Books and articles about Willie McCovey

On October 16, 1962 at Candlestick Park, McCovey came within inches of being a World Series hero. The Giants trailed the perennially powerful Yankees 1-0 with runners at second and third and two out in the bottom of the ninth inning of the seventh game. McCovey hit a line drive toward right field that second baseman Bobby Richardson speared to end the Series. The play has been discussed by fans ever since. It even became a running element of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strip, a moment in life that Charlie Brown could relate to with complete empathy.

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After belting 29 homers in three months in the Pacific Coast League in 1959, McCovey joined the Giants in the middle of the season and debuted by going 4-for-4 with two singles and two triples against Robin Roberts. He hit .354 that year and, despite playing in only 52 games, won NL Rookie of the Year honors. McCovey slumped badly in 1960 and spent time in the minor leagues at Tacoma. The stay was a short one, for the Giants, headed toward a fifth-place finish, sorely needed his bat in their lineup. McCovey was a first baseman by trade, but he spent three seasons in the early 1960s primarily in the outfield in deference to smoother-fielding Orlando Cepeda. When Cepeda was felled by a knee injury in 1965, first base became McCovey's.

Since he was a soft-spoken man playing on a star-studded Giants team, McCovey's talents were not as often heralded by the media and fans as those of teammates Mays, Cepeda, and Marichal. However, his opponents respected the devastating dead-pull power that was his majestic personal trademark and made him one of the most feared home run hitters of his time. McCovey first led the NL in homers in 1963, with 44, and won the title again in 1968, with 36, and in 1969, with 45. For four consecutive seasons, 1967-1970, he led the NL in home run percentage. In 1970 the slugger homered in all twelve parks, one of the few players ever to accomplish that feat. Toward the end of his career, on June 27, 1977, McCovey hit a grand slam and a solo home run in the same inning against the NL champion Cincinnati Reds, becoming the only player in history to hit two home runs in one inning twice; his first such effort came on April 12, 1973.

McCovey had his banner year in 1969 and won the MVP award. In addition to leading the NL with 45 homers, 126 RBI, and a .656 slugging percentage, he drew a record 45 intentional walks and finished fifth with a .320 batting average. His 9.2 home run percentage that year is one of the highest ever. McCovey's appearance in the 1969 All-Star Game was his third of six, and he paced the NL to a 9-3 victory with two home runs. McCovey was an integral part of an ever-changing Giants team that contended for a decade, reaching the World Series in 1962 and the NL playoffs in 1971. Giants owners devastated Bay Area fans by sending McCovey, their favorite player, to the upstart San Diego Padres prior to the 1974 season. Tagged Big Mac in deference to Padres and McDonald's owner Ray Kroc, McCovey had two good seasons and one poor one before the Padres sold him to the Oakland Athletics, the Giants' cross-bay competition. He played in only 11 games for the A's, who released him at the end of the season. McCovey was invited by new Giants ownership to San Francisco's spring training camp in 1977, and he responded with a 28-homer, 86-RBI comeback at the age of 39.

