Stadium name	Shea Stadium
Nickname	Shea
Location	123-01 Roosevelt AvenueFlushing, New York 11368-1699
Coordinates
Broke ground	October 28, 1961
Opened	April 17, 1964
Closed	September 28, 2008 (Final game)
Demolished	October 14, 2008 - February 18, 2009
Owner	City of New York
Operator	New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
Surface	Kentucky Bluegrass
Construction cost	US$28.5 million
Architect	Praeger-Kavanagh-WaterburyFootball: 62,439
Dimensions

William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea (), was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008. Originally built as a multi-purpose stadium, Shea was also the home of the New York Jets football team until 1983. It was demolished in 2009 to furnish additional parking for the adjacent Citi Field, the current home of the Mets.

History

Planning and construction

In 1960, the National League agreed to grant an expansion franchise to the owners of the New York franchise in the abortive Continental League, provided that a new stadium be built. Mayor Robert Wagner, Jr. had to personally wire all National League owners and assure them that the city would build a park.

The Mets' inaugural season (1962) was played in the Polo Grounds, with original plans calling for the team to move to a new stadium in 1963; however construction was delayed, and they played at the Polo Grounds a second season.

It was originally to be called "Flushing Meadow Park Municipal Stadium" - the name of the public park on which it was built - but a movement was launched to name it in honor of William A. Shea, the man who brought National League baseball back to New York. Earlier, New York City official Robert Moses tried to interest Brooklyn Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley in this site as the location for a new Dodger stadium, but O'Malley refused, unable to agree on ownership and lease terms. O'Malley preferred to pay construction costs himself so he would own the stadium outright. He wanted total control over revenue from parking, concessions, and other events. The City, by contrast, wanted to build the stadium, rent it, and retain these ancillary revenue rights to pay off its construction bonds. Additionally, O'Malley wanted to build his new stadium in Brooklyn, while Moses insisted on Flushing Meadows. When Los Angeles offered O'Malley what the City of New York wouldn't—complete and absolute ownership of the facility—he left for southern California in a preemptive bid to install the Dodgers there before a new or existing major league franchise could beat him to it. At the same time, Horace Stoneham moved his New York Giants to the San Francisco Bay Area, preserving the longstanding rivalry with O'Malley's Dodgers that continues to this day.

Opening

After 29 months and $28.5 million, Shea Stadium opened on April 17, 1964, with the Pittsburgh Pirates beating the Mets 4-3 before a crowd of 50,312.

Demolition

In accordance with New York City law, Shea Stadium was dismantled, rather than imploded. The company with the rights to sell memorabilia was given two weeks after the final game to remove seats, signage and other potentially saleable/collectable items before demolition was to begin. The seats were the first ($869 per pair plus tax, a combination of '86 and '69), followed by other Shea memorabilia such as the foul poles, dugouts, stadium signage, and the giant letters that spell out "SHEA" at the front of the building.

After salvaging operations concluded, actual demolition of the ballpark began on October 14, 2008. On October 18, the scoreboard in right field was demolished, with the bleachers, batter's eye and bullpens soon to follow.

By November 10, the field, dugouts and the rest of the field level seats had been demolished.

By mid-December, all of the Loge level seats and a good portion of the Mezzanine level seating were gone as well, leaving only the outer shell remaining.

Demolition work on the upper deck began by January 1, 2009. The next day, all that remained of sections 26-48 of the upper deck was the steel framework. By January 8, the steel framework for sections 36-48 of the upper deck had been completely removed; all that remained of the "Live & In Person" advertising banner at the top above Gate A was the extreme right portion with the Shea Stadium Final Season logo. As of January 15, the far left field portion of Shea was completely demolished and the left field upper deck (sections 25-47) was stripped to its steel framework. The remaining letters at the top of the ballpark behind home plate were taken down on January 21. Approximately two-thirds of the stadium's outer superstructure was gone by January 24.

On January 31, Mets fans all over New York came to Shea for one final farewell to Shea Stadium. Fans took a tour of the site, told stories, and sang songs. The last remaining section of seats was demolished on February 18. Fans stood in awe as the remaining structure of Shea Stadium (one section of ramps) was torn down at 11:22 AM that morning.

Shea's home plate, pitcher's mound, and the bases are immortalized in Citi Field's parking lot, and feature engravings of the neon baseball players that once graced the exterior of the stadium.

Stadium usage

Sports

Baseball

game in 2008. Shea had the best attendance in the National League that year, garnering over 53,000 fans per game on average.]] Shea Stadium was the home of the New York Mets since its inception in 1964, and hosted the Major League Baseball All-Star Game that same year, with Johnny Callison of the Philadelphia Phillies hitting a home run in the ninth inning to win the only Mid-Summer Classic held in the Queens ballpark. A month earlier on Father's Day, Callison's teammate, future Hall of Fame member and United States Senator Jim Bunning, pitched a perfect game against the Mets.

