Tom Seaver—who gave the Mets legitimacy at a time when they needed it most, and went on to become the best player in franchise history and one of the most accomplished pitchers in the game—died yesterday surrounded by his family at his home in Calistoga, California.
He was 75 and died peacefully in his sleep, although he battled dementia for the past few years.
“We are heartbroken to share that our beloved husband and father has passed away,” said his wife Nancy and daughters Sarah and Anne in a statement to the Hall of Fame. “We send our love out to his fans, as we mourn his loss with you.”
Seaver, in a career that spanned from 1967-86, spent 12 of those seasons with the Mets, leading the “Miracle Mets” to the world championship in 1969 and to the National League pennant in 1973. A 12-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992, garnering a then-record 98.8 percent of the vote.
Seaver won 311 games, had a 2.86 earned run average and struck out 3,640 batters over a 20-year major league career. He led the National League in wins three times, ERA three times and strikeouts five times.
He may have been the greatest right handed pitcher ever..Rest in peace Tom...
Source:New York Post
(photo Getty Images)