How much is Willie McCovey worth?
| Net Worth: | $4 Million |
|---|---|
| Profession: | Professional Baseball Player |
| Date of Birth: | January 10, 1938 |
| Country: | United States of America |
| Height: | 1.93 m |
About Willie McCovey
Willie Lee McCovey, nicknamed “Stretch,” “Mac,” and “Willie Mac,” was an American professional baseball player. While residing and working in Los Angeles, McCovey received an invitation to a New York Giants trial camp in Melbourne, Florida, despite the fact that scout Ed Scott, who signed Hank Aaron for the Negro American League Indianapolis Clowns, passed on him. Former Negro league owner and Giants scout Alex Pompez extended the offer.
- Born: Jan. 10, 1938
- Hometown: Mobile, Ala.
- Height: 6-4
- Weight: 198 pounds
- Bats: Left
- Throws: Left
- Family: Divorced, one daughter, Allison
- Primary positions: First base and left field
McCovey played for a Class AA Texas League farm team for the San Francisco Giants in Dallas, Texas, on his journey to the Major Leagues. Due to segregation in Shreveport, Louisiana, where his team played, he did not take part. Prior to being called up by the San Francisco Giants, he later played for the Pacific Coast League’s Phoenix Giants.
McCovey had a dismal 1960 campaign. He was once demoted to the minor leagues due to ongoing struggles, and the San Francisco supporters booed him vehemently. He played in 52 games more than the year before (101 games), but he hit the same number of home runs (13), batting.238.
ahead of the bigs:
joined the New York Giants in 1955 as an amateur free agent.
played for the Dallas Giants farm team in the Class AA Southern League, batting.281 with 11 home runs.
played a season and a half in Triple-A, batting.319 with the Phoenix Giants of the Pacific Coast League in 1958 when he was 20 years old, and added 29 home runs in three months before getting promoted to the major leagues.
Profession Highlights:
“Stretch” McCovey was a premier first baseman and one of the most feared power hitters in history.
270 in his 22-year career, 19 of which he spent with the San Francisco Giants, with 521 home runs, 1,555 RBI, 2,211 hits, 1,229 runs, 353 doubles, 46 triples, a.515 slugging percentage, and a.374 on-base percentage. He played for California teams his entire professional playing career.
On July 30, 1959, he made his Major League debut by going 4-for-4 against Hall of Fame pitcher Robin Roberts. that day, I had two triples and two singles.
played six times between 1963 and 1971 for the National League in the All-Star Game.
had a rookie hitting streak of 22 games, which is still a Giants record for a rookie and four games short of the franchise record.
Despite appearing in only 52 games, he finished the season with a.354 batting average and was named the National League Rookie of the Year.
Following a disastrous slump in which he hit just.238 with 13 home runs in 101 games, McCovey was briefly sent back to Triple-A Tacoma before joining the Giants.
He had an iconic moment against the New York Yankees in the seventh game of the World Series on October 16, 1962. He came within a whisker of giving the Giants the championship in the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs and runners on second and third. He lined out to Bobby Richardson at second base to finish the game. McCovey had never been so close to winning a World Series.
had 44 home runs to lead the National League in that year. He also finished in the top 10 seven times and led the league in 1968 (36) and 1969 (45).
He topped the NL in both RBI (105) and slugging percentage in 1968. (.545)
His best year in terms of statistics was 1969, when he batted.320, set career highs for home runs, RBI, and slugging percentage, and won MVP honors. Despite placing third in the National League poll the year prior and tenth the following year, it was the only time he received such recognition.
Only two of McCovey’s seasons—his abbreviated rookie year and the 1969 campaign—saw him finish with a batting average higher than.300.
For the third year running, he led the NL in slugging percentage (.612) in 1970. He also drew a career-high and league-high 137 walks.
Four times, McCovey was the National League’s leader in intentional walks.
He was exchanged for pitcher Mike Caldwell by the San Diego Padres in 1974. McCovey spent two seasons as a Padres player. His contract was bought by the Oakland A’s near the close of the 1976 campaign. With them, he only engaged in 11 games.
He rejoined the Giants in 1977 and had 465 career home runs at the time. He was the first player to ever hit two home runs in the same inning twice in his career on June 27, 1977, against Cincinnati (also achieved on April 12, 1973).
He was voted The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year in 1977 at the age of 39 after finishing the season with 28 home runs and 86 RBI.
McCovey hit his 500th career home run on June 30, 1978. Two years later, became one of three players to have hit a home run in each of the last four decades when he blasted his only home run of the year and the 521st of his career.
On July 6, 1980, he played his last game. He finished the game tied for 10th in career home runs with Ted Williams.
following retirement:
With 81.4 percent of the voting, he was chosen to the Hall of Fame in 1986, his first year of eligibility.
He was voted No. 56 on TheSporting News’ list of the 100 greatest baseball players in 1999.
Giants have given the Willie Mac Award every year since 1980 in honor of his leadership and energy.
McCovey Cove is the name of the San Francisco Bay inlet that is situated close to the Giants’ AT&T Park’s right field fence.
McCovey wore number 44 in honor of Hank Aaron, a fellow native of Mobile, Alabama, and it was retired by the Giants.
McCovey is still a senior advisor to the Giants as of 2012.
For tax offenses stemming from inaccurate declarations of income he made between 1988 and 1990, McCovey was penalized and given a two-year probationary period in 1996.
is a Walnut Creek, California, restaurant owner.