The stadium was often criticized by baseball purists for many reasons, even though it was retrofitted to be a baseball-only stadium after the Jets left. The upper deck was one of the highest in the majors. The lower boxes were farther from the field than similar seats in other parks because they were still on the rails that swiveled the boxes into position for football. Their story ended where it had started 35 years earlier: at Shea Stadium. The following year, the Expos relocated to Washington, D.C., where they were renamed the Nationals.

As of June 10, 2005, the Mets had played more games at Shea Stadium than the Brooklyn Dodgers did at Ebbets Field.

The last game played at Shea Stadium was a loss to the Florida Marlins on September 28, 2008. However, the Mets were in the thick of the playoff chase until the last day. A win would have meant another game for Shea as the Mets were scheduled to play the Milwaukee Brewers in a one game playoff for the NL Wild Card had they won. Following the game, there was a "Shea Goodbye" tribute in which many players from the Mets glory years entered the stadium and touched home plate one final time so that fans could pay their last respects to the players and the stadium the Mets called home for 45 years. The ceremony ended with Tom Seaver throwing a final pitch to Mike Piazza, then, as the Beatles "In My Life" played on the stadium speakers the two former Met stars walked out of the centerfield gate and closed it behind them, followed by a display of blue and orange fireworks.

Three National League Division Series were played at Shea Stadium. The Mets won all three, and never lost a Division Series game at Shea.

1999 against the Arizona Diamondbacks - Mets win 3 games to 1

2000 against the San Francisco Giants - Mets win 3 games to 1

2006 against the Los Angeles Dodgers - Mets win 3 games to 0

Seven National League Championship Series were played at Shea Stadium.

1969 against the Atlanta Braves - Mets win 3 games to 0

1973 against the Cincinnati Reds - Mets win 3 games to 2

1986 against the Houston Astros - Mets win 4 games to 2

1988 against the Los Angeles Dodgers - Dodgers win 4 games to 3

1999 against the Atlanta Braves - Braves win 4 games to 2

2000 against the St. Louis Cardinals - Mets win 4 games to 1

2006 against the St. Louis Cardinals - Cardinals win 4 games to 3*

:* The decisive seventh game of this series was played at Shea Stadium, marking the only time that the Mets ever lost the deciding game of an NLCS at home.

Four World Series were played in Shea Stadium. against the Baltimore Orioles - Mets win 4 games to 1 against the Oakland Athletics - A's win 4 games to 3 against the Boston Red Sox - Mets win 4 games to 3 against the New York Yankees - Yankees win 4 games to 1

The Yankees World Series win in 2000 was the only time that visiting teams won a World Series at Shea Stadium. The Mets won both their World Series titles at Shea Stadium (in Game 5 in 1969, and Game 7 in 1986).

The New York Yankees played their home games in Shea Stadium during the 1974 and 1975 seasons while Yankee Stadium was being renovated. The move to Shea had been proposed earlier in the decade, but the Mets, as Shea's primary tenants, refused to sign off on the deal. However, when the city stepped in to pay for renovating Yankee Stadium, the Mets had little choice but to agree to share Shea with the Yankees.

Separately, on the afternoon of April 15, 1998, the Yankees also played one home game at Shea, against the Anaheim Angels after a beam collapsed at Yankee Stadium two days before, destroying several rows of seats. With the Mets playing a game at Shea that evening against the Chicago Cubs, the Yankees used the visitor's locker room and dugout and the Angels used the home dugout and old locker room of the New York Jets. Former Mets star Darryl Strawberry, then playing for the Yankees, hit a home run during the game. Stadium operators partially raised the Mets' home run apple signal before lowering it back down, much to the delight of the crowd present.

Shea Stadium also hosted the first extra-inning regular season baseball opener ever played in New York, on March 31, 1998, when the Mets opened their season against their rival Philadelphia Phillies, playing the longest scoreless opening day game in the National League and the longest one in the MLB since . The Mets won the game 1-0 in the bottom of the 14th. The game was eventually completed on September 16, with the Cubs winning 5-2.

Football

The New York Jets of the American Football League and later, the National Football League played at Shea for twenty seasons, from 1964 to 1983 (excluding their first home game in 1977 played at Giants Stadium). The stadium hosted three Jets playoff games: the American Football League Championship in 1968 (beat the Oakland Raiders, 27-23), an AFL Divisional Playoff in 1969 (lost 13-6 to the Kansas City Chiefs) and the 1981 AFC Wild Card Playoff game (lost 31-27 to the Buffalo Bills).

