Tom Seaver's Condition

[G-Fafif]

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times tweets the following:

From the Hall of Fame: Tom Seaver's family announced today that he has been diagnosed with dementia. Tom will continue to work in his beloved vineyard at his California home, but has chosen to completely retire from public life.

[Guest 41Forever]

This is heartbreaking. Seaver is a hero for so many of my generation.

[G-Fafif]

From Newsday this past weekend, on Art Shamsky's new 1969 book (co-authored with Erik Sherman):

Shamsky wrote that Seaver suffers from short-term memory loss, which Seaver told him can be traced to Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, contracted in 1991 when he lived in Greenwich, Connecticut. "Hey, man, once you've got it, you've got it forever," Seaver said to Shamsky.

Bud Harrelson (when he, Jerry Koosman and Ron Swoboda joined Art on a pilgrimage to Seaver's home in 2017 -- before Buddy's diagnosis of Alzheimer's became public) told Shamsky, "He can forget things that happened just a few minutes before. And he repeats himself a lot. But when he gets his rest, he still has a lot of energy."



The Newsday article never used the word dementia, but somebody with knowledge of the situation told me last year that's what was going on. I was hoping it was hyperbole.

[Benjamin Grimm]

From 2013: http://archives.thecranepool.net/19200/f1_t19209.shtmlTom Seaver vs. Lyme Disease

[G-Fafif]

Seaver family statement, via Anthony DiComo on Twitter:

The family is deeply appreciative of those who have supported Tom throughout his career...and who do so now by honoring his request for privacy.

This presumably ensures Tom will not be attending the Fiftieth Anniversary reunion of the 1969 Mets at Citi Field in late June.



I believe he started missing Hall of Fame induction weekend, at which he was a steadfast regular since his own induction, in 2016, Piazza's year. At the time, Marty Noble mentioned in his coverage that the Lyme disease made traveling difficult for Tom. There hadn't been any boilerplate quotes with his name attached in the Met press releases when deGrom won the Cy Young last November, which seemed like the tipoff that Tom was no longer even a nominally public figure.



Obviously this sucks on 41,000 levels. May he and his family experience the least bad of this.

[G-Fafif]

Nothing "presumably" about him not attending. Jeff Wilpon statement released by the Mets:

We've been in contact with the Seaver family and are aware of his health situation. Although he's unable to attend the '69 Anniversary, we are planning to honor him in special ways and have included his family in our plans. Our thoughts are with Tom, Nancy and the entire Seaver family.

[Guest 41Forever]

He's only 74. Horrible.

[dgwphotography]

This is heartbreaking news on so many levels.

[Edgy MD]

It's terrible. I've seen good folks go down this road, including my dad and mother-in-law. Seeing the weight that falls on the spouses can be the hardest.



But if my mind is going to fade, I'd want it to fade while I'm working a vineyard. And if I was to drift from the present and get lost in memories, I'd love to have Tom Seaver's memories to get lost in.



If the Mets don't honor him with a statue, like now, the city should. It would make a reunion of surviving 69ers that much more poignant.

[Lefty Specialist]

Ugh. So sad.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I dunno if anyone was listening to the first radio broadcast from ST this year but SHaMsky in a guest spot went on at length as to Tom's condition. Missing anything related to the Hall of Fame is a sure sign he wasn't Terrific as I don't know if there was anyone who took more of a special pride in belonging.



Hats off to the Seav

[kcmets]

Best to one of my heroes.



'SHaMsky' Lol, he has milked 1969 with the best of 'em.

[dinosaur jesus]

This made me cry. He's still my favorite player.

[Edgy MD]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: I dunno if anyone was listening to the first radio broadcast from ST this year but SHaMsky in a guest spot went on at length as to Tom's condition. Missing anything related to the Hall of Fame is a sure sign he wasn't Terrific as I don't know if there was anyone who took more of a special pride in belonging. Hats off to the Seav

TS also released a statement congratulating Johan Santana on his no-hitter, saying something like "I've never met Johan, but he seems like a fine young ..." and a bunch of folks scratched their heads and said, "Yeah you have, publicly, and more than once."



I think the issues with Lyme Disease went public shortly after that, but I wouldn't be surprised if there was more happening than the family was letting on even then.

[Benjamin Grimm]

http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/2019/20190308_NYP_02.jpg> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/2019/20190308_NSD_02.jpg> http://leaptoad.com/mets/covers/2019/20190308_NYDN_02.jpg>

[seawolf17]

As I posted on FB, between this and Trebek, it's a crushing reminder that all the things I loved growing up are getting very old, very quickly.

[G-Fafif]

Murray Chass tells stories, flattering and otherwise, from his decades of knowing the man he called Franny.



http://www.murraychass.com/?p=11928http://www.murraychass.com/?p=11928

[Edgy MD]

[ashie62]

Currently going through this with a parent. He can have a good quality of life for some time through the efforts of loved ones who learn about the illness and help him.



Be well Tom, you are loved

[G-Fafif]

Murray Chass tells stories, flattering and otherwise, from his decades of knowing the man he called Franny. http://www.murraychass.com/?p=11928/http://www.murraychass.com/?p=11928/

This was published on Chass's site, but was written by Marty Noble.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Citi Field's address, reportedly, will be changed to 41 Seaver Way. (Currently it's 123-01 Roosevelt Avenue.) No statue this year, but they'll unveil what it will look like some time during the 50th Anniversary weekend.

[Edgy MD]

That sounds like a bad play for at least a couple of reasons. Give folks a year of opinionation on the design before it's realized, and many will come to hate it even before it's launched.



Borrow some money, hire some assistants for the sculptor and get it done by late June.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Hopefully it will be a good likeness and a good pose. I'll be disappointed if it's not the knee-dragging-in-the-dirt pose, but even if it's him with his arms above his head or in the set position, as long as it looks like him, it will be fine. I just fear it will be like that Lucille Ball debacle because, you know, just because.



https://www.nydailynews.com/resizer/-KhyOIFUrDJzliHey-ZLu01MZtc=/1400x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2KU5BUKZOCLP4KDOG5TJPQOPGM.jpg>

[kcmets]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I just fear it will be like that Lucille Ball debacle because, you know, just because.

They muck it up, and it will look more like Fred Mertz in drag.

[Guest 41Forever]

Noting the lack of a baseball in his hands in that photo. Is that the Sadecki spot off in the distance?

[A Boy Named Seo]

There's gonna be way too much pressure on the Mets to not fuck this up. I think they'll get it right.



BTW - did you guys see this?



[YOUTUBE]bF014EUJrSI[/YOUTUBE]

[stevejrogers]

Hot Take: I'd prefer a statue of him on the mound, bowing to the Shea crowd, following his number retirement ceremony more than him in pitching motion.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

A Boy Named Seo wrote: There's gonna be way too much pressure on the Mets to not fuck this up. I think they'll get it right. BTW - did you guys see this? [YOUTUBE]bF014EUJrSI[/YOUTUBE]

That's pretty great. But sounds like they are using a laugh track to sell it as they go.