Willie McCovey

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

My most vivid memory of him was him hitting a mammoth home run in St. Louis in the late 60's. My recollection is that it was a Sunday afternoon. Hot summer day. About 35,000 people. Willie hit a pitch that started midway between left center and center field. It was loudly hit and the fans went quiet. The ball didn't arch much, it just kept going up and out. As it got to about where the center fielder had been standing it started to hook a bit to center, as it continued up and out. It landed in center field's upper deck, past where the isle was (in its modern reincarnation this was where it was painted green with the names of players with retired numbers). Willie's swing silenced an already quiet crowd. I can still hear the ball and bat colliding, I can see the ball rise and hook a bit, then bounce around a bit among the empty seats. I can see Willie lumbering toward me as he approached 3rd base, and I can see that big 44 crossing the plate. The longest home run I ever saw. I think one of the longest in that park. Willie's shots could scare those ducks off of the pond.