One of baseball’s greats has passed away. Hall of Fame pitcher and former White Sox Tom Seaver died at the age of 75 early Monday afternoon due to complications from dementia, according to family sources.
Dubbed “The Franchise” in Queens, Seaver was undoubtedly the greatest player to ever put on a New York Mets uniform. He made an incredible impression in his first campaign, earning an All-Star nod and Rookie of the Year honors in 1967. Seaver went on to make a total of 12 All-Star appearances throughout the course of his career. He also won three Cy Young awards, three ERA Titles, a World Series championship in 1969, and eventually was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992.
Though he spent 12 of his 20 seasons with the Metropolitans, Seaver found his way to the South Side from 1984 through 1986. During those three seasons with the White Sox, he went 33-28 with 296 strikeouts, a 3.67 ERA, 2.97 FIP, and 1.210 WHIP over 81 games. Notably, the right-hander threw a complete game to clinch his 300th career victory against the Yankees in 1985.
“Tom Seaver joined the White Sox in 1984 and his class and character immediately impressed all who encountered him,” White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement released on Twitter. “Tom was respected by everyone in the game and that respect was so well deserved. He was the consummate professional in everything he did, and at the same time, he had a fantastic sense of humor that reverberated around the clubhouse.”
“Tom was an artist on the mound, who loved and respected the game of baseball with an unmatched passion,” Reinsdorf continued. “Tom won his 300th game on August 4, 1985, appropriately in New York, and we were all so happy for him. While his time in Chicago was relatively brief given his long Hall of Fame career, the friendships and impressions he left have lasted a lifetime. Our thoughts go out to Nancy, their daughters and all of their many friends and family.”
By the end of his career, Seaver had accumulated a 311-205 record, 3,640 strikeouts, 2.86 ERA, 3.04 FIP, and 1.121 WHIP over 647 starts and 656 career games. In addition to the Mets and White Sox, “Tom Terrific” also played for the Reds (1977-82) and Red Sox (1986).
Do you have a favorite memory of Tom Seaver? Let us know in the comments below.
Featured Photo: Charlotte Knights/Twitter
Got the chance to meet Tom when I worked security for the white Sox one great pitcher