The Free Spirit

‘He was really out in left field. During batting practice he’d walk around the outfield on his hands.’ - Gordon Richardson on Tug McGraw

I miss Tug McGraw. You never knew what he was going to say — or do. McGraw didn’t evolve into some crazy, zany character; it’s who he was. He was simply a free spirit, a child at heart.

According to stories, McGraw has consistently been known for his unpredictable behavior literally from Day One: April 18, 1965, the day McGraw made his MLB debut against the San Francisco Giants.

McGraw walked into a sticky situation. Orlando Cepeda stepped was at the plate with the bases loaded against the Mets rookie pitcher. Between the adrenaline, anxiety and sheer terror, McGraw managed to pull it together long enough to strike out Cepeda.