Tom Seaver is one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball history. When he was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in 1992, he was named on 98.8% of ballots.
At the time, it was the highest voting percentage ever.
And it came after a 20-year Major League career that saw “Tom Terrific” win 311 games, three Cy Young Awards and be a 12-time All-Star.
“But, at Fresno High, it was funny, that team he was on we still talk about to this day,” smiled Fresno High School head baseball coach Jason Papi.
“Tom Seaver represented the city of Fresno very well,” added Dick Ellsworth, who preceded Seaver at Fresno High School and would go on to have a Major League career of his own.
“In my perspective, as I saw him compete, Tom was a very polished pitcher. He had good stuff, he was very competitive and it just seemed like he was gonna win whatever he did.”
Including at Fresno City College.
After high school, Tom Seaver served in the U.S. Marine Corps for two years before enrolling at FCC. He pitched for the Rams in 1964, going 11-2 with a 1.58 ERA and 132 strikeouts.
In the majors, Seaver had 3,640 strikeouts which is sixth-most all-time.
Tom Seaver passed away on Monday from complications due to dementia and COVID-19. He was 75.
