Tim McCarver, who had a 21-year playing career as a catcher and first baseman before becoming a revered television analyst for the Mets, Yankees and nationally, has died. He was 81.
McCarver played in over 1,900 games across four decades, mostly with the Cardinals and Phillies. He debuted for St. Louis near the end of the 1959 season and played a handful of games for Philadelphia in 1980. He also had stints with the Expos and Red Sox. McCarver was a career .271 hitter and a two-time All-Star. Known for serving as the personal catcher for Hall of Famers Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton, McCarver finished second in National League MVP voting in 1967 and won the World Series with the Cardinals in 1964 and ’67.