For most of the Jets' tenure at Shea, they were burdened by onerous lease terms imposed at the insistence of the Mets. Until 1978, the Jets could not play their first home game until the Mets' season was finished. Even after that year, the Mets' status as Shea's primary tenants would require the Jets to go on long road trips (switching Shea from baseball to football configuration was a rather complex process, involving electrical, plumbing, field and other similar work). The stadium was also not well maintained in the 1970s. The Jets moved to Giants Stadium for the 1984 season, enticed by the additional 15,000+ seats offered there. Fans ripped Shea apart after the last game of the 1983 season, which also was the last NFL appearance for Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who threw two touchdown passes to lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 34-7 victory. Even the scoreboard operator had a field day, displaying the home team as the "N.J. Jets".

It was at Shea Stadium on December 16, 1973 that O.J. Simpson became the first running back to gain 2,000 yards in a single season (and, to date, the only player to do it in 14 games or fewer).

The Jets' final game at Shea was a 34-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 10, 1983. Earlier in the 1983 season, a Jets game against the Los Angeles Rams featured an 85-yard touchdown run by rookie Eric Dickerson, as well as a brawl between Rams offensive tackle Jackie Slater and Jets defensive end Mark Gastineau when Slater blindsided Gastineau after the Jet performed his infamous "Sack Dance" over fallen Rams quarterback Vince Ferragamo.

The NFL's New York Giants played their 1975 season at Shea while Giants Stadium was being built. The Giants were 5-9 that year (2-5 at Shea). Their coach was Bill Arnsparger and their quarterback was Craig Morton.

The football field at Shea extended from around home plate all the way to the outfield, with the baseline seating rotating out to fill left and right fields.

Soccer

The first soccer game held at Shea Stadium occurred during tournament play from the International Soccer League on June 17, 1965. New York United of the American Soccer League called Shea home in 1980.

Other events

On Sunday, August 15, 1965, The Beatles opened their 1965 North American tour there to a record audience of 55,600. "Beatlemania" was at one of its peak at the Shea Concert. Film footage taken at the concert shows many teenagers and women crying, screaming, and even fainting. The crowd noise was such that security guards can be seen covering their ears as The Beatles enter the field. The sound of the crowd was so deafening that none of The Beatles (or anyone else) could hear what they were playing. Nevertheless, it was the first concert to be held at a major stadium and set records for attendance and revenue generation, demonstrating that outdoor concerts on a large scale could be successful and profitable, and led the Beatles to return to Shea for a successful encore on 23 August 1966. The attendance record stood until 1973 when it was broken by Led Zeppelin.

The first major music event to play Shea Stadium after The Beatles successful run was the Summer Festival for Peace on August 6, 1970.

Before Joel's concerts, the last performer to play there was Bruce Springsteen along with his famed backing band; the E Street Band in early October 2003. On the morning of the Pontiff's visit, Shea Stadium was awash in torrential rain, causing ankle-deep mud puddles, and threatened to ruin the event. But as the Popemobile entered the stadium, the rain stopped.

On December 9, 1979, as part of the halftime show of an NFL game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots, a model airplane group put on a remote control airplane display. The grand finale was a red 40-pound lawnmower. Its blade flew into the stands hitting John Bowen of Nashua, New Hampshire. Bowen died six days later.

Between 1972 and 1980, Shea also hosted 3 wrestling events held by the then World Wrestling Federation.

In 1987, Marvel Comics rented Shea Stadium to re-enact the wedding of their two characters Spider-Man/Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson.

Recently on VH1's documentary series 7 Ages of Rock, Shea Stadium was named the most hallowed venue in all of rock music.

In the stadium was destroyed in a fight between Godzilla and Crackler.

Shea Stadium was used in the 1970s for filming the movie The Wiz. They used the exterior pedestrian ramps for a motorcycle chase scene with Michael Jackson & Diana Ross.

In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the stadium became a staging area for rescuers, its parking lots filled with food, water, medical supplies, even makeshift shelters where relief workers could sleep. Ten days later Shea reopened for the first post-attack sporting event in New York where the Mets beat the Braves, behind a dramatic home run by Mets catcher Mike Piazza. As Yankee Stadium was being renovated and Giants Stadium was nearing completion, there were scheduling clashes between the New York teams in baseball from April 1975 through September 1975 and both football teams from October 1975 through December 1975. Even though Shibe Park housed the Phillies, A's, and Eagles collectively from 1940 to 1954 (excluding 1941), the 1975 sports calendar in Shea Stadium was unrivaled. The Jets and also the Giants could not play a "home" game at Shea Stadium until the baseball season had ended for the main tenant Mets and the temporary incumbent Yankees. The Mets attracted 1,730,566 to their games while the Yankees attracted 1,288,048 to their "home" games at Shea. Having both the Giants and Jets share Shea Stadium for one season foreshadowed what was to come in the future with the Meadowlands (a.k.a. Giants Stadium) after the Jets left Flushing Meadows for New Jersey following the 1983 NFL season.

