It was McCovey's dignity that struck me. He never complained. He never used arthritis as an excuse. He just played and played. Alas, the Giants never won a pennant.
Baseball is all about heartbreak.
The mixed fortunes of the Red Sox and the Giants taught me the inevitability of heartbreak. Even the best pitchers in the game win only half the games they start. Even the best teams lose 60 games a year. And last year's rookie sensation is riding the bus to the minor leagues this year. Despite the heartbreak, I always felt hope.