Elliott: R. I. P. Willie McCovey, Lois Arundel
Former San Francisco Giants slugger Willie McCovey died on Thursday at the age of 80. Photo Credit: AP
By Bob Elliott
Canadian Baseball Network
My mother always used to say that funerals came in threes.
I went to St. Catharines as a baseball crowd showed to say goodbye to John Jepson 11 days ago. And four days ago, I was in Kemptville as Mary Lois Arundel was buried.
And then I waited ...
Taking a look at the Twitter machine Wednesday night there was sad news from John Shea, national ball writer and columnist, San Francisco Chronicle.
I did not know McCovey as well as say Jepson and Arundel and their families, but McCovey was such a great hitter they named a cove after him behind the right field fence at AT&T Stadium or Pac Bell Park, whatever it was called. Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News lobbied long and hard before the park opened that the water beyond the right field fence be name McCovey Cove.
In a 22-year career, mostly with the Giants, between 1959 and 1980, McCovey hit 521 home runs ranking him in a tie with Frank Thomas and Ted Williams for 20th all-time. He was eighth when he retired. When visiting Montreal in the early years of the Expos he pulled at least one souvenir into the municipal swimming pool behind the right field fence at Jarry Park.
If you were a teenager and you sat down the right field line at Jarry Park, you told the legend or were told the legend of McCovey’s swat. The pool shot was long before I covered the Expos. We asked Serge Touchette of Le Journal de Montreal about the details. Touchette believed that McCovey hit the home run off left-hander Don Shaw, adding “If I remember well, they walked Willie Mays intentionally to face Big Mac, a lefhander. It didn't work out.”
One season in San Francisco, tracking Barry Bonds, we walked past the office of equipment manager Mike Murphy. There sat McCovey in his wheel chair. I’d ridden the elevator before with him, but never had the courage to say anything him, much like riding the elevator with former Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau.
This day, either short of an early story or full of bravado, I walked into Murphy’s office and introduced myself and said:
“You know the announcer (Claude Mouton) at Jarry Park used to say, ‘Now batting ... No. 44 ... and all the kids would jump out of the pool behind the right field fence in Montreal. They were worried about getting hit.”
He gave a soft smile and said, “No son, you got it wrong .... when they announced my name in Montreal all the kids would jump into the pool so they could get a souvenir.”
And off he went on his golf cart. Infection put him on crutches and eventually a wheel chair.
Bill Stoneman, former Montreal Expo and author of two no hitters, as well as guiding the 2002 Anaheim Angels to a World Series win, faced McCovey 50 times.
“I remember trying to jam him with a fastball in on his hands and breaking his bat,” said Stoneman. “Even though his bat broke, the ball still cleared the right field fence.”
McCovey hit .351 (13-for-37) with six homers and 16 RBIs.
Now you might think giving up six home runs is a lot. McCovey hit more off Hall of Famers Don Drysdale (12 home runs), Phil Niekro and Don Sutton (eight each) and Bob Gibson (seven).
And also Tony Cloninger, Larry Jackson (nine each), Steve Blass, Clay Kirby, Gary Nolan (eight apiece), Bob Moose, Nelson Briles and Don Cardwell (seven each).“I’ve been blessed to know many Hall of Fame players in many sports,” said Ned Colletti, former Los Angeles Dodgers general manager and Giants exec.
“Willie Mac was a tremendous player; and a better man. When I went from the Giants to the Dodgers, I stopped in to see him before a game. He shook my hand, gave me a hug and said, ‘I love ya my friend; but I hate your team.’”
McCovey, 80, also played with the San Diego Padres with former Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston. Nicknamed “Stretch” the 6-foot-4 McCovey knocked in 1,555 runs, teaming with fellow Hall of Famer Willie Mays to give San Francisco a dangerous 1-2 punch.
McCovey also made my father cry. My father cheered for the Giants. He disliked the New York Yankees. So it was west coast good vs. east coast evil -- in my late father’s eyes.
The Yankees led 1-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth of Game 7 of the 1962 World Series when Matty Alou led off with a bunt single against Ralph Terry. After Felipe Alou and Chuck Hiller struck out, Willie Mays doubled to right field. Then McCovey lined out to Yanks second baseman Bobby Richardson.
My father sat in his living room chair and cried. He thought that the third base coach should have waved Alou home. Years later, covering the Expos, I was talking to Montreal executive Whitey Lockman at the winter meetings in Houston. He asked how a Canadian could like baseball so much.
I told him the story about the 1962 World Series, Game 7, how my father cried and how angry he was at third base coach.
