Well written book about a great man! Even if you are not a baseball fan I think that you will enjoy this well written story.

Through the 1960’s, the San Francisco Giants had two of the most feared sluggers in the National League – Willie Mays and Willie McCovey. While Mays was considered to be the better all-around player, McCovey certainly had a special place in the hearts of Giants fans. His baseball story is captured in this book by Chris Haft.

The vast majority of pages are about McCovey’s time on the diamond, whether it was at Candlestick Park with the Giants or other teams either in the minor leagues or his three seasons with the San Diego Padres. Very little time is spent discussion his personal life and at times, this would be good information to go alone with the baseball or his life after retirement – whether that involved baseball or not. One example of where this might come into play is the very little amount of text about McCovey’s first marriage and daughter during his playing days. When he was struggling, did that affect his life at home – or maybe it was the other way around and if there were troubles at home, was that affecting his performance? Most other sport biographies include this type of personal information and it was surprising to see so little of it in this book.

The baseball text, however, is good and a reader will likely learn something new about McCovey – even if that person felt they already knew a lot about him. One example would be one that I didn’t expect to read – that McCovey was more popular among Giants fans than Mays. Considering that many non-baseball fans have heard of Willie Mays, but probably don’t know about McCovey, I found that surprising. Haft does a good job of explaining how this came about. Other interesting tidbits about McCovey revealed in the book is how McCovey got the nickname “Stretch” (his stretch at first base when taking throws from infielders) and the great reception he received from fans when he returned to the Giants after a three-year stint in San Diego. Also, a reader will certainly learn even more about the most famous at-bat in McCovey’s career, which was an out. There is an entire chapter dedicated to his famous line out to Yankee second baseman Bobby Richardson to end the 1962 World Series.

Overall, this book was decent for describing the baseball career of the first ballot Hall of Famer. One might stop short of calling it a “biography” due to the lack of much information outside of the diamond but for baseball fans, it will certainly help shake off the winter blues while awaiting the start of spring training.

I rated this book 3 1/2 stars of 5, rounded up to 4 for this site.

I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are strictly my own.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the advanced digital copy of this wonderful book..

When I was a kid, the National League may as well have been playing baseball on the moon. And West Coast National League teams? Ha! Way past my bedtime, on the wrong side of the country and they never, ever played my Boston Red Sox. How was I supposed to know who those guys were? They existed only as an entry in the standings on the stats page of the Boston Sunday Globe.

And yet, I knew who Willie McCovey was.

In the 1970s we followed baseball players by their cards and the statistics they carried on their backs. Willie was obviously a superstar, according to Topps cards. His numbers were eye-popping, especially in the way that we read them back then. All you needed to know was batting average, home runs and runs batted in. His power numbers stood out.

But did I really know him? In truth, no. Aside from his effectively perpetual invisibility in pre-cable television days, Willie McCovey was not someone who stood out for his antics, his mouth or anything other than swinging a big bat. He didn't make headlines like Pete Rose or other outspoken players of his era. He was never in trouble, never badmouthing an opponent. He was never boastful. He was the epitome of the strong, silent type, eternally grateful for his opportunities and accolades. And that is the Willie Mac that author Chris Haft wants us to get to know through this book.

This biography is a loving tribute to a man who let his actions speak for him, both on the field as a storied home run hitter, and off, be it in the clubhouse among his peers or in the San Francisco community. Haft sought interview subjects that spanned 70 years of Giants history. McCovey had that kind of impact, from his playing days to his dying day and beyond.

Of interest are the stories behind his upbringing, his relationship with Willie Mays, the naming of McCovey Cove and more. We are left with an overwhelming feeling of a man who understood gratitude, who always gave back and whose impact should stand as long as Giants baseball lives.

Every sports team, every city should be blessed to have a Willie McCovey in its history.