TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

On April 3, 1966, Tom Seaver picked the Mets' name from a hat in a lottery, signing with the team for a reported $50,000 bonus. Tom's father had threatened a lawsuit, necessitating the special draft, after Commissioner William Eckert voided his son's contract with Atlanta.

At USC in 1965, Seaver went 10-2, striking out 100 batters in 100 innings. Although only one organization scouted Seaver in 1965, the Atlanta Braves wasted no time the following year, drafting him in January and signing him a month later. The Braves had been Seaver's team of choice growing up in Fresno. Hank Aaron was his hero, and as he told interviewer Marty Appel, "I loved their uniforms, and I loved their hitters … Aaron, Eddie Mathews, Joe Adcock."

But as much as he loved the tomahawk, Seaver never wore it for an inning of his professional career. Major league rules prevented any organization from signing a college player while his season was in progress. Although Seaver had yet to pitch in 1966, the USC season was underway when the Braves signed their right-handed prospect. Commissioner William Eckert voided Seaver's contract with the Braves on March 2. If other teams matched Atlanta's $51,500 offer, they would participate in a lottery for Seaver's services. Three teams — the Indians, the Phillies, and the Mets — stepped forward with contractual offers. The lottery was conducted on April 3 as each organization had its name thrown into a hat. Would Seaver join Sam McDowell and Sonny Siebert in Cleveland's rotation? Would he emerge as Philadelphia's third starter behind Jim Bunning and Chris Short? Neither. The winning paper selected belonged to the losingest team in baseball, the Mets.

Seaver went 12-12 in AAA in 1966 and made his debut on April 13, 1967. He had a no-decision in 5 and a third. He won his second start, giving up 1 run in 7+, and in his 3rd major league start, he pitched an extra-inning complete game for a 2-1 victory. Seaver is now 2-1 in his career and will never be below 500 at any point.

He will win the 1967 National League Rookie of the Year, Seaver became the best player in New York Mets' history, and he was the lone superstar on the miracle 1969 World Series championship team, going 25-7 with a 2.21 ERA he won the Cy Young and finished 2nd in MVP voting in a tight vote with each player receiving 11 first place votes to Willie McCovey. McCovey had 45 homers and 126 RBI, leading the league in both. Seaver went 10-0 in his last 11 starts, firing 6 shutouts and 8 straight complete game wins down the stretch.

He led the league in ERA and strikeouts in 1970 and set an ML record, striking out the final 10 San Diego Padres on his way to 19 total to tie Steve Carlton's record of 19. In 1971, he again led the league in strikeouts and ERA, with a career-best 1.76. He brought the Mets back into the series in 1973, winning his 2nd Cy Young, and was the first National League pitcher to win the award without 20 wins. Seaver pitched game 6 with a chance to clinch the series, but Catfish Hunter dominated the Mets for his 3rd win of the series. The Mets lost game 7 the next day. Seaver will pitch until 1986 and never have another chance at a title.

He won his 3rd Cy Young in 1975 leading the league with 22 wins and a 2.38 ERA. in 1977 The Mets traded the franchise to the Reds in what Mets fans call the midnight massacre, Seaver had a bumpy road but felt he had an extension in place but a story written by Dick Young made Seaver demand a trade claiming his wife Nancy was jealous Nolan Ryan was earning more money.

Seaver was solid for the Reds in 77 - 1982, going 75-46 and leading the league in wins in 1981 and finishing second to Fernando for the 1981 Cy Young.

Seaver went home to New York, where he went 9-14 with a 3.55 ERA. After the season and for the second time in a decade, he was traded to the White Sox. Tom Terrific will win his 300th game in Chicago with Carlton Fisk as his catcher. Tom will finish up his career in Boston in 1986, and unfortunately, getting hurt before the playoffs, it would have been something for him to pitch against the Mets in the 1986 Series!

Seaver led the league in strikeouts five times and won three Cy Young Awards,12 All-Star Game appearances, rookie of the year, and won the ERA title 3 times, on his way to 311 wins and 3,640 K's. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992, at the time, the highest % of the vote of any player in history, 98.8.

