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Giants legend Willie McCovey dies at 80
San Jose Mercury News ^ | October 31, 2018 | Daniel Brown

Posted on 10/31/2018 5:26:12 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer

“If you pitch to him, he’ll ruin a baseball,’’ rival manager Sparky Anderson once said. “There’s no comparison between McCovey and anybody else in the league.” He was the National League rookie of the year in 1959, the league’s MVP in 1969 and the comeback player of the year in 1977 when he kicked off a late-career renaissance by returning to the Giants after a three-year absence. In all, McCovey was a six-time All-Star whose career home run total ties him with Ted Williams for 18th on the all-time list. Before Barry Bonds passed him, McCovey had more home runs than any other left-handed hitter in N.L history. McCovey’s total includes 18 grand slams, a figure topped by only three players. He was inducted into Cooperstown on his first ballot, in 1986..

(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; History; Miscellaneous; Sports
KEYWORDS: baseball; candlestickpark; candlestickpsrk; mccovey; mlb; obituary; sanfrancisco; williemccovey
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

RIP Willie. One of the greats.


41 posted on 10/31/2018 6:48:46 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Overshadowed by Mays but he was a helluva hitter. RIP Willie.


42 posted on 10/31/2018 6:55:03 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: dainbramaged

Pretty sure that is Dodger Stadium... so maybe.


43 posted on 10/31/2018 6:57:27 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: shotgun
Commercial Photography
44 posted on 10/31/2018 6:58:56 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

RIP. Nobody was more feared.


45 posted on 10/31/2018 6:59:46 PM PDT by Some Fat Guy in L.A. (Still bitterly clinging to rational thought despite it's unfashionability)
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To: EveningStar
The Dodgers had a saying about McCovey: “He hits (Don) Drysdale like he owns him.”

My favorite Drysdale story....

The Dodgers are in The Series but Koufax can't pitch because it's Yom Kippur .... So they start Drysdale instead.
Drysdale proceeds to get hammered. When Walter Alston came to the mound to take him out, Drysdale said 'I bet you wish I was Jewish too.'

46 posted on 10/31/2018 7:01:13 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: OrangeHoof

I could only pick out Bench, McCovey, and Santo.


47 posted on 10/31/2018 7:02:05 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
I miss baseball already...

Opening day is a long way off. I always get depressed after The Series ends. Plus the days are getting shorter and the temps are dropping. The older I get the less I like winter.

48 posted on 10/31/2018 7:04:26 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

The Orioles trading for Frank Robinson was the best day in team history.


49 posted on 10/31/2018 7:08:00 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

He came over in 1966, won the Triple Crown, the league MVP, and led the Os to their first championship.


50 posted on 10/31/2018 7:09:15 PM PDT by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Would have hated playing first base when he was batting. RIP Stretch


51 posted on 10/31/2018 7:10:21 PM PDT by Figment
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Prayers to his family....Great player...God needed him for ‘The Angels’...RIP.


52 posted on 10/31/2018 7:17:36 PM PDT by Deplorable American1776 (Proud to be a DeplorableAmerican with a Deplorable Family...even the dog is, too. :-))
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

RIP


53 posted on 10/31/2018 7:29:40 PM PDT by Doogle (( USAF.68-73....8th TFW Ubon Thailand....never store a threat you should have eliminated)))
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer
This is very sad news. Being a life-long Giants fan, growing up, Willie McCovey was my all-time favorite baseball player. Boy he had a beautiful swing and in his prime, he was the most feared batter in baseball. I remember the Cubs shifting their entire defense to the right when McCovey came to bat. I actually saw his very last game at Candlestick in 1980.

In a world where everything was normally focused on the other Willie,(Mays), Willie McCovey was a spectacular player and teammate and performed with incredible grace and dignity,

RIP Stretch, you were one of the best.

54 posted on 10/31/2018 7:32:15 PM PDT by nicksaunt
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To: massmike

Perfect depiction of every kid in my 6th grade class back in October of 1962.


55 posted on 10/31/2018 7:32:54 PM PDT by RGSpincich
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

Not many could rope like Willie could. Bobby Richardson’s, (My favorite player and person), glove hand still hurts! (Old timers will get that one!) RIP Big Guy.


56 posted on 10/31/2018 7:34:59 PM PDT by bobby.223 (Retired up in the snowy Mountains of the American Redoubt and it's a great life!)
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To: Atticus

Hate those damned pajama pants they wear...looks like they’re working out at the gym...


57 posted on 10/31/2018 7:46:49 PM PDT by IrishBrigade
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To: bobby.223
Commercial Photography
58 posted on 10/31/2018 7:47:54 PM PDT by CaliforniaCraftBeer
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To: CaliforniaCraftBeer

As a twelve year old kid in little
league, I was honored to witness
Willie during a batting exposition
promoting little league in our area.
He hit six consecutive balls over the
center field fence. The power of his
bat was phenomenal. RIP Willie.


59 posted on 10/31/2018 7:49:38 PM PDT by Lean-Right (Eat Mo)
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To: shotgun; Pelham; Yudan

Cool story God bless your dad

I had a signed pic and long letter from Joe DiMaggio when he was skipper of the As and Vida Blue and Catfish and Rollie ....what a bullpen!

It was several pages with Joe extolling effort and talent....I was a pitcher
Little league then.....the Pony etc

Anyhow I got divorced and when I got my truck of stuff back from her and my new husband in law many things were missing like old medieval paintings and charts ans a Navajo rug from the 20s

And I opened my scrapbook and there on the page where the letter and autograph pic it was blank torn out

My girls later told me they saw it in my husband in laws office along with my charts and 1400s nautical paintings

I owned ships once....

Anyhow...

Life.


60 posted on 10/31/2018 8:20:21 PM PDT by wardaddy (I donÂ’t care that youÂ’re not a racist......when the shooting starts it wonÂ’t matter what you were)
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