Books and articles about Tim McCarver

McCarver appeared in eight games with the Cardinals in 1959 at the age of 17 and in six games with the Phillies in 1980 to become a four-decade player. In the intervening years, McCarver established himself as one of the top defensive catchers of the 1960s and 1970s. He became the Cardinals' regular catcher in 1963 and was a key component in the emergence of pitching star Bob Gibson with whom he helped the 1964 Cardinals to the team's first World Series since 1946. McCarver won Game Five with a three-run homer in the top of the tenth inning to give the Cardinals a 3-2 lead in the Series. He was the Series' leading hitter with a .478 average on 11 hits. McCarver's 13 triples in 1966 made him the only catcher to lead a league in that category, and he went on to have his best season in 1967. Although he faded after leading the NL with a .355 average at mid-season, he finished with career highs in average (.295), homers (14), and RBI (69). The Cardinals won the World Series, and McCarver placed second in the MVP balloting to teammate Orlando Cepeda.

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McCarver hit only 12 homers in the next two seasons and was traded, at the end of 1969, with would-be free agent Curt Flood to the Phillies for Dick Allen in a seven-player swap. He spent over two years with the Phillies before a series of trades sent him to the Expos, back to the Cardinals, and on to the Red Sox. During his travels, McCarver caught two no-hitters: the gem thrown by the Phillies' Rick Wise against the Reds on June 23, 1971 in which Wise hit two homers, and the no-hitter that Bill Stoneman of the Expos pitched against the Mets on October 2, 1972, the last day of the season.

In spring training of 1965, the stubborn McCarver got into an argument with the equally stubborn rookie Steve Carlton over pitch selection. The two went on to make Cardinals history as batterymates. In mid-1975, at the behest of Carlton, McCarver was reacquired by the Phillies. He spent the rest of his career with them as Carlton's personal catcher. McCarver's quip that when he and Carlton die, they'll be buried 60 feet six inches apart is indicative of the folksy, talkative style that characterized him as a Mets broadcaster. (SEW/CR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 9, 1963: Catcher Tim McCarver of the Cards hits an inside-the-park grand slam against the Mets to give St. Louis an 8–7 win. » July 18, 1964: Ken Boyer, Bill White, and Tim McCarver of the Cards hit consecutive 8th-inning home runs in a 15–7 bombing of the Mets. » October 12, 1964: Tim McCarver's 3-run home run pins a 5–2 loss on Pete Mikkelsen and gives St. Louis a 3-2 World Series lead. » July 12, 1966: St. Louis hosts a hot midsummer All-Star classic. Maury Wills' 10th-inning single scores Tim McCarver, as the National League wins 2–1 in 105-degree heat. Brooks Robinson's stellar game (3 hits, eight chances) earns him the game MVP. Asked about the new ball park, Casey Stengel remarks, "it holds the heat well." On field temperature is 113 degrees. » September 10, 1966: Cardinal P Dick Hughes tops the Pirates on Tim McCarver's bases load hit off the RF wall. Pittsburgh falls a game in back of the Dodgers. » October 8, 1967: Bob Gibson is overpowering again in a 5-hit 6–0 win in Game 4. Roger Maris and Tim McCarver each have two RBI for St. Louis. » October 5, 1968: Tim McCarver's 3-run home run off loser Earl Wilson and Orlando Cepeda's 3-run shot off Don McMahon power St. Louis to a 7–3 win and 2–1 World Series lead. » August 24, 1969: At St. Louis, Hank Aaron belts a 14th inning 3-run homer to give the Braves a 4–1 win over the Cards. There are no stolen bases in the game, though Bob Didier and Tim McCarver throw out six would-be thieves between them. » October 7, 1969: The Cards trade outfielders Curt Flood and Byron Browne, P Joe Hoerner, and C Tim McCarver to Philadelphia for 1B Richie Allen, 2B Cookie Rojas, and P Jerry Johnson. » May 2, 1970: During a 7–1 loss to the Giants, the Phillies lose both of their catchers, Tim McCarver and Mike Ryan, with broken hands in successive innings. The two will miss a combined total of 197 games with both coming back in early September. Jim Hutto is hastily brought in to catch. The Phillies will call up the likes of Del Bates and Mike Compton and even use bullpen coach Doc Edwards, who will bat .269 in 35 games. » June 14, 1972: The Phillies send C Tim McCarver to Montreal for C John Bateman. Bateman will play 82 games in Philley in this his final season. » November 8, 1972: The Cards bring Tim McCarver back to St. Louis, sending Jorge Roque to Montreal in exchange. » May 24, 1974: With the game scoreless in the 9th, the Cards put runners on 1B and 3B with one out. Tim McCarver grounds to Cubs 1B Billy Williams who fires home to C Tom Lundstedt to snag Ted Simmons in a rundown. But as soon as Lundstedt throws to 3B Matt Alexander, Simmons races home to an uncovered plate. Cards win, 1–0. » September 1, 1974: With Carlton Fisk out through the end of the season, the Red Sox purchase C Tim McCarver from the Cardinals. McCarver will play just 11 games this year and 12 next spring in Boston before being reunited with Steve Carlton in Philadelphia. » July 4, 1976: On the nation's bicentennial anniversary, Philadelphia splits a doubleheader with Pittsburgh, 10–5 and 7–1. In the first game, the Phils Tim McCarver loses a grand slam when he passes a teammate on the bases. » February 3, 1999: The Mets decline to offer a new contract to announcer Tim McCarver, a 16 year veteran behind the mike for New York. The outspoken McCarver will be replaced by Tom Seaver, who vows to be less critical of the home team. The Hall of Fame pitcher will also serve as a part–time coach for the team.