He Won't Stand Like a Statue

[G-Fafif]

Tom Seaver isn't worried about his sculpted immortality not appearing outside the home park of the team for whom he was and is their greatest player, he tells Boomer Carton.

�That�s for other people to do,� said Seaver, who holds the record for the highest voting percentage in Hall of Fame history. �I understand that I�m part of the history of the game of baseball. It is going to be what it is. The wonderful thing are the memories that I have about the game, and I loved it. And I loved pitching.�

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Tom Seaver loved pitching? I had no idea.

[Ceetar]

thought this thread was a knock at Jeter.

I've never been a huge statue guy, but it'd still be neat to have one. Maybe re-imagine the Shea Goodbye pitch in the parking lot with the Shea bases?

[batmagadanleadoff]

G-Fafif wrote: Tom Seaver isn't worried about his sculpted immortality not appearing outside the home park of the team for whom he was and is their greatest player, he tells Boomer Carton. �That�s for other people to do,� said Seaver, who holds the record for the highest voting percentage in Hall of Fame history. �I understand that I�m part of the history of the game of baseball. It is going to be what it is. The wonderful thing are the memories that I have about the game, and I loved it. And I loved pitching.�

But is Seaver being sincere, or merely diplomatic? I mean, who the hell would openly lobby for his or her own statue? Besides Kim Kardashian?

[Lefty Specialist]

Still think we need to replace the big blue '2' in the rotunda with a big blue '1'.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Ceetar wrote: I've never been a huge statue guy, but it'd still be neat to have one. Maybe re-imagine the Shea Goodbye pitch in the parking lot with the Shea bases?

That would be another epic botch by the Mets, having their statue of Tom Seaver depict him at the age of 63.

It's gotta be a 1969ish Tom Seaver, in pitching motion with his knee dragging along the ground.

And it has to look like him!

[Ceetar]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Ceetar wrote: I've never been a huge statue guy, but it'd still be neat to have one. Maybe re-imagine the Shea Goodbye pitch in the parking lot with the Shea bases? That would be another epic botch by the Mets, having their statue of Tom Seaver depict him at the age of 63. It's gotta be a 1969ish Tom Seaver, in pitching motion with his knee dragging along the ground. And it has to look like him!

that's why I said re-imagine. Probably want Piazza to be younger as well.

[G-Fafif]

A lot of Seaver's greatest hits (or pitches) in that interview but worth a listen if you click on the link. Tom getting going is always a treat.

[MFS62]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: I mean, who the hell would openly lobby for his or her own statue? Besides Kim Kardashian?

That statue would have a balance problem. It would keep falling backwards.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I mean, who the hell would openly lobby for his or her own statue? Besides Kim Kardashian? That statue would have a balance problem. It would keep falling backwards.

Well that would be appropriate, isn't she only famous for spending so much time on her back?

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: MFS62 wrote: batmagadanleadoff wrote: I mean, who the hell would openly lobby for his or her own statue? Besides Kim Kardashian? That statue would have a balance problem. It would keep falling backwards. Well that would be appropriate, isn't she only famous for spending so much time on her back?

I want to say "touche", but in this case, the word is "tooshie". LOL!
Uh, maybe we should rejoin the topic of the thread.

Later

[Edgy MD]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: But is Seaver being sincere, or merely diplomatic? I mean, who the hell would openly lobby for his or her own statue?

Is there a difference with Seaver?

[Ceetar]

I dunno, I could see Seaver saying he should have a statue. Maybe more so if he was a NY resident or around more though. He's probably halfway thinking "A statue would be nice, but then they're gonna drag me out of my vineyards to go over there and pose with it.."

[Guest Mets Guy in Michigan]

I like statues. I'm not thrilled with the statues the Tigers made, or how they have them placed. But fans love them.

If there is a Seaver statue, there would be the same disputes we have over retiring uniform numbers -- who is worthy, who is being snubbed, etc.

That said, I like honoring our history and we can't honor Seaver enough.

[Ceetar]

metsguyinmichigan wrote: I like statues. I'm not thrilled with the statues the Tigers made, or how they have them placed. But fans love them. If there is a Seaver statue, there would be the same disputes we have over retiring uniform numbers -- who is worthy, who is being snubbed, etc. That said, I like honoring our history and we can't honor Seaver enough.

but hell, arguing over that silly stuff is half of the fun isn't it?

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

If I'm making statues for citifield (which, let's face facts, probably never crossed the minds of the Wilpons while they were busy building luxury suites) I'm commissioning the following:

* Seaver with the leg dragging.
* Dwight in his high leg kick
* Strawberry awaiting a pitch with his right knee turning in
* Hernandez in the fielding stance (knees bent, first baseman's glove turned out, anticipatory gaze
* Mookie's jacknife
* David Wright with the bat in his armpit, adjusting his batting gloves
* Jose Jose arising on his hands after a head-first slide into 3rd
* Casey sitting back on the bench, legs crossed, answering questions
* Ed Kranepool kneeling in the on-deck circle

and
* Piazza taking the first steps from the box following massive chemically enhanced home run
* Tug slapping his glove on his thigh
* Ray Knight punching Eric Davis in the face

[batmagadanleadoff]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: If I'm making statues for citifield (which, let's face facts, probably never crossed the minds of the Wilpons while they were busy building luxury suites) I'm commissioning the following:

Boy are those Met fans who think Gary Carter's number oughtta be retired gonna be pissed with you.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

Yeah I thought about Carter but couldn't think of an iconic pose for him except maybe this one:

[Benjamin Grimm]

Carter would have to be depicted taking a curtain call from the dugout steps.