The final hurrah of McCovey's career came in 1980 when he hit his only home run of the season and the 521st and final one of his career, which then tied him with Ted Williams for tenth place all-time in home runs. Having played during four decades, he retired during the season and joined the Giants' public- and community-relations staff. McCovey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1986. (AA/CR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 18, 1912: The Tiger players protest Ty Cobb's suspension and vote to strike. Faced with a $5,000 fine for failing to field a team, club owner Frank Navin orders manager Hugh Jennings to sign up some local amateurs. Al Travers, Bill Leinhauser, Dan McGarvey, Billy Maharg (whose real name was Graham, "Maharg" reversed), Jim McGarr, Pat Meany, Jack Coffey, Hap Ward, and Ed Irvin put on Tiger uniforms. Two Detroit coaches, Joe Sugden, 41, and Jim McGuire, 48, complete the lineup, and score the only two runs for Detroit. The Athletics win 24–2, as Travers goes all the way, giving up 26 hits and 24 runs in eight innings. The only recruit to hit for Detroit is Irvin, who laces two triples in three at bats and closes his ML career with a 2.000 slugging average (only three other players will debut with two triples -— Roy Weatherly, Willie McCovey, and John Sipin). Only one ever plays another ML game: Maharg will bat once for the Phils in 1916. He will also be involved as a conspirator in the Black Sox scandal of 1919. A's starter Jack Coombs leaves after three innings with a 6–0 lead, good enough for a win under the rules at the time. Boardwalk Brown and Herb Pennock divide the rest of the pitching for the A's. Starter Travers, having pitched his only ML game, returns to his studies at St. Joseph's College and later becomes a Catholic priest. » July 30, 1959: In his ML debut, Willie McCovey goes 4-for-4 with two triples off Robin Roberts to lead the Giants to a 7–2 win over the Phils. McCovey was hitting .372 with 29 home runs at Phoenix when promoted. » August 2, 1959: Giants 1B Willie McCovey hits the first of his 521 ML home runs, off Ron Kline, as San Francisco downs the Pirates 5–3. Johnny Antonelli wins his 15th game. » September 11, 1959: The Phillies Robin Roberts beats the Giants 1-0 on a 3-hitter. Roberts also gains revenge on Willie McCovey by ending McCovey's consecutive-game hitting streak at 22 games. Phils CF Richie Ashburn holds the rookie record of 23 games. » September 26, 1959: At St. Louis, Sam Jones pitches a 7-inning no-hitter, but NL President Warren Giles will rule it unofficial after rain wipes out the last 2 innings. But Jones gets credit for his 21st win 4-0 and Willie Mays and Willie McCovey HRs account for the runs. » November 17, 1959: Giants slugger Willie McCovey is the National League Rookie of the Year. McCovey gets all 24 votes to make him the 2nd Giant in a row to win the award unanimously. » May 20, 1960: The Pirates stretch their National League lead to one 1/2 games by edging the Giants, 5–4, on Roberto Clemente's single in the 12th inning. Clemente has three hits to raise his average to .378. Willie McCovey's homer in the 9th tied it for San Francisco, and a score in the 12th puts them ahead. But Don Hoak's single and a run-scoring double by Dick Groat sets the stage for Clemente. » June 12, 1960: In a record-tying three hour and 52 minute, 9-inning game, Willie McCovey's pinch-hit grand slam, the first slam of his career, and Orlando Cepeda's 3-run double pace the Giants to a 16–7 rout of the Braves. » July 15, 1960: San Francisco fog plays havoc with a Giants-Dodgers game. Willie McCovey's invisible triple prompts umpire Frank Dascoli to halt play for 24 minutes. Los Angeles wins 5–3. » July 17, 1960: Batting just .244 and not hitting for power, Willie McCovey, 1959 National League Rookie of the Year, is sent down to Tacoma (Pacific Coast League). » April 13, 1961: Alvin Dark pulls all the right strings to give the Giants a 6–5 win over the Pirates. Joey Amalfitano, hitting for cleanup man Willie McCovey in the 8th, singles in Willie Mays for a 4-4 tie; new catcher Hobie Landrith homers in the 11th to tie at five apiece, and Harvey Kuenn's single in the 12th wins it. » May 2, 1961: Don Cardwell and the Cubs top the Giants, 9–4, though Willie McCovey's 2-run homer in the 9th