If there is one person that best represents Mets baseball and what this franchise has meant to this town it’s Tom Seaver. He to accept the lovable loser image of the early Mets … and led the team to its first World Championship winning the first of his three Cy Young Awards. There’s not a day that I walk into city field when I don’t think what Tom Seaver meant to me as a fan and eventual colleague.” – Howie Rose
The New York Mets revealed the long-awaited Tom Seaver statue prior to the 2022 home opener at Citi Field today.
The statue will be located to the right of the Home Run Apple in front of Citi Field.
According to the release:
The statue of Tom Seaver features his iconic drop and drive delivery and is two times life-size to scale. The statue is 10 feet high from the granite pitcher’s mound and 13 ½ feet in length. The total weight of the statue is 3,200 pounds (2,000 pounds of bronze and 1,200 pounds of structural stainless steel). The granite mound came in nine separate pieces that weighed 33,600 pounds and added approximately three feet in height.
Sculptor William Behrends, who designed and sculpted Willie Mays and Tony Gwynn was commissioned for the Seaver statue. He said, “Tom Seaver’s larger than life presence on the mound and his dynamic pitching delivery were both a challenge and a rich inspiration to me as a sculptor. I am most grateful to the Seaver family for being so generous with their time in sharing stories of him and insights into the extraordinary man he was.”
What an amazing and well deserved tribute to Tom Seaver, one of my toughest opponents!
(📷:@Mets ) pic.twitter.com/VINRHS2nTz— Fergie Jenkins (@fergieajenkins) April 15, 2022
Yesterday was such a great day to be a Mets fan. Home Opener win. It started with the emotion Tom Seaver statue ceremony. I was born in 62 so The Franchise was a huge part of my childhood. I was lucky to meet him a couple times. @Mets #LGM #MetsTwitter pic.twitter.com/Ha9NO5HeQY
— Paul Gebauer (@paul_gebauer) April 16, 2022
🎥 The Tom Seaver statue unveiling at Citi Field: pic.twitter.com/NxO04Ik7c3
— Anthony DiComo (@AnthonyDiComo) April 15, 2022
It is a tremendous honor to be able to celebrate Jackie Robinson Day each year. Now combine that with our home opener, the unveiling of the Tom Seaver statue, the Easter Triduum, and a Mets win! An incredible day #LGM pic.twitter.com/lQbhepW2FS
— Trevor Williams (@MeLlamoTrevor) April 15, 2022
ICYMI, Column: Tom and Nancy Seaver were inseparable from the moment they first hit New York City 55 years and three days before when his great #Mets adventure began. Friday, you’d better believe Tom was with Nancy when she said goodbye for both of them. https://t.co/RmPvtPhtCq
— Mike Vaccaro (@MikeVacc) April 16, 2022
Tom Seaver, The Franchise. Welcome back home #LGM #Mets pic.twitter.com/9TUKXOXTao
— MetsUniverse (@MichaelNegrn2) April 15, 2022