Features

Design

Shea was a circular stadium, with the grandstand forming a perfect circle around the field and ending a short distance beyond the foul lines. The remainder of the perimeter was mostly empty space beyond the outfield fences. This space was occupied by the bullpens, scoreboards, and a section of bleachers beyond the left field fence. The stadium boasted 54 restrooms, 21 escalators and seats for 57,343. It was big, airy, sparkling, with a massive 86' x 175' scoreboard. Also, rather than the standard light towers, Shea had lamps along its upper reaches, like a convoy of semis with their brights on, which gave the field that unique high-wattage glow. Praised for its convenience, even its "elegance," Shea was actually deemed a showplace. These special features helped make Shea more popular during its lifetime than other "cookie-cutter" venues, like RFK Stadium, Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium, and Three Rivers Stadium.

The stadium was located close to LaGuardia Airport. For many years, interruptions for planes flying overhead were common at Shea, and the noise was so loud that radio and television broadcasts couldn't be heard. Later, flight plans were altered to alleviate the noise problem.

players on the outside of Shea Stadium.]]

Shea was originally designed to convert from a baseball field into a rectangle field suitable for football using two motor-operated stands that allow the field level seats to rotate on underground railroad tracks. After the New York Jets football team moved to Giants Stadium in New Jersey in 1984, the Mets took over operation of the stadium and retrofitted it for exclusive baseball use. As part of the refitting, Shea Stadium's exterior was painted blue, and neon signs of baseball player silhouettes were added to the windscreens between 1986 and 1988. The original scoreboard was removed, and a new one installed in its place (fitting into the shell left behind by the old one), in 1988. Also at that time, the original (wooden) outfield wall was removed and replaced by a padded fence.

The design also allowed for Shea Stadium to be expandable to 90,000 seats (by completely enclosing the grandstand), or to be later enclosed by a dome if warranted. In March 1965, a plan was formally announced to add a glass dome and add 15,000 seats. The Mets strongly objected to the proposal. The idea was dropped after engineering studies concluded that the stadium's foundation would be unable to support the weight of the dome.

Originally, all of the seats were wooden, with each level having a different color. The field boxes were yellow, the loge level seats were brown, the mezzanine seats were blue, and the upper deck seats were green. Each level above the field level was divided into box seats (below the portals) and reserved seats (above the portals). The box seats were of a darker shade than the reserved seats. The game ticket was the same color as the seat that it was for, and the signs in the lobby for that section were the same color as the seat and the ticket. Before the 1980 baseball season they were replaced with red (upper deck), green (mezzanine), blue (loge), and orange (field level) plastic seats.

Unlike the crosstown Yankee Stadium, Shea was built on an open field (on top of a garbage landfill), so there was no need to have it conform to the surrounding streets.

Before Shea Stadium closed in 2008, it was the only stadium in the Major Leagues with orange foul poles. This tradition is carried on at Citi Field as the foul poles there are the same color.

Banks of ramps that provided access from the ground to the upper levels were built around the outside circumference of the stadium. The ramps were not walled in and were visible from the outside. The ramps were originally partly covered with many rectangular panels in blue and orange (two of the team's colors). These panels can be seen in the 1970s movie The Wiz; it used the exterior pedestrian ramps for a motorcycle chase scene with Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. The 1960s-style decorations were removed in 1980.

For the 2007 and 2008 seasons, the construction of Citi Field was visible beyond the left and center field walls of Shea.

From 1973-1979, fans could estimate the distance of home run balls, since there were several signs beyond the outfield wall giving the distance in feet from home plate, in addition to the nine markers within the field. A newer, bigger apple has been placed in center field at Citi Field; in 2009 Shea's original apple was installed inside Citi Field's Bullpen Gate and was visible from outside, on 126th Street. In 2010, the Shea apple was relocated outside the ballpark, in front of the Jackie Robinson Rotunda.

Homages

Three players in the National League named their children after Shea Stadium.

Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones named his second son Shea after Jones' success in Shea Stadium against the Mets; he hit 19 home runs there, more than any other road park.

Former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin named his eldest daughter Brielle D'Shea, as he enjoyed playing at Shea Stadium.

Former Houston Astros' Gary Cooper (third baseman) named his youngest daughter Shea after Shea Stadium. He also named his son Camden after Camden Yards in Baltimore.

In culture

In the 1997 film Men in Black, a large UFO piloted by the antagonist flies over Shea, distracting a Mets fielder from catching a fly ball.

In 2009, less than one year after its destruction, the stadium was used as a playable venue in , depicting the band's landmark concerts there.

References

External links

Ballpark Digest Visit to Shea Stadium

Google Maps view of Shea Stadium

Shea Stadium Opening Day 2006 Photo

A Photographic Documentary of the Final Summer of Shea

Virtual Tours of Shea Stadium, by Newsday.com

ESPN: "Be it ever so humble, there's no place like Shea"

In Mudville, Queens, Shea Scavengers Hunt Soggy Discarded Relics by Corey Kilgannon, The New York Times (New York edition), September 30, 2008, page B3 [retrieved on October 3, 2008]

With Stadiums Going, Going, Ashes May Be Gone by James Barron, The New York Times, New York edition, October 11, 2008, Page A17, retrieved on October 12, 2008 [Relatives grieve over ashes smuggled into and left under or over Shea and Yankee stadiums.]

