Remembering Mets History: (1967) Tom Seaver's MLB Debut

April 13th, 1967: In a much-anticipated debut a young rookie pitcher named Tom Seaver took the mound in a major league game for the first time.

Tom Seaver Lottery: Seaver had been a standout pitcher at the University of Southern California. The Atlanta Braves signed him just as the USC season began but MLB rules stated that a player could not be signed off of a college campus once that team stated playing. 

Seaver intended to finish the year with no contact, but NCAA rules stated with no contract he could lose amateur status. Seaver & his father threatened legal action. MLB came up with a solution, that any team matching the Braves offer would earn the chance to get Seaver in a lottery.

Three MLB teams, the Cleveland Indians, Philadelphia Phillies & New York Mets were all in on Seaver. The Mets won the lottery & changed their teams' history forever.

A small Shea Stadium crowd of just 5,005 came out on a cold day to see Tom Terrific debut on a Thursday afternoon matinee at Shea Stadium. It is said that legendary director Alfred Hitchcock was on hand for this event. Manager Wes Westrum's Mets took on Harry Walker's Pittsburgh Pirates. The Bucs sent Woodie Fryman to the mound vs. Seaver.

The first batter Seaver ever faced in the majors, was former batting champion Matty Alou, he greeted Seaver with a double to right field. After two ground outs Tom walked slugger Willie Stargell. 

First Career K: Then future Met & 1969 World Series MVP Donn Clendenon became Seaver's first ever strike out victim.

In the top of the 2nd inning, Seaver struck out Bill Mazeroski & short stop Gene Alley. 

In the bottom of the 2nd, the Mets Tommie Reynolds singled to center. Jerry Buchek then hit his first HR of the season, a two run HR over the left field wall off Woodie Fryman giving the Mets a 2-0 lead.

HR Trivia: Buchek would hit 14 HRs on the year second most behind Tommy Davis on the club.

In the top of the 3rd inning, Matty Alou walked & Maury Wills singled. Then Seaver gave up the first run in his career with an RBI single to Roberto Clemente. He then struck out Stargell & Clendenon, then retired Mazeroski to end the inning.

In the top of the 4th inning Seaver struck out Alley & pitcher Woodie Fryman for his seventh strikeout. He had walked Jesse Gonder, then hit Matty Alou with a pitch. Wills then drove a single to center tying up the game with the Pirates second run.

In the top of the 6th, with one out Vern Law doubled then Seaver hit Matty Alou with a pitch. 

Mets skipper Wes Westrum came out to remove Seaver.

Quotes- Tom Seaver: "I just ran out of gas".

Seaver pitched 5.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out eight in his debut & walked four. 

Seaver was relieved by Chuck Estrada who was making his Mets debut. Estrada would pitch 2.2 scoreless innings getting to the 9th inning. Estrada would be the winning pitcher of record.

The Pirates brought in 16 year Pirate veteran Vern Law to pitch, Law had  10-1 record vs. the Mets not having taken the loss since 1964.

In the 8th inning, Jerry Buchek singled & was moved over to second on Jerry Grote's sac bunt. Buchek would move over to third on a Larry Stahl ground out. 

Pinch hitter Chuck Hiller then hit a shot to right field where Roberto Clemente attempted to make a shoe string catch, but he was only able to knock the ball down. Buchek scored with what was the game winning run as Hiller pulled into second with a double. 

Trivia: That season Chuck Hiller set a team pinch hit record with 16 pinch hits.

In the bottom of the 9th inning, Mets reliever Ron Taylor came retiring the side in order making the save although it was an not yet an official statistic. 

Quotes- Tom Seaver: "Some people who watched the Mets stumble thru their first five seasons cracked jokes after the game, thy've reached .500 from here on in it's all down hill. I didnt laugh, I hadn't been raised on Mets legend, I wasn't part of that losing history."

Tom Terrific Trivia: On April 20th, 1967 Tom Seaver would make his second start & earn his first career win. That season, Seaver would win the NL Rookie of the Year Award going 16-13 (5th most wins in the NL) with 170 strike outs (8th most in the NL) & a 2.76 ERA. 

The rest is history, as Seaver went on to a twenty-year Hall of Fame career, winning three Cy Young Awards & making a dozen All Star games. 

He won 311 games (311-205) 18th most wins all time, striking out 3640 batters (6th most all time) with 61 shut outs (7th most all time) & posting a 2.86 ERA.

Tom Terrific turned the Mets from loveable losers to World Champions.

In his 12 year Mets career, Seaver is tops on the Mets all time list in wins (128) strike outs (2541) shut outs (44) complete games (171) innings (3045) while posting a 2.57 ERA (second to Jacob deGrom).