Tom Seaver Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles

Full name George Thomas Seaver
Born November 17, 1944, Fresno, California
First Game: April 13, 1967; Final Game: September 19, 1986
Bat: Right Throw: Right Height: 6' 1" Weight: 195

Selected to the Hall of Fame in 1992
Named NL Cy Young Award Winner by Baseball Writers' Association of America (1969, 1973 and 1975)
Named NL Pitcher of the Year by The Sporting News (1969 and 1975)
Named NL Rookie of the Year by Baseball Writers' Association of America (1967)
Named right-handed pitcher on The Sporting News NL All-Star Team (1969, 1973, 1975 and 1981)

TOM SEAVER
This article was written by Maxwell Kates and is presented in part, courtesy of the Society for American Baseball Research

4,256. 755. 5,714. 511. .366.
As baseball has often been described as a game of numbers, fans, reporters, and students of the game would most certainly recognize the preceding list of significant digits. They are career accomplishments forever linked to the respective immortals Pete Rose, Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, and Ty Cobb. To that list, another number should be added to commemorate a feat of equal important to longevity in base hits, home runs, strikeouts, wins, and batting average.

98.8.

On January 7, 1992, that was the percentage by which Tom Seaver was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. No player has ever received a higher approval rating by the Baseball Writers Association of America, not even Cobb. Few players were ever more connected as a “franchise” player than Tom Terrific with the New York Mets. No member of the team was as intricately associated with their meteoric rise from cellar dwellers to world champions. Seaver was an immediate success upon arriving in New York in 1967. His miracle season of 1969 was highlighted by the game of his career against the divisional rival Chicago Cubs. He continued to pitch brilliantly in the 1970s, fanning 10 consecutive Padres in a game, collecting 200 strikeouts for nine straight seasons, and becoming the first right-hander win three Cy Young Awards. Then, at the height of Seaver’s game in 1977, an ugly contract squabble led to what became known as the Midnight Massacre, a trade to the Cincinnati Reds that devastated the Mets and drove countless fans away from Shea Stadium. After five years of exile in the Queen City, Seaver returned to Queens in 1983. Although he wore socks of different color schemes toward the end of his career, he saved his final crowning achievement for the New York fans to enjoy.

George Thomas Seaver was born on November 17, 1944, in Fresno, California. His mother, Betty, was a homemaker and his father, Charles, was an executive with the Bonner Packing Company, which harvested and shipped raisins to all corners of the country. The Seavers were an athletically minded family. Charles had been a Walker Cup golfer in his youth, while swimming, volleyball, and surfing were also represented in the family.