Iconic Athlete #8: Tom Seaver

For many New Yorkers, the Mets are the baseball team they love to hate, but that wasn't the case during the Seaver years. George Thomas "Tom" Seaver was a Mets Met, a player so formidable that he turned the lovable underdogs into a force to be reckoned with. Seaver's mystique was as much about his drive and personality as it was about his pitching, and his teammates loved him as much as the fans did. This is why.

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From California To New York

After a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Seaver started his college career in 1963. A California boy, he went to the University of Southern California on a baseball scholarship and was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had a change of heart when he asked for $70,000. Seaver then signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves, but confusion ensued over his eligibility to play because his former college team had played two exhibition games that year. Seaver's contract was voided, but so, too, was his ability to return to NCAA baseball. When his family threatened to sue, Major League Baseball ruled that other teams could match the offer given by the Braves. Serendipitously,the Mets were granted Seaver's signing rights in a lottery. Seaver spent one season in the minors, playing for the Jacksonville Suns, before making his way to New York in 1967.   

A World Series Win

The Mets were in last place when Seaver saved the day, winning 16 games (a Mets record at that time). He was named National League Rookie of the Year and played in the 1967 MLB All-Star Game. The driving force behind his teammates, Seaver brought out the best in everyone and created an atmosphere of optimism the team had long been missing.

Now called "Tom Terrific" by his fans, Seaver led the Mets to their first World Series win in 1969. The lovable underdogs that New Yorkers loved to hate were now the champions of baseball. Seaver nabbed his first Cy Young Award that same year. Said to pitch with his heart as well as his arm, Seaver had a unique combination of intelligent likability, unparalleled skill and a powerful work ethic.

The Midnight Massacre

In 1977, Seaver's contract negotiations with Mets management were not going well, leading to a contentious relationship between Seaver and board chairman M. Donald Grant. Seaver requested a trade, and in a move that the New York press called "The Midnight Massacre," the pitcher left the Mets to play for the Cincinnati Reds. Seaver won 21 games that season, including one in Shea Stadium against the Mets. Seaver continued to retain a huge fan base in New York and received a lengthy, emotionally-charged standing ovation that same year at Yankee Stadium, where he played in the All-Star Game. It wasn't just the fans that missed Seaver; his former team missed him as well. The Mets resumed their former last-place standing in the league for the next three seasons.

A Triumphant Return, Short-Lived

To great fanfare, Seaver was traded back to the Mets in 1982. However, two years later -- in a move that flabbergasted both Seaver and Mets general manager Frank Cashen -- he was claimed in a free-agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox. (Cashen had unfortunately left him off the protected list.). Seaver's 300th win was in New York City, when he beat the Yankees as a member of the White Sox. A final trade to the Boston Red Sox was short-lived, and Seaver became free-agent eligible in 1986.

Once A Met, Always A Met

In 1987, the Mets approached Seaver for help with their limping, starting rotation. Seaver agreed, but no contract was signed. Years of playing had taken their toll, and after several brutal games Seaver announced his retirement. The Mets held a special "Tom Seaver Day" ceremony in 1988, retiring his No. 41 jersey. He remains the only Met to ever have his number retired. Several years later, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Despite a long-term struggle with stage 3 Lyme Disease, Seaver has successfully started a new career as a vintner in Napa, California, He continues to regale guests with glory-day stories about his love affair with the Mets and New York City.

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Corey Whelan is a freelance writer in New York. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.