Remebering Mets History (1966) Mets Win the Tom Seaver Lottery
In 1965 he went 10-2 striking out 100 batters in 100 innings at USC.
The Atlanta Braves had signed Seaver just as the USC baseball season had started. At that point,
the Trojans had already played two games. MLB rules stated that a player cannot be signed off of a college campus, once that team has started playing its official season.
MLB Commissioner William Eckert stepped in ruling that Tom Seaver's signing with the Atlanta Braves farm team, the Richmond Braves, was illegal & voided the contract.
A frustrated Seaver, with no contract, intended to finish the year at USC. Another legal issue came up, NCAA rules states that even though his contract was no longer in effect, he would have to lose his amateur status. Seaver & his father upset at the ruling, went about pursuing possible legal actions against all involved. The MLB Commissioner William Eckert came up with a solution.
Any team who matched the Braves $51,000 offer to Seaver, would get a chance at signing him, in a special lottery that was to be held. Three teams agreed to match the offer, the Cleveland Indians, the Philadelphia Phillies & the New York Mets.
Thankfully, the Mets won the lottery, they gave Seaver an additional ten grand & the rest is history. Tom Seaver soon changed the Mets organization around from loveable losers to World Champions. He went on to win three Cy Young Awards, a World Series, two NL pennants & become the first Mets player to go into the baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Seaver was nicknamed "the franchise" & will always be the most important Mets player of all time.
Originally Seaver was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the young savvy Seaver demanded a $70,000 signing bonus. The Dodgers refused & walked away from any deal.
In January 1966 the Atlanta Braves selected Seaver & signed him a month later. & Seaver accepted, he had been a big fan of Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews & Joe Adcock. He later said he also like their uniforms.
In January 1966 the Atlanta Braves selected Seaver & signed him a month later. & Seaver accepted, he had been a big fan of Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews & Joe Adcock. He later said he also like their uniforms.
But there legal were problems with this agreement.
the Trojans had already played two games. MLB rules stated that a player cannot be signed off of a college campus, once that team has started playing its official season.
MLB Commissioner William Eckert stepped in ruling that Tom Seaver's signing with the Atlanta Braves farm team, the Richmond Braves, was illegal & voided the contract.
A frustrated Seaver, with no contract, intended to finish the year at USC. Another legal issue came up, NCAA rules states that even though his contract was no longer in effect, he would have to lose his amateur status. Seaver & his father upset at the ruling, went about pursuing possible legal actions against all involved. The MLB Commissioner William Eckert came up with a solution.
Thankfully, the Mets won the lottery, they gave Seaver an additional ten grand & the rest is history. Tom Seaver soon changed the Mets organization around from loveable losers to World Champions. He went on to win three Cy Young Awards, a World Series, two NL pennants & become the first Mets player to go into the baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown. Seaver was nicknamed "the franchise" & will always be the most important Mets player of all time.
