Allentown Morning Call - September 3, 1980

Coming back give McCarver added pride

By Ted Meixell, Call Sports Writer

Tim McCarver likes to joke with opponents of the Philadelphia Phillies that, "I'm not old any more. I've gone from being an old ballplayer to a young broadcaster." 

True enough – until Monday. But the Phils placed 10 players on the active roster on Labor Day. Nine are budding, young prospects brought up from the minor leagues so manager Dallas Green can get a firsthand look at them now and then as the pressures of the National League East race permit. 

The other is none other than the 38-year-old McCarver, and the veteran catcher is neither young nor new nor an unknown quantity. He's the same James Timothy McCarver Who's served the Phils well for most of the 1970s, most recently as Steve Carlton's designated receiver. He retired after the 1979 season to join the Phils' broadcasting team. 

But when he makes his first September game appearance he'll become the first catcher and just the tenth player in modern times to play in four decades. (He came up in 1959 with St. Louis and has been in the majors for all or part of every season since except 1962. when he played for the Atlanta Crackers.) 

"I think," he said last Wednesday, "that. wHile it's definitely an accommodation (on the Phils' part), it's not a tasteless accommodation. I would like to contribute when called upon and will endeavor to get myself ready to do that." 

McCarver said the idea to bring him back for one last month and four-decade status was the Phils' – and was first mentioned last year. "It was first mentioned when the triumvirate of Ruly Carpenter (owner), Dallas Green and Paul Owens (general manager) said to me," he joked, " 'You've got something that could really help the ballclub.' I asked, 'What?' and they said, 'Quit.' 

"It was their decision. I would have preferred to play another year. But, understanding everybody's viewpoint, I knew you have to develop young players – and Keith (Moreland) was ready. 

"Plus, Bob (Boone) was certainly capable of catching Lefty, he'd only been a catcher for a year or less in the minors – and the major leagues are not a developing ground. Consequently, they (Boone and Carlton) had some problems in '73 and '74. But certainly, by '75 he could handle Lefty effectively, as he's proven this year." 

McCarver began working out for his self-proclaimed "last hurrah" three weeks ago. He admits becoming the first four-decade catcher gives him added pride. 

"Yes. there's no question," he said, "in that it's indicative of longevity. However, there's a lot of things to consider, a lot of nuances for me to be able to do something like this.

"You have to be born at the right time and sign at the right time (the very end of a decade ). Plus, I had to come back to Philly at just the right time (1975) to get involved with Lefty, who certainly lengthened my career.

"I would like to think," he added thoughtfully, "that it was an equitable situation and I think it was. Our success (Eastern titles in 1976, '77 and 78) would indicate that." 

McCarver was brought up briefly by the Cards in 1959, 1960 and 1961 – each time, he said, for a different reason. "In '59 it was just to get my feet wet. In '60, 1 was hitting .347 at Memphis and they thought I could help with my bat. But I batted only 10 times in two months. Then in '61, they brought me up when Hal Smith had a heart attack. 

"I came up to stay in '63, although I'd had absolutely my worst spring camp ever. I was pressing to make the club. I didn't know anything about options then, but I found out later the only reason they brought me from camp was that their options on me were used up. 

"I got the regular job when they traded Gene Oliver at the June 15 trading deadline. I had an unusual career because I was with two teams (Cards and Phils) twice each. And of my 18 years in the majors, I split 17 of them just about evenly between the two. I was in Montreal for three months, less than a year with Boston. 

"I guess I'm known as much for my Cardinal days as for those with the Phils because we were so successful. We won three of five pennants and two World Series from '64 to '68." 

That stretch with the Cards provided McCarver's biggest thrill – one he ticked off without hesitation. "The three-run homer I hit off Pete Mikkelson of the Yankees in the 10th inning of the fifth game of the '64 Series," he said. "It won the game, and that's my greatest thrill. Tom Tresh had tied it in the ninth with a two-run homer off (Bob) Gibson, who had a four-hitter until then. 

"That Series was so unique. Mickey Mantle hit a pinch homer off Barney Schultz in the third game leading off the ninth, and he says to this day it was one of his three top thrills. Then Kenny Boyer hit a grand slam to beat Al Downing 4-3 in the fourth game to tie the Series at 2-2. 

"It was the first time I'd ever faced Whitey Ford. Hey, I was only 22 then, and to end up hitting .478 for the Series – you can imagine what a thrill it was." 

McCarver will give up his broadcasting duties while back on active duty with the Phils, except to do postgame interviews – in uniform. "It wouldn't be fair to Dallas (Green), nor to anyone else concerned, to just go down there and divide my time," he said. "Primarily, it wouldn't be fair to the team, which is fighting for a pennant, to have anything disconcerting happen in September.

"The pressures are tough enough," he deadpanned, "without having to worry about some idiot running back and forth doing interviews between innings." 

McCarver is proud of becoming a four-decade man. But he also feels the Phils, with an all-out effort from every man on the roster, can win the East. And he thinks he can contribute, perhaps with a key pinch hit here, pinch running there… maybe even catching a game or two in time of need. 

"It should be really interesting, really a lot of fun. That, more than anything, is what it's all about."