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Category:1964 architecture Category:Sports venues in Queens Category:American Football League venues Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States Category:Defunct Major League Baseball venues Category:Defunct National Football League venues Category:Baseball venues in New York Category:New York Mets stadiums Category:New York Jets stadiums Category:New York Yankees stadiums Category:New York Giants stadiums Category:Robert Moses projects Category:2009 disestablishments Category:Former sports venues in New York City Category:Demolished sports venues in the United States

Name	Tom Seaver
Width	300px
Caption	Tom Seaver on September 28, 2008.
Position	Pitcher
Bats	Right
Throws	Right
Birthdate	November 17, 1944
Birthplace	Fresno, California
Debutdate	April 13
Debutyear	1967
Debutteam	New York Mets
Finaldate	September 19
Finalyear	1986
Finalteam	Boston Red Sox
Stat1label	Win–Loss record
Stat1value	311–205
Stat2label	Earned run average
Stat2value	2.86
Stat3label	Strikeouts
Stat3value	3,640
Teams
Highlights
Hofdate
Hofvote	98.8% (first ballot)

George Thomas "Tom" Seaver (born November 17, 1944), nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets. During a 20-year career, Seaver compiled 311 wins, 3,640 strikeouts, and a 2.86 earned run average. In , he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame by the highest percentage ever recorded (98.8%), and has the only plaque at Cooperstown wearing a New York Mets hat. As of 2010, Seaver is also the only Met player to have his jersey number retired by the team.

He won the National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1967, and three NL Cy Young Awards as the league's best pitcher. Seaver is the Mets' all-time leader in wins, and is considered by many baseball experts as one of the best starting pitchers in the history of baseball.

Early life & development

Seaver was born in Fresno, California to Betty Lee Cline and Charles Henry Seaver. Pitching for Fresno High School, Seaver compensated for his lack of size and strength by developing great control on the mound. Despite being an All-City basketball player, he hoped to play baseball in college.

He joined the United States Marine Corps Reserves on June 28, 1962. He served with AIRFMFPAC 29 Palms, California through July . After six months of active duty in the Reserves, Seaver enrolled at Fresno City College.

In anticipation of the following season, he was being recruited to pitch for the University of Southern California by legendary Trojan coach Rod Dedeaux. Unsure as to whether Seaver was worthy of a scholarship, he was sent to pitch for the Alaska Goldpanners of Fairbanks, Alaska, in 1964. After a stellar season — in which he pitched and won a game in the national tournament with a grand slam — he was awarded a scholarship to USC. As a sophomore, Seaver posted a 10-2 record, and he was drafted in the tenth round of the 1965 Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers. When Seaver asked for $70,000, however, the Dodgers passed.

In 1966, he signed a contract with the Atlanta Braves, who had drafted him in the first round of the secondary June draft (20th overall). However, the contract was voided by Baseball Commissioner William Eckert because his college team had played two exhibition games (although Seaver hadn't played). Seaver intended, then, to finish the college season, but because he had signed a pro contract, the NCAA ruled him ineligible. After Seaver's father complained to Eckert about the unfairness of the situation, and threatened with a lawsuit, Eckert ruled that other teams could match the Braves' offer. which the Mets had also won, with Carlton the victim of Ron Swoboda's pair of 2-run homers in a 4-3 Mets victory over the Cardinals in St. Louis on September 15, 1969. (The record was later eclipsed by 20-strikeout games by Kerry Wood, Randy Johnson, and twice by Roger Clemens.) By mid-August, Seaver's record stood at 17-6 and he seemed well on his way to a second consecutive 20-victory season. But he only won one of his last ten starts, including four on short rest, to finish 18-12. Nonetheless, Seaver led the National League in both ERA and strikeouts.

His season was arguably Seaver's finest year, when he led the league in ERA (1.76) and strikeouts (289 in 286 innings) while going 20-10. However, he finished second in the Cy Young balloting to Ferguson Jenkins of the Chicago Cubs, due to Jenkins' league-leading 24 wins, 325 innings pitched, and exceptional control numbers. Seaver himself has said that 1971 was his best season.

Seaver had four more twenty-win seasons (20 in , 21 in , 22 in 1975 and 21 in (7 wins for the Mets, then 14 more after being traded to the Reds). He won two more Cy Young Awards ( and 1975, both with the Mets).

Between 1970 and 1976, Seaver led the National League in strikeouts five of the seven seasons, finishing second in and third in . Seaver also won three ERA titles as a Met. A famous quote about Seaver is attributed to Reggie Jackson: "Blind men come to the park just to hear him pitch." Seaver was perhaps the foremost latter-day exponent of "drop and drive" overhand delivery, but his powerful legs protected his arm, and ensured his longevity. Seaver was frequently compared to fellow Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Matthewson.

