In 1966 the New York Mets won the rights to an amateur pitcher named Tom Seaver by drawing folded slips of paper from a hat, after his Atlanta Braves contract was voided on a technicality. This deep dive traces how a once-undersized prospect, shaped by Marine Corps discipline and a relentlessly analytical mind, became the identity of a franchise once known for losing.

We follow Seaver from Fresno and USC through his famous "drop and drive" mechanics, his rise as an ace, the bitter "Midnight Massacre" trade to Cincinnati, and a second act as a broadcaster and vineyard owner in Calistoga, California.

• Won 1967 Rookie of the Year with 16 wins and 170 strikeouts for a last-place Mets team.
• Led the 1969 "Miracle Mets" to the World Series with a league-high 25 wins and his first Cy Young Award.
• Struck out 19 Padres in Ap ...