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{{Short description|American baseball player and announcer (1941–2023)}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Tim McCarver
|image=Tim McCarver 2002.jpg
|caption=McCarver in 2002
|position=[[Catcher]]
|birth_date={{Birth date|1941|10|16}}
|birth_place=[[Memphis, Tennessee]], U.S.
|death_date= {{death date and age|2023|02|16|1941|10|16}}
|death_place=Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
|bats=Left
|throws=Right
|debutleague=MLB
|debutdate=September 10
|debutyear=1959
|debutteam=St. Louis Cardinals
|finalleague=MLB
|finaldate=October 5
|finalyear=1980
|finalteam=Philadelphia Phillies
|statleague=MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.271
|stat2label=[[Home run]]s
|stat2value=97
|stat3label=[[Run batted in|Runs batted in]]
|stat3value=645
|teams=
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1959}}–{{mlby|1961}}, {{mlby|1963}}–{{mlby|1969}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1972}})
* [[Montreal Expos]] ({{mlby|1972}})
* [[St. Louis Cardinals]] ({{mlby|1973}}–{{mlby|1974}})
* [[Boston Red Sox]] ({{mlby|1974}}–{{mlby|1975}})
* [[Philadelphia Phillies]] ({{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1980}})
|highlights=
* 2× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1966 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1966]], [[1967 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1967]])
* 2× [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1964}}, {{wsy|1967}})
* [[Ford C. Frick Award]] (2012)
* [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum|St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame]]
}}
'''James Timothy McCarver''' (October 16, 1941 – February 16, 2023) was an American professional [[baseball]] [[catcher]] and television [[sports commentator]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2018-10-20 |title=The Tim McCarver Show Books and CD - The Tim McCarver Show |url=http://www.timmccarver.com/books-cd/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020223819/http://www.timmccarver.com/books-cd/ |archive-date=2018-10-20 |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=timmccarver.com}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Sings Selections From the Great American Songbook |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/sings-selections-from-the-great-american-songbook-mw0001784212 |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=AllMusic}}</ref> He played in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) from 1959 to 1980 for four teams, spending almost all of his career with the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] and [[Philadelphia Phillies]]. A two-time [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]], he helped the Cardinals to the [[1964 World Series]] title, [[batting average (baseball)|batting]] .478 in the Series, including a three-run [[home run]] in the tenth inning to win Game 5. In 1966, he became the first catcher since the 19th century to lead the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL) in [[triple (baseball)|triples]] with 13. McCarver was runner-up for the 1967 NL [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player Award]], behind teammate [[Orlando Cepeda]], after batting .295 and leading NL catchers in [[assist (baseball)|assists]] and [[fielding percentage]].

Traded to the Phillies after the 1969 season, he was re-joined by pitcher and St. Louis teammate [[Steve Carlton]], becoming his regular catcher as the team won three division titles from 1976 to 1978. After increased use as a [[pinch hitter]] in his last several seasons, in September 1980, McCarver became the 18th major league player to [[List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades|play in four decades]].

After his playing career, McCarver became a television [[color commentator]], most notably for [[MLB on Fox|Fox Sports]] after previous stints with the other three broadcast networks. He eventually set a record by calling 23 [[World Series]] as well as 20 All-Star Games, earning three [[Sports Emmy Awards|Emmy Awards]] in the process. In 2012, McCarver was named the [[Ford C. Frick Award]] recipient. He was inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame in 2016,<ref name="HOF">{{cite news |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/mccarver-gets-call-from-baseball-hall-of-fame/article_6c75b2b5-887d-50ac-8c1b-16f585365dc1.html |title=McCarver gets call from Baseball Hall of Fame |newspaper=[[St. Louis Post-Dispatch]] |first=Rick |last=Hummel |date=July 15, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org/inductees/tim-mccarver/ |title=Tim McCarver at the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame |work=sportsbroadcastinghalloffame.org |access-date=October 23, 2022 }}</ref> and the [[St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame and Museum|St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame]] in 2017.

