After 521 Home Runs, He Was Left With Nothing: How Baseball Turned Its Back on a Legend
Willie McCovey crushed 521 home runs during his career—then walked away from baseball with no guaranteed pension.
Once players aged out, the sport quietly moved on without them.
“They built the league on our backs,” one former player said of that era. “Then they told us we were too expensive to keep.”
By the 1960s, McCovey was one of the most intimidating hitters in the National League. Pitchers feared him. Managers worked around him. He won an MVP award, powered the Giants to the World Series, and at one point was so dangerous that teams intentionally walked him with the bases loaded.
Yet when McCovey retired in 1980, reality struck harder than any pitch he ever faced.
Major League Baseball’s pension system excluded many players who began their careers before 1947 and failed to meet revised service-time requirements. McCovey missed full eligibility by just two seasons. After 22 years in the majors, one of the game’s greatest sluggers did not qualify for the pension his legacy suggested he had earned.
To make ends meet, he relied on public appearances and memorabilia signings. He wasn’t alone. Many players from his generation struggled financially after retirement—some fading into poverty, others into obscurity.
This wasn’t simply a matter of poor planning or personal mistakes. It was built into the system.
The same league that profited from McCovey’s talent—selling tickets, jerseys, and television rights using his name and image—offered little protection once his playing days were over. When the spotlight dimmed, so did the support.
For years, McCovey stayed silent about the injustice. Not because he didn’t feel it, but because players were warned to stay quiet. Speaking out risked losing what little assistance remained. Complaints were met with consequences.
Willie McCovey was more than a legendary power hitter. His story became a stark reminder that even the greatest names in the game could be cast aside once the system decided their usefulness had run out.