouts, 61 shutouts, a 2.86 earned run average, and he threw a no-hitter in 1978. Tom was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 with the third highest percentage of votes ever recorded. Only Ken Griffey, JR. and Mariano Rivera had higher vote totals in baseball history. Tom was the backbone of the Mets during their World Series championship run in 1969. The Miracle Mets! He had an incredible record of 25 wins and 7 losses, 208 strikeouts, and an era of 2.21 that season.

Seaver also played with the Cincinnati Reds, the Chicago White Sox, and ended his career with the Boston Red Sox in 1986. Seaver is a Hall of Fame member with the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets. Making three Halls of Fame is quite an incredible achievement.

After retiring as a player, Seaver became a television color commentator, working variously for the Mets, the New York Yankees, and with Vin Scully in 1989 for NBC. He also worked as a part-time scout, and as a spring training pitching coach.

Upon news of his death, sports stars and celebrities shared their thoughts:

Ed Kranepool

“When he joined us as a rookie, he pitched like a 35-year-old. He had a great head on his shoulders. we became a different team when he walked into the locker room in 1967.”

Ron Swoboda

“As soon as I saw him pitch the first time, I said to myself, ‘He has Hall of Fame stuff. he just had to accumulate numbers to get to the Hall.’”

Jerry Grote

“Tom Seaver hated to lose. In May of 1969, we had a celebration in the locker room when we reached .500 for the first time. Tom said, ‘We want more than .500, we want a championship.’”

Mike Piazza

‘I’ll always treasure our friendship. Tom was always rooting for me to get into the Hall. Two of my fondest memories are walking out of Shea stadium together after the last game and then when he threw the ceremonial first pitch to me at Citi Field the next year. He was one of a kind.”

Dwight Gooden

“It’s a sad day for me. One of the first calls I got after I won my Cy Young in 1985 was from Tom. That meant the world to me.”

Dan Rather

“Tom Seaver on the pitching mound with Grace and power, part artist, part dynamo. Those of us who saw him pitch will never forget it. He made a miracle happen, and an era passes with him. May he rest in peace.”

Andrew Cuomo

“Tonight baseball fans and all New Yorkers morning unison. Tom Seaver was not only a baseball player – he was a Miracle Met who brought skill and honor to the game. the family of New York extends our deepest sympathy to his family and fans.”

The Seaver family also maintain a vineyard in Calistoga, California. Tom is survived by his wife Nancy and his daughters, Sarah and Annie.

The Ringside Report family offers our deepest condolences to the Seaver family and their friends.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]