Major League Baseball is a league rooted in history. The first professional baseball games were played in the shadows of the Civil War. During World War I and II, hundreds of major league players signed up to fight for the United States. Baseball’s desegregation efforts made a lasting impact on the rest of the country during the Civil Rights Era. Simply put, the history of baseball is interwoven with the cultural and social changes of the last 150 years. That also means there have been endless games, players, and memories associated with America’s Pastime. To honor that history, here’s the first edition of a new weekly piece that will highlight interesting and sometimes forgotten baseball anniversaries.
This Week In Baseball History: April 3rd
Seaver Signs With The Mets
On April 3rd, 1966, University of Southern California right-hander Tom Seaver signed a contract with the New York Mets. The future Mets legend wasn’t acquired in a conventional sense, though. Seaver was first selected by the Atlanta Braves in the January draft and the two sides agreed on a $40,000 bonus. But USC had already begun its 1966 schedule, making Seaver ineligible to sign and forcing MLB commissioner William Eckert to nullify the contract. Simultaneously, the NCAA ruled Seaver ineligible to play for USC when he signed the deal.
Stuck in baseball limbo, Seaver’s family threatened a lawsuit against Major League Baseball. Then, in an unprecedented move, Eckert set up a special draft for the rights to sign Seaver. The Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cleveland Indians decided to participate. New York won after having their name pulled from a hat. Quite a simple draft process for a future Hall of Famer.
In his 20-year MLB career, Seaver achieved feats few pitchers would approach. Nicknamed “the Franchise”, he would retire with 311 wins, 3,640 strikeouts, a 2.86 earned run average, and three Cy Young awards, making him one of the greatest pitchers in major league history. Seaver played a vital role in helping the “Miracle Mets” win the 1969 World Series, and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with a then-record 98.84% of votes. But his career, and the early history of the Mets, may have been completely different if another team was drawn from that hat.
Mays Delays Father Time
On April 6th, 1970, Willie Mays homered on Opening Day for the San Francisco Giants, a month shy of his 40th birthday. Mays was already a 16-time All-Star, well on his way to Cooperstown. His career had slowed down due to injuries, but the “Say Hey Kid” still had some incredible performances up his sleeve.
Top 5 Willie Mays stats you need to know. Is Willie Mays the greatest player of all time? pic.twitter.com/yLpFk1apnO
— Baseball In Pics (@baseballinpix) March 11, 2023
After Opening Day, Mays would hit a home run in the Giants’ next three games. This made him the first player in MLB history to homer in the first four games of a season (later tied by Mark McGwire in 1998). Mays finished the 1970 season with 28 home runs and ended his career with a total of 660. As his career began to wind down, Mays was already considered one of the greats in baseball history. But those four games in 1970 became one of the final memories in a storied career.
Hammerin’ Hank’s Historic Homer
On April 8th, 1974, Hank Aaron hit his 715th career home run, breaking Babe Ruth’s 39-year record once considered unapproachable. It happened in the fourth inning of the Braves home opener. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Al Downing left a pitch right over the heart of the plate. “Hammerin’ Hank” lived up to his name, hitting it over the left field wall. The Braves went on to win 7-4, and Aaron finished his career with 755 long balls.
As Aaron pursued Ruth’s record, he encountered massive amounts of bigotry. As the 1974 season approached, Aaron received death threats and hate mail. While he rounded the bases for the 715th time, broadcaster Vin Scully explained, “What a marvelous moment for baseball. What a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia. What a marvelous moment for the country and the world. A black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking the record of an all-time baseball idol.”
Hank Aaron finished his career first all-time in home runs, RBI, and total bases while finishing third in hits. Yet somehow, he remains one of the more underrated and undervalued heroes in baseball history.
Photo Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: Tom Seaver, Willie Mays, Mark McGwire, Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, Al Downing