1977 Trade

By 1977, the free agency period had begun and contract negotiations between Mets ownership and Seaver were not going well. Seaver wanted to renegotiate his contract to bring his salary in line with what other top pitchers were making, but chairman of the board M. Donald Grant, who by this time had been given by Met management to do what he wished, refused to budge. Longtime New York Daily News columnist Dick Young regularly wrote negative columns about Seaver's "greedy" demands. When Young wrote an unattributed story claiming that Seaver was being goaded by his wife to ask for more money because she was jealous of Nolan Ryan's wife, Seaver had had enough and demanded a trade away from New York.

In what New York's sports reporters dubbed "the Midnight Massacre", Grant sent Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds on June 15, for Pat Zachry, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, and Dan Norman. He finished the 1977 season with 21 wins by going 14-3 with Cincinnati, including an emotional 5-1 win over the Mets in his return to Shea Stadium. Seaver struck out 11 in the return, and also hit a double. Seaver, who was immensely popular in New York, also received a lengthy ovation at the 1977 All-Star Game, which was held in New York's Yankee Stadium. His departure from New York sparked sustained negative fan reaction, as the Mets became the league's worst team. Attendance dipped in (resulting in Grant being fired after that season), and plunged in . In a sardonic nod to the general manager, Shea Stadium acquired the nickname "Grant's Tomb".

Cincinnati Reds

After having thrown five one-hitters for New York, including two no-hitters that were broken up in the 9th inning, Seaver finally recorded a 4-0 no-hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals on June 16, 1978 at Riverfront Stadium. It was the only no-hitter of his professional career.

Seaver was 75-46 during his time in Cincinnati. He led the Cincinnati pitching staff notably in 1979, when the Reds won the Western Division crown and (along with Mario Soto) in the strike-shortened 1981 season, when the Reds posted the best record in the major leagues. He was a close runner-up to Fernando Valenzuela for the Cy Young Award, a year in which he was 14-2, and was voted third and fourth in two other seasons. He suffered through an injury-ridden campaign, finishing 5-13.

Return to New York

On December 16, 1982, Seaver was traded back to the Mets, for Charlie Puleo, Lloyd McClendon, and Jason Felice. On April 5, , he tied Walter Johnson's major league record of 14 Opening Day starts, shutting out the Philadelphia Phillies for six innings in a 2-0 Mets win. (He made two more such starts with the Chicago White Sox in and for a record total of 16 opening day assignments.) Despite a 9-14 record that season, Seaver had high expectations going into and intended to finish his career where he started it.

300 wins

Seaver and the Mets were stunned on January 20, 1984 when he was claimed in a free-agent compensation draft by the Chicago White Sox. The team (especially GM Frank Cashen) had incorrectly assumed that no one would pursue a high-salaried, 39-year-old starting pitcher, and left him off the protected list. Faced with either reporting to the White Sox or retiring, Seaver chose the former. The result for the Mets was an opening in the starting rotation that allowed Dwight Gooden to be part of the team.

Seaver pitched two and a half seasons in Chicago, crafting his last shutout on July 19, 1985 against the visiting Indians. In an anomaly, Seaver won two games on May 9, 1984; he pitched the 25th and final inning of a game suspended the day before, picking up the win in relief, before starting and winning the day's regularly scheduled game. This unexpected win set up one of Seaver's most memorable moments.

After Seaver's 298^th win, a reporter had pointed out to White Sox catcher Carlton Fisk that following his upcoming start in Boston, Seaver's next scheduled start would be in New York, and that the possibility existed that he might achieve the mark there. Fisk emphatically stated that Seaver would win in Boston, and then would win his 300^th.

On August 4, 1985, Seaver recorded his 300^th victory at New York against the Yankees, throwing a complete game. Coincidentally, it was Phil Rizzuto Day – Seaver would later become Rizzuto's broadcast partner for Yankee games. Lindsey Nelson, a Mets radio and TV announcer during Seaver's Mets days, called the final out for Yankees TV flagship WPIX.

Final season

In 1986, his final season, Seaver almost returned to the Mets, as general manager Frank Cashen was poised to make a mid-season trade. However, manager Davey Johnson vetoed the idea, and Seaver instead ended his career with the Boston Red Sox after being traded for Steve Lyons. Seaver's 311th and last win came on August 18, 1986 against the Minnesota Twins. At the time of his retirement Seaver was third on the all-time strikeout list (3,640), trailing only Nolan Ryan and Steve Carlton. His lifetime ERA of 2.86 was third among starting pitchers in the post "live-ball" era, behind only Whitey Ford and Sandy Koufax. Seaver also holds the record for consecutive 200-strike-out seasons with nine (1968–1976).

