Posted on 02/16/2023 2:55:08 PM PST by Rummyfan
Tim McCarver, a two-time World Series champion who became a household name as a highly skilled broadcaster both nationally and in three Major League cities, died on Thursday at the age of 81. The cause of death was heart failure.
McCarver, who made his Major League debut with the Cardinals in 1959, spent seven decades in professional baseball. That included a 21-year Major League playing career before transitioning into an award-winning broadcaster, whom many considered to be baseball’s version of football's John Madden. McCarver had a way of simplifying the game of baseball for the average fan; his use of the English language was impeccable, punctuated by a touch of friendly Southern drawl.
McCarver was awarded the Hall of Fame’s Ford C. Frick Award in 2012 for his Emmy-winning work in the booth.
(Excerpt) Read more at mlb.com ...
I wasn’t a MaCarver super fan, I found him and Joe Buck to be a bit irritating. I did watch him play for the Cardinals and he was a good catcher. It never occurred to me, he was that old. Bob Gibson is gone too. Lots of memories of the Cards in the ‘60s. RIP
He was an arrogant broadcaster.
You forgot the word suddenly.
21+ years at catcher is pretty remarkable. Lots of jammed fingers, bad knees and in the day of collisions at the plate.
I used to enjoy his one on one syndicated interview show of sports greats especially old baseball players.
Thanks for the memories on both counts, Tim!
I was huge Cardinal fan back in the day.(Couldn’t care less about woke pro sports now.) McCarver was a good, smart player. Gibson and Carlton also benefited from HIM, as both of them have affirmed. He was solid at the plate, if not awesome. He never choked and put his bat on the ball when it mattered.
R.I.P.
I have a lot of memories of him and Lefty with the Phils. RIP
Yes, a good smart player who made the most of his skills.
One of my favorite players growing up. RIP
McCarver was a very good catcher. But was traded by the Cards to the Phillies in the infamous Curt Flood trade.
October 7, 1969: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals with Byron Browne, Curt Flood and Joe Hoerner to the Philadelphia Phillies for Dick Allen, Jerry Johnson and Cookie Rojas. Curt Flood refused to report to his new team. The St. Louis Cardinals sent Willie Montanez (April 8, 1970) and Jim Browning (minors) (August 30, 1970) to the Philadelphia Phillies to complete the trade.
He called the Mets games in the 1980s and did a great job with Ralph Kiner. Learned a lot about baseball listening to them.
Back when the pitcher’s mound was higher and games lasted less than 3 hours.
To be a fresh out of HS kid and catcher for Bob Gibson. I bet he could tell some stories frim that locker room.
Tim McCarver once went to the mound when Bob Gibson was pitching and was quickly told to return. “The only thing you know about pitching is that you can’t hit it.”
McCarver laughed about that.
August Busch had back-to-back World Series teams in 1967 - 1968. He proceeded to dismantle the team, trading away Jerry Reuss and Steve Carlton among others. Imagine what that team would have been with those two. McCarver was traded mainly because they had Ted Simmons coming up.
Lots of 81 year olds die suddenly.
Oh, give it a rest.
Steve Carlton’s personal Catcher on the Phillies.
St Louis was a great place to grow up in the 60s.
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