“Bob, do you know who was the third base coach?” Whitey asked.
“Nope, Ozzie Virgil?”
““It was me,” said Lockman.
After 101 apologies Lockman laughed and said, “Don’t feel bad, you are not the first to mention it.”
Upon his induction to Cooperstown he was asked how he’d like to be remembered. “I’d like to be remembered as the guy who hit the ball over Bobby Richardson’s head in Game 7”
Each year a Giant receives the Willie Mac award, for best exemplifying the spirit and leadership shown by McCovey.
McCovey was one of 62 players from Alabama to start an all-star game. Mays led with 18 followed by Hank Aaron with 17. Bama born Ozzie Smith started 11, followed by George Foster (five), McCovey (four) followed by Dixie Walker and Leon (Daddy Wags) Wagner (three apiece), while Josh Donaldson (two).
No National Leaguer has ever hit more grand slam home runs, than McCovey’s 18.
In his debut season, he only played 52 games, yet no one else even received a single vote for National League rookie of the year award. McCovey was NL MVP the same year he was voted All-Star Game MVP.
He twice hit two homers in the same inning on April 12, 1973 (facing Houston Astros’ Ken Forsch and Jim Crawford) in a 9-3 win and June 27, 1977 (off Cincinnati Reds’ Jack Billingham and Joe Hoerner) in a 14-9 win.
No one honours their alumni and their Hall of Famers like the Yankees, yet at a regular season game at AT&T one might see four Cooperstown greats on a pass through the press box: Willie Mays, Orlando Cepeda, Juan Marichal and Willie McCovey. The Giants treated all with respect. And if you want to read a real tribute from one of the best on Stretch McCovey … check here.
Framed posters of the words said at Cooperstown when the Ford C. Frick award was presented , hang on the walls: Russ Hodges (1980), Lon Simmons (2004) and Jon Miller (2010).
As well the words said about J.G. Taylor Spink award winners, read in upstate New York about : Bob Stevens (1998) and Nick Peters (2009).
* * *
Mary Lois Arundel (nee Riopelle) passed Oct. 23 in Kemptville.
Sympathies are extended to Michael and Patricia Arundel of Atlanta and Mary Kay and Gary Pollock of London. Their sister Catherine (Mike Hall) had passed five weeks ago.
Being a Riopelle, Lois was part of the handful of Ottawa regal families that we met during our 13 years living in the capital.
Her son Michael gave a wonderful eulogy and told how much his mother loved golf. And how one day Lois answered the phone and a woman said “Hi Lois, it’s Brooke.” Brooke of course was Brooke Henderson (Smiths Falls, Ont.). Just two golfers talking and slices and hooks. There is talk that Lois may have mentioned once or twice who had called her. Uncle Huey Rriopelle may have been responnsible.
Mike pitched for the Nepean Brewers, Ottawa-Nepean Canadians, Calgary A’s and Calgary Royals. His manager in Calgay was a patient man named Bill Courchaine. His manager with the Knights was a patient man named John Kohli. His manager with the Canadians was not as patient. He was a member of the RCMP and stood on the ice before the NHL all-star game as Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers sang the anthems in Calgary.
As the legendary Eddie MacCabe wrote: “The legacy of the Riopelle’s is happiness. Lois was shaped in that happy tumultuous little home on Champagne Ave. The good looks the ear-tugging smile, the happy eyes, all the Riopelle traits. Lois exemplified all of them - though but gentle, out-going but still a bit shy, confident, but never arrogant and loyal to the death.”
Lois’s husband John played three games with the 1949-50 Toronto Maple Leafs. He also played defence for Winnipeg Monarchs, Sydney Millionaires, Pittsburgh Hornets, Los Angeles Monarchs, Toronto St. Michael’s Monarchs, Saint John Beavers and the QHL’s Ottawa Senators.
Lois was “Grams” to Brooke (Dave Ralph), Brandon Arthurs, Kate (Matt Vlemmix), Casey Arundel (Deirdre), and Carling Arundel. As well, Lois was the Sweet “GG” of Blake, Cullen and Camden Ralph and Macklin Vlemmix.
Additions to her family were Connie and Robert Walker (children Daniel and the late Hannah), Alicia (Travis VandenTillaart, Beau and Hayes) and Nicholas Sposito.
Lois was survived by her much loved siblings, Hugh (Marie), Gerald (Jeannine), Harold (late Alice), Joan (late Tom Farrell), preceded in death by her parents Hugh and Edith (nee Purcell) Riopelle and her brother Patrick (Paddy).
Donations may be made to the Bayfield Manor Auxillary or Arthritis Society.