Special Feature: The Franchise

Before there was David Wright, before there was Mike Piazza, before there was Keith Hernandez, there was Tom Seaver. He was the first true superstar to wear the blue & orange, the first 'Face of the Mets.' And to this day, a quarter of a century after he pitched his last game for us, he still remains the fans all-time favorite. Of 800+ players who have played for the Mets, Seaver's #41 remains the only number retired. He was nicknamed Tom Terrific, or more suitably, 'The Franchise.' Tom Seaver truly was The Franchise. Prior to his arrival in New York in 1967, the Mets had been a laughing stock, a floor mat for the NL to wipe their feet on. From 1962-1966, the Mets averaged an embarrassing 52 wins a year. However, within 2 years of Seaver taking the mound at Shea, the unimaginable happened. It was he who led the Mets to the miracle in 1969 with an impressive record of 25-7, a 2.21 ERA and 208 strikeouts. He had a World Series ring on his finger to go along wi...