gives San Francisco a record-tying total of 14 homers in three games. » August 29, 1961: At Milwaukee, the Braves take over 3rd place from the Giants with a 13-inning, 7–6 victory. Eddie Mathews ends the game with his 26th homer. For SF, Willie McCovey cracks his 16th homer for his 3rd hit of the game, and the 20th hit in 45 at bats since his return to the Giants lineup. The Braves recognize a hot bat when they see one and, with 1st base open in the 11th, walk McCovey to get to Mays. Mays earlier drove in his 100th run, but grounds out to end the inning. » August 11, 1962: The Dodgers protest the wetting down of the field at Candlestick, a tactic they claim is to stop Maury Wills. Billy Pierce then hands 21-game winner Don Drysdale his 5th loss, and the first after 11 straight wins, as the Giants win 5–4 to take the 2nd game in their series. Willie McCovey's pinch-homer with two on is the big blow off Drysdale. The watering ploy earns Giants manager Alvin Dark the sobriquet "The Swamp Fox." » October 5, 1962: Jack Sanford's 3-hitter handcuffs New York and knots the World Series. Matty Alou's RBI grounder and Willie McCovey's home run off Ralph Terry account for San Francisco's 2–0 win. » October 16, 1962: New York scores the game's only run, as Tony Kubek grounds into a 5th-inning DP. In the 9th, with two outs and Matty Alou on 1B, Willie Mays rips a double to right off Ralph Terry, but great fielding by Roger Maris keeps Alou from scoring. Willie McCovey then hits a screaming liner toward right, but 2B Bobby Richardson gloves it, giving the Yankees a 1–0 win and a 2nd straight World Series victory. Terry is named World Series MVP. » September 10, 1963: At New York, the Giants trail 3–0 after 7 innings when manager Alvin Dark sends up consecutive Alous to bat in the 8th. Pinch hitter Jesus Alou grounds out, pinch hitter Matty Alou strikes out, and leadoff hitter Felipe Alou bounces back to P Carlton Willey. The Giants lose, 4–2. Willie McCovey's 38th homer and Orlando Cepeda's 29th account for the SF scoring. » September 22, 1963: For the first time, all three Alou brothers share the outfield. In the seventh inning, Matty Alou is in LF, Felipe Alou replaces Willie Mays in CF, and Jesus Alou is in RF. In the 8th, the three are retired, 1, 2, 3. But the offense comes from Willie McCovey who hits three homers as the Giants whip the Mets, 13–4. » September 16, 1966: The Mets (5) and Giants (3) tie a major-league record by using eight pinch hitters in the 9th inning as the Mets win 5–4. Willie McCovey hits a 500-ft home run, judged the longest ever at Candlestick Park. » October 2, 1966: With the Pirates ahead of the Giants by two runs at the end of eight innings, ex-Buc Ozzie Virgil ties the score with his last major league hit. The Giants bullpen holds and Willie McCovey's pinch homer in the 11th wins it, 7–4. The Giants use every player except Gaylord Perry, held out in case he is needed to pitch against the Reds. With the Dodgers winning, the Giants finish one 1/2 behind, and a San Francisco rainout will not need to be rescheduled. Matty Alou of the Pirates ends the season with a .342 average to lead the National League, but drives in just 27 runs. This is a record low for a batting leader. » June 7, 1967: At Crosley Field, Reds P Gary Nolan strikes out 15 Giants, including Willie Mays four times. But her still loses, 4–3. Willie McCovey belts a 3-run homer in the 8th to tie the game, and reliever Bob Lee allows the last run to score to pin the loss on Nolan. » April 27, 1969: The Giants sweep Houston 8–5 and 4–3 as Willie McCovey hits three home runs in each game. McCovey has eight home runs for the month. » June 3, 1969: Behind the slugging of Willie McCovey and Willie Mays, the Giants beat the Expos, 9–3, handing Montreal its 17th straight loss, tying the ML mark for expansion clubs set by the 1962 Mets. McCovey has a two run double and he follows a Mays homer in the 4th with one of his own. » July 3, 1969: At Los Angeles, Lee May hits a 2-run homer in the 11th and the Reds beat the Dodgers, 4–3. For May, second in the National League to Willie McCovey (27) in dingers, it is his 23rd homer, matching his birth date and uniform number (his younger brother Carlos May will also have his birth date as his uniform number). Wayne Granger, the 3rd Red pitcher in the 11th, stops