Tom Seaver you are remembered

This week saw the passing of baseball hall of fame pitcher Tom Seaver. I was fortunate to know Tom while we were studying at Fresno High School. Growing up in the San Joaquin Valley we all walked to school and Tom and I would meet and continue to school. Tom was not a big name on the school baseball team. He actually was slight in size. He did not really grow in size until college. I remember one yearbook picture of him that has the wrong name under the picture.

His father was a ranked golfer and his older brother was also known for that sport, but on the occasions that I was at his home it was only a friendly place to play after school. His family was always inviting and made me feel at home. I feel that was a part of him that lasted his entire life. When one of my aunts approached him later, during spring training, he did say that he remembered me. I hope so any way. He went on to reach many goals in life. Any of us who knew him had a great time watching him grow to the success he became. We remember that he spent a summer in Alaska pitching in the “Midnight League” where the games start at midnight in Anchorage and they are able to play without lights because it is still daylight. That led to his time at USC and the career in the major leagues. The only difficult time was when the Mets played the Dodgers and I had to decide if I should root for Tom or the Dodgers. The Mets and Tom were always my choice. Tom is a major part of baseball history at Fresno High and Fresno City College where he is one of the 100 top graduates during the first 100 years of the college. Now we should all toast his life and career maybe using some of the wine from his winery and the family will continue that tradition. I will always remember the pictures of him pruning vines each year. This was a sign to me that a new season was coming. We will always remember.