==Early life==
McCarver was born in [[Memphis, Tennessee]] to Alice (née Phelan) and Edward McCarver, the fourth of five children; he had three brothers and a sister. His father was a police lieutenant. He went to segregated schools, including [[Christian Brothers High School (Memphis, Tennessee)|Christian Brothers High School]] where he played baseball, basketball, and football. Reportedly, amongst the subjects in which he was well-versed were poetry, [[World War II]] and [[American Civil War|Civil War]] generals, show tunes, and [[Shakespeare's plays|Shakespeare]].<ref name="C Appeal">{{cite web|title=Tim McCarver|url=https://commercialappeal.com/obituaries/mca068103|work=[[The Commercial Appeal]]|date=February 18, 2023 |access-date=May 13, 2025}}</ref>

McCarver credited his sister, Marilyn for helping him. She helped him with fielding and it was her idea for him to become a left-handed hitter.<ref name=sabr/>

==Playing career==
===Early years===
McCarver turned down a football scholarship at the [[University of Tennessee]] to play professional baseball. Instead, he signed to a $75,000 contract by the [[St. Louis Cardinals]] in 1959 when he was 17. After playing in the minor leagues with the [[Keokuk Indians]] and the [[Rochester Red Wings]], McCarver reached the Major Leagues for the first time at 17.<ref name=sabr/> He was with the [[Memphis Chicks (Southern Association)|Memphis Chicks]] for the 1960 season, the 1961 season with the [[Charleston Charlies]], and the 1962 season with the [[Atlanta Crackers]], receiving brief promotions to the major leagues in the 1960 and 1961 seasons. In 1963, he was promoted to the Major Leagues for good.<ref name=sabr/>

===St. Louis Cardinals===
McCarver hit the tie-breaking home run in the 10th inning, winning Game 5 of the [[1964 World Series]] for the Cardinals. In 1966, McCarver was named to the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Team]], scored the winning run in the 10th inning of that [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game results|1966 All-Star Game]], and became the first catcher to lead the National League in [[triple (baseball)|triples]], with 13.<ref name=caesar/> In 1967, he finished second to teammate [[Orlando Cepeda]] for the [[MLB Most Valuable Player Award|National League Most Valuable Player award]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nationalreview.com/corner/r-i-p-tim-mccarver/ |title=Tim McCarver's Monumental Baseball Career |magazine=National Review |date=February 16, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

McCarver was a member of two [[World Series]] champion teams in St. Louis. He was the preferred catcher of the notoriously temperamental [[Bob Gibson]]. McCarver said if he had any prejudices it was probably Gibson who helped him get past them.<ref name=Gibson>{{cite web |last1=Italie |first1=Hillel |title=Tim McCarver, big league catcher, and broadcaster, dies at 81 |url=https://apnews.com/article/tim-mccarver-baseball-dead-58fed2018917409786f551df15a0102e |work=[[Associated Press]] |date=February 16, 2023 |access-date=February 16, 2023}}</ref>

During his time in St. Louis, he also fostered a relationship with young pitcher [[Steve Carlton]] that would keep him in the Major Leagues later in his career. In 1968, McCarver was the Cardinals catcher as they won the NL pennant but were ultimately defeated by the [[Detroit Tigers]] in a seven-game [[1968 World Series|World Series]].<ref name=weber_02162023>{{Cite news |last=Weber |first=Bruce |date=February 16, 2023 |title=Tim McCarver, Catcher in the Hall of Fame as a Broadcaster, Dies at 81 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/16/sports/baseball/tim-mccarver-dead.html |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