the Dodger rally. » July 23, 1969: Willie McCovey hits two home runs as the National League beats the American League 9–3 for its 7th straight All-Star Game win. Mel Stottlemyre starts for the AL when Denny McLain is late arriving from a dental appointment. » August 26, 1969: Willie McCovey drives in six runs with homer #40, a grand slam, a sac fly and a single, while Bobby Bonds drives in another five as the Giants bomb the Phils 13–4. The win is the Giants 6th in a row and they keep their half game lead in the National League West. McCovey's slam—his 2nd of the year—is his career 10th and his six RBIs ups his season total to 106. Gaylord Perry (16-10) is the winner. » November 20, 1969: San Francisco's Willie McCovey edges Tom Seaver as National League MVP. » April 26, 1970: Willie McCovey and Dick Dietz each hit grand slams as the Giants beat the Expos 11–1 in the first game of a doubleheader. This is a first in Giants history. McCovey adds another homer to back McCormick's win. The Expos take the 2nd game, 3–2. Bobby Wine chips in by catching Willie Mays with the hidden ball trick (as noted by Bill Deane). » May 9, 1971: At San Francisco, the Braves and Giants split a pair. After the Giants win the opener, 5–2, the Braves take the nitecap, 6–5, in 11 innings. Orlando Cepeda connects for a grand slam and solo homer for Atlanta, while Willie McCovey has a 3-run home run for SF. The Braves win it in the 10th when Ralph Garr scores after collecting his 4th hit. » August 1, 1971: After homering yesterday off Dave Giusti, rookie Dave Kingman, in his 2nd ML game, clouts two homers for the Giants to help sweep a pair from the first-place Pirates, 11–7 and 8–3. Willie McCovey adds a 3-run homer and Willie Mays a bases-loaded double. Willie Stargell has a pair of homers for the Pirates to go over the 100 RBI mark. » September 18, 1971: San Diego's Clay Kirby allows just one hit -- a wind-blown homer in the 8th by Willie McCovey -- in beating the Giants, 2–1. Despite the loss, the Giants retain their 2-game edge over the Dodgers. The Padres score their first run on a triple by Barton in the 3rd and a squeeze by Enzio Hernandez, and score the winner on an unearned run in the 8th off Perry. For Hernandez, his bunt gives him 12 RBIs: his 12 RBIs in 549 at bats is the fewest in history by anyone with 500 at bats. Kirby lost a no-hitter five days ago when Houston's Johnny Edwards doubled in the 8th with one out. He then lost the game , 3–2, on an unearned run in the 9th. » October 2, 1971: The Giants win the first game of the National League Championship Series 5–4 over the Pirates, behind 2-run home runs by Tito Fuentes and Willie McCovey. » April 18, 1972: Giants slugger Willie McCovey breaks his right arm in a collision with John Jeter during a win over the Padres. He will be out until June 3rd. » July 2, 1972: Willie McCovey hits his 14th career grand slam to pace the Giants 9–3 win over the Dodgers. Randy Moffitt wins his first ML game and receives a congratulatory telegram from his sister Billie Jean King, who is playing at Wimbledon. » April 12, 1973: Giant Willie McCovey belts two home runs in the 4th inning of a 9–3 win over the Astros. McCovey's feat is the first time in 24 years in the NL. » October 25, 1973: The Cubs trade 6-time 20-game winner Ferguson Jenkins to the Rangers for 3B Bill Madlock and utility man Vic Harris. Fergie has led the Cubs in wins in each of the past seven seasons, the only pitcher ever to do so and then be traded. Meanwhile, the Giants trade 3-time home run champion Willie McCovey, a Giant since 1959, together with a minor leaguer, to the Padres for P Mike Caldwell. » May 30, 1975: Willie McCovey's grand slam lifts the Padres over the Mets 6–2. It is McCovey's 3rd career pinch slam, tying the major-league record held by Ron Northey and Rich Reese. It is Stretch's 16th lifetime bases-loaded homer, tying the NL record held by Hank Aaron. » August 30, 1976: The A's purchase veteran Willie McCovey from the Padres. » November 4, 1976: The first mass-market free-agent reentry draft is held at New York's Plaza Hotel. Among those available are Reggie Jackson, Joe Rudi, Don Gullett, Gene Tenace, Rollie Fingers, Don Baylor, Bobby Grich, and Willie McCovey. McCovey and Nate Colbert are the only two players not selected, but McCovey will catch on