batmagadanleadoff

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Tom Seaver graces the cover of Abolafia's LUV, a NYC underground sex magazine, 1969. I wonder if the publisher(s) obtained Seaver's consent. [FIMG=555]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50303460222_b13d79065e_h.jpg[/FIMG]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Wow. That's good stuff Louis Abolafia, of Abolafia's LUV, ran against Nixon for President in 1968 under the Nudist Party on the Hippie 'Love Ticket'. Wanna see that cover without the wooden ruler?

Tom Seaver graces the cover of Abolafia's LUV, a NYC underground sex magazine, 1969. I wonder if the publisher(s) obtained Seaver's consent. [FIMG=555]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50303460222_b13d79065e_h.jpg[/FIMG]

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Tom's looking a little undead there, Mr. Typewriter Which one? And is that a zombie reference? 'Cause I'm not so up on zombie lingo. I know the basics, though.

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It's funny, because I only really "remember" Seaver in his twilight years -- appearing as a "super veteran" in the 1983 Topps series, winning 300 with the White Sox, not pitching in the 1986 Series -- and it wasn't until much later that I really came to appreciate what "The Franchise" was really all about. Ironically - I was looking through a box of cards for something else the other night, and came across a 1968 Topps Seaver that I didn't even know I had. In retrospect, that was a little creepy. It's a seawolf sighting!

Edgy MD wrote: Seaver got the save in a 15-inning win for the National League that day, one of only two saves in his career. Speaking of saves and Seaver, one of my earliest strong Met memories that still remain is of Seaver blowing a save against the Reds on the last day of baseball just before the 1971 all-star break. Seaver gave up a home run to Tony Perez in the ninth inning. I remember the announcers making a very big deal about the play and then after the game, Seaver appearing on Kiner's Korner even though Ralph usually hosted members of the winning team.

Edgy MD wrote: Um ... Tommie Agee. Right team. Wrong guy. Ken Berry [FIMG=333]https://www.chicagotribune.com/resizer/IOACgXAh67Bhl-2byUreSAN2y0U=/415x522/top/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/NACDGVIESZHV5DCQUC4KYDYTPE.jpg[/FIMG]

Edgy MD wrote: Seaver got the save in a 15-inning win for the National League that day, one of only two saves in his career. Quick. Don't peek. Who'd Seaver retire for the last out?

The tributes are pouring in. Here's one from Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe: Excerpt: [FIMG=444]https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/SQa37v6et7QTu5D1Cd6TsI6Fx5Y=/1024x0/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/bostonglobe/2IEJMBIVF5EPZM27OBLOODIAXE.jpg[/FIMG] Tom Seaver was the prince of New York City. He was the greatest New York Met of all time and there is no close second. He was the Franchise, Tom Terrific, the Hall of Fame ace of the 1969 Miracle Mets. Books were written about him, movies were made, and when it was learned that he died this week, all three New York metropolitan dailies ripped up their front pages and started anew with tributes to Tom Seaver. New York, New York. That was Tom Seaver. But he also pitched the final games of his career for the Boston Red Sox in 1986. And if he hadn't hurt his knee in Toronto in late September, he would have started Game 4 of the World Series against the Mets instead of Al Nipper. With Seaver in the rotation, I believe the Red Sox would have won that haunting World Series. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/03/sports/if-tom-seaver-hadnt-been-hurt-1986-red-sox-might-have-won-that-world-series/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/03/sports/if-tom-seaver-hadnt-been-hurt-1986-red-sox-might-have-won-that-world-series/

From The Athletic: The Franchise: Tom Seaver, a baseball artist and a Mets icon, dies at 75 Excerpt: Sparky Anderson, the Hall of Fame manager, once said that his idea of managing was “giving the ball to Tom Seaver and then sitting down and watching him work.” Hank Aaron, one of the greatest hitters of any era, said Seaver was “the toughest pitcher I ever had to face.” It was Aaron who met Seaver at the 1967 All-Star Game in Anaheim, when Seaver was 22 and in the midst of his rookie season. “Kid, I know who you are,” Aaron said, “and before your career is over, I guarantee you everyone in this stadium will, too.” https://theathletic.com/2041307/2020/09/02/the-franchise-tom-seaver-a-baseball-artist-and-a-mets-icon-dies-at-75/https://theathletic.com/2041307/2020/09/02/the-franchise-tom-seaver-a-baseball-artist-and-a-mets-icon-dies-at-75/ From Oakland, at the '73 World Series: [FIMG=555]https://www.rawchili.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/118654973_153660066379399_2648805961463079317_n.jpg [/FIMG]

