The return of “The Franchise”

Five and a half years after giving away the player they call “The Franchise” to Cincinnati in a trade that still greatly angers some of their fan base, the New York Mets 41 years ago today reacquire Tom Seaver from the Reds.

The cost: pitcher Charlie Puleo, first baseman-outfielder Lloyd McClendon and minor league outfielder Jason Felice.

Seaver is 75-46 for the Reds in five-plus seasons after his 1977 midseason trade from the Mets to Cincinnati.

He then goes 9-14 with a 3.55 ERA in 1983 during his first season back with the Mets, who again find a way to lose Seaver as they leave the franchise’s most popular player unprotected in a free-agent compensation pool.

This time, Seaver ends up with the Chicago White Sox, for whom he will go 33-28 over the next two-plus seasons before finishing his Hall of Fame career in 1986 with the Boston Red Sox.