Tom Seaver's statue to be unveiled at Mets' home opener on April 15, source says
Mets pitcher and Hall of Fame inductee Tom Seaver waves to the crowd at the Opening Day at Citi Field on April 13, 2009. Credit: JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstoc/JASON SZENES/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
After waiting all these decades for a statue of the greatest player in Mets history, what’s another couple of weeks?
The Mets will unveil their Tom Seaver statue on April 15, a source told Newsday, before their 1 p.m. home opener at Citi Field against the Diamondbacks.
Honoring "The Franchise" at the first home game of the season had been the plan since last summer. Ultimately, that was moved back a half-month because the lockout delayed the start of the season and rejiggered the schedule.
April 15 also is Jackie Robinson Day and the 75th anniversary of Robinson breaking the majors’ color barrier. After No. 41 is celebrated outside the ballpark, both teams will wear No. 42 on the field.
Tickets purchased for the Mets’ original Opening Day — March 31 against the Nationals — now are good for the April 15 game. Fans who had tickets for the April 15 Diamondbacks contest can get a refund or credit.
The Wilpon-owned Mets commissioned a Seaver sculpture in 2019, part of a fuller embrace of the organization’s history shortly before the team was sold to Steve Cohen. Its positioning outside Citi Field was delayed for a variety of reasons, including the pandemic.
Seaver retired from public life in March 2019, shortly before the initial statue announcement. He died on Aug. 31, 2020, from complications of Lewy body dementia and COVID-19.
Seaver spent 12 of the 20 seasons in his Hall of Fame career with the Mets and is the franchise’s all-time leader in wins (198), strikeouts (2,541), starts (395), complete games (171) and shutouts (44). His 2.57 ERA is second behind Jacob deGrom (2.50 and subject to change).
