Looking Back At Tom Seaver's Career At the All Star Game

Looking back at Tom Seaver's history at the All-Star Game:  

1967 All Star Game: In his 1967 Rookie season, Tom Seaver was selected to his first All Star game. Not only was it a thrill to be selected but the game was played at Anaheim Stadium, in Anaheim, California. Seaver was born north, in Fresno, California & went to college at the University of Southern California. Tom had many family members & friends in attendance at the game. 

As soon as he arrived at the stadium clubhouse, he was approached in the by St. Louis Cardinal's star Lou Brock. 

Brock thinking the young Seaver was a clubhouse attendant, asked if he'd mind fetching him a coke. Seaver had to inform Mr. Brock, that he was a teammate on his All-Star squad. For years, Seaver would joke with Brock about the incident, at the annual Cooperstown Hall of fame induction ceremonies.

In this thrilling contest, the Phillies Dick Allen & the Orioles Brooks Robinson had homered for their respective teams. The outstanding pitching for both leagues got the game to the 15th inning, where the Reds Tony Perez homered off Catfish Hunter giving the NL the 2-1 lead. 

Tom Seaver entered the game looking to close it out. 
In 2013, Seaver said he remembered being nervous on the walk to the mound from the bullpen. But when he arrived at the mound, where he called "his office" it was time to take care of business.

Quotes- Tom Seaver: “That was the turning point of my career. As I looked down at that rubber, I said to myself: ‘I can do this!’ It was right then, right there, in front of 46,000 people, including my friends and family, I knew I belonged in the big leagues.”

The first batter he faced was the Red Sox Tony Conigliaro, Seaver got him to fly out to left field. Next was Carl Yastrzemski, that years Triple Crown Winner, Seaver walked him. 

The Tigers catcher Bill Freehan flew out to center for the second out. Seaver then struck out the White Sox Ken Berry for the final out of the game, earning him the save. 

1968 All Star Game: The 1968 All Star

Game was played in the Houston Astrodome; aka "the eighth wonder of the world". 

In "the Year of the Pitcher" it's no surprise the NL won a 1-0 pitching classic. In the bottom of the 1st, Willie Mays led off with a base hit. Luis Tiant allowed Wilie to advance on a botched pick off play & a wild pitch.

The only run of the game was scored when Willie Mays crossed the plate on his Giants' teammate Willie McCovey's ground ball double play to second base. 

It was the second straight year; the Dodgers Don Drysdale was credited with the All- Star game victory.

In the top of the 7th, Tom Seaver came on after a scoreless inning from the Cardinals Steve Carlton. Seaver got the Twins' Rod Carew to ground out & then struck out Carl Yastrzemski. 

Twins three-time batting champion, Tony Oliva, doubled to centerfield. Seaver then struck out one of his baseball idol's- Willie McCovey to end the inning.

Tom & Nancy Seaver

Seaver impressed NL Manager Red Schoendienst of the Cardinals so much, he sent him out to pitch the 8th inning as well. 

Seaver struck out Boog Powell & then the veteran Mickey Mantle who was in his final season.

The Tigers weak hitting Don Wert doubled down the right field line. 

Seaver then notched his fifth strike out in the two innings setting down Oakland's Rick Monday. 

In the top of the 9th, with two outs, the Mets Rookie left hander, Jerry Koosman was brought in & struck out Carl Yastrzemski for the final out earning the save.

1969 All Star Game: In his first Cy Young Award season & the Amazing Mets Championship year, Seaver was selected to his third straight All-Star team but did not pitch. 

The NL won their seventh straight All-Star Game with a 9-3 win in Washington D.C.

The Giants Willie McCovey had three RBIs, as he & the Reds Johnny Bench led the way with two run HRs.

Future Met Felix Millan collected a two run double & Steve Carlton also had an RBI base hit.

1970 All Star Game: The reigning World Champion Mets manager Gil Hodges, chose to start his Cy Young Award pitcher for the N.L. The game was played in the Reds new ballpark, Riverfront Stadium, in Cincinnati. 

Tom Seaver started the game by striking out the White Sox Luis Aparicio. 

Carl Yastrzemski then hit a single up the middle. Seaver then struck out the Orioles Frank Robinson & got his teammate Boog Powell to pop up. The two Orioles must have felt like it was the 1969 World Series all over again.

In the top of the 2nd, Seaver struck out Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew & D.C.'s hometown hero "the Capitol Punisher" Frank Howard. 

In the top of 3rd inning, he retired the side in order, finishing off his night.

For the AL, Yaz & the Indians Ray Fosse both drove in runs for a 2-0 AL lead. In the 8th Brooke Robinson drove in two runs with a triple making it 4-0 AL. 

But the NL came back, first Willie McCovey drove in a run on a double play. In the 9th, the Giants Dick Dietz homered off Catfish Hunter.

The Mets Bud Harrelson singled to left field & would score on a McCovey base hit off the AL New York team's wife swapping pitcher Fritz Peterson. Roberto Clemente would tie the game with a sac fly line drive off Peterson to center field scoring the Reds Joe Morgan.

In the bottom of the 12th, with two outs the Reds Pete Rose & the Dodgers Bill Grabarkewitz both singled. The Cubs Jim Hickman then singled to center off the Angels Clyde Wright.

