Frank Edwin "Tug" McGraw, Jr. (August 30, 1944 – January 5, 2004) was an American professional baseball relief pitcher and the father of Country music singer and actor Tim McGraw. As a Major League Baseball (MLB) player, Tug McGraw is often remembered for coining the phrase, "Ya Gotta Believe", which became a popular rallying cry for the New York Mets teams of the mid-60s and early 70s, and for recording the final out, via a strikeout of the Kansas City Royals\' Willie Wilson, in the 1980 World Series, thereby bringing the Philadelphia Phillies their first world championship. He was the last active big league player to have played under legendary manager Casey Stengel.\n', '

McGraw was born in Martinez, California, to Frank Edwin "Big Mac" McGraw, Sr. and Mable McKenna. He got the nickname "Tug" from his mother because of the particularly aggressive way he breast-fed. Frank Senior was the great-grandson of Irish immigrants. McGraw graduated from St. Vincent Ferrer High School in Vallejo, California, in 1962. He enrolled in Solano Community College and signed with the New York Mets as an amateur free agent on June 12, 1964 upon graduation.\n', '

After one season with the Mets, McGraw reported to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island on September 23, 1965, along with fellow New York Met pitcher Jim Bethke. He was trained as a rifleman on the M14 rifle and M60 machine gun. McGraw later reported to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune where he (in his own words) became a "trained killer."\n', '

Return to Tug McGraw Autograph Profile