What was most impressive about slugger Willie McCovey – beyond the career hitting statistics that earned him a place in the hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility – was his consistency as a power hitter throughout his 22-season career, even though he battled injuries in nearly half of them. Twelve times he hit 20 or more home runs in a season, and in the 6 seasons from 1965 through 1970, he hit no fewer than 31.
 |
| Willie McCovey |
His total of 521 career home runs – though Hall of Fame worthy – was limited by his opportunities to play during the first 5 years of his career. McCovey was signed by the New York Giants in 1955 and made his debut with the San Francisco Giants on July 30, 1959. In the remaining 2 months of that season, McCovey batted .354 with 13 homes runs and 38 RBIs in what was essentially a third of a season. He also posted a .656 slugging average, and was named National League Rookie of the Year.
As good as he was, McCovey wasn’t good enough to find an everyday place in the Giants’ lineup, a lineup that included Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Felipe Alou and Willie Kirkland. By the end of the 1960 season, McCovey had earned a starting spot at first base. With only 260 official at-bats in 1960, McCovey finished the season with 13 home runs and 51 RBIs. A part-time player in each of the next 2 seasons, McCovey hit 18 home runs in 1961 and 20 in 1962.
By 1963, McCovey was the team’s regular left fielder, and responded in his first full season with a league-leading 44 home runs and 102 runs batted in. A foot injury limited his playing time and productivity in 1964, when he batted .220 with 18 home runs and 54 RBIs. He rebounded in 1965 with 39 home runs, and hit more than 30 homers in each of the next 3 seasons, leading the National league in home runs (36) and RBIs (105) in 1968.
McCovey’s best season came in 1969, when he batted .320 and led the National league in home runs (45), RBIs (126) and slugging average (.656). He was selected as the National League Most Valuable Player that season.
McCovey bashed 39 home runs in 1970, the most he would hit in a single season over the rest of his career. Dogged by injuries over the next few years, he managed 29 home runs and 75 RBIs in 1973, his last season with the Giants. He was traded to the San Diego Padres, and after 2 years split the 1976 season between the Padres and the Oakland Athletics. He returned to San Francisco and had a strong comeback season at age 39 in 1977, batting .280 with 28 home runs and 86 RBIs. He hit only 28 more home runs as a part-time player over the next 3 seasons, and retired in 1980. He finished with a career batting average of .270.
McCovey was a 6-time All-Star, and was the Most Valuable player in the 1969 All-Star game. He hit 231 home runs in Candlestick Park, the most by any player. And McCovey was the first major league player to twice hit 2 home runs in a single inning.
0 comments:
Post a Comment