When people talk about the most famous out in Phillies history, they inevitably talk about Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw. His final strikeout of Willie Wilson in Game Six of the 1980 World Series clinched the Phillies’ lone championship. McGraw’s leap from the pitcher’s mound is one of those great Philadelphia sports moments that is replayed over and over.
That strikeout is just one of many memories friends, former teammates and South Philly residents have of the beloved pitcher, who died at 5:45 p.m. Monday outside Nash-ville, Tenn., with his family at his bedside. He was 59. McGraw had been battling a malignant brain tumor that required surgery nine months ago, while the former player was with the Phillies for spring training.
A palpable sadness — and a need to pay tribute to the Tugger — ran deep in South Philly the day after the pitching great’s death.
The fans
When Chris Romanelli opened his drawer Tuesday morning, it was just a coincidence that his 1980 Phillies World Series T-shirt was laying on top.
He decided that wearing the nostalgic shirt would be a fitting tribute to McGraw.
"He was even better off the field than on," Romanelli said. "He was an everyday kind of person."
The Drexel Hill resident was one of many fans who had the opportunity to get to know McGraw. Romanelli met the pitcher at a driving range in West Philadelphia; it was an encounter the 31-year-old will never forget.
"He just made me feel like I was important," said Romanelli, who had stopped for lunch Tuesday at Chickie’s and Pete’s at 15th and Packer. "He didn’t just sign an autograph. He talked to me for a few minutes like I was a friend forever."
Phillies receptionist Kelly Addario-DiGiacomo, who grew up on the 2600 block of South Camac Street, became especially emotional after her 6-year-old son said he was sorry her friend died. The 41-year-old receptionist, who greeted McGraw before each practice and game, testified to his character, which she got to see up close:
He was a proud American who became upset if people were talking as the national anthem was being played. He was an admirable optimist with a positive outlook on life despite his challenges. He was a family man who took pride in his Irish heritage, and when the Phillies sent him to Ireland for his 40th birthday, he took his entire clan with him. He was a barber, in case baseball didn’t work out, and even though it did, he cut homeless people’s hair in New York City. He was a fan favorite, whom Addario-DiGiacomo watched through the glass doors of her office as he stopped and talked to everyone who beeped at him, and hugged and kissed all the ladies who acknowledged him.
The receptionist, who started working for the Phillies 22 years ago, remembered that McGraw retired on Feb. 14, 1984 — to celebrate his love for baseball on Valentine’s Day.
Addario-DiGiacomo said she heard last week that McGraw was sick — friends had been hopeful after seeing him appear healthier in recent months — but "as immature as it sounds, I never thought he would die."
Toni Pinto was in the stands on that night in 1980 when the Vet erupted in historic victory. The resident of the 1900 block of South Juniper Street tries to explain the moment to her children, who have experienced nothing of the sort in Philadelphia sports. The most she can do is pass on the stories and her admiration of one of the most fan-friendly legends to leave a mark on this sports-crazed city.
"He was an all-around good guy," Pinto said. "He never gave up. It was great having McGraw as a Phillie."
The clubhouse
Around the Phillies clubhouse, McGraw was more than just an all-star relief pitcher. Former teammates considered him a great friend, while current hurlers like Brett Myers and Randy Wolf looked up to him as a role model. Those young starting pitchers took some lessons from McGraw during spring training, when he served as a guest pitching instructor.
McGraw’s death was the second major blow to the Phillies organization in 10 days. Former general manager Paul Owens, who made the trade with the New York Mets that brought McGraw to Philadelphia in 1974, died Dec. 26 at age 79 after a lengthy illness.
McGraw was best known for the phrase, "You gotta believe!" which dates back to his ’73 season with the Mets, who made an improbable run at the National League pennant that year. The former all-star pitcher maintained his positive outlook throughout his life, especially last year when he was recovering from the surgery to remove his tumor. When McGraw made his first public appearance on May 27 at the Vet, he wore a hat that displayed his catchphrase. When he changed the Vet countdown number on July 3 and made a grand appearance during the stadium’s closing ceremonies, he maintained his smile as he waved to his loyal fans.
McGraw’s teammates are remembering him fondly. "Tug was a good friend and a good pitcher, but I will always remember him as my great friend," said former catcher Bob Boone, who caught the final out of the 1980 World Series. "He lived life to the fullest."
Larry Christenson, a staring pitcher on the World Series team, praised McGraw’s courage.
"He took it on and wasn’t afraid of the challenge," Christenson said. "Not once did I hear him complain. He was one of my best teammates and friends."
That fondness for McGraw went beyond the clubhouse, as Phillies chairman Bill Giles also developed a strong bond with the player.
"He was more than just a pitcher, he was loved by everyone that knew him," Giles said. "He had a special spirit that will never be forgotten by anyone who saw him pitch and is responsible for Philadelphia’s most defining sports moment when he struck out Willie Wilson to win the city’s only World Championship."
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By Bill Gelman and Tricia Lafferty
