Why even President Nixon thinks Tom Seaver can save the Mets (SN Archive — 1969)

This article, 'Would you believe… Seaver for President?' by Jack Lang, originally published as the cover story for the October 11, 1969 issue of The Sporting News.

Rube Walker had just watched Tom Seaver win his 25th game and he sat in front of his locker puffing on a cigarette and sipping a beer.

“He was pretty good tonight, wasn't he?” a reporter remarked to the New York Mets' pitching coach.

“Darn right,” Walker said, shaking his head, “and that's what frightens me. He's so darn good now and you know he's gonna get better. But how much better can he get?”

That's a good question. How much better can Seaver get? He's already regarded in a class with the Koufaxes, Drysdales, Gibsons and Marichals and this is only his third year ... and only his fourth in professional baseball.

But the young man has made his mark on such personalities as President Nixon and Hall of Famer Stan Musial.

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At the July White House reception when members of the major league All-Star teams were introduced to the President, Nixon was quick to recognize Seaver.

“Oh, I know you,” the President smiled. “You were winning before the Mets were.”

It was almost similar to a remark Stan the Man made earlier in the year.

“Seaver is the best pitcher in the league,” said the former Cardinal great, “He was winning when they were losing.”

Most people in New York look upon Seaver as the man who led the Mets out of the wilderness. They trace the Mets' rise to the day former Commissioner William Eckert pulled the Mets' name out of a hat and awarded them negotiation rights to the young righthander.

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ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: OCTOBER 11, 1969

• Mets fans go ape, turning Shea into a jungle
• Ernie Banks retirement talk? Not so fast, says Cubs
• How Willie Mays reacted to hitting his 600th HR
• Pistol Pete like 20-gun salvo in base-hit burst
• Inside Frank Robinson's clubhouse kangaroo court

Quick Trip to Top

One year later, Seaver was pitching in Shea Stadium and winning 16 games en route to being named the National League Rookie of the Year for 1967.

Now, two years later, he is en route to being named Mr. Everything. Regardless of how the Mets fare in the National League playoffs, it was Seaver who got them where they are today. And he is regarded in most quarters as a shoo-in for the Cy Young Award and almost a cinch to be named Most Valuable Player.

Few men have achieved stardom any quicker than this personable young man from Fresno, Calif. At the age of 24, he is sitting atop the baseball world and close to becoming a $100,000-a-year man.

Tom will make pretty nearly that much this year. His salary is estimated in the $35,000-$40,000 class and he will make that much again in various commercials (Vitalis and Royal Crown Cola), plus endorsements, personal appearances, books, magazine articles and what have you.

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There is so much in store for the young man this winter that he is delaying for one year his final courses at USC to remain in New York and pick up the loot.

There appears to be no end to Seaver's talents. When he was signed to do the soft-drink commercial, he proved as talented as the professionals he worked with. He even sang a catchy little jingle in the commercial, too.

Tom already has had one of his articles published in a national weekly magazine and another is already written and in print and will appear shortly.

He has so impressed New York sports writers with his ability to do anything that one of them already has nominated him to be the next commissioner when Bowie Kuhn retires.

But baseball is Tom's business and, no matter what else he does well, what he does best is pitch baseballs. Young pitchers coming up try to pattern themselves after Tom, which he is quick to tell you is a mistake.

Always Be Yourself

“It's flattering, naturally,” said the Mets' man-child, “but a person has to be himself. You must be yourself at all times.”

He feels exactly the same way about the adoration and exultation that has surrounded him since the day he arrived in the big leagues, but which is in more abundance in this, the year of the Mets' great triumph.

"At times, I'm embarrassed by all the things that are said about me. There was only one person in history that was all good and he lived 2,000 years ago."

- Tom Seaver

Seaver has been pictured in print as the All-America boy, the perfect young man, the kind of son every father would love to have. He is Jack Armstrong, Dick Merri-well and every fictional hero ever created all wrapped up in one. Along with that, he's the successor to the “Mr. Clean” title that his manager, Gil Hodges, held for years.

