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Willie McCovey was so private, so modest, and so humble that he didn’t find it necessary to seek attention. Unless he suited up on a baseball field, where he embraced the attention as the most feared hitter of his era, he was fine out of the spotlight.
So it shouldn’t be surprising that whenever he was approached with offers to collaborate on book projects, which other elite ballplayers capitalized on through the years, he’d turn them down.
Chris Haft knows all too well. He was among those who asked McCovey about writing a book only to get rejected. Even though the two had a strong relationship and Haft earned his trust, McCovey wouldn’t budge from his stance.
“I just respected him so much,” Haft said. “If he didn’t want it, that’s fine, and he didn’t want it.”
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Nothing would have stopped Haft from writing an unauthorized biography, but he honored McCovey’s wishes even long after the legendary Giants first baseman died in October 2018. Haft never ditched his dream to write a book and eventually sought input from McCovey’s daughter, Allison, who gave her blessing.
“I’m glad Allison said yes,” Haft said. “If she had said no, I would not have written it, I swear to you. I give thanks to Allison for that.”
As a result, we finally have a definitive McCovey biography that he undoubtedly would have appreciated. “A Giant Among Giants: the Baseball Life of Willie McCovey” pays tribute to the man by telling his story, celebrating his accomplishments, and enhancing his legacy.
Allison McCovey remembers her father receiving proposals for book deals, and even a documentary featuring the 500-homers club. Willie took a pass in part because he didn’t want to hash through the racism he faced growing up in Mobile, Ala., and in pro ball. He also didn’t want to deal with any sensationalism or negativity.
“He kind of shied away from it,” she said. “He was very, very, very private and more of an introvert than extrovert. He internalized a lot of things. There were traumatic experiences he had in Mobile as a kid. The Hall of Fame was different. That brought him a lot of joy. That was the pinnacle for him. He loved playing and appreciated what his career brought him.”
Haft, who grew up in Menlo Park attending many a Giants game at Candlestick Park, identified early on that McCovey was one of his favorite players. At Haft’s first game, in 1969, McCovey homered off Pittsburgh’s Bob Veale. Once Haft broke into the industry and got to know McCovey – he was a Giants beat writer for the San Jose Mercury News and MLB.com – he interviewed him many times. Along with those interviews and interviews he conducted with more than 100 others who knew McCovey best, plus his extensive research, Haft was aptly armed and the right person to put together this important 240-page manuscript.
“One thing that gave me momentum personally was seeing how former players reacted to Mac,” Haft said. “It was universal and enduring respect.”
Vida Blue was one of McCovey’s closest friends, and when Haft called him for an interview, one of his first for the purpose of the book, the pitching great was hesitant at first.
“Vida said, ‘Hold on, why are you doing a book on Willie McCovey?’” Haft said. “I could hear all the skepticism in his voice. Willie had remained very important to him, and he didn’t want anyone dumping on his friend. He was going to make sure nothing was objectionable. I told Vida the book was about the love and respect he prompted in people’s hearts. That was fine with him. I got the unofficial verbal OK from one of his lieutenants, and Vida started telling me stories without me asking questions.”
McCovey is splendidly represented at Oracle Park with the statue beyond the strip of water known as McCovey Cove, and the Willie Mac Award continues to be presented annually to the Giants’ most inspirational player.
Haft’s book is another reminder of McCovey’s impact not only on the game but all his teammates and generations of fans. It can still be argued that there wasn’t a more lovable Giant in the team’s West Coast history. Willie Mays was the undeniable GOAT and widely adored, though while he played in New York before the relocation, McCovey was perceived as San Francisco’s own. Other Giants followed who were beloved including Jack Clark, Will Clark, Barry Bonds, Tim Lincecum, Buster Posey, and the characters from the championship era, but a case could be made that McCovey was the most popular of all by those who have been around long enough.
“He was literally loved. He truly was,” Haft said. “I guess you had to live through that era to really see it and hear it. Even on the radio, when Mac did something special, the people couldn’t shut up, and Lon Simmons would not talk through the cheering. It was for real.
