What was Tom Seaver's Net Worth?
Tom Seaver was a retired Major League Baseball player who had a net worth of $10 million. Tom Seaver was best known for his time with the New York Mets, helping them turn from lovable losers into formidable foes, winning the World Series in 1969 on a team that would be later called the "Miracle Mets."
He was drafted by the LA Dodgers in 1965 but after asking for a $70,000 contract the team declined. He finally signed his first professional contract a year later, this time with the Atlanta Braves. Unfortunately, a complication caused this contract to be voided after it was alleged he was ineligible. Ironically, because he had turned pro he could not return to college. He eventually signed a contract with the Mets in 1967.
Seaver would go on to play for the Mets from 1967 to 1977, winning the World Series in 1969. He played a total of 13 seasons in the MLB, playing for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White Sox and Boston Red Sox.
Seaver's record includes 311 wins, 3,640 strikeouts, 61 shutouts and a 2.86 earned run average. This makes him one of the best starting pitchers in the history of baseball. In his two decade-long career, Tom Seaver won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967, and three NL Cy Young Awards.
Known as "Tom Terrific," when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992, he received the highest percentage ever recorded (98.84%) up to that point. He has the only plaque at Cooperstown wearing a New York Mets hat. Being the Mets' all-time leader in wins, Seaver, along with Gil Hodges, is the only Met player to have their jersey numbers retired by the team.
Career Earnings
During his career he earned around $6.6 million in total MLB salary. That's the same as around $16 million in today's dollars. He earned his highest single-season salary in his second-to-last season, earning $1.136 million from the Chicago White Sox.
Early Life
Tom Seaver was born on November 17, 1944 in Fresno, California to Betty and Charles. As an adolescent, he attended Fresno High School, where he was a pitcher on the school baseball team. Seaver also played basketball in high school.
Collegiate Career
Following six months of active duty in the US Marine Corps Reserve, Seaver attended Fresno City College. He was eventually recruited by the University of Southern California to play college baseball. However, the school couldn't decide if Seaver was worthy of a scholarship, so it sent him to Alaska to pitch for the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks during the summer of 1964. His impressive performance on the team earned him the scholarship. At USC, Seaver helped the Trojans achieve a 10-2 record in 1965.
MLB Draft and Early Career
Although Seaver signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves in 1966, the contract was voided by Baseball Commissioner William Eckert due to USC having played two exhibition games that year, despite the fact Seaver didn't participate in those games. Consequently, he planned to finish his college season, but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA on account of him having already signed a professional contract. Outraged, Seaver's father threatened a lawsuit against Eckert, who responded by allowing Seaver to join another team that matched the Braves' offer. Ultimately, it was the New York Mets that were awarded his signing rights in a lottery drawing. Seaver began his professional career in the minors with the Mets affiliate Jacksonville Suns. He made his debut in the majors in 1967, and was named NL Rookie of the Year despite the Mets' last-place finish. The team performed only marginally better the next year.
The Miracle Mets
The Mets had their greatest season yet in 1969. With Seaver winning a league-high 25 games and his first Cy Young Award, the team made it to the World Series, and won the title over the Baltimore Orioles. The victorious team was dubbed the "Miracle Mets."
In 1970, Seaver set an MLB record by striking out the final ten batters in a win over the San Diego Padres. He finished that season as the NL leader in strikeouts, with 283. Seaver led the league in strikeouts again the following year, with 289, and did so again in 1973, 1975, and 1976. Moreover, he won two more Cy Young Awards, in 1973 and 1975. In the former year, the Mets made it back to the World Series, where they fell to the Oakland Athletics in seven games. Seaver's first tenure with the Mets ended in 1977 amid contract disagreements with Mets chairman M. Donald Grant.
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Trade to Cincinnati Reds
In one of two trades that was dubbed the "Midnight Massacre" by sports reporters in New York, Seaver was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in 1977. That season, he won 21 games, including a 5-1 win over his former team, the Mets, at Shea Stadium. In 1978, Seaver recorded a milestone by pitching the only no-hitter of his professional career, in a win over the St. Louis Cardinals. The following season, he helped the Reds win the Western Division. Seaver had one of his best years ever in the strike-shortened 1981 season, when he went 14-2 and recorded his 3,000th career strikeout, helping the Reds achieve the best record in the majors. However, he struggled in 1982 due to many injuries.
Return to the Mets
Seaver returned to the Mets for the 1983 season. Unfortunately, he was unable to replicate his past success with the team, going 9-14 for the season.
Chicago White Sox
In early 1984, the Chicago White Sox claimed Seaver from the Mets. He went on to play two-and-a-half seasons with the White Sox, recording his final shutout in July of 1985. The following month, Seaver recorded his 300th career win in a complete-game victory over the New York Yankees.
Boston Red Sox
Seaver spent his final MLB season with the Boston Red Sox in 1986. His final career win, which was his 311th in total, came in August against the Minnesota Twins. The Red Sox went on to face the Mets in the World Series; although a knee injury kept Seaver out of the tournament, he received a raucous ovation from fans before the start of Game 1. Ultimately, the Mets won the World Series. Seaver subsequently became a free agent after declining a new contract from the Red Sox.
Retirement
Due to a starting rotation badly impeded by injury, the Mets sought out Seaver for the 1987 season. He didn't sign a contract, but joined the club for some exhibition games. After performing poorly in the games, Seaver announced his retirement from the MLB.
Broadcasting Career
Following his retirement from playing, Seaver became a television color commentator for the Mets and the Yankees. Earlier, while still in the MLB, he had gained broadcasting experience as a television analyst for various World Series. Seaver continued to broadcast through the early 00s, serving as NBC's lead baseball color commentator and doing analysis for the Yankees and Mets on WPIX.
Personal Life
In 1966 Tom married Nancy Lynn McIntyre. They had two daughters together and lived on a 115-acre vineyard in Calistoga, California which they called Seaver Family Vineyards.
Seaver reportedly started suffering from memory loss in 2013. It was officially announced by his family in 2019 that he had dementia. At the end of August in 2020, Seaver passed away in his sleep from complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19.
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