Legendary Baseball Broadcaster Tim McCarver Has Died At 81

Major League Baseball broadcaster and former All-Star catcher Tim McCarver has passed away at the age of 81.

The National Baseball Hall of Fame announced McCarver's passing.

A two-time World Series champion and All-Star catcher, McCarver spent 21 seasons in baseball playing for a variety of teams, including two stints with the St. Louis Cardinals.

His iconic moments both on and off the field include being on the air during the 1989 San Francisco earthquake.

McCarver Played For 21 Years

Throughout his career, McCarver was able to catch with some of the greats, including Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson ,which led to this hilarious encounter. During one game when Gibson was having a rough stretch, McCarver thought it would be smart to go out and try to calm him down on the mound. That didn't work out well. "The only thing you know about pitching," Gibson said, "is how hard it is to hit," according to McCarver.

When he later played for the Philadelphia Phillies, he was the regular catcher for Hall of Fame pitcher Steve Carlton.

However, for many baseball fans, they will know McCarver for his baseball commentary. He called games for the Phillies, Mets, Yankees and Giants, as well as a then-record of 24 World Series Championships.

Tributes have been coming in from the baseball world, including from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred.

"All of us at Major League Baseball are grateful for Tim's impact on sports broadcasting and his distinguished career in our National Pastime. I extend my deepest condolences to Tim's family, friends and the generations of fans who learned about our great game from him," the statement read.

McCarver's former teams in the Cardinals and Phillies also paid respects, as fans are beginning to share some of their favorite Tim McCarver calls.

Written by
Mike “Gunz” Gunzelman has been involved in the sports and media industry for over a decade. He’s also a risk taker - the first time he ever had sushi was from a Duane Reade in Penn Station in NYC.