“A week after he announced his retirement (summer of 1980), he hit a pinch double in the ninth to score Rennie Stennett and beat the Dodgers. I was there and don’t remember cheering like that for anyone, even Willie Mays. It was spontaneous. It went on and on and on.”
The book details new insight on McCovey’s 4-for-4 debut off Hall of Famer Robin Roberts, his sizzling but misplaced liner that ended Game 7 of the 1962 World Series, his MVP season, his triumphant return to the organization, his relationships with Mays, Orlando Cepeda and other teammates, his challenges of playing for certain managers including Alvin Dark, and a fresh look into his personal life.
Anyone who hung with McCovey at Giants games was inspired by how upbeat he was despite the physical hardships he was suffering, especially with his knees, which prevented him from playing golf, a sport he loved, for much of his retirement.
And, yes, the book does get deep into the racism that McCovey experienced, which was relayed to Haft in a 2017 conversation with McCovey and through family members. Haft’s many interviews, including with Willie Mac Award winners, provide a look through today’s lens at the man’s career and life.
“Love and respect,” Haft said. “Two senses about the guy that he seemed to engender or spark within people’s souls. His legacy is safe in Giants circles and among Giants fans and just in general with the statue, cove and award. I don’t pretend to equate my book with any of that, but it can kind of guide people and tell the story of his greatness. I’m just glad to be able to help cement how dignified he was and his reputation in words.”
With Father’s Day around the corner, there’s no lack of Giants-related books that recently were published. Here are a few:
“Skipper: Why Baseball Managers Matter (and Always Will)” by renowned baseball scribe Scott Miller is a creative look into the evolution of managers and the authority they’ve maintained. Or lost. Much changed once the analytics era arrived and executives sought more control of in-game decision making. Several Giants managers are among those highlighted: Dusty Baker, Bruce Bochy, Gabe Kapler, and Bob Melvin.
“Baseball’s First Superstar: the Lost Life Story of Christy Mathewson” by Alan Gaff explores the legendary 373-game winner, 372 of the wins coming as a Giant in the early 1900s. He tossed three shutouts in the 1905 World Series, the Giants’ first championship, and the book sheds light on his personal life — he was known for his integrity and morals at a time other ballplayers were known for gambling and drinking.
Jerry Grillo’s “Big Cat: the Life of Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Mize” brings to life the sweet-swinging first baseman who played for the Giants before and after World War II. He was an All-Star for 10 of his seasons including all five as a Giant. He led the league in homers four times including 1947, Jackie Robinson’s debut season, when becoming the only player with at least 50 homers (52) and fewer than 50 strikeouts (42).
Another book featuring McCovey along with Billy Williams was penned by Jason Cannon. “A time of Reflection: the Parallel Legacies of Baseball Icons Willie McCovey and Billy Williams” traces the Hall of Famers from their days growing up a few miles from each other in Mobile to how they embraced (and got embraced in) the cities where they played, San Francisco and Chicago.
This one won’t be published until July 8, but it’ll be worth reading for all Giants fans and is available for preorders. “The Franchise: San Francisco Giants, a Curated History of the Orange and Black,” written by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area, features a series of splendid essays, each with the author’s behind-the-scenes personal touch, on the team’s top characters and moments dating to 1958, the team’s first in San Francisco.
“The God Squad: the Born-Again San Francisco Giants of 1978” chronicles a team with several born-again Christians including Gary Lavelle and Bob Knepper that was competitive through the season. When things went south in 1979, the so-called God Squadders were blamed. One of the chapters: “Understanding Lowell Cohn.”
One of the Giants’ owners joined the book-writing business. Bob Sockolov’s “My Life, Who Cares, Not a Question” covers his family, business (remember Rochester Big & Tall?) and stake in the Giants with some insight on joining the group of investors that bought the team in 1993, which proved a wildly lucrative venture.
Gary Mintz, leader of the New York Giants Preservation Society, wrote “Baseball from 3,000 Miles Away: the Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs of Being an East Coast San Francisco Giants Fan,” and the title says it all about Mintz’s unique lifelong fandom.