Tim McCarver, legendary MLB broadcaster, dead at 81
By: Ryan Glasspiegel (New York Post)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Tim McCarver, a former All-Star catcher and longtime voice of the World Series, has died at 81.
McCarver played 21 MLB seasons, for the Cardinals, Phillies, Expos and Red Sox. He was a member of the Cardinals' World Series teams in 1964 and '67, and made the All-Star game in 1966 and '67.
In 1,909 career regular-season games, McCarver batted .271 with 97 home runs and 645 RBIs. His career WAR (wins above replacement) was 28.3.
He then became one of the most recognized voices in baseball as a broadcaster, serving as a color commentator for the Phillies, Mets, Yankees, Giants and Cardinals and calling 24 World Series for ABC, CBS and Fox.
"I think there is a natural bridge from being a catcher to talking about the view of the game and the view of the other players," McCarver said in 2012 after he received the Ford Frick Award from the Baseball Hall of Fame. "It is translating that for the viewers."
Joe Buck, McCarver's broadcast partner on Fox for 18 years, gave him a heartfelt sendoff after McCarver's final World Series call in 2013.
"As we say goodbye, I speak on behalf of Major League Baseball - and I know everybody at Fox - when I say thank you for the credibility you bring us night after night in October," Buck said. "Personally, I'll tell you that as a kid in our first World Series in 1996, scared to death, scared out of my wits, fearful of being found out as some fraud, as some broadcaster's kid getting to do it, I looked to my right and knew that I was covered. Because of you. Just as my dad knew. You're the best to ever do this in this sport and it has been an honor and a privilege."
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred released a statement about McCarver's legacy.
"Tim McCarver was an All-Star, a World Series Champion, a respected teammate, and one of the most influential voices our game has known," Manfred said. "As a player, Tim was a key part of great Cardinals and Phillies teams in his 21-year career. In the booth, his analysis and attention to detail brought fans closer to our game and how it is played and managed. Tim's approach enhanced the fan experience on our biggest stages and on the broadcasts of the Mets, the Yankees and the Cardinals."
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