Some anniversaries are more meaningful than others.
For the New York Mets, perhaps with the exception of Game 5 versus Baltimore on October 16, 1969, and Game 7 against the Red Sox on October 27, 1986, no anniversary has more meaning than that of April 3, 1966. That is the date the Mets franchise signed “The Franchise” then known simply as Tom Seaver.
Seaver’s exploits as a member of the Mets are well known. He is a 12-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner. He has a career 2.57 ERA and 76.0 WAR in 12 seasons with New York. He is one of only two pitchers in history to amass 300 wins, 3000 strikeouts, and a career ERA below 3.00.
Seaver was elected to the Hall of Fame on January 7, 1992, with 98.84% of the vote. Tom Terrific also helped change the Mets’ mentality from the lovable losers of the early to mid-’60s to World Series champions in 1969.
The events that led to Seaver’s signing involved a lottery and a voided contract. Seaver attended the University of Southern California, and after a stellar sophomore season in which he went 10-2 as a starting pitcher, he was drafted in the 10th round of the first-ever MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers passed on signing him after Seaver asked for a signing bonus of $70,000, which the team declined.
Seaver thought he was going back for his junior year but was instead drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the free-agent draft in January 1966. A month later, Atlanta’s farm team in Richmond signed him after his season at USC had started, though they were exhibition games in which Seaver did not appear.
However, rules stated that a player couldn’t sign a pro contract after a collegiate season had already started. Thus, Atlanta was forbidden from signing him for three years, while the Richmond team was fined $500 for the violation after the ruling by then-Major League Baseball Commissioner William Eckert. Eckert duly voided the contract between Seaver and the Braves.
Seaver was also declared ineligible to play his junior year at USC, which incensed his father. The elder Seaver threatened a lawsuit against Eckert and MLB for what he felt was an unfair ruling. Eckert relented somewhat and agreed that other teams could match the Braves offer and sign Seaver.
Three teams showed great interest: the Philadelphia Phillies, the Cleveland Indians, and the New York Mets. The three teams participated in a lottery, and Commissioner Eckert reached into a hat and pulled the Mets’ name, making George Thomas Seaver a New York Met for a $50,000 signing bonus.
Seaver was sent to the Triple-A Jacksonville Suns of the International League, where he went 12-12 with a 3.13 ERA. In 1967, Seaver made the Mets squad in spring training and proceeded to have a great season (16-13 , 2.76 ERA for a last-place club). He was selected to the All-Star game and got a save by pitching a scoreless 15th inning. After the season, he was named NL Rookie of the Year, one of several awards and accolades that would come Seaver’s way.
But the awards and distinctions would never have happened if it weren’t for a little luck the Mets had — figuratively pulling a rabbit out of the hat some 58 years ago. That rabbit turned into what the Sporting News later named as one of the top 100 baseball players of all time, ranking him 32nd.
The Franchise’s mark on the team was and still is indelible. Seaver re-wrote the art of pitching and set standards seemingly impossible to match today. Tom Seaver is an all-time Mets hero and though much has been written about his stupendous career, it is always a pleasure to recount some of the early years, the seeds that eventually grew into greatness.
