Happy Tom Seaver Day!

[Guest 41Forever]

[fimg=750:1yj98wpa]https://cdn-s3.si.com/images/1983-0405-Tom-Seaver-079006272.jpg[/fimg:1yj98wpa]

Happy Tom Seaver Day! The Franchise turns 73 today.

I'm not sure if some of the younger folks realize how much Seaver means to many of us older guys. Seaver was everything! We shouldn't look to athletes for role models, but as an elementary school kid in the early 1970s, Tom was a good one. Or, at least he was able to maintain the image of a good one. It's a little more difficult in the age of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, to be sure.

Thank you, Tom, and here's to many more!

Edited November 17, 2017 by Guest

[MFS62]

Who?

(ducking)

Later

[seawolf17]

It's funny, because at 41 (!), I have no memories of him as a Met. My first Seaver memories are end-of-career things like his 1983 Topps Reds card and his 300th win with the White Sox against the Yankees. His being with the Red Sox in 1986 didn't even register with me at the time.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I had two cool guys when I was a yute in Tom and Clyde. Clyde's still the epitome of cool,
Tom not so much... happy birthday, big head.

[Guest cooby]

Happy birthday tom. Not my favorite childhood Met but I certainly knew his value to the Team

And I enjoyed his Miracle Gro ads as an adult

And some one should find and post his Sears leisure suit ad! Awesome that a Met was in the Sears catalog!

[Edgy MD]

I love how it's four different persons, but all so authentically Tom. Each of them, in his own way, somehow seems to feel a little superior to the other three.

[Guest cooby]

Exactly! Like he's trying to outsnob himself!

[Guest cooby]

While wearing mint green

[Lefty Specialist]

That leisure suit looks bulletproof. It's like 110% polyester.

[dgwphotography]

d'Kong76 wrote: I had two cool guys when I was a yute in Tom and Clyde. Clyde's still the epitome of cool, Tom not so much... happy birthday, big head.

You may be cool, but you'll never be Clyde leaning on a Rolls while wearing a mink and holding a basketball cool...

[Guest cooby]

Yeah but Tom has the best damn laugh ever

[Benjamin Grimm]

When I was an eight-year-old, in 1971 in Smithtown, this was the most precious item a kid could have:



Getting one of these in a pack of baseball cards was like getting a Golden Ticket.

[G-Fafif]

I was practically giddy early this morning when I asked Mrs. Fafif the temperature and she told me it was 41.

[ashie62]

I haven't seen anything recent from Tom. Hoping he is healthy.

[dgwphotography]

Ashie62 wrote: I haven't seen anything recent from Tom. Hoping he is healthy.

This is from a month ago. Seaver had to evacuate due to the wildfires, but his property was spared.

[Centerfield]

seawolf17 wrote: It's funny, because at 41 (!), I have no memories of him as a Met. My first Seaver memories are end-of-career things like his 1983 Topps Reds card and his 300th win with the White Sox against the Yankees. His being with the Red Sox in 1986 didn't even register with me at the time.

Yup. I vaguely remember him in 83? Remember wondering why everyone said he was so good. Seemed ok. Then he was gone.

Remember a failed comeback bid in spring of 87. Remember that it meant more to older fans than to me.

Mainly I remember him as a smug annoying announcer who somehow made Gary Thorne even worse. But there was also the time at Shea Stadium in the elevator when he made it clear with his face that he had no intention of acknowledging the three year old boy with me who would have loved to give a high five to a Hall of Famer.

So whatever. Fuck you Seaver. I guess you were once good at throwing a baseball but man do you suck as a person.

[Guest d'Kong76]

It's kinda sad that I have sour feelings towards him. I've had several
brushes with his majesty... icy dude. I just know if Clyde ever graced
me with his presence for fifteen seconds he would indulge me with a
me/him selfie. I just know it.

Tom was great, perhaps the greatest. HoF Voting Percentages

OE: don't mean to sound like he's dead at the present time, live long
you grape growing son of a fox-hole guy...

[Guest 41Forever]

I’ve met Tom three times and he was wonderful each time. The first time, especially. It was in late 1987 or 1988, and he had just started appearing at card shows. He commented on each of things I brought to sign — including my ticket stub from No. 300. I asked if I could take a photo and he said, “Well, come around here!” And put his arm around my shoulder and said “How about this!” It was amazing.

Years later he was signing at the National Sports Collectors Convention. It was at the end of his time and the line was gone. The autographs at that point were crazy expensive, but they let me walk down to get closer. Tom waved us over and we chatted for a little bit and I was able to introduce him to my son.

Both times I was worried that if he had been a jerk, I would have been crushed. But he exceeded my expectations.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Perhaps he's different with paying customers.

[ashie62]

I was treated poorly by McGraw and Seaver pre-game 1975. Moreso McGraw.