We all know of our loss of the greatest Met ever.
Question:
What do you remember about Tom Seaver?
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
Mack’s Mets – the premier site for information on the New York Mets talent pipeline and dialogue on Mets prospects, Mets news, and Mets opinions.
This thread gives me one last time to reprint a post from an old friend of mine, the late Andy Carra:
ReplyDeleteJohn (my real name) --
Where did you get that association with the Mets, and how long has this been going on? I was there in 1969 and it will be a part of me as long as I live. I don't know if you knew this or if I told you before, but I was working at Sport Magazine back then and picked up a freelance gig with the late Dick Schaap a couple of years before that. At first I helped Dick with the Jerry Kramer book ("Instant Replay") and then the Dave DeBusschere book ("The Open Man"). I'd transcribe audio tapes for him and talk to Kramer and Dave. Then Dick asked me in the summer of 1969 if I was willing to work during my vacation from Sport for him. He was doing this book called "The Year the Mets Lost Last Place," and he wanted someone to coordinate a whole bunch of things for him. He offered me the ungodly sum of $1200 to do it for the week. Turns out the week was in July and it was the week of the series against Leo Durocher and the Cubs. It included the night that Tom Seaver almost threw his perfect game. My job was to "pick up" the Mets starting pitcher each day at his home early in the morning, have breakfast with him and his family, accompany him to the ballpark and then coordinate all the other sportswriters who were involved with the project. Dick had hired a whole bunch of the regulars who cover the team to do filler material for the book. One guy would cover the starting infielders, one the starting outfielders, one the bench, one the catchers, one the bullpen, one the coaching staff, etc. I had the starting pitcher and I was the one who would collect everyone's notes and bring them back to Dick's place on East 56th Street at the end of the game. Great stuff. Anyway, later on, when the Mets continued their magical run, I was going to a lot of the games simply because I could as a member of the media and I was there for the clincher, the series against the Braves and, of course, for the World Series. I wish I would have saved the suit I was wearing when Jerry Koosman grabbed me and dumped the champagne all over me. What a great time to be involved.
Those were terrific years and Dick was the luckiest son-of-a-bitch I ever knew and a great friend (I still miss him). His first book was "Instant Replay" and the Packers go on to win the championship and Kramer throws that memorable block. His next diary book was "The Open Man," and DeBusschere helps bring a championship to the Knicks. His next diary book was with Frank Beard, professional golfer and Beard doesn't win a major, but he wins the Westchester Classic in the heart of media coverage. Then he does the Mets book. Then he picks up Joe Namath and I do all the background and some of the interviews and side stuff and Namath takes the Jets to their Super Bowl win. It was just an incredible streak for Dick. He had some help in putting the books together (Paul Zimmerman did the DeBusschere book), but he was the one who was picking the subjects and the guys who would keep the diaries. I got to know some of these guys quite well, better than I would have if I had been just a reporter covering the team. DeBusschere became a friend as did Namath (in a way). And, of course, Dick was a friend for life. He was the guy who enabled me and Eileen to buy our first house, what with all the extra money he threw my way back in those days. I always told him that and he got a great laugh out of it. "Hey, Dick. You're the guy who bought my house."
Anyway, that was then. Take care of yourself and I'll give your best to Sandy when I see him.
Best, Andy
Nice memory. What a magical NY sports year that was. Man oh man.
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ReplyDeleteTony LaRussa was white sox manager in 1985 when Tom Seaver scored his 300th win. I have not seen any comments or interviews anywhere about his hall of fame perspective. I am interested in what he may have to offer about Seaver's legacy and how it may have affected his career. Just a thought.
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