Why Do The Mets Have 41 On Their Sleeve?

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The New York Mets are a well-known baseball team, with a storied history behind the colors of their uniform. Some fans of the sport have noticed a 41 on the sleeve of the Mets uniforms and wondered what it represents. Like the colors of the uniform, the 41 on the sleeve of the uniform also bears significance to the Mets and baseball as a whole.

Why Do The Mets Have 41 On Their Sleeve?

In 2020, the world was rocked by many losses, and the Mets as a franchise also suffered a great loss. In August 2020 the franchise lost a legend in Tom Seaver. To honor the late legend, the Mets wear a circular patch with his number 41 displayed on their uniform. Displaying Seaver’s 41 on their uniforms is the franchise’s way of paying tribute to the player who is considered the best player the franchise has ever had.

Tom Seaver passed at the age of 75. He spent 12 seasons with the Mets during which time he was their star pitcher. Because of who he was, and the contribution that he made to the success of the franchise, the franchise honors him by displaying his number on a patch on their uniforms.

Tom Seaver

The older Mets fans, will remember him well for how great was and for doing what he did well. Most people knew him only by his nicknames which are “Tom Terrific” and ‘The Franchise”. Those who were asked to describe him would use one word “Iconic” Many others simply referred to him as the best player the Mets have ever had. He was a Key figure during the season in which they became known as the “Miracle Mets.”

Mets career

Tom Seaver spent 20 seasons in the Major League Baseball scene, 12 of those years were spent with him being a Mets player. As a Mets player, Tom Seaver won multiple accolades. This includes but isn’t limited to the Rookie of the year award in his first season (1967). In addition to that award, Seaver also won multiple awards for being the league’s best pitcher. To be precise he won a total of three awards for being the league’s best pitcher.

The All-Star game is one of the biggest games on the Major League Baseball calendar. Tom Seaver made the All-Star team a total of 12 times during his illustrious 20-season career. In addition to those achievements, he is also ranked as the Franchise’s leader in wins.

During what is now referred to as a storied career Tome Seaver put up incredible numbers, some of which were records at the time. 

Below are some of the stats that he produced during his time as a pitcher:

  • During his career ‘The Franchise’ recorded a total of 311 wins.
  • He also boasted a total of 3,640 strikeouts during his career.
  • During his time on the diamond, he recorded a total of 61 shutouts.
  • His earned run average was 2.86
  • In 1978 he threw a no-hitter.
  • In 1992 he was inducted into the Major League Baseball Hall Of Fame with what at the time a record-setting vote total. That year he got 98.84% of the votes for Hall of Fame induction.

Why the 41 on the sleeve-?

To honor Tom Seaver back in 1988, the Mets retired his number 41 jersey. In August 2020, Tom Seaver passed on. Given what he meant to the Mets franchise and to baseball as a whole, the franchise felt that one of the best ways to honor him in death is to wear his number on the sleeve of their uniforms.

 To most Tom Seaver was often referred to as ‘The Franchise’ in addition to retiring his jersey number and wearing his number on their sleeves, the Mets also built a statue in his honor at their home stadium. 

Conclusion

Tom Seaver was one of the best pitchers that the Major League scene has ever seen. He spent 20 seasons on the diamond. Twelve of those seasons he spent as a member of the Mets franchise, during which time he played an important role in them becoming the so-called ‘Miracle Mets’ He meant so much to the team and made such a big impact on the franchise as a whole. He influenced and inspired many people across the league during his time as a pitcher. The Mets wear his number on their sleeve as a tribute to the late pitcher.

Frequently Asked Questions
  1. Who was Tom Seaver? 

Tom Seaver was a pitcher in the Major League, he pitched for many teams but his most notable is the Mets. He won the World Championship with them.

  1. Who are the ‘Miracle Mets’? 

The miracle Mets were the 1969 Mets team that defeated the Baltimore Orioles who at the time were the favorites to win the championship that year.

 

Why Do The Mets Have 41 On Their Sleeve?
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