Willie McCovey (1986)


Date of Birth: 1/10/1938
Date of Death: 10/31/2018
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama

Willie McCovey played baseball, basketball, and football as a youth. He tried out for the San Francisco Giants at the age of 17, and they signed him on March 12, 1955.

San Francisco Giants

After playing in the minor leagues from 1955 through 1958, McCovey joined the Giants in 1959. That season, he won the National League Rookie of the Year award and the Sporting News Rookie of the Year award for batting .354 with 68 hits, 13 home runs, and 38 RBIs in 52 games.

In 1960, his first full one in the major leagues, McCovey batted only .238 with 62 hits, 15 doubles, 13 home runs, and 51 RBIs in 101 games. He played better in 1961, finishing the season with 89 hits, 18 home runs, 50 RBIs, and a .271 batting average in 106 games. He continued to improve and in 1962, he batted .293 with 20 home runs in 91 games.

McCovey led the NL in home runs for the first time in 1963. He finished the season with a career high 158 hits, 29 doubles, 44 home runs, 102 RBIs, and a .280 batting average in 152 games. He struggled in 1964, finishing the season with a .220 batting average.

McCovey played much better in 1965. That year, he had 149 hits, 17 doubles, 39 home runs, 92 RBIs, and a .276 batting average in a career high 160 games. He showed good discipline at the plate, walking 88 times and striking out 118 times.

McCovey finished the 1966 season with 148 hits, 26 doubles, 36 home runs, 96 RBIs, 100 strikeouts to 76 walks, and a .295 batting average in 150 games. In 1967, he batted .276 in 135 games.

McCovey led the NL in home runs, RBIs, and OPS in 1968. He had 153 hits, 16 doubles, 36 home runs, 105 RBIs, a batting average of .293, and an OPS of .923 in 148 games. He walked 72 times while striking out 71 times.

McCovey's best year was probably 1969, when he won the NL MVP award, Sporting News Player of the Year award, and the MLB All Star Game MVP award. That season he batted .320 with 157 hits, 26 doubles, a career high 45 home runs, and a career high 126 RBIs in 149 games. He led the NL in home runs, RBIs, on-base percentage (.453), and OPS (1.109). He walked 121 times and struck out only 66 times.

In 1970, McCovey led the NL in walks with 137 (to 75) and OPS (1.056), and he led all NL first basemen in assists with 134. He had career highs in doubles with 39 and RBIs with 126. He batted .289 and he had 143 hits and 39 home runs in 152 games.

McCovey played in only 105 games in 1971, and in 81 games in 1972. In 1973, he played in 130 games and he had 102 hits, 29 home runs, 75 RBIs, 78 strikeouts to 105 walks, and a .266 batting average.

San Diego Padres

In 1974, the Giants traded McCovey to the San Diego Padres. In his first season with the Padres, he batted .253 with 87 hits, 19 doubles, 22 home runs, and 63 RBIs in 128 games. The next year was a similar one for him, with 104 hits, 17 doubles, 23 home runs, 68 RBIs, and a .252 batting average in 122 games.

The Padres sold McCovey's contract to the Oakland Athletics on August 30, 1976. He finished that season with a .204 batting average in 71 games with the Padres and 11 games with the Athletics.

Return to the Giants

In 1977, McCovey returned to the Giants and the move proved to be good for both the team and McCovey. At the age of 39, he had a strong season, batting .280 with 134 hits, 21 doubles, 28 home runs, and 86 RBIs in 141 games. McCovey won the 1977 National League Comeback Player of the Year award for his efforts that season. He also won the Hutch award that year.

McCovey was a part-time player for the Giants in 1978 and 1979. He batted .228 in 108 games in 1978, and .249 in 117 games in 1979. In 1980, his last year in the major leagues, he batted .204 in 48 games.

Awards and MLB Records

  • NL Rookie of the Year
  • Sporting News Rookie of the Year
  • NL MVP
  • Sporting News Player of the Year
  • All Star Game MVP
  • Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year
  • Hutch award
  • Led the NL in home runs (3 times)
  • Led the NL in RBIs (2 times)
  • Led the NL in OPS (3 times)

Career Statistics

Statistics for McCovey in 22 seasons (1959-1980) in the major leagues include:

  • 3 seasons with over 150 hits, with a high of 158 in 1963
  • 12 seasons with 20 or more home runs, with highs of 44 in 1963 and 45 in 1969
  • 4 seasons with over 100 RBIs, with a high of 126 in 1969 and 1970

Career batting statistics for McCovey include:

  • 2,588 games played
  • 2,211 hits
  • 353 doubles
  • 521 home runs
  • 1,555 RBIs
  • 1,550 strikeouts to 1,345 walks
  • .270 batting average
  • .374 on-base percentage
  • .889 OPS

Career fielding statistics for McCovey at first base include:

  • 2,045 games played
  • 1,222 assists
  • 1,405 double plays
  • 17,170 putouts
  • 233 errors
  • .987 fielding percentage

Post Playing Career

After retiring as a major league player, McCovey returned to the Giants as a senior advisor.

In 2003, McCovey became the co-owner of McCovey's Restaurant, a bar and restaurant with a baseball theme, in Walnut Creek, California.

McCovey died on October 31, 2018.

McCovey was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1986 on the first ballot with 81.4% of the vote.

Sources for Information
Wikipedia - Willie McCovey
ESPN - Willie McCovey
Baseball Reference - Willie McCovey

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