In sad news, former Mets’ second round draft pick Jeff Seale passed away on Sunday from complications arising from a spider bite.

As this link from the Daily Camera shows, Seale comes from the Hot Foot tradition - one of fun loving, humor and the game of baseball:

The pranks Jeff Seale pulled could be almost as big as his right arm.

If the former Fairview High star pitcher wasn`t mowing down batters with a mid-90s fastball, chances are he was making his teammates laugh with bits like wearing a full arm cast to practice to scare coach Rick Harig into thinking he`d lost his ace just before the postseason.

“He loved to have fun no matter what, win or lose,” said Andy Shaw, Seale`s teammate on the 1987 and `88 Fairview squads that reached the American Legion World Series.

Friends reminisced Monday both about Seale`s sense of humor and his prowess on the mound as news of his untimely death spread.

Seale, a one-time second-round draft pick of the New York Mets, was the cornerstone of a Fairview pitching staff that saw three players either get drafted or play in the minor leagues.

According to family members, the 40-year old died in his Erie home on Sunday from what were believed to be complications related to black widow spider bites he suffered two weeks ago. Services will be held early next week.