How did Tim McCarver die? Legendary sportscaster and former All-Star catcher dies at 81 in Memphis
SARASOTA, FLORIDA: Tim McCarver, longtime voice of the World Series and major league catcher has died aged 81, according to the Hall of Fame announcement. The legendary MLB broadcaster's death took place on Thursday, February 16, in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was with his family.
In a statement, Phillies owner John Middleton said, "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," as per CBS Sports report. He continued, "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 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."
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Inside the legend's career from catcher to sportscaster
The cause behind Tim McCarver's death has not been disclosed. The long-time sportscaster was born and raised in Memphis and he made his debut with the MLB as a 17-year-old in 1959 after his signing with the Cardinals as an amateur earlier that year, according to CBS Sports.
McCarver then went on to escalate when he won the 1964 World Series with St.Louis after he landed in the big leagues in 1963. By 1996, he became an All-Star and won over the Red Sox after St.Louis was led by him to the World Series following his 14 home runs and his hit .295/.369/.452 in 1967, the same year when he finished second as he was behind Orlando Cepeda in the NL MVP voting.
On October 7, 1969, the catcher was traded to Phillies. He then became the Hall of Famer Steve Carlton's personal catcher and played his role in the team winning three consecutive titles in NL East from 1976-78. In the following season in 1980, McCarver retired as a career hitter. The All-Star catcher played 1,900 games in which he had 97 home runs and 1,501 hits. He is among the few players to have played the game in four different decades and with the Cardinals, he won two World Series titles in both 1964 and 1967. He has also played for the Red Sox and Expos.
Following his retirement, McCarver took a new role as a broadcaster. For many generations of the games' fans, he was a long-time voice of baseball and the World Series as he has called games for teams including Phillies, Giants, Yankees, Mets, and Cardinals from 1980-21. He also worked for broadcast media for CBS from 1996-2013 and Fox from 1996 to 2013. In April 2022, he retired from the role and at the time, he had a record of covering 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games.
'Most influential voices our game has known'
In a statement by commissioner Rob Manfred, he called Tim McCarver as "one of the most influential voices our game has known." He then went on to describe McCaver's role as a player and said, "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. 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," reported CBS Sports.
For his major contributions to baseball, McCarver became the recipient of the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award in 2012. When he received the award, McCarver said, “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. It is translating that for the viewers,” reported New York Post. In 2017, he was inducted into the Cardinals Hall of Fame and in 2016, the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame.