Mets push back Tom Seaver statue dedication to 2022 Opening Day

The New York Mets announced this week that the Tom Seaver statue dedication will be pushed back to Opening Day of the 2022 MLB season.

The team originally planned on formally unveiling the late Mets icon’s statue sometime this season, but the coronavirus pandemic has caused unavoidable delays and logistical issues.

“We are excited to unveil this one-of-a-kind tribute to Tom, but it has to be right,” Mets president Sandy Alderson said in a statement Tuesday, via ESPN. “Given delays related to the pandemic, the artist asked for additional time to complete his work. After conferring with the Seaver family, we made the decision to unveil the statue on Opening Day 2022.”

Seaver passed away in his sleep on Aug. 31, 2020 due to complications from Lewy body dementia and COVID-19. The Hall of Fame pitcher announced in 2019 that he was retiring from public life.

The Mets presently are wearing a No. “41” patch on their home and away jerseys in honor of the legendary Seaver, who won three Cy Young Awards during his 12 seasons with the organization and was a member of the 1969 World Series-winning squad.

During a ceremony outside of Citi Field in June of 2019, the Mets announced that 126th Street, the roadway the runs outside the team’s home ballpark, would be renamed Seaver Way. Citi Field also now bears the address 41 Seaver Way in honor of the iconic pitcher’s jersey number.

The Mets retired Seaver’s number in 1988, and the 12-time All-Star was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 as a first-ballot honoree with 98.84% of the vote.