--M.C.
Thursday, November 1, 2018
RIP Willie Mac
Willie McCovey passed away on Wednesday. Giants fans of my age group (I was born in 1959) got to see him at his best when we were young and impressionable. His greatest seasons were 1968-1970 and ballplayers seemed like mythical beings when we were that age. He really was something on the field and he came back to the Giants and flashed a little of the old magic for a few years before retiring in 1980. He was much beloved by fans, teammates, and the organization.
--M.C.
--M.C.
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All-time, my favorite Giant. Probably had something to do w/ both his quiet, assuring demeanor, & the fact that he hit a Grand Slam in the first Giants' Game I ever attended (a Juan Marichal-pitched win over LA). Although his playing greatness had become more sporadic, his return to the Team was a God-send, coinciding w/ a few years during which the Giants rallied around him as an inspiration & returned to competitiveness. There was nothing sweeter on the radio than a Lon Simmons call of a Willie McCovey HR, especially during those years after he returned. I took time off to go to his last Game at Candlestick (RBI single in his last AB there, followed by a ceremonial passing of the baton to Rich Murray, who replaced him in the field), & then he hit an SF in his last at-bat as a Giant (in LA). Fittingly, he quietly drove in a run during a Giants win on each occasion. A great Giant &, again fittingly, the namesake of one of the best Team awards in the sports world.
When I was a kid it was Tito Fuentes because I played second base in Little League. Then it was Bobby Bonds, because, well, no one looked like him. Those huge shoulders, the lightning speed, what a combo! Anyway Mac was The Man, of course. And those final games at the 'Stick were something special. He slugged .500 at age 39!
He was one of few players to play in four decades. That's a statistical oddity, of course, based on where the years break. 1959 - 1980. From the days when 500 hr was not just significant, but awesome. RIP.
I loved having two Willies who were superstars. We liked to say "Hit that ball Willie!" and it didn't matter which one. Mays was (and remains) THE best ever, but McCovey was OUR Willie, and almost as great.
My favorite McCovey quote was when he was asked how he'd like to be remembered, he said he'd LIKE to be remembered as the guy who hit the ball past Bobby Richardson to win the '62 World Series, however...
Couple of nice pieces about Stretch, one was on The Athletic (behind a pay wall) and the other is from Jay Jaffe at FanGraphs.
Will the Giants poach the Dodgers GM and make him head of baseball ops?
That seems to be the prevailing sentiment. We'll see!
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