McCovey Cove

The unofficial name for the stretch of San Francisco Bay beyond Oracle Park's right field wall, where splash hits are celebrated.

McCovey Cove is the unofficial name of a section of San Francisco Bay beyond the right field wall of Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, named after famed Giants first baseman Willie McCovey. The proper name for the cove is China Basin, which is the mouth of Mission Creek as it meets the bay. The cove is bounded along the north by Oracle Park, with a ferry landing and a breakwater at the northeast end. The southern shore is lined by China Basin Park and McCovey Point. To the east, it opens up to San Francisco Bay, while the west end of the cove is bounded by the Lefty O'Doul Bridge, named after San Francisco ballplayer and manager Lefty O'Doul.

Quick Facts

All-star appearances: 6
Grand slams: 18

Lore & Background

The name was coined thanks to two sportswriters. Mark Purdy of the San Jose Mercury News wrote an article suggesting naming the body of water after McCovey, though his original suggestions were 'McCovey Channel,' 'McCovey Stream' or 'McCovey Run.' Purdy then noted the more 'lyrical' name of 'McCovey Cove' was suggested by his colleague Leonard Koppett, a writer for the Oakland Tribune. The name did not take long to become very popular, although the moniker has never become official.

Reader's Guide

On game days, fans take to the water of McCovey Cove in boats and even in kayaks, often with fishing nets in the hope of collecting a home run ball. This echoes what used to happen during McCovey's playing days. Before Candlestick Park's upper deck was extended, the area behind right field was occupied by three small bleacher sections and a lot of open space. Kids in those bleachers would gather behind the right field fence when 'Stretch' would come to the plate.

Just beyond the wall is a public waterfront promenade. Across the cove from the ballpark is McCovey Point and China Basin Park, featuring a statue of McCovey at the mouth of the Cove. At his feet are small plaques commemorating the winners of the Willie Mac Award, named in McCovey's honor. Along the southern shore of the cove, between McCovey Point and the O'Doul Bridge, is a walkway featuring plaques showing the Opening Day Roster of every Giants team from 1958 through 1999.

Just south of the statue of Willie McCovey is Barry Bonds Junior Giants Field, a t-ball sized baseball diamond. (As of 2020, the features in this area have been temporarily warehoused while extensive construction takes place.)

Did You Know?

Barry Bonds is the only Giants player to hit the Cove twice in the same game, having done so on May 10, 2000 and May 18, 2002.
The first right-handed batter to hit a splash hit was J.T. Snow on September 18, 2002.
Five splash hits have been walk-off home runs: Barry Bonds' on August 19, 2003; Brandon Crawford's on April 13, 2014; and Mike Yastrzemski's two splash hits on July 29, 2020 and June 19, 2023.
Two splash hits have been grand slams: Bonds' on August 14, 2001 and Yastrzemski's on June 15, 2021.
Denard Span and LaMonte Wade Jr. are the only Giants to lead off with a splash hit, doing so on June 13, 2016 and June 2, 2023, respectively.

The Rise of a Power Hitting Phenom

Willie Lee McCovey was born on January 10, 1938, in Mobile, Alabama, the seventh of ten children to Frank and Esther. He began working part-time at age 12 and dropped out of high school to work full-time. Despite being passed over by scout Ed Scott, he received an invitation from Giants scout Alex Pompez for a tryout in Melbourne, Florida, while living in Los Angeles. In 1955, at age 17, he signed with the Sandersville Giants for $175 a month and a $500 bonus. He hit .305 with 19 home runs in 107 games. During his rise, he played for a farm club in Dallas but was barred from playing in Shreveport due to segregation. Just before his call-up, he played for the Phoenix Giants in the Pacific Coast League.

Defining Moments and Historic Heartbreak

On July 30, 1959, McCovey made his MLB debut going four-for-four against Robin Roberts with two singles and two triples. In 52 games that year, he hit .354 with 13 home runs to win the NL Rookie of the Year. The 1962 World Series remains a defining moment; in Game 7, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and runners on second and third, McCovey hit a hard line drive that was caught by Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson, ending the series. This play was featured in Peanuts strips where Charlie Brown lamented the ball wasn't hit higher. Decades later, upon his Hall of Fame election, McCovey said he wanted to be remembered as "the guy who hit the ball over Bobby Richardson's head in the seventh game."

Statistical Dominance and MVP Glory

McCovey was a fearsome left-handed power hitter known for dead-pull line drives. At retirement in 1980, he ranked second only to Babe Ruth in career home runs among left-handers. He hit 521 career home runs, with 231 in Candlestick Park, the most by any player there. In 1969, his best statistical year, he hit .320 with 45 home runs and 126 RBI to win the NL MVP. He also won the All-Star Game MVP that year after hitting two homers. Pitcher Bob Gibson called him "the scariest hitter in baseball." In 1978, he hit his 500th home run at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium.

Legacy and Hall of Fame Induction

McCovey was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1986 in his first year of eligibility, becoming only the 16th man so honored. As of 2022, he ranks 20th all-time with 521 home runs, tied with Ted Williams and Frank Thomas. He was a six-time All-Star and three-time home run champion. His career spanned 22 years from 1959 to 1980, playing primarily for the Giants but also for the San Diego Padres (1974–1976) and Oakland Athletics (late 1976). He hit his final home run on May 3, 1980, off Scott Sanderson. McCovey passed away on October 31, 2018.