From The Athletic: The Franchise: Tom Seaver, a baseball artist and a Mets icon, dies at 75 Excerpt: Sparky Anderson, the Hall of Fame manager, once said that his idea of managing was “giving the ball to Tom Seaver and then sitting down and watching him work.” Hank Aaron, one of the greatest hitters of any era, said Seaver was “the toughest pitcher I ever had to face.” It was Aaron who met Seaver at the 1967 All-Star Game in Anaheim, when Seaver was 22 and in the midst of his rookie season. “Kid, I know who you are,” Aaron said, “and before your career is over, I guarantee you everyone in this stadium will, too.” https://theathletic.com/2041307/2020/09/02/the-franchise-tom-seaver-a-baseball-artist-and-a-mets-icon-dies-at-75/https://theathletic.com/2041307/2020/09/02/the-franchise-tom-seaver-a-baseball-artist-and-a-mets-icon-dies-at-75/

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Hoping eff 'n jeff don't cheap it up on the inevitable Seaver memorial patch, but they'll probably get that guy who never went to art school to do it, like all the others, to save money, and we'll end up with some stupid patch like the script "Rusty" patch or something totally uninspired like the "Kid" in home plate patch. Watch this space.

God, I hate not having him alive. Even though he was sidelined since last spring, he was still ours. We still had Tom Seaver front and center for us. We could hold our head up with any team's fans. It was an intangible, maybe only in my mind, but it was something. A few thoughts besides http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2020/09/02/no-41-in-our-hearts/here. Agreed. I wouldn't have traded Tom for that third title, either. (But Yoenis hasn't aged so well in the category of lone other authentic all-time Mets great.) • A hypothetical offer my friend made me: I could have another Mets world championship affixed to their past. That is to say any year I wanted could be added to 1969 and 1986. It could be a year they came close, it could be a year they finished last. It would be worked into their backstory and our memory bank. It wouldn't alter the course of team history otherwise and I wouldn't have to do anything wacky like go back and live my life from that year forward, but it would come at a cost. In exchange for that third retroactively granted world championship, the Mets could never have had Tom Seaver. They'd still win what they won in 1969 and 1973, but without The Franchise or anybody truly like him. Seaver never would've existed as a Met. Forty-one would be just another number. Would I take that deal, he asked. I thought for less than 41 seconds and told him, no, I would not. We have one actual Seaver (if no Seaver statue) after more than fifty years. Except for Cespedes, he's our one authentic all-time Met great. That's got to be worth one hypothetical championship. http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/09/16/meaning-and-games-in-september/http://www.faithandfearinflushing.com/2015/09/16/meaning-and-games-in-september/

Hey Fred: no need to rush that statue at this point. Pass the cost onto Steve Cohen.

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I don't know what I'd do but I recently also considered this idea.

2019 Batman Mets cards - Code Name: Holy Curt Gowdy! [FIMG=555]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50295391976_c7e30421ab_b.jpg[/FIMG] 2020 - Code Name: Real. [FIMG=333]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50283239792_66ae5d692e_h.jpg[/FIMG]

Where's dirtbag male stripper and wannabe pornstar Todd Parker? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXYlvszubOkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXYlvszubOk

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Maybe with real ownership, the Mets sign Wheeler and Stroman, rendering moot, Wacha and Porcello and today's trade. We trade a top prospect for a guy that, in baseball years, is practically AARP eligible, not because of rational, well thought-out decision making, but because our dirtbag owners, knowing that their days are numbered and that they're on the way out, make an emotionally ill-advised last mad dash for baseball glory.

Johnny Lunchbucket wrote: Far as I can tell the Mets picked up three shitty players, all of whom might still be around next year, for a decent prospect, which I guess makes sense were the goal to lean into shitty. These moves are a variation on getting Wacha and Porcello which were variations on Cuddyer which was a variation on the same half-assed half-measured Wilponian modus operandi dumpster diving deadbeat moves that are to be expected. A real big market team that plays in New York would've competed for Gerrit Cole and never have let Zack Wheeler, who's one of this year's ten best pitchers in the NL, ever get away. The only thing that's stopped me from bitching is that this whole effin' season's one big joke. Thank god the Mets have a pitcher in his prime who's pitching like Sandy Koufax to watch every few days. Pete Alonso is starting to remind me of Joe Charboneau. Steve Cohen can't get here fast enough.