Tim McCarver played the most physically demanding position in baseball, catcher, in four decades (1959-1980). In the storied 1964 World Series between the game’s two greatest franchises, the New York Yankees and the St. Louis Cardinals, McCarver’s three-run homer in the tenth inning of game five put the Cards ahead in the series 3-2. McCarver would finish the Series batting .478 and was named Most Valuable Player. Boasting a career fielding percentage of .990, McCarver is also widely regarded as one of the top defensive catchers of the 1960’s and 70’s.
Spending time with the Cardinals, Phillies, and Red Sox, McCarver appeared in a total of three World Series and two All Star games. He came in second in voting for the National League’s Most Valuable Player in 1967. He also forged a lasting friendship with pitcher Steve Carlton, and his quip that when he and Carlton die they’ll be buried sixty feet, six inches from each other is indicative of the style that would characterize his long run in the broadcast booth.
He also caught all-time great pitcher Bob Gibson. Of the intimidating righty, McCarver said "Bob Gibson is the luckiest pitcher I always saw. He always pitches when the other team doesn’t score any runs."
The Skinny:
- One of only four players to play in four decades
- Made his first appearance with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 17
- Is the only catcher to lead a league in triples, with thirteen in 1966.
- Hit .271 in 21 Major League Seasons
The Rest of the Story:
McCarver was first scouted at the age of fifteen by none other than Yankee Hall of Fame catcher Bill Dickey, who was working for the St. Louis Cardinals at the time. McCarver signed with the club during his senior year of high school and appeared in eight games with the Cardinals before his eighteenth birthday.