with the Giants in spring training and have a banner year at his old position. » June 27, 1977: The Giants Willie McCovey smashes two home runs, one a grand slam, in the 6th inning to pace a 14–9 victory over the Reds. McCovey becomes the first player to twice hit two home runs in one inning (4/12/73), and also becomes the all-time National League leader with 17 career grand slams. Andre Dawson, in 1978 and 1986, will clout two round trippers in an inning. Reliever Joe Hoerner helps as he enters the 6th with two outs, the sacks full, and the Reds holding a 7–6 lead. He hits two batters, then serves up the slam to McCovey. » August 1, 1977: Willie McCovey hits two home runs, including his 18th career grand slam, as the Giants beat Montreal, 9–2. » June 30, 1978: In the first game of a 10–9, 10–5 doubleheader loss to the Braves, Giant Willie McCovey hits his 500th career home run, off Jamie Easterly. McCovey becomes the 12th member of the 500-HR club. Mike Ivie adds his 2nd pinch grand slam of the year in the opener. Jack Clark has three home runs in the two games. » June 14, 1979: The Giants lose to the Cubs 8–6, but Willie McCovey hits his 513rd career home run, off Dennis Lamp. McCovey becomes the all-time lefthanded home run hitter in National League history. » May 3, 1980: In a 3–2 win over Montreal, Giants 1B Willie McCovey hits his 521st and final career home run off Scott Sanderson, tying him with Ted Williams on the all-time list. He will retire on June 6th. » August 17, 1985: Reggie Jackson hits his 522nd career home run off Oakland's Bill Krueger to move past Ted Williams and Willie McCovey into 8th place on the all-time list. » September 24, 1985: Expos OF Andre Dawson slugs three home runs, including a pair of 3-run shots in a 12-run 5th inning, to lead Montreal to a wild 17–15 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Dawson joins Willie McCovey as the only players to hit two home runs in one inning on two different occasions, and his six RBIs in one inning ties the major-league record last accomplished by Jim Ray Hart in 1970. » November 27, 1985: Vince Coleman, who stole 110 bases for the Cardinals, joins Frank Robinson, Orlando Cepeda, and Willie McCovey as the only unanimous winners of the National League Rookie of the Year Award. » January 8, 1986: Willie McCovey is the only player elected this year to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA, and becomes the 16th player elected in his first year of eligibility. Billy Williams falls four votes shy of the 319 needed for election. » August 3, 1986: Willie McCovey, Bobby Doerr, and Ernie Lombardi are inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. » August 28, 1987: Mike Schmidt continues to climb baseball's all-time home run list, passing both Ted Williams and Willie McCovey with the 522nd of his career in an 8–1 win over San Diego. » August 10, 1996: Eddie Murray blasts his 18th career grand slam, highliting an 8-run 9th inning, as Baltimore beats the White Sox, 13–4. Murray's slam ties him for 2nd place with Willie McCovey. » October 3, 1999: It lasts just five innings, but the Cardinals (74-88)defeat the Cubs (67-95), 9-5, as both Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa homer in their last game of the season. McGwire takes Steve Trachsel deep in the 1st and finishes with 65 home runs, with Sosa next in line with 63, homering in the 3rd. McGwire's home run is his 522nd moving him past Ted Williams and Willie McCovey for 10th place on the All-time list finishes with 147 RBIs on 145 hits, the first player ever to have more ribbies than hits; Jay Buhner, in 1995, came closest with 121 RBI on 123 hits. Last year McGwire drove in 147 runs on 152 hits. Starter Larry Luebbers earns the win for the Cards with just four innings of work, a rarity. Rick Ankiel saves it after Luebbers pitches to three batters in the 5th. More than 145,000 fans watched the 3-game set with the cubs, giving the Cards a franchise-record 3,230,356 for 79 dates. » August 10, 2002: The Giants beat the Pirates, 8–3, as Barry Bonds draws three intentional walks to give him an ML–record 46 for the season. The three intentional passes also tie a record for a 9–inning game. Bonds will receive 68 intentional walks this year, 23 more than the old record, set by the Giants' Willie McCovey in 1969.