McCovey Cove facts for kids
McCovey Cove is a special part of San Francisco Bay right next to Oracle Park. This park is where the San Francisco Giants baseball team plays. The cove is named after a famous Giants player, Willie McCovey. Its real name is China Basin, which is where Mission Creek meets the bay. Oracle Park is on one side of the cove. On the other side, you'll find China Basin Park and McCovey Point. The cove opens up to San Francisco Bay on