Tim McCarver, big league catcher and broadcaster, dies at 81

NEW YORK — Tim McCarver, the All-Star catcher and Hall of Fame broadcaster who during 60 years in baseball won two World Series titles with the St. Louis Cardinals and had a long run as the one of the country’s most recognized, incisive and talkative television commentators, died Thursday. He was 81.

McCarver’s death was announced by baseball’s Hall of Fame, which said he died Thursday morning due to heart failure in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was with his family.

Among the few players to appear in major league games during four decades, McCarver was a two-time All Star who worked closely with two future Hall of Fame pitchers: The tempestuous Bob Gibson, whom McCarver caught for St. Louis in the 1960s, and the introverted Steve Carlton, McCarver’s fellow Cardinal in the ‘60s and a Philadelphia Phillies teammate in the 1970s.

He switched to television soon after retiring in 1980 and called 24 World Series for ABC, CBS and Fox, a record for a baseball analyst on television.

“I think there is a natural bridge from being a catcher to talking about the view of the game and the view of the other players,” McCarver told the Hall in 2012, the year he and Joe Buck were given the Ford C. Frick Award for excellence in broadcasting. “It is translating that for the viewers. One of the hard things about television is staying contemporary and keeping it simple for the viewers.”

McCarver became best known to national audiences for his 18-year partnership on Fox with play-by-play man Buck. McCarver moved to Fox in 1996 when it began

and enter the break with the worst record in the NBA.

“I’m going to take some time over the break and not think about it for a little while,” Rockets coach Stephen Silas said. “But then I am going to take a good amount of the break and really kind of figure out what the next 20, however many games looks like. And maybe there’ll be some some different things, different rotations, different schemes at times.”

Gilgeous-Alexander scored 16 points in the first half to help Oklahoma City take a 76-54 lead.

The Thunder continued to dominate, outscoring the Rockets 4024 in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. Gilgeous-Alexander scored 13 points in the period.

TIP-INS

Rockets: G Jae’Sean Tate was issued a technical foul in the first quarter after he disagreed with a foul that was called against him. C Alperen Sengun and F/C Usman Garuba were called for technicals later in the quarter. ... G Kevin Porter Jr. missed his 17th straight game with a bruised left foot . ... Garuba was issued a Flagrant 1 for a push in the fourth quarter.

Thunder: Oklahoma City was called for defensive three seconds twice in the first quarter . ... Held the Rockets to 22.7% shooting in the first quarter . ... Held the Rockets to 33.7% shooting.

Thunder forward/center Dario Saric debuted after he was acquired in a trade with the Phoenix Suns. He had 12 points and five rebounds in 14 minutes.

“I thought he was good,” Daigneault said. “Plays the right way. Certainly has a great feel for the game stylistically. Just a guy that you don’t have to over coach what we’re doing and stuff. He just kind of plays basketball, figures things out.”

UP NEXT

Rockets: Visit the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 24.

Thunder: Visit the Utah Jazz on Feb. 23. ___

Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: twitter.com/CliffBruntAP