The recent announcement the Tom Seaver has dementia made me very sad.
Having experienced my mother’s last few months suffering from the condition, we all know where Seaver is headed.
Even though no one from my family ever met Seaver there is a weird connection. Seaver and my mother were born on the exact same day in 1944, which of course I learned from the back of a baseball card.
Over the years, I was fortunate enough to watch Seaver pitch for the New York Mets, Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox.
Inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992, Seaver won 311 games and lost 205. He was the National League Rookie of the Year in 1967 and won the Cy Young Award three times in 1969, 1973 and 1975. A 12-time all-star, he finished second in the Cy Young balloting in 1971 and 1981.
The California native tossed five one-hitters before finally holding the St. Louis Cardinals without a hit on June 16, 1978.
Didn’t Like the Guy
The 10-year old me really didn’t like Seaver.
In 1973, I was pumped when the Cincinnati Reds beat Seaver and the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series opener. However, in the end Seaver and the Mets had me crying by the end of the series.
He nearly ruined my present for my 12th birthday in 1975. For several years as a child, my parents took to me to a Reds game close to my birthday.
I was so excited on July 13. It was an old timer’s day and he was going to start for the Mets, which worried me.
It turned out to be a miserable day. Rain reduced the old timers to just being introduced, which was fine.
Since Riverfront Stadium had an artificial surface, we got to watch the machine suck the water out of the turf and blow it over the outfield fence.
Then it got worse. The Mets scored three times in the first inning off Gary Nolan and I was mad.
Seaver didn’t help as he blanked the Reds through six innings with just two hits by Pete Rose. I was a grumpy as each inning passed.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Reds team that seemed to be able to overcome anything in 1975 gave me the birthday present I wanted.
A RBI double by Dan Driessen and a run-scoring single by Dave Concepcion made it 3-2. After Terry Crowley walked, Seaver was done. We had a chance with Rick Baldwin taking over on the mound.
With his third single of the game, Rose drove in two runs to give the Reds for good. Tony Perez added a RBI single in the eighth as the Reds would win 5-3.
Really Liked the Guy
The Mets loss was the Reds gain during what became know as the Midnight Massarce on June 15, 1977.
After I was devastated by the trade of Perez before the season began, I was the exact opposite when Seaver joined Cincinnati.
It just goes to show you how quick you can change when he’s on your side. I would miss Doug Flynn and Pat Zachry, who I got to meet in person as an adult. Really nice guys. I didn’t know much about Steve Henderson and Dan Norman. All I cared about was that we had Seaver.
Seaver finished that year 14-3 and ended up with a 21-6 overall mark.
He would pitch for the Reds until 1982 with a 75-46 record over six seasons. He quickly became a favorite, which is where we are today.
For me, it’s about what he did on the baseball field that was so special. The love-hate thing as a child really existed because of the respect and enjoyment I got from watching one the best at his craft.
Now, the reality that Seaver and his family face is difficult. One can only hope for the best for everyone involved. It’s about keeping the memories alive.