===Later career===
After the 1969 season, the Cardinals traded McCarver, [[Curt Flood]], [[Joe Hoerner]], and [[Byron Browne (baseball)|Byron Browne]] to the [[Philadelphia Phillies]] for [[Dick Allen]], [[Cookie Rojas]], and [[Jerry Johnson (baseball)|Jerry Johnson]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/44068938/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22&match=1 |title=Richie Allen Traded from Boobirds to Redbirds |newspaper=Pottstown Mercury |page=30 |date=October 9, 1969 |access-date=February 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On June 14, 1972, the Phillies traded McCarver to the [[Montreal Expos]] for [[John Bateman (baseball)|John Bateman]]. The Expos used McCarver as an outfielder.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/743106956/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22%20%22john%20Bateman%22&match=1 |title=McCarver won't catch for Expos |newspaper=The Montreal Star |first=John |last=Robertson |page=D-2 |date=June 15, 1972 |access-date=February 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The Cardinals re-acquired McCarver from the Expos for [[Jorge Roque]] after the 1972 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/189243720/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22%20%22jorge%20rogue%22&match=1 |title=McCarver rejoins Cards |newspaper=The Greenville News |agency=Associated Press |page=9 |date=November 7, 1972 |access-date=February 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The [[Boston Red Sox]] purchased McCarver from the Cardinals towards the end of the 1974 season.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/626787890/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22%20%22red%20sox%22&match=1 |title=Twins' Goltz Halts Bosox |newspaper=The Miami Herald |page=2-E |date=September 1, 1974 |access-date=February 16, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The Red Sox released McCarver in June 1975.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/839458630/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22&match=1 |title=Sox Ask Waivers On Tim McCarver |newspaper=Holyoke Transcript-Telegram |agency=Associated Press |page=16 |date=June 24, 1975 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He signed with the Phillies a week later.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/436076437/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22&match=1 |title=McCarver signs with Phillies |newspaper=The Boston Globe |agency=United Press International |page=49 |date=July 2, 1975 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

[[Image:TimmyMac2017.jpg|upright|left|thumb|McCarver on the field before a game in St. Louis against the Boston Red Sox, May 2017]]
During his first stint with the Phillies, McCarver caught [[Rick Wise]]'s [[no-hitter]] on June 23, 1971.<ref name=cbsobit/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1971/B06230CIN1971.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Philadelphia Phillies 4, Cincinnati Reds 0|website=retrosheet.org}}</ref> At the end of the season, the Phillies traded Wise to the Cardinals for [[Steve Carlton]], reuniting McCarver with his former teammate. During the 1972 season, the Phillies traded McCarver to the Montreal Expos, where, on October 2, he caught the second of [[Bill Stoneman]]'s two career no-hitters.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1972/B10021MON1972.htm|title=Retrosheet Boxscore: Montreal Expos 7, New York Mets 0 (1)|website=retrosheet.org}}</ref> 

McCarver finished his career as Carlton's personal catcher for the Phillies in the late 1970s.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/steve-carlton-tim-mccarver-a-historic-pair-c250338748 |title=Carlton, McCarver a pair for the ages |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=August 24, 2017 |first=Larry |last=Shenk}}</ref> He thought he was done playing baseball and made some audition tapes for [[Philadelphia]] TV stations.<ref name=sabr>{{cite web|last1=Williams|first1=Dave|title=Tim McCarver|url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/tim-mccarver/|work=Society for American Baseball Research|date=February 16, 2023|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref> He retired after the 1979 season to begin a broadcasting career.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/139171871/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22&match=1 |title=Tim McCarver: At Peace With His Past And Present |newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch |first=Tom |last=Barnidge |page=2E |date=April 18, 1980 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He briefly returned to play in September 1980,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/282069663/?terms=%22tim%20mccarver%22&match=1 |title=Coming back gives McCarver added pride |newspaper=The Morning Call |first=Ted |last=Meixell |page=C3 |date=September 3, 1980 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> becoming one of 31 players to appear in Major League games in four decades (1950s–1980s).

