WHY I THINK TIM McCARVER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN

WHY I THINK TIM McCARVER SHOULD BE IN COOPERSTOWN 

By- Damien 

Tim McCarver’s contributions to baseball over the years have been monumental, but he is seldom mentioned in any Hall of Fame debates. He was an elite catcher from 1963 through 1971, and was a big part of the Phillies’ success in the late 1970’s. He was one of three catchers in history to lead his league in triples, and also has the distinction of playing in four different decades (1959-1980). He is also one of the greatest and most successful broadcasters of all time, having called a record 24 World Series so far. Both catchers and broadcasters are underrepresented in the Hall of Fame, and McCarver in particular should have been better recognized. Tim McCarver began his MLB career in 1959, making his debut at the age of 17. He played parts of the next two seasons in the Big Leagues, but spent all of 1962 in the minors. By 1963, he was ready for a full time job, and he batted .289. McCarver hit .288 in 1964 as the starting catcher for the World Champion Cardinals. He was close to unstoppable in the World Series, as he batted .478/.552/.739 and stole home in Game 7. After another fine season in 1965, McCarver was named to his first all-star team in 1966, the year he led the league in triples. In 1967, the Cardinals again won the World Series, and in 1968, they lost to the Tigers in seven games. McCarver did his part, however, as he batted .333 with a homer and two triples. McCarver turned in another solid performance in the summer of 1969, but was limited to 44 games in 1970. He bounced back in 1971 with a .278 mark, but never again had as many as 400 at bats in a season. Like most catchers, he played backup in his 30’s, but still hit very well, as high as .320 in 1977. He helped the Phillies to three consecutive division titles from 1976 through 1978. He was also Hall of Famer Steve Carlton’s personal catcher in Philadelphia. He played his last game late in 1980, the year when Carlton won his third Cy Young Award. It must have been fulfilling, as he doubled and drove in two runs. Of course, McCarver stuck around baseball for decades in the broadcast booth, and he has done an excellent job. Among his career accomplishments include his own television program, The Tim McCarver Show, which ran from 2000 through 2017. He also won the Ford C. Frick Award in 2012. 

Tim McCarver was a good hitter, a fine defensive catcher, and a famous sportscaster. For all of his contributions both on and off the field, Tim McCarver gets my vote for the Hall of Fame. 

LIFETIME STATISTICS 

Games career: 1,909 season high: 150 in 1966 

At Bats career: 5,529 season high: 543 in 1966 

Hits career: 1,501 season high: 149 in 1966 

Doubles career: 242 season high: 27 in 1969 

Triples career: 57 season high: 13 in 1966 led NL: 13 in 1966 

Home Runs career: 97 season high: 14 in 1967 

Runs career: 590 season high: 68 in 1967 

Runs Batted In career: 645 season high: 69 in 1967 

Stolen Bases career: 61 season high: 9 in 1966 

Walks career: 548 season high: 54 in 1967 

Strikeouts career: 422 season high: 44 in 1964 

Batting Average career: .271 season high: .295 in 1967 

On Base Percentage career: .337 season high: .369 in 1967 

Slugging Percentage career: .388 season high: .452 in 1967 

Total Bases career: 2,148 season high: 230 in 1966 

Sacrifice Hits career: 35 season high: 5 in 1963 and 1964 

Fielding Percentage career: .989 season high: .997 in 1967 led NL C: .995 in 1965, .997 in 1967 

Double Plays career: 128 season high: 48 in 1973 

Putouts career: 8,893 season high: 925 in 1969 

Assists career: 625 season high: 67 in 1967 led NL C: 67 in 1967 

Caught Stealing Percentage career: .344 season high: .552 in 1967 

Pickoffs career: 23 season high: 4 in 1968 

DID YOU KNOW? 

-was the runner up in the NL MVP Award voting in 1967 

-went 3-for-3 with a double and a run scored in two all-star games (1966 and 1967) 

-had two career World Series home runs 

-led NL catchers in games caught (137) in 1964 

-was also Bob Gibson’s favorite catcher 

-caught two career no-hitters and 121 shutouts (ninth all time) 

-hit five career home runs off of Hall of Famer Jim Bunning, three off of Phil Niekro, two off of Gaylord Perry, and one each off of Sandy Koufax, Nolan Ryan, Juan Marichal, Don Drysdale, Ferguson Jenkins, and Rick Reuschel 

-was the youngest player in the NL in 1959 

-among MLB catchers, ranks 45th in career games caught and 29th in putouts 

-also played 103 games at first base, six at third base, 15 in leftfield, two as a DH, 466 as a pinch hitter, and 14 as a pinch runner 

-was inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010 

-released a jazz cover album in 2009