Tim McCarver, stalwart catcher for 21 seasons in the major leagues before becoming a Hall of Fame broadcaster, has died at the age of 81.
According to a press release from the Hall of Fame, McCarver died of heart failure Thursday morning in his hometown of Memphis.
McCarver played 12 seasons with the Cardinals, teaming up with ace Bob Gibson to form the heart and soul of two World Series championship squads in 1964 and 1967. A two-time All-Star in St. Louis, he set career highs with a .295 average, 14 home runs and 69 RBI in 1967, finishing second to teammate Orlando Cepeda in the NL MVP voting.
Two years later, he was part of a blockbuster trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he would spend nine more seasons. McCarver also played for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos as he became one of the few MLB players to appear in four different decades.
After his playing career ended in 1980, McCarver embarked on a second career in baseball, making an even greater impact on the game as a broadcaster.
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He made his first national television appearance in 1980 on NBC’s Game of the Week, which led to a full-time job broadcasting Phillies games from 1980-82, followed by the New York Mets from 1983-98, New York Yankees in 1999 and San Francisco Giants in 2002.
Also during that time, he became a regular on national broadcasts – from ABC’s Monday Night Baseball to CBS to the short-lived Baseball Network and finally to Fox.
Joining Fox as its No. 1 baseball analyst in 1996, McCarver worked primarily with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, covering a total of 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games before stepping down after the 2013 season.
In 2012, McCarver received the ultimate broadcasting honor, winning the Hall of Fame’s annual Ford Frick Award.
Tim McCarver remembered
“Tim McCarver was an All-Star, a World Series Champion, a respected teammate, and one of the most influential voices our game has known,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a news release. “In the booth, his analysis and attention to detail brought fans closer to our game and how it is played and managed.”
“The Phillies are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Tim McCarver and extend our most heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, former teammates and colleagues,” Phillies owner John Middleton said.
“Tim joined the Phillies at the height of his career and returned for his final six seasons as a veteran leader, helping the club to three straight NLCS appearances and, ultimately, their first-ever World Series title. Following his playing career, fans throughout the world, including here in Philadelphia, listened to him describe their favorite team’s most iconic moments with professionalism and class. For Tim’s leadership, friendship and voice, the Phillies are forever grateful.”