He had 121 [[shutouts in baseball|shutouts]] as a catcher during his career, ranking him 9th all-time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bb_catchers.tripod.com/catchers/tmonth1.htm |title=Trivia December 2010 – Career Shutouts Caught |publisher=The Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers |access-date=December 29, 2015}}</ref>

==Broadcasting career==
After retiring from playing, McCarver worked in sports broadcasting as a [[color commentator]] for several decades. He won three [[Sports Emmy Awards|Emmy Awards]] for Sports Event Analyst.<ref name=cbsobit>{{cite web |title=Tim McCarver: Looking back at Phillies career of broadcasting great |date=February 16, 2023 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/tim-mccarver-dies-philadelphia-phillies-baseball-mlb/ |access-date=February 17, 2023 |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Local broadcasts===
He began his broadcasting career at [[WPHL-TV]] (Channel 17) in Philadelphia, where he called Phillies games with [[Richie Ashburn]] and [[Harry Kalas]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Ignudo |first=Tom |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/tim-mccarver-dies-philadelphia-phillies-baseball-mlb/ |title=Tim McCarver: Looking back at Phillies career of broadcasting great – CBS Philadelphia |work=CBS News |accessdate=February 17, 2023}}</ref> McCarver called games for local sports networks carrying the Phillies from [[1980 Philadelphia Phillies season|1980]] to [[1982 Philadelphia Phillies season|1982]], the [[New York Mets]] from [[1983 New York Mets season|1983]] to [[1998 New York Mets season|1998]], the [[New York Yankees]] from [[1999 New York Yankees season|1999]] to [[2001 New York Yankees season|2001]], and the [[San Francisco Giants]] in [[2002 San Francisco Giants season|2002]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Greenawalt |first=Tim |date=February 16, 2023 |title=Tim McCarver, 2-time World Series champion and TV broadcaster, dies at 81 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/tim-mccarver-2-time-world-series-champion-and-tv-broadcaster-dies-at-81-195100055.html |access-date=February 17, 2023 |work=Yahoo! Sports}}</ref>

===National broadcasts===
McCarver began working as a backup ''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week|Game of the Week]]'' commentator for [[Major League Baseball on NBC|NBC]] in 1980.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tim McCarver Dies: Hall Of Fame Announcer & All-Star Catcher Was 81 |url=https://news.yahoo.com/tim-mccarver-dies-hall-fame-201239910.html |access-date=February 17, 2023 |publisher=Yahoo! News |first=Greg |last=Evans|date=February 16, 2023 }}</ref> His work at NBC was followed by stints with [[Major League Baseball on ABC|ABC]] (where he teamed with [[Don Drysdale]] on backup ''[[Monday Night Baseball]]'' games in 1984 and [[Al Michaels]] and [[Jim Palmer]] from 1985 to 1989 and again from 1994 to 1995 under the [[The Baseball Network|"Baseball Network"]] umbrella) and [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]] (where he teamed with [[Jack Buck]] from 1990 to 1991 and [[Sean McDonough]] from 1992 to 1993). McCarver called his first World Series in {{wsy|1985}} for ABC as a last-minute replacement for [[Howard Cosell]].<ref name=hollywood>{{Cite magazine |last=Kaufman |first=Ira |date=February 16, 2023 |title=Tim McCarver, Cerebral Catcher and Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Dies at 81 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tim-mccarver-dead-catcher-hall-fame-broadcaster-1235327939/ |access-date=February 19, 2023 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> While at [[ABC Olympic broadcasts|ABC]], McCarver also served as a correspondent and play-by-play announcer for [[freestyle skiing at the 1988 Winter Olympics]] in Calgary, and he later co-hosted the primetime coverage of [[1992 Winter Olympics]] with [[Paula Zahn]] for [[CBS]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |date=March 1, 1992 |title=McCarver Survives Olympic Task |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/01/sports/tv-sports-mccarver-survives-olympic-task.html |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

