Hall of Famer Tom Seaver retired on this day many years ago
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Monday, June 22, 2015 | BataviasBest.org
On This Day in Sports History 1987, 20-year veteran hurler Tom Seaver announced his retirement from baseball following a last-ditch comeback effort.
I had an opportunity to see if there were another three months or another 15 games left in my arm. There are no more pitches there. I’ve used them all up.
– Tom Seaver
Throughout his career, Seaver pitched over ten seasons for the New York Mets, and eventually retired as a member of the team. During his time spent with the Mets, the man nicknamed “Tom Terrific” won three ERA titles and five strikeout titles, while also catapulting his team to new heights – the likes of which they had not yet seen prior to his arrival.
Also nicknamed “The Franchise”, Seaver was the driving force behind a revitalization of the Mets – culminating in the organization’s first World Series Championship in 1969.
Here is an excerpt from Seaver’s player page on baseballhall.org:
Seaver was an intelligent pitcher who brought great velocity and pinpoint control with him to the mound. Hall of Famer Hank Aaron said Tom Seaver was “the toughest pitcher I’ve ever faced.” In an ESPN poll, Hall of Famers Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, and Don Sutton all said Tom Seaver was the best pitcher of their generation.
From 1967-1977, “The Franchise” was selected to 10 All-Star teams, led the league in strikeouts five times, put together five 20-win seasons, threw five one-hitters and won three Cy Young Awards. Hall of Famer Sparky Anderson, who managed Seaver with the Cincinnati Reds in 1977 and ‘78, recalled, “My idea of managing is giving the ball to Tom Seaver and sitting down and watching him work.
Following a long, illustrious career, Seaver was eventually inducted into the Professional Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, five years after his retirement.
Many young baseball fans remain unaware of Seaver’s greatness to this day. It is time for them to take note of one of the most-transcendent talents in baseball history.
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