Pete Rose rounded third base arriving at home plate the same time the throw did. Rose leveled Indians catcher Ray Fosse knocking him down & the ball out loose. Rose was safe & the NL won their eight start All-Star game.

Ray Fosse suffered a dislocated shoulder &although he had a good career, he was never the same player. Strangely, Fosse had been over Rose's house for dinner the night before the game. 

The controversial play has been debated ever since. It was very rare for such a violent collision to take place in an All-Star Game. 

1971 All Star Game: The 1971 All Star Game in Detroit, Michigan has always been looked at as one of the best. Seaver did not pitch in the game in which the AL won 6-4 snapping an eight-year losing stretch.

Overall, twenty future Hall of Famers participated in the game, which was highlighted by Oakland's Reggie Jackson blasting a mammoth HR off the Pirates Doc Ellis. The HR went onto the roof of Tiger Stadium, hitting a transformer.

The Mets Bud Harrelson make the start at shortstop, in a lineup that also featured Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Willie McCovey, Willie Stargell & Johnny Bench.

Also, that night Harmon Killebrew, Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente & Hank Aaron all hit HRs.

1972 All Star Game: The NL won this matchup at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium 4-3. Seaver was selected to the team but did not pitch. 

In the top of the 9th, the Mets Tug McGraw came on to pitch. He would give up one hit & strike out four in two scoreless innings of work earning the victory.

In the bottom of the 10th, the Reds Joe Morgan singled off the Orioles Dave McNally scoring the Padres Nate Colbert with the game winning run. It was the third time in five years a Mets pitcher had closed out an All-Star Game win with either a save or victory.

1973 All Star Game: Midway thru the Mets Pennant season & Seaver's second Cy Young Award, he would get elected to his seventh straight Mid-Summer Classic.

The game was played in Kansas City with the NL getting HRs from the Reds' Johnny Bench, the Giants' Bobby Bonds & the Dodgers' Willie Davis in a 7-1 blow out. 

In the bottom of the 8th Seaver came in with the 7-1 lead. After retiring the Tigers Ed Brinkman, he walked the hometown Royals Cookie Rojas. But then he got two more ground ball outs from another Royals, slugger John Mayberry & Oakland's Reggie Jackson to end the inning.

Tom Terrific & Mr. October would see each other again in that year's World Series.

1975 All Star Game: After missing the previous years All Star game due to back issues resulting in a sub-par Seaver year, Tom was back for the 1975 Mid-Summer Classic. This was also his third Cy Young season.

The NL took a 3-0 lead with HRs from Dodgers, Steve Garvey & Jimmy Wynn. Johnny Bench then collected an RBI single.

In the bottom of the 6th, Seaver came on, as Oakland's Joe Rudi singled & Gene Tenace walked. With two outs, the Red Sox Carl; Yastrzemski hit a three run HR tying up the game.

The Mets Jon Matlack pitched two scoreless innings, striking out four AL batters he was voted co-MVP along with the Cubs Bill Madlock who in the top of the 9th, hit a two-run single leading to the 6-3 NL win. It was the NL's third straight win, their 11th of the last 12.

1976 All Star Game: The Bicentennial Year had the city of Philadelphia host the All-Star game, in Veterans Stadium. Tom Seaver made his ninth All Star appearance along with teammates John Matlack & Dave Kingman. Kingman already hit 30 HRs got the start in right field.

The NL rolled along to a 7-1 win. 

In the top of the 4th, Seaver gave up the only AL run, a HR to The Red Sox Fred Lynn. In the top of the 5th. his friend & former Mets teammate Rusty Staub collected a base hit to right field. 

Staub was now with the Tigers having a big year. 

In the bottom of the 4th, Tom Seaver even got an at bat, striking out against Oakland's Catfish Hunter. Also, Dave Kingman went 0-2 in the game.

1977 All Star Game: On June 15th, 1977, Tom Seaver was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. It was one of the worst nights in Mets history, known as the Midnight Massacre.

A month later, he was named to the All-Star team in a Reds uniform, pitching in the All-Star game in the AL ballpark in the Bronx. 

When he was introduced to the New York crowd in the pre-game introductions, he was given a huge ovation.

In the bottom of the 6th, he entered the game with the NL ahead 6-0 NL lead, led by HRs from the Dodgers Steve Garvey, the Reds Joe Morgan & the Phils Greg Luzinski.

After the Twins Rod Carew singled, Seaver retired Willie Randolph & George Brett. He then walked Fred Lynn & gave up a two run double to the White Sox Richie Zisk. 

In the 7th, Seaver came on for another inning. The Twins' Butch Wynegar singled & advanced on an error by the Cards Gary Templeton at short. Willie Randolph brought in Wynegar with a base hit to the delight of the Bronx crowd.

In the end the NL went on to its sixth straight win, while winning 14 of the last 15 All Star games. They would not lose again until 1983. 

Tom Seaver would not pitch in another All-Star game until 1981 which would be his final appearance as a player.

Mid-Summer Stats: In his All-Star Career he appeared in eight games, earning one save. He allowed eight runs on 14 hits, struck out 16 & walked four in 13 innings.

2013 All Star Game: Seaver returned to the mound in New York for an All Star game, this time at Citi Field in New York, throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.