In 1996, McCarver was paired with [[Joe Buck]] on the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network's [[Major League Baseball on Fox|MLB telecasts]], a role he held from 1996 to 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Baseball world reacts to death of Tim McCarver |url=https://www.foxsports.com/stories/mlb/baseball-world-reacts-to-death-of-tim-mccarver |date=February 17, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2023 |work=Fox Sports}}</ref> In 2003, McCarver set a record by broadcasting his 13th [[2003 World Series|World Series]] on national television (surpassing [[Curt Gowdy]]). He called 24 World Series for ABC, CBS, and Fox.<ref name=mlb-obit/> McCarver announced in March 2013 that he would leave [[Fox Sports (United States)|Fox]] after the 2013 season.<ref>{{cite news |title='I Am By No Means Retiring': Tim McCarver To Leave Broadcast Booth After Season |url=http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2013/03/27/mlb-analyst-tim-mccarver-to-retire-after-2013-season/ |work=CBS News New York |access-date=March 27, 2013}}</ref> His final Fox broadcast was October 30, 2013, as the [[2013 Boston Red Sox season|Boston Red Sox]] defeated the [[2013 St. Louis Cardinals season|St. Louis Cardinals]] in Game 6 to win the [[2013 World Series]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Tim McCarver Retirement: Joe Buck's Send-Off for Broadcasting Partner Was Classy |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1832376-tim-mccarver-retirement-joe-bucks-send-off-for-broadcasting-partner-was-classy |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=October 31, 2013}}</ref>

===Return to local broadcasting===
In December 2013, he was hired to be a part-time analyst for the Cardinals on [[Bally Sports Midwest|Fox Sports Midwest]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/st-louis-cardinals-set-to-add-tim-mccarver-to-broadcast-team?ymd=20131208&content_id=64492348 |title=St. Louis Cardinals set to add Tim McCarver to broadcast team |last=Langosch |first=Jennifer |publisher=Major League Baseball |date=December 8, 2013}}</ref> He teamed with [[Dan McLaughlin]] to call 30 games in the 2014 season.<ref name=caesar>{{cite web |url=https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/television/dan-caesar/mccarver-completes-deal-for-cards-games-on-fsm/article_21d53048-5c93-556f-bf85-558584fa5cc4.html |title=McCarver completes deal for 30 Cards games on FSM |last=Caesar |first=Dan |website=STLtoday.com |date=March 7, 2014 |access-date=March 10, 2014}}</ref> His first game called for the [[2014 St. Louis Cardinals season|Cardinals]] was on April 28, 2014, when they hosted the [[2014 Milwaukee Brewers season|Milwaukee Brewers]]. McCarver returned to the Cardinals booth for 40 games in 2015 and continued to call a select number of games each year through [[2019 St. Louis Cardinals season|2019]]. McCarver did not work on any telecasts during the team's shortened [[2020 St. Louis Cardinals season|2020 season]], due to health concerns related to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.stltoday.com/sports/baseball/professional/mccarver-opts-out-of-cardinals-telecasts-this-season/article_4ed6f60c-f783-5d4e-8708-d77e9d050235.html |title=McCarver opts out of Cardinals telecasts this season |last=Hummel |first=Rick |newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=July 16, 2020|access-date=July 24, 2020}}</ref> In April 2022, McCarver officially announced his retirement from broadcasting.<ref>{{cite news |last=Lucia |first=Joe |date=April 1, 2022 |title=Tim McCarver is retiring as a broadcaster |url=https://www.awfulannouncing.com/mlb/tim-mccarver-is-retiring-as-a-broadcaster.html |work=Awful Announcing}}</ref>

McCarver also hosted a nationally syndicated sports interview program, ''The Tim McCarver Show'', from 2000 until 2017.<ref name=mlb-obit>{{cite web |title=McCarver, champion catcher turned famed broadcaster, dies at 81 |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/tim-mccarver-dies-at-81 |publisher=Major League Baseball |first=Bill |last=Ladson |date=February 16, 2023 |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

