The Mets’ Steve Seaver

At Shea Stadium on opening day against Cincinnati, Tom Terrific represented New York Mets best chance at recapturing the National League Championship. Unfortunately for Seaver and his teammates, however, a resurgent Big Red Machine led by Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan could not be stopped from dominating them all.

Rod Dedeaux recruited Seaver to pitch for the semiprofessional Alaska Goldpanners before awarding him with a scholarship to USC.

Early Life and Education

On April 13, 1967, when the New York Mets first took to the field on April 13th for their inaugural season of competition against their cross-town rivals the Yankees’ patrician dynasty, they garnered an almost instantaneous following among proletarian baseball fans. Tom Seaver quickly established himself as leader of his teammates by winning 16 out of 35 first season games played during their inaugural campaign.

George Thomas Seaver was born November 17, 1944, in Fresno, California to parents who both worked in the raisin trade.

After an impressive sophomore season at Fresno City College, Seaver’s talent became increasingly obvious to scouts. He set multiple school strikeout records and won various college championships before being drafted by Chicago White Sox but opting instead to play for Cincinnati Reds instead.

Professional Career

At first as a New York Met, Seaver won both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards during his initial three seasons, pitching them to two pennants and a World Series win. He continued his outstanding pitching performance into the 1970s, including an amazing 1969 campaign where he went 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA for an improbable World Series victory against San Diego Padres with only 109 wins against them!

He became one of baseball’s legendary pitchers with five 200-strikeout seasons in a career spanning 31 years, after an ugly contract dispute and subsequent trade to Cincinnati Reds (where he pitched one no-hitter and then retired after 1978).

Achievement and Honors

Seaver won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967, followed by another Cy Young Award in 1973 when he led in wins, complete games pitched, innings pitched, strikeouts and tied Ferguson Jenkins for top strikeout total.

His departure from the Mets in 1977 caused widespread outrage from fans, yet he managed to rebound with another Cy Young season for Cincinnati Reds and win their only no-hitter (4-0 against Cardinals at Riverfront Stadium in 1978).

He became one of only three players ever to achieve that milestone and is honored by three different Halls of Fame: Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Boston Red Sox.

Personal Life

In 1967, Seaver won National League Rookie of the Year honors and led his Mets team to an unlikely World Series win. In the 1970s he led both wins and strikeouts rankings three times each in addition to becoming the first right-handed pitcher ever to receive three Cy Young Awards.

Seaver earned five 20-game wins and twice pitched more than 250 innings, as well as being a complete game pitcher 21 times with 200 or more batters struck out during that span.

Seaver was married to Nancy Lynn McIntyre and had three daughters together. On September 2, 2020 at 75 years of age due to complications caused by COVID-19 he passed away and was interred at Calistoga Cemetery in California by his family he leaves behind his wife and daughters as legacy.

Net Worth

He has worked as a TV color commentator for both the Mets and Yankees and been actively involved with various nonprofit organizations including Community Depository Institutions Advisory Council and Thornblade Club’s Board of Directors.

Seaver currently works as a sports reporter for SNY and makes an annual salary of $98,600. He is married, has two children, and practices Reform Judaism; living in New York with Julie Straus, son Jason Michael and daughter Emma Rose he currently calls home. In 1988 the New York Mets retired his number 41 as part of their tribute; nicknames include Tom Terrific and The Franchise with many considering him to be one of MLB history’s great pitchers.