You love baseball. Tim Kurkjian loves baseball. So while we await its return, every day we'll provide you with a story or two tied to this date in baseball history.
ON THIS DATE IN 1966, Tom Seaver signed with the Mets out of USC.
The Braves had selected Seaver in the January draft that year, but commissioner William (Spike) Eckert voided the contract because the deal was signed after the USC season had begun. The Mets beat out the Phillies and Indians in a lottery for Seaver, who became one of the greatest pitchers in history, the best No. 41 ever and easily the greatest Met of all time.
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At the Hall of Fame 15 years ago, Seaver spent 30 minutes with me, my son, Jeffrey, who was 11, and our friends Gus and Wally Ramsey. In two days, Jeffrey was going to sleepaway camp for the first time. Seaver took a $100 bill from his wallet, gave it to Jeffrey and said, "Take me with you!'' Seaver knew the Ramsey family when he lived in Greenwich, Connecticut, while playing for the Mets. When Seaver was considering a comeback in 1987, he had Gus, then 20, catch him in the driveway. Naturally, Gus had the picture framed.
Seaver wrote on it: "To Gus. I hope I didn't hurt your hand.''
Seaver was a star in New York and thus knew the legendary Dick Schaap, a great writer who became a great broadcaster and the best interviewer in the business. Schaap used to say he "collected people.'' So one night in the early 1970s, he got Seaver together with a bunch of sportswriters and celebrities, including Muhammad Ali, a brilliant man but not a baseball fan. Late in the night, Ali looked at Seaver and said, "What paper do you work for?''
Other baseball notes from April 3
In 1987, the A's acquired Dennis Eckersley from the Cubs. He became a Hall of Fame closer who, in 1989 and '90, had more saves than baserunners allowed. "If anyone else ever does that again over a two-year period, '' he told me, "I'll kiss your ass.'' Luckily, no one has.
In 2018, a Cardinals-Brewers game began with back-to-back homers by Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham, and ended on back-to-back homers by Ryan Braun and Christian Yelich.
In 2011, in his first game at first base, the Indians' Carlos Santana took part in a triple play. Mark Grace, Fred McGriff, Steve Garvey and Rafael Palmeiro played a combined 8,599 games at first base in their careers and none ever took part in a triple play.
In 1974, the Dodgers traded pitcher Bruce Ellingsen to the Indians for Pedro Guerrero, a steal for the Dodgers. But Guerrero was not a good defensive player, especially at third base. After a bad defensive game, manager Tommy Lasorda screamed at Guerrero during a team meeting, "What is the first thing you're thinking about when the ball is being delivered?'' Guerrero said, "I'm thinking, 'Don't hit it to me.''' Lasorda asked, "What's the second thing you're thinking about?'' Guerrero said, "Don't hit it to [second baseman Steve] Sax.''