Willie McGee
One of the most popular players in St. Louis Cardinals history, Willie McGee fit perfectly into Whitey Herzog's style of play. A switch-hitter with blazing speed and a good glove, McGee won the National League Most Valuable Player trophy in 1985 when he hit .353 with 216 hits and 56 steals. As a rookie in 1982 he hit three homers in the post-season to help the Redbirds to the championship. In 1990 he became the first man to win a batting title after being traded out of the league during the season.
Played For
St. Louis Cardinals (1982-1990)
Oakland Athletics (1990)
San Francisco Giants (1991-1994)
Boston Red Sox (1995)
St. Louis Cardinals (1996-1999)
All-Time Rankings
Willie McGee ranks #33 among the Top 50 all-time at CF. Rankings ⇒
Best Season: 1985
He won the National Leaue MVP Award as he led the loop in batting, hits, triples, and multi-hit games. McGee also won his second Gold Glove Award.
The People's Choice
The Cards have always had colorful characters: entire teams like the Gashouse Gang or the Runnin' Redbirds; individuals like Pepper Martin, or Whitey Herzog, individuals like the nearly insane Dizzy Dean or the probably insane Joaquin Andujar. And of course, they've also had a lot of Hall of Famers: Ozzie Smith, Rogers Hornsby, Enos Slaughter, Dizzy Dean, Bob Gibson, and Stan Musial, to name a few. Stan Musial is the best player to ever wear the uniform, but the ULTIMATE Redbird would have to be Willie McGee. Awkward and a bit homely, McGee held two rare, simultaneous virtues: he was singularly talented and sincerely modest - in short, he was a lot like the city. The citizens of St. Louis loved him for it.
McGee came up in 1982, and, as a 23 year-old rookie, instantly led St. Louis to a World Series. He became a Cardinal legend in Game Three of the '82 World Series, when he made two run-saving catches in the outfield, one of them involving a super-human leap-and-stretch high over the County Stadium wall to pull back a two-run home run. He added to these defensive feats at the plate: he hit two home runs and drove in four runs. Willie McGee would never again have to buy a meal, provided he was within 300 miles of St. Louis.
But, in truth, McGee was never spectacular. Well, in 1985 he was spectacular (he was the MVP), but the rest of the time he was just awfully good. He won two batting titles, was a three time all-star and a three-time gold glove winner, and he was a consistent performer in the clutch.
The McGee legend was lifted into an otherworldly realm in the 1996 season. It all started in 1990, when the unthinkable happened - McGee was traded. The Cardinals were in a bad way, as most of their Whiteyball talent was fading or gone, and they needed to deal the aging McGee (31) in order to rebuild. So, the move was logical, but the logic just wouldn't sit with Cardinal fans. To add insult to injury, McGee was traded during a road trip, so his loving fans never got to say goodbye. Finally, to add salt to the injury, McGee won his second batting title that very year, in a GREEN uniform.
The story has a happy ending. In 1996, after a five-year absence, McGee came back to the Cardinals. He was 37, but he had some good baseball left in him, and he played four more seasons in Cardinal red. This time, Cardinal fans got to say goodbye their way?in a way that could not happen in any other town. Willie McGee received a standing ovation EVERY TIME he came to bat in St. Louis -- every single time -- until the day he retired.
Born
Willie Dean McGee was born on November 2, 1958, in San Francisco, CA.
Batted: Both
Threw: Right
Primary Position: OF
Primary Team: SLN
College: Diablo Valley
Major League Debut
May 10, 1982
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1982
Tony Gwynn
Wade Boggs
Julio Franco
Willie McGee
Tony Phillips
Don Mattingly
Frank Viola
Doug Jones
Kevin Bass
Similar Players
Mickey Rivers
Related Players
Vince Coleman
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 2005 |
BBWAA |
26 |
5.0% |
2006 |
BBWAA |
12 |
2.3% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1982 National League Championship Series
1982 World Series
1985 National League Championship Series
1985 World Series
1987 World Series
1987 National League Championship Series
1990 American League Championship Series
1990 World Series
1995 American League Divisional Series
1996 National League Divisional Series
1996 National League Championship Series
Awards and Honors
1983 NL Gold Glove
1985 NL Gold Glove
1985 NL MVP
1986 NL Gold Glove
Batting Feats
Hitting Streaks
22 games (1990)
19 games (1991)
Transactions
Mcgee got off to a hot start in 1990, hitting .361 with 12 RBI through his first 20 games. He cooled off and was hitting .301 on June 15 and on July 4th he was hitting .311. Then Willie hit safely in 40 of his next 43 games, including a 22-game hitting streak in which he batted .414. Over that 43-game stretch (thru August 25), McGee had hit .384 and was leading the NL in batting. Four days later the Cardinals traded McGee, the most popular player on their team, to the Oakland A's for Felix Jose and two minor leaguers.
All-Star Selections
1983 NL
1985 NL
1987 NL
1988 NL
Learn More about Willie McGee
Search Amazon.com for Books about Willie McGee ⇒
Search for Willie McGee at Google ⇒
View a map of his hometown at Mapquest ⇒