A knee injury prevented him from appearing against the Mets in the World Series, but Seaver received among the loudest ovations during player introductions prior to Game 1. The Red Sox did not offer Seaver a contract to his liking for the season. His 1986 salary was $1 million; the Red Sox offered $500,000, which Seaver declined. When no new contract was reached, Seaver was granted free agency on November 12, 1986.

In 1987, with their starting rotation decimated by injury, the Mets sought help from Seaver. Though no actual contract was signed, Seaver joined the club on June 6, and was hit hard in an exhibition game against the Triple-A Tidewater Tides on June 11. After similarly poor outings on the 16th & 20th, he announced his retirement, saying, "I've used up all the competitive pitches in my arm!" The Mets retired his uniform number 41 in in a special Tom Seaver Day ceremony. As of 2010, Seaver remains the only Met player to have his uniform number retired. Casey Stengel and Gil Hodges had their numbers retired as Met managers, and Jackie Robinson had his number retired by all teams. Their numbers—14 (Hodges), 37 (Stengel), 41 (Seaver), and 42 (Jackie Robinson) -- were posted in large numerals on the outfield fence at Shea Stadium, and are posted on the left field corner wall at Citi Field.

Hall of Fame

Seaver was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame on January 7, 1992. He received the highest-ever percentage of votes with 98.84% (on 425 of 430 ballots), higher than Nolan Ryan's 98.79% (491 of 497), and Ty Cobb's 98.23% (222 of 226). Reportedly, three of the five ballots that had omitted Seaver were blank, cast by writers protesting the Hall's decision to make Pete Rose ineligible for consideration. Seaver is the only player enshrined in the Hall of Fame with a Mets cap on his plaque. He was also inducted into the New York Mets Hall of Fame in , the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 2006.

In , Seaver ranked 32nd on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, the only player to have spent a majority of his career with the Mets to make the list. That year, he was also a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Baseball purists often compare him to Christy Mathewson for his combination of raw power, pinpoint control, intelligence, and intense scrutiny of his performance. Seaver was the foremost latter-day exponent of "drop and drive" overhand delivery that utilitized his powerful legs, took strain off of his arm, and helped ensure his longevity. He always credited the training he received in the Mets organization, citing the long careers of teammates Jerry Koosman, Nolan Ryan and Tug McGraw as further proof. Seaver could also help himself at the plate. A good-hitting pitcher and proficient bunter, Seaver hit 12 home runs during his career, along with a relatively solid lifetime average for a pitcher of .154.

Hank Aaron stated that Seaver was the toughest pitcher he ever faced. Seaver approached Aaron before his first All-Star Game in 1967 and asked Aaron for his autograph. Seaver felt the need to introduce himself to Aaron, as he was certain "Hammerin' Hank" would not know who he was. Aaron replied to Seaver, "Kid, I know who you are, and before your career is over, I guarantee you everyone in this stadium will, too." In an ESPN poll among his peers, Bob Gibson, Juan Marichal, Jim Palmer, Nolan Ryan, Steve Carlton, Bert Blyleven, and Don Sutton all agreed Seaver was "the best" of their generation of pitchers.

On September 28, , Seaver was chosen as the "Hometown Hero" for the Mets franchise by ESPN. Seaver made a return to Shea Stadium during the "Shea Goodbye" closing ceremony on September 28, , where he threw out the final pitch in the history of the stadium to Mike Piazza. He and Piazza then opened the Mets' new home, Citi Field with the ceremonial first pitch on April 13, 2009.

Broadcasting career

Since retirement, Seaver has sometimes been a television color commentator, working variously for the Mets, the New York Yankees, and with Vin Scully in for NBC. Seaver replaced Joe Garagiola as NBC's lead baseball color commentator. He is one of three sportscasters to be regular announcers for both the Mets and Yankees; the others are Fran Healy and Tim McCarver. He has also worked as a part-time scout, and as a spring training pitching coach. Seaver's TV experience dates back to his playing career, when he was invited into the TV booths for the and World Series on ABC and NBC, respectively.

Personal life

Seaver married the former Nancy Lynn McIntyre on June 9, 1966. They are parents of two daughters. They live in Calistoga, California, where he started his own his vineyard, Seaver Family Vineyards, on his estate in 2002. He presented his two cabernets, "Nancy's Fancy" and "GTS", in an April 2010 wine-tasting event in SoHo to positive reviews,

His media nickname referred to the cartoon character Tom Terrific.

