Remembering Tom

If you've been paying attention you know Willie Mays is my all-time favorite ballplayer followed by Big Papi.  Tom Seaver, who just passed at the age of 75, was not far behind.  Along with my Dad I became a Mets fan by default in 1962, though the Giants remained my favorite team.  We went to the Polo Grounds once and then to Shea Stadium many times (I saw Bob Gibson, Warren Spahn, Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale and Juan Marichal pitch in that lousy ballpark).  I attended most of those games with Dad.  To avoid getting stuck in the Shea parking lot after the game, Dad would park on the street in Queens close to the nearest subway stop to Shea.  We'd grab a deli sandwich and then hop on a train to go to the ballpark. The Mets were terrible those first years but starting with Seaver's rookie year of 1967 they became a respectable club and then, of course, we had the thrill of winning it all in 1969.

Tom was just so so good.  The picture above is how I remember him, using his lower body to generate power, dropping his right knee so low it often dragged in the dirt.

I have special memories of two games late in his career.  In 1984 I saw Tom hurl a shutout in Comiskey Park during his stint with the White Sox.  On June 6 I made my first visit to that historic ballpark and watched Seaver put on a pitching clinic, yielding only four singles, walking no one and striking out eight, including Reggie Jackson three times, and winning 4-0 (and the game took only 2:13!).  As an extra added bonus another favorite player, former Red Sox Carlton Fisk, hit a home run.

On July 1, 1986 I was in Fenway to watch Tom make his debut with the Boston Red Sox, in what proved to be his final season.  When the trade and his first start was announced I knew I had to be there and got a ticket way back and up in the grandstands along the right field line.  Tom struggled giving up four runs in seven innings but it was a complete joy to watch him.

Here's a story Tom told sportswriter TJ Quinn:

"Did I ever tell you about the dinner I organize at Cooperstown every year?" he said once. "It's me, Sandy Koufax, Bob Gibson, Gaylord Perry and Warren Spahn. Sandy and Gibby are the only ones without 300 wins. You know what we call them?" He paused. "Our fourth and fifth starters."

Good memories.  Thanks, Tom.