Game Rewind: July 4, 1972
Tom Seaver was two outs away from a no-hitter, but Leron Lee's bloop single snapped Seaver's bid for a no-hitter. Listen to the game in its entirety.
“As soon as he hit it, I knew it was a hit. At least I had the satisfaction of having him break his bat.” - Tom Seaver
There was no way Tom Seaver was nervous. He was pitching in his sixth season in the major leagues. He was on the biggest stage in the game. He pitched in World Series games, All-Star Games, and against the most difficult hitters in the world including Henry Aaron, Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Lou Brock, and Willie Mays.
Seaver held the San Diego Padres hitless for eight innings. For the fourth time in his young career he went into the final inning just three outs from a no-hitter. So, no, the moment wasn’t foreign and Leron Lee, please, he certainly didn’t create Seaver’s heart rate to accelerate any more than usual.
But the deeper into the game that Seaver held the Padres, the more anxious and superstitious his teammates got. The Mets ace admitted his teammates ebgan distancing themselves from him.
“I couldn't find anyone to talk to. No one was around. I looked around in the eighth inning and only the bat boy was there. And he was looking at the opposing pitcher.”
After Dave Roberts grounded to second for the first out, the tension (and excitement) at Shea Stadium was felt on the radio broadcast.
Leron Lee, an outfielder and part-time player, was next to face Seaver. Lee blooped a single into the outfield to snap Seaver’s bid for a no-hitter. Another heartbreak and a reminder of the wisdom from Bart Giammati, “Baseball breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart.”
Seaver induced Nate Colbert into a double play to preserve the shutout and the win but …
“The more I get along, the more important I realize winning is,” said Seaver. “That's what counts. When the whole thing was over, I was more disappointed about the pitch that Lee hit.”