Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. He played the first base position for Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics during a career that span twenty-two years (1959-1980). Born Willie Lee McCovey, he attended Central High School in Mobile, Alabama and started in the farm system of the San Francisco Giants before joining the team in 1959. His remarkable rookie season led to him being named National League Rookie of the Year that year. Three years later, in 1962, he was a part of the Giants' National League championship-winning team. He would go on to play for the Giants for eleven more seasons before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 1974. While with the Giants, he also captured the National League Most Valuable Player honors in 1969 after batting .320 with 45 home runs that year. He played for the Padres for nearly two years before his contract was purchased by the Oakland Athletics near the end of the 1976 season. In 1977, he rejoined the Giants and played for them for four years before retiring after the 1980 season. His career statistics included a .270 batting average with 521 home runs, 1,555 RBIs and 2,211 hits. He also was a six-time All Star (1963, 1966, 1968-1971), three-time National League home run leader (1963, 1968 and 1969), and two-time National League RBI leader (1968 and 1969). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and also had his number 44 retired by the Giants. He was enormously popular with the San Francisco fans and held several public relations positions with the Giants after his retirement. The portion of San Francisco Bay beyond right field in the Giants' home field, AT&T Park, was named McCovey Cove in his honor. He passed away after battling health problems for years.
Hall of Fame Major League Baseball Player. He played the first base position for Major League Baseball's San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres, and Oakland Athletics during a career that span twenty-two years (1959-1980). Born Willie Lee McCovey, he attended Central High School in Mobile, Alabama and started in the farm system of the San Francisco Giants before joining the team in 1959. His remarkable rookie season led to him being named National League Rookie of the Year that year. Three years later, in 1962, he was a part of the Giants' National League championship-winning team. He would go on to play for the Giants for eleven more seasons before being traded to the San Diego Padres in 1974. While with the Giants, he also captured the National League Most Valuable Player honors in 1969 after batting .320 with 45 home runs that year. He played for the Padres for nearly two years before his contract was purchased by the Oakland Athletics near the end of the 1976 season. In 1977, he rejoined the Giants and played for them for four years before retiring after the 1980 season. His career statistics included a .270 batting average with 521 home runs, 1,555 RBIs and 2,211 hits. He also was a six-time All Star (1963, 1966, 1968-1971), three-time National League home run leader (1963, 1968 and 1969), and two-time National League RBI leader (1968 and 1969). He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 and also had his number 44 retired by the Giants. He was enormously popular with the San Francisco fans and held several public relations positions with the Giants after his retirement. The portion of San Francisco Bay beyond right field in the Giants' home field, AT&T Park, was named McCovey Cove in his honor. He passed away after battling health problems for years.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
Inscription
"Stretch"
Willie Lee McCovey
January 10, 1938
Mobile, Alabama
October 31, 2018
Palo Alto, California
Inducted into the Hall of Fame 1986
1959 N.L. Rookie of the Year
.354 BA, 13 HR, 38 RBI
1969 N.L. MVP .320 BA, 45 HR, 126 RBI
Six time All Star
Played in the MLB in four decades
A Gentle Giant & a Humble Man
Family Members
Advertisement
See more McCovey memorials in:
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