===Criticism===
During the [[1992 National League Championship Series]], McCarver criticized [[Deion Sanders]], who also had become an [[American football|NFL star]], for playing two sports—football and baseball—on the same day. For his criticism, on October 14, 1992, after Game 7 had concluded, Sanders dumped a bucket of ice water on McCarver three times while covering the National League pennant-winning [[1992 Atlanta Braves season|Atlanta Braves]]' clubhouse celebration for CBS. After being doused with the water, McCarver shouted at Sanders, "You are a real man, Deion. I'll say that."<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/pete_mcentegart/01/12/ten.spot/index.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120721092530/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/pete_mcentegart/01/12/ten.spot/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 21, 2012 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=January 14, 200 |access-date=September 3, 2009 |title=The 10 Spot |first=Pete |last=McEntegart}}</ref> Also during the 1992 post-season (when McCarver worked for [[Major League Baseball on CBS|CBS]]), [[Norman Chad]] criticized McCarver in ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' by saying that he's someone who "when you ask him the time, will tell you how a watch works," a reference to McCarver's habit of over-analyzing.<ref>{{cite news |last=Connors |first=Greg |title=Mixed Media: McCarver's an easy target, but critics are off base |url=https://buffalonews.com/sports/mixed-media-mccarver-s-an-easy-target-but-critics-are-off-base/article_c041fe20-2407-58a3-94ca-abbaf6af8ce6.html |newspaper=Buffalo News |date=March 31, 2013 |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>

In October 2008, just before the [[2008 National League Championship Series|2008 NLCS]], McCarver made public his feelings about [[Manny Ramirez]], calling him "despicable" and criticizing him for his sloppy, lazy play in [[Boston Red Sox|Boston]] and how he had suddenly turned it around in [[Los Angeles Dodgers|Los Angeles]]. Ramirez declined to comment.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseball/2008/10/08/2008-10-08_tim_mccarver_calls_dodgers_slugger_manny.html |title=Tim McCarver calls Dodgers slugger Manny Ramirez 'despicable' |date=October 8, 2008 |access-date=September 3, 2009 |first=Anthony |last=McCarron |newspaper=Daily News |location=New York }}</ref> In 2010, McCarver compared the [[New York Yankees]]' treatment of former manager [[Joe Torre]] to the treatment meted out by [[Nazi Germany]] and [[Stalinism|Stalinist]] Russia to generals who fell out of favor with their leaders. After receiving negative comments about his position on the topic, McCarver apologized.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jackson |first=Tony |date=2010-07-20 |title=McCarver: Comments on Yankees inappropriate |url=https://www.espn.com/new-york/mlb/news/story?id=5394349 |access-date=2025-01-23 |work=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Film and television==
McCarver had several baseball-themed roles in film and television, including [[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]] and [[Moneyball (film)|Moneyball]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Tim McCarver - Actor Credits |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0565446/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_2_nm_6_in_0_q_tim%2520mccarver |website=IMDb |access-date=1 August 2025}}</ref>

==Music career==
On October 9, 2009, McCarver released a cover album of [[jazz standards]] entitled ''Tim McCarver Sings Songs from the Great American Songbook''.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

==Personal life==
McCarver married his [[high school sweetheart]], Anne, on December 29, 1964. They had two daughters, Kathy and Kelly.<ref name=sabr/> Tim McCarver died of heart failure in Memphis, on February 16, 2023, at age 81.<ref name="Gibson" /><ref name="hollywood" />

==Awards and honors==
[[File:Tim McCarver Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame Induction.jpeg|thumb|260px|McCarver speaking upon being inducted into the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame, August 2010]]
'''Baseball'''
*Two-time [[World Series]] champion<ref name=weber_02162023/>
*Two-time National League All-Star<ref name=weber_02162023/>
*2010 Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame inductee.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tim McCarver |url=http://www.irishbaseballhall.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:tim-mccarver&catid=36:2010&Itemid=2 |publisher=Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame |access-date=October 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406155330/http://www.irishbaseballhall.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=74:tim-mccarver&catid=36:2010&Itemid=2 |archive-date=April 6, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