[Guest d'Kong76]

Or with a microphone in his face after popping up four times.

[Guest d'Kong76]

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: If I'm making statues for citifield (which, let's face facts, probably never crossed the minds of the Wilpons while they were busy building luxury suites) I'm commissioning the following: * Seaver with the leg dragging. * Dwight in his high leg kick * Strawberry awaiting a pitch with his right knee turning in * Hernandez in the fielding stance (knees bent, first baseman's glove turned out, anticipatory gaze * Mookie's jacknife * David Wright with the bat in his armpit, adjusting his batting gloves * Jose Jose arising on his hands after a head-first slide into 3rd * Casey sitting back on the bench, legs crossed, answering questions * Ed Kranepool kneeling in the on-deck circle and * Piazza taking the first steps from the box following massive chemically enhanced home run * Tug slapping his glove on his thigh * Ray Knight punching Eric Davis in the face

Payson and Shea would be nice somewhere too.
Who's gonna pay for all this bronze? And the sculptors I'm
sure don't work on the cheap.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I'd stop at Seaver. Statues should be the most exclusive honor of all.

In descending order:
[list:acp7b41p]
[*:acp7b41p]Statue[/*:m:acp7b41p]
[*:acp7b41p]Retired Number[/*:m:acp7b41p]
[*:acp7b41p]Mets Hall of Fame[/*:m:acp7b41p][/list:u:acp7b41p]

[dinosaur jesus]

d'Kong76 wrote: If I'm making statues for citifield (which, let's face facts, probably never crossed the minds of the Wilpons while they were busy building luxury suites) I'm commissioning the following: * Seaver with the leg dragging. * Dwight in his high leg kick * Strawberry awaiting a pitch with his right knee turning in * Hernandez in the fielding stance (knees bent, first baseman's glove turned out, anticipatory gaze * Mookie's jacknife * David Wright with the bat in his armpit, adjusting his batting gloves * Jose Jose arising on his hands after a head-first slide into 3rd * Casey sitting back on the bench, legs crossed, answering questions * Ed Kranepool kneeling in the on-deck circle and * Piazza taking the first steps from the box following massive chemically enhanced home run * Tug slapping his glove on his thigh * Ray Knight punching Eric Davis in the face Payson and Shea would be nice somewhere too. Who's gonna pay for all this bronze? And the sculptors I'm sure don't work on the cheap.

The WPA, of course. There are tons of good sculptors on the dole these days. But maybe for a few of the statues we could get some of those famous European guys to come over. They'd be glad to get some American dollars. Giacometti, for instance--he was born to do George Theodore. Rodin, if he's still working, could do Casey. Brancusi could do Mookie. And Duchamp could probably find something good in the restroom.

[Frayed Knot]

Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'd stop at Seaver. Statues should be the most exclusive honor of all.

I agree. For the rest maybe they could get one of those butter carvings they do at midwestern state fairs.

[Guest themetfairy]

Frayed Knot wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'd stop at Seaver. Statues should be the most exclusive honor of all. I agree. For the rest maybe they could get one of those butter carvings they do at midwestern state fairs.

My first thought - Mickey Lolich....

[Edgy MD]

Frayed Knot wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'd stop at Seaver. Statues should be the most exclusive honor of all. I agree. For the rest maybe they could get one of those butter carvings they do at midwestern state fairs.

Number retirement is the greater honor, I think, as available numbers is a more finite set than available places for statues.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Benjamin Grimm wrote: I'd stop at Seaver. Statues should be the most exclusive honor of all. I agree. For the rest maybe they could get one of those butter carvings they do at midwestern state fairs. Number retirement is the greater honor, I think, as available numbers is a more finite set than available places for statues.

What are teams doing? Are there plauers who've been honored with a statue by a team that hasn't retired that player's #?

[Vic Sage]

i agree; number retirement is the greatest honor, because they are limited. Statues are simply commissioned works of art; they can be put anywhere, to celebrate whatever. Support the arts! build more statues! I like Jonny's list. Perhaps we could also have:

M. Donald Grant pinching a penny;
Dick Young sticking a poison pen into Nancy Seaver;
Nolan Ryan waiving to Jim Fregosi as they pass in a hall;
Staub, pinch-hitting, and covered in rust;
Throneberry missing 3rd;
Ron Hunt taking one for the team;
Bud Harrelson punching Pete Rose in the face;
Bonilla, showing us the Bronx;
Mike Vail, turning into a pumpkin;
Lee Mazzilli, in tight pants, kissing Joe Torre's ass;

They could be erected all over the stadium and the parking lot. The possibilities are endless. CitiField could become a new Storm King Sculpture Garden.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

I'm no math-ay-matrician, but I'm pretty sure numbers are, y'know, infinite. (Or, y'know, less limited than buildable CitiField parking-area space.) #ExponentOfExponents