Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

1 The Baseball Capital of the World: 1944-1964 1

2 The New York Yankees of College Baseball: 1964-1966 17

3 The Chosen One: 1966-1967 33

4 The New Yorker: 1967-1968 43

5 The Hopes and Dreams: Spring 1969 64

6 The Icon: Summer 1969 69

7 The Miracle: Fall 1969 92

8 The Downfall: 1969-1970 122

9 The Superstar: 1971-1972 139

10 The Franchise: 1973 168

11 The Best Pitcher in Baseball: 1974-1977 195

12 The Hall of Famer: 1977-1980 210

13 The 300-Game Winner: 1981-1987 230

14 The Greatest Pitcher of All Time? 1967-1986 259

15 The Shining City on a Hill: 1987-2011 263

Appendix: Tom Seaver's Career Statistics 273

Bibliography 279

Index 285