About those Braves . . .

Seaver will torment Atlanta throughout his career; his 54 starts against Atlanta are the most against any franchise, with 32 wins and just 10 losses, and a 2.28 ERA. He also completed 24 games and tossed 419 innings, both of which are career highs vs any other franchise. The only team he beat more was the San Diego Padres (33 wins). He will also deliver the Braves' first NLCS loss in 1969.

April 3, 1919, one of the most bizarre off-the-field incidents in baseball history takes place in Jacksonville, Florida. New York Yankees outfielder Frank “Ping” Bodie competes against an ostrich named “Percy” in a spaghetti-eating contest! Ping wins the competition when Percy passes out after his 11th plate of pasta.

April 3, 1923 - Expelled players Happy Felsch and Swede Risberg file suit against the White Sox for back salary and $400,000 in damages. Both players, acquitted for allegedly fixing the 1919 World Series, were still banned from baseball by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, even though they were found not guilty of the wrongdoing in a much-publicized court case.

April 3, 1938, Goose Goslin returns to the Washington Senators for his third stint with the team. Goslin, who had batted a career-low .238 in 1937, had been released by the Detroit Tigers.

April 3, 1950 — Considered a well-guarded secret, Mel Parnell reveals he pitched all but three of his 39 games for Boston last season with a sore elbow. The 27 year-old ‘Dusty’ finished the season 25-7 with a 2.77 ERA for the second-place Red Sox.

April 3, 1966, Tom Seaver picks the Mets' name from a hat in a lottery, signing with the team for a reported $50,000 bonus. Tom's father had threatened a lawsuit, necessitating the special draft, after his son's contract with Atlanta was voided by Commissioner William Eckert .

April 3, 1969, first baseman Donn Clendenon ends his retirement and reports to the Montreal Expos. Clendenon will eventually be traded twice during the season, first Clendenon refuses to report to his new team after being traded, along with Jesus Alou to the Astros; the Expos resign their reluctant first baseman. Montreal will send Jack Billingham, Skip Guinn, and $100,000 to the Astros to complete the deal that brings Rusty Staub north of the border. Clendenon then will eventually be traded to the New York Mets. Clendenon will hit 12 home runs for the Mets and help them win the World Series

April 3, 1974, the Los Angeles Dodgers make one of the best trades in franchise history, acquiring minor league infielder-outfielder Pedro Guerrero from the Cleveland Indians for pitcher Bruce Ellingsen. The 17-year-old Guerrero will make his major league debut in 1978, the infielder/outfielder will compile a .309 batting average, drive in over 100 runs in 1982 & 1983 and will be named to the All-Star team five times and finish in the top 5 MVP voting 3 times during his 11 seasons with the team.

April 3, 1976 — Angels outfielder Bobby Bonds suffers a fractured finger during an exhibition game with the Dodgers. After 99 painful games, Bonds will have surgery on August 9th.

April 3, 1987, the Chicago Cubs trade Dennis Eckersley for 3 minor league players to the Oakland A's. At one time trading "The Eck" would have been big news! However, at the time the Eck was a struggling pitcher heading towards the end of his effectiveness.

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: On August 4, 1985, Seaver notched his 300th victory, beating the Yankees 4-1, at Yankee Stadium. On the same day, what other hall of famer achieved a milestone?

IF you think you know the answer and bonus points for how many respond with details and if you are right I will give you a shut out! No Googling!

Know someone who loves baseball like you do? Earn rewards by sharing the Rewind!

 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA: Reggie homered 23 times off of 9 Hall of Famers can you name them?

Answer: He homered 23 times off of Hall of Famers Dennis Eckersley, Catfish Hunter, Ferguson Jenkins, Jim Palmer, Gaylord Perry, Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, Don Sutton and Hoyt Wilhelm.

JOIN CLASSIC BASEBALL BROADCASTS TODAY

"Every story in today's newsletter has a broadcast behind it. They're all in the archive, exactly as they sounded on the radio the day they happened. Start your free 7-day trial and hear them tonight."

Get the FREE 7 day trial!