NEW YORK – The New York MetsThe Franchise” was made a permanent reminder by unveiling the long-awaited statue honoring legendary pitcher Tom Seaver at Citi Field’s entrance.
The statue is 10 feet high and 13.5 foot long, and features Seaver’s iconic drop-and drive delivery. It is situated on a granite mound.
The statue is made of nine parts and weighs 33,600 lbs.
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— New York Mets (@Mets) April 15, 2022
Seaver, who was 75 years old when she died in 2020, was diagnosed with dementia. Nancy Seaver, who married Hall of Famer in 2016 introduced the statue along with her daughters Sarah & Annie.
In front of cheering fans, she exclaimed, “Hello Tom! It’s so nice having you where you belong.”
Mets owners Steven Cohen (Mets) and Alex Cohen (Mets), were joined by Mike Piazza, Hall of Fame catcher, and Mets ace. Jacob deGromTerry Collins, former manager, Fred Wilpon and Chris Christie, both former governors of New Jersey, as well as Donovan Richards, Queens borough president, were also present.
Cohen stated, “There’s a reason that he was called The Franchise.” “You cannot measure the impact Tom Seaver had on this organization. Mets fans who visit Citi Field will have this wonderful statue as a daily reminder that Tom Seaver is a Mets legend.
The statue ceremony was delayed by more than an hours, so many people waited to see the monument.
Sarah Seaver, Tom’s oldest daughter, said that “This is an amazing way to honor dad’s legacy and celebrate his wonderful years here in New York.” “The Mets have worked on this for years and to finally see William Behrends’ vision come to life is very exciting and touching. This is a great moment to share with all of the dad’s fans.
Seaver was originally scheduled to receive the sculpture in 2021. But the artist requested that the ceremony move to this year, due to delays caused by the coronavirus epidemic.
As a tribute to Seaver (club’s career leader for wins, ERA, and strikeouts), the Mets wore a 41 patch on their home-and-away jerseys in 2021.
During his 12 seasons in New York, Seaver won three Cy Young Awards and pitched the Mets to their first World Series title in 1969.
Seaver was also a player for the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago White SoxAnd Boston Red SoxIn a career of 20 years. He had 311 wins and a 2.86 ERA. He also struck out 3,640.
His number was retired by the Mets in 1988. He was then inducted into Cooperstown, in 1992.
2019: The Mets changed Citi Field’s location to 41 Seaver Way.
This report was compiled by the Associated Press.