Man, I miss Willie McGee

Let’s face it, Willie McGee is not the best looking man in the history of professional sports.  Jack Buck said about him, “He looks like he does not have a friend in the world.  Meanwhile, all the world is his friend.”  As Cardinals’ fans, well, baseball fans, we all know that there are certain players in the history of every team that hold a special place in the fans’ hearts.  In most recent history, a couple of different players come to mind.   I’m a sucker for the guy that quietly gets his job done.

As I was just a wee child when McGee was playing for the Cardinals, I was unaware of him leaving the team to go play somewhere else.  He was traded to Oakland at the end of August 1990, around the same time Whitey Herzog left the Cardinals.  He then signed with the Giants in December of 1990, and spent 5 years there, until he signed with the Red Sox in 1995.  In December of 1995, he came back to the Cardinals, where he ended his career in 1999.

1985 was probably Willie’s biggest season, as he was the NL MVP, finished first for the NL batting title (.353), NL hit leader (216), and the NL triples leader (18).  Now, all of us know what happened in that 1985 year, “the call” during the I-70 World Series.  Having the advantage of living in KC, you know I never hear the end of that one, but hey, what else have those fans got?  The times of astroturf and stirrups are over, my friends.

What was the best thing about Willie McGee?  Was it his…um…interesting hitting style?  His running style?  His defense?  I think just about everyone who knows of Mr. McGee has a different opinion on this front, but no one can argue the fact that he was it in the clutch.  If you wanted someone to come off the bench, even late in his career, Willie was your man.  Consistency can carry you far.

No, Willie McGee was never the homerun machine.  He played on a team (during his hey-day) with Ozzie, Pendleton, Jack Clark, Vince Coleman, and Herr.  They were members of a team that won the 1985 World Series and will forever be known as the implementers of hit and run baseball.  What was Willie’s contribution to these teams?  I think Whitey Herzog said it best when he said, “(McGee) could fly. I think he was faster than (Mickey) Mantle. I thought he (Mantle) was the fastest in my time. (Willie) Mays was fast too. Mickey Rivers, he was fast. Dave Collins, Rickey Henderson, they were fast.   Willie McGee was the fastest.”

There has been some talk about retiring McGee’s number, 51, for the Cards.  I was even able to find a petition to do so.  Who would he join in this immortal realm?  Only the likes of Ozzie, Schoendienst, The Man, Slaughter, Boyer, Dizzy Dean, Lou Brock, Whitey Herzog, Jackie Robinson (in all of baseball), Sutter, Bob Gibson, August Busch and Jack Buck.  If you are interested in signing this petition, look it up on your favorite search engine and complete the thought.  Why not?  McGee did begin and end his career as a Cardinal, and we’re all sure glad he did.

It has been written that during his final year with the Cardinals, Willie received a standing ovation every time he came to the plate.  That, to me, was a fitting tribute to a great Cardinal.

Man, I miss Willie McGee.