RIP Willie McCovey

[Meister]

Sad to see a baseball icon pass away.

Willie McCovey, the Hall of Fame first baseman who spent 19 of his 22 major-league seasons with the Giants and became one of the most beloved players in franchise history, has died at the age of 80.

McCovey died at Stanford Hospital on Wednesday afternoon after what the team called “a battle with ongoing health issues.” He had used a wheelchair for many years and had a serious infection four years ago that nearly took his life. McCovey recently developed another infection and was hospitalized late last week.

The list of McCovey’s accomplishments seems almost as long as some of his prodigious home runs. A few of the most notable:

•1959 National League Rookie of Year;


•1969 National League Most Valuable Player;

•1977 National League Comeback Player of the Year;

•18 grand slams, most in National League history;

•Six-time All-Star.

Willie McCovey: Giants legend dead at 80

 

[Oddball]

F

 

[Dogmaphobe]

He hit a home run in the first baseball game I ever saw in 1964.

He was a great guy, and one of the kindest people imaginable.

 

[Harry Dresden]

yep he was one of the best of that era...

 

[Marion Morrison]

I've never heard of him, sounds like he was a great guy.

Yeah, I'm not talking about the baseball players I know.

 

[DGS49]

Like most Real Americans, we rooted for the Giants to beat the Yankees in the '62 World Series. For the final out, McCovey lined out to second with two runners on. Those who were there said he crushed the ball. Had the ball been a litter ligher, more to the left, whatever, whole different ballgame, whole different result.

The vagaries of baseball. How many times has a hitter won a game with a lucky, check-swing double down the line? On that day, i really felt bad for McCovey, and he carried that ultimate disappointment to his grave.