Born in Boone, Iowa, McNertney signed with the Chicago White Sox in 1958 after attending Gilbert High School and Iowa State University. During his first three seasons in minor league baseball, he was a first baseman and outfielder and converted to catcher in his fourth professional season, 1961, while playing for the Charleston White Sox of the Class A South Atlantic League. \n', '

Despite his late conversion, McNertney developed into a good defensive catcher and made his major league debut at the age of 27 with the White Sox in 1964. He played in 1964 and from 1966 to 1973 for the White Sox, Seattle Pilots, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals, and Pittsburgh Pirates. McNertney led American League catchers in 1967 with a 54.8% caught stealing percentage.\n', '

McNertney was the regular catcher for the Pilots in 1969—the only year the franchise played in the Pacific Northwest—where he reached career highs in at bats (410), home runs (8) and runs batted in (55). 1969 was also his best year defensively as he led the league\'s catchers in base runners caught stealing and finished second in assists and in putouts. \n', '

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