Tom’s terrific time: King of 1969's ’other New York’
A town dominated by a certain team from the Bronx allows few others to steal the spotlight. Tom Seaver did exactly that for a solid decade, built on a glorious season for the ages.
Of course, he was one of the greatest pitchers of all time. The numbers leave little dispute: 4,783 innings pitched, 3,640 strikeouts, a 2.86 ERA and 311 wins.
But for New York in the tumultuous year that was 1969, Tom Terrific was arguably the greatest player any season ever saw: Great for his team, his sport and his city.
By that time, the Yankees four-decade dynasty had collapsed; the Bombers wallowed in unfamiliar mediocrity. The orange-headed step-sibling in Queens, born in 1962, had been a walking joke.
