Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw, Jr. (August 30, 1944 -- January 5, 2004) was a Major League Baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer Tim McGraw and actor and television personality Mark McGraw, Cari McGraw and Matthew McGraw. He is likely best remembered for recording the final out, via a strikeout of the Kansas City Royals' Willie Wilson, in the 1980 World Series, bringing the Philadelphia Phillies their first world championship. He was the last active major league player to have played under manager Casey Stengel. McGraw was born in Martinez, California to Frank Edwin "Big Mac" McGraw, Sr. and Mable McKenna. He got the nickname "Tug" from his mother because of the particularly aggressive way he breast-fed. Frank Senior was the great-grandson of Irish immigrants. McGraw graduated from St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Vallejo, California in 1962. He enrolled in Solano Community College, and signed with the New York Mets as an amateur free agent on June 12, 1964 upon graduation. McGraw was used both as a starting pitcher and out of the bullpen in the minors, and after just one season in the Mets' farm system, where he went 6--4 with a 1.64 earned run average in Rookie and class A ball, McGraw made the Mets out of Spring training 1965 without ever having played double or triple A ball. That same year, when asked if he preferred the new astroturf on the field at the Houston Astrodome to real grass, he said, "I don't know, I never smoked AstroTurf". McGraw made the team as a reliever, and was 0--1 with a 3.12 ERA and one save when he made his first major league start on July 28 against the Chicago Cubs in the second game of a double header at Wrigley Field. He Lasted just two-thirds of an inning and gave up three earned runs on his way to a 9--0 loss (the Cubs blew the Mets out in the first game as well, 7--2). On August 22, in his second start, also in the second game of a double header, only this time against the St. Louis Cardinals at Shea Stadium, McGraw pitched a complete game to earn his first major league win. He won his next start as well, 5--2 over Sandy Koufax and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It marked the first time the Mets had ever beaten the future Hall of Famer. McGraw remained in the Mets' starting rotation for the remainder of the season, however, failed to log another win, going 2--6 as a starter, and 0--1 in relief. With the Phillies, he continued his role as a reliable relief pitcher, earning his second career All-Star nod in his first season in Philadelphia, though he did not appear in the game. After finishing second to the Pirates in 1975, McGraw's Phillies won their division crown the next three seasons. They were, however, unable to reach the World Series as they were swept by Cincinnati's "Big Red Machine" in the 1976 National League Championship Series, and fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers the following two seasons. The Phillies were battling back-and-forth for first place with the Montreal Expos in 1980 when the Expos came to Veterans Stadium for a crucial three game set on September 25. The Phillies won two of the three, with McGraw winning the second game, to pull a half game up on Montreal. By the time the Phillies went to Montreal for the final series of the season, the two teams were tied for first place. The Phillies won the opener, 2--1. McGraw earned the save by striking out five of the six batters he faced. The following day, McGraw entered the game in the ninth inning, with the score tied at four. McGraw pitched three innings, striking out three and only giving up one hit (a tenth inning lead-off single by Jerry White. It was also one of just two balls to leave the infield once McGraw entered the game). After Mike Schmidt's eleventh-inning home run put the Phillies up 6--4, McGraw pitched a 1--2--3 eleventh inning, striking out Larry Parrish to end the game, and clinch the National League East for the Phillies for the fourth time since joining the club. For the season, McGraw went 5--4 with a 1.46 ERA, 75 strikeouts and twenty saves. Phillies starter Steve Carlton won the National League Cy Young Award, and slugging third baseman Mike Schmidt was the unanimous NL MVP. McGraw received consideration in balloting for both awards as well, finishing fifth in Cy Young balloting, and sixteenth for league MVP. On March 12, 2003, McGraw was working as an instructor for the Phillies during Spring training when he was hospitalized with a brain tumor. When the surgery was performed to remove it, initial reports suggested that the surgery had been successful, that McGraw's chances for recovery were "excellent," and that he was supposed to live "a long time.". However, the tumor was not totally excised by the surgery, and the malignancy returned in inoperable form. McGraw lived for over nine months after the initial surgery.

• published: 30 Aug 2013
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