This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/28/2013
This is nothing short of a spectacular gamer from the most feared slugger in the National League through the 1960’s, a batter who inspired even more fear from pitchers than some of his Hall of Fame contemporaries like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron or Willie Stargell. He played nineteen seasons for the San Francisco Giants, and three more for the San Diego Padres and Oakland Athletics, between 1959 and 1980. One of the most intimidating power hitters of his era, McCovey was called “the scariest hitter in baseball” by pitcher Bob Gibson, an assessment with which Reggie Jackson concurred. McCovey's powerful swing generated 521 home runs, 231 of which he hit in Candlestick Park, a stadium notoriously problematic for long-ball hitters and the most hit there by any player, and included a home run on Sept. 16, 1966 described as the longest ever hit in that stadium. The wonderfully clean jersey shows game use and a Rawlings Size 46 tag on the lower front, with some fraying on the left side of the tag and a washing instructions tag on the inside of the tail. Black embroidery below the Rawlings tag notes "65 46," and "McCovey" is also embroidered in black in a small tag on the collar. There is some fading apparent on the orange and black tackle twill on the San Francisco lettering on the front and Mccovey's well-known No. 44 on the back, though not on any of the piping on the sleeves or collar and only a wee bit of fraying of the stitching on the front letters, back number or the piping on sleeves and collar. Jersey appears to be largely as-issued and problem-free, with no signs of any alterations. A blazing black Sharpie McCovey autograph is situated appropriately enough beneath his No. 44 on the back to great dramatic effect.
Pre-certified by PSA/DNA.