See also

List of MLB individual streaks

300 win club

3000 strikeout club

List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins

List of Major League Baseball ERA champions

List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions

List of Major League Baseball wins champions

List of pitchers who have struck out 18 or more batters in a nine-inning MLB game

Top 100 strikeout pitchers of all time

Major League Baseball titles leaders

List of Major League Baseball no-hitters

List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

Footnotes

External links

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Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:Baseball players from California Category:Boston Red Sox players Category:Chicago White Sox players Category:Cincinnati Reds players Category:Cy Young Award winners Category:Jacksonville Suns players Category:Major League Baseball announcers Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:Major League Baseball players with retired numbers Category:Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award winners Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees Category:National League All-Stars Category:National League ERA champions Category:National League strikeout champions Category:National League wins champions Category:New York Mets broadcasters Category:New York Mets players Category:People from Fresno, California Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:USC Trojans baseball players

Name	Ryan Church
Width	225
Position	Right fielder
Team	Free Agent
Number	--
Bats	Left
Throws	Left
Birthdate	October 14, 1978
Birthplace	Santa Barbara, California
Debutdate	August 21
Debutyear	2004
Debutteam	Montreal Expos
Statyear	August 18, 2010
Stat1label	Batting average
Stat1value	.263
Stat2label	Home runs
Stat2value	54
Stat3label	Runs batted in
Stat3value	261
Teams

Ryan Matthew Church (born October 14, 1978, in Santa Barbara, California) is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.

Career

Cleveland Indians

Drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 14th round of the 2000 Major League Baseball Draft, Church signed June 7, 2000, after graduation from the University of Nevada, Reno. By January , he was traded by the Indians with Maicer Izturis to the Montreal Expos for Scott Stewart.

Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals

Church made his major league debut for the Expos in August 2004, struggling in the 30 games he played in the last two months of the season. He ended the season with a .187 batting average.

After struggling in the first month of the season Church was considered a candidate for the Rookie of the Year Award, until he injured himself running into the outfield wall at PNC Park on June 22, 2005. At the time of the incident, Church was batting .325 with a .544 slugging percentage. After the incident, Church made two trips to the disabled list and was unable to match his hitting performance from the first half of the season.

In , Church was demoted to Triple-A New Orleans after struggling early in the year. However, Church was sent back to the majors on July 23, and ended up hitting .276 with a career best 10 home runs and .892 OPS. His 10 home runs in just 196 at-bats in 2006 projects to around 30 home runs for an entire season.

In , Church had career highs in games (144), at bats (470), runs (57), hits (128), doubles (43), home runs (15), and RBI (70). He finished the year batting .272, slugging .464 and a .813 OPS.

New York Mets

After the 2007 season, Church was heavily mentioned in trade talks, with the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and Minnesota Twins all reportedly very interested in his services. However, on November 30, 2007, Church was traded along with Brian Schneider to the New York Mets for Lastings Milledge.

In spring training , Church was involved in a collision with first baseman Marlon Anderson that resulted in a Grade 2 concussion for Church. He recovered without any serious injuries. On May 20, 2008, Church suffered a minor concussion while sliding into Atlanta Braves shortstop Yunel Escobar. It appeared as though when Church initially slid, his head made contact with Escobar's right knee. Following Church hitting his head, he slid about eight feet past second base with his forehead dragging on the dirt. Church made his return to the starting lineup on June 1, 2008, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, collecting three hits including a home run and a double. However, he was placed on the disabled list with aftereffects of the concussion he suffered. On September 3, Church had his second career grand slam off of Dave Bush.

Atlanta Braves

On July 10, 2009, he was traded to the Atlanta Braves for Jeff Francoeur, but was designated for assignment on December 8, 2009 in order to make room for the return of Rafael Soriano.

On December 12, 2009, four days after designating Church for assignment, the Atlanta Braves decided to non-tender him making Church a free agent.

Pittsburgh Pirates

On January 11, 2010, Church agreed to a deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Arizona Diamondbacks

On July 31, 2010, Church, Bobby Crosby and D. J. Carrasco were traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for Chris Snyder and Pedro Ciriaco.

Controversy

In 2005, the Nationals suspended Jon Moeller, a volunteer chaplain, and issued an apology after Church, a devout Christian, revealed conversations he had with him about a Jewish former girlfriend. Church told the Washington Post that the chaplain nodded when he asked whether Jews were "doomed" because they "don't believe in Jesus." After Jewish community leaders complained, Church issued a statement saying, "I am not the type of person who would call into question the religious beliefs of others."

References

;Notes

External links

2007 spring training highlight video at The Washington Post

Gallery photos of Ryan Church

Category:1978 births Category:Living people Category:Montreal Expos players Category:Washington Nationals players Category:New York Mets players Category:Atlanta Braves players Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:Arizona Diamondbacks players Category:Baseball players from California Category:Major League Baseball outfielders Category:People from Atlanta, Georgia Category:People from Santa Barbara, California Category:Mahoning Valley Scrappers players Category:Columbus RedStixx players Category:Kinston Indians players Category:Akron Aeros players Category:Edmonton Trappers players Category:Harrisburg Senators players Category:New Orleans Zephyrs players Category:Brooklyn Cyclones players Category:Gulf Coast Mets players Category:Binghamton Mets players Category:Nevada Wolf Pack baseball players