I second Ted's post that God would bless and keep Tom Seaver's soul, and comfort his beloved wife Nancy, and their 2 daughters.
Living in the Chicago suburbs back in '67, I carry in my mind this image of the front page of the Sports section of the Chicago TRIBUNE. It was spring '67, and they ran an AP photo of this young rookie Met pitcher about to fire one in. Even as a tween, I sensed greatness in that black 'n white image. He'd just won the game, and held his opponent to mere nothing. He won beautifully; he won strong. Not as the Mets tried in the past, and their best was....sub-par and well, last place. The young pitcher, of course, was Tom Seaver, and just as Bobby Orr did for the Boston Bruins, THE FRANCHISE began to turn a hapless team around.
Fans giggled when Casey Stengel's book, CAN'T ANYBODY HERE PLAY THIS GAME?, was published. Tom Seaver had not yet arrived on the scene, and put on the Mets uniform, and proceed to gift greatness to an up to then failed franchise. Other players and a gifted manager came on board, and when MLB celebrated its 100th anniversary, those Amazing Mets gave the game one for the ages. Before "Ya Gotta Believe!", Tom Seaver did, right from the get-go.
I wish I had clipped out the picture and the story from the Trib. Mr. Seaver looked so good. Instead, I clipped it to my memory, and he's still there. The Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art would do themselves proud to have a life-size black 'n white or glorious color photo study of Tom's frighteningly powerful delivery. Tom Terrific is the one Metropolitan that truly belongs in the Museum.
Somewhere, in the deep recesses of millions upon millions of long ago Captain Kangeroo tots, we can see Mighty Manfred weeping tonight. There is a time to cry, and I am. Tom, you were oh so terrific to us, on and off the field. Thank you.
--- from a former small face in the crowd, Brian Powell
|