“At times, I'm embarrassed by all the things that are said about me,” Seaver remarked candidly. “There was only one person in history that was all good and he lived 2,000 years ago.

“If I come across the way people have pictured me, I am flattered. But all I ever try to be is myself. I don't believe anyone can be anyone else but himself.”

Just being himself, Seaver is a model for every young man in America to look up to. He is a perfectionist in every respect and his powers of concentration would make a hypnotist envious.

“I have been blessed with the power of concentration,” Seaver conceded. “I always have been able to channel my thoughts in the direction I wanted. I don't believe you can succeed—I mean really succeed—at anything unless you have absolute concentration on what you are doing.”

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Control Is Deadly

That concentration, plus self-control and control of the baseball have made Seaver the star he is today. He is the complete pitcher. He has two fast balls ... one that rises, another that sinks. He has a wicked slider, a dandy curve and can change up on all his pitches.

But mostly he has control. Putting the ball where you want to is most of the battle, and that's what Seaver does best. He rarely gives a batter a pitch anywhere near the middle of the plate.

“He's on the corners all the time,” Walker drawled in admiration. “Just nibbling at the corners. You can't hit those pitches. If you do, you don't get much of them.”

What astonishes most baseball men who have seen him is Seaver's unbelievable poise. For a young man of 24, he pitches with the head of a ten-year veteran. In his first year, they compared him with Robin Roberts, the former Philadelphia ace. But not even Roberts enjoyed the success Seaver has had his first three years.

Roberts won 42 games and lost 35 his first three seasons. Following the Mets' capture of the East Division title, Seaver had won 25 games this season and had a three-year record of 57-32.

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Roberts worked every fourth day. Seaver pitches every fifth day as dictated by Walker, the pitching coach. He babies those Met arms and his belief is that pitching every fourth day tires a pitcher out. Perhaps the best proof of his theory is the collapse of the Cubs' staff. Leo Durocher believes in pitching his starters every fourth day and down the stretch Bill Hands, Ferguson Jenkins and Ken Holtzman showed signs of wear and tear.

“It's a sound theory,” said Seaver, who points to the fact that on the date he won his 25th, he already had pitched 273 innings. He pitched 250 or more his first two years, too.

He Shook Off Injury

What's more incredible about Seaver's performance this year — and he'll work better than 275 innings before the season ends — is that he did it with a sore shoulder for the better part of two months in midseason.

To his eternal credit, Seaver never missed a turn no matter how bad the shoulder ached. Once or twice he took an extra day, but there was never more than that.

The shoulder began bothering Seaver around July 4 and it wasn't until late August that it began to come around. And when it did, so did Seaver... whooosh! Like his fast ball, he came steaming down the stretch. His 24th win was his ninth in a row.

From the time they fell nine and one-half games behind the Cubs in mid-August, Seaver and Jerry Koosman together began a stretch that saw them win 16 of 17 decisions. It was in that stretch that they overtook and defeated the Cubs for the East Division title.

Seaver's records and milestones are too many to enumerate, but among those he is most proud of are his 16 victories the first year that earned him recognition as top rookie; his 20th win this year, and, finally, his 25th that made him the winningest pitcher in the majors.

Just Tune-Ups Now

Seaver figured on maybe one more start after his 25th victory, but was not expected to go the route. The final games are listed as tune-ups for the playoffs.

His final would be pitched without Nancy Seaver sitting in her accustomed seat about 20 rows behind the Met dugout at Shea. The pitcher's pretty wife is a fixture at Shea and her cheering and rooting and handkerchief-wringing are a part of the wonderful scene for the many fans around her.

“Nancy comes to most games,” said Tom, “but she never misses one when I pitch. Frankly, I don't know what I'd do without her there. She's my inspiration. I'm always looking up in the stands to take a quick glance at her.”

The Seavers — Tom and Nancy — can be pretty distracting to Shea fans. He's too good a pitcher not to watch and she's too pretty not to notice. It's very confusing trying to keep an eye on both, but New York fans have managed. And with Tom pitching and Nancy rooting, the Mets have managed to land atop the East Division of the National League.