'''Broadcasting'''
*Three-time [[Sports Emmy Award]] winner (Outstanding Sports Event Analyst)
*2012 [[Ford C. Frick Award]] – National Baseball Hall of Fame<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.americansportscastersonline.com/mccarverwinsfrickaward.html |title=Tim McCarver Wins Ford C. Frick Award |website=Americansportscastersonline.com |date=November 25, 2022 |access-date=February 17, 2023}}</ref>
*2024 [[National Sports Media Association|NSMA]] Hall of Fame<ref name="NSMA 23">{{cite web |date=2024-01-09 |title=NSMA Elects Buck, Kremer, Stark, McCarver, Kahn Elected to Hall of Fame; Harlan, Passan Win National Awards |url=https://nationalsportsmedia.org/news/nsma-elects-buck-kremer-stark-mccarver-kahn-elected-to-hall-of-fame-harlan-passan-win-national-awards#:~:text=Kevin%20Harlan%20of%20CBS%2C%20Westwood,third%20National%20win%2C%20Passan's%20second. |access-date=2024-09-08 |website=National Sports Media.org |publisher=NSMA}}</ref>

The [[minor league baseball]] stadium in Memphis was christened [[Tim McCarver Stadium]] in 1978 and <ref>{{cite news |agency=[[Associated Press]] |newspaper=[[Gettysburg Times]] |location=Gettysburg, Pennsylvania |title=Stadium Named For McCarver |page=14 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4Y0yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9OgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2426,777428&dq=tim-mccarver-stadium&hl=en |date=October 21, 1977 |access-date=May 9, 2013 |via=Google News Archives}}</ref> was replaced by a new downtown stadium (named [[AutoZone Park]] in a [[naming rights]] arrangement) in 2000.

==Works==
* {{cite book |first1=Tim |last1=McCarver |first2=Bob |last2=Levenson |year=1987 |title=Oh Baby, I Love It!: Baseball Summers, Hot Pennant Races, Grand Salamis, Jellylegs, El Swervos, Dingers and Dunkers |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0394556918 |url=https://archive.org/details/ohbabyiloveit00mcca |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |first1=Tim |first2=Danny |last2=Peary |last1=McCarver |author-link2=Danny Peary |year=1999 |title=Tim McCarver's Baseball for Brain Surgeons and Other Fans: Understanding and Interpreting the Game So You Can Watch It Like a Pro |publisher=Villard |isbn=978-0375753404 |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780375500855 |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |first1=Tim |first2=Danny |last2=Peary |last1=McCarver |author-link2=Danny Peary |year=2008 |title=Tim McCarver's Diamond Gems |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |isbn=978-0071545945 |url=https://archive.org/details/timmccarversdiam0000unse |url-access=registration}}

==See also==
* [[List of St. Louis Cardinals team records]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders]]
* [[List of Major League Baseball players who played in four decades]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{baseballstats|mlb=118563|espn=209|br=m/mccarti01|brm=mccarv001jam|fangraphs=100837|retro=M/Pmccat101}}
* [https://baseballhall.org/discover-more/awards/frick/tim-mccarver Tim McCarver: 2012 Ford C. Frick Award winner] at the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]]
* {{sabrbio|tim-mccarver}}
* {{IMdb name|0565446}}

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{{succession box|before=[[Howard Cosell]]| title=Lead color commentator,<br>''[[Major League Baseball on ABC]]''<br>(with [[Jim Palmer]])| years=[[1985 Major League Baseball season|1985]]–[[1989 Major League Baseball season|1989]]<br>[[1994 Major League Baseball season|1994]]–[[1995 Major League Baseball season|1995]]| after=Last}}
{{succession box|before=[[Tom Seaver]]| title=Lead color commentator,<br>''[[Major League Baseball Game of the Week]]''| years=[[1990 Major League Baseball season|1990]]–[[2013 Major League Baseball season|2013]]| after=[[Harold Reynolds]] and [[Tom Verducci]]}}
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