Remembering Willie McCovey

Willie McCovey, who teamed with Willie Mays for to give the San Francisco Giants an intimidating tandem of Hall of Fame sluggers during the 1960s and early '70s, died Wednesday at age 80.

The 1959 National League Rookie of the Year and 1969 MVP was the all time Candlestick Park recordholder for home runs. "Stretch" cleared the fences 236 at that pitcher's paradise. But he did his damage everywhere. Willie's 18 grand slams remain the most in NL history.

Let's make it more personal. To a young fan who grew from age 6 to 16 during the '60s, McCovey was scary. Willie Mays was revered -- he spent the first six years of his fabled career calling the Polo Grounds home. Whenever the San Francisco Giants visited New York, it was a reunion with friends. McCovey never wore an NY on his shirt; if not the villain, he was always the threat, the man who could break open a game at any minute. Mays and McCovey back-to-back were as good a combination of three and four hitters as anyone saw that decade. Mantle and Maris only had three great seasons together. Mays and McCovey were really a more potent pair of M&M's -- they had ten of them!

The Giants honor him by retiring his number-44 and displaying his career home run total on the outfield wall along with other franchise icons. Mostly uniquely, there's also the aquatic area just past AT&T Park's right field wall: McCovey Cove. On summer nights, you're likely to find boats slowly cruising the water, those aboarding hoping to see a home run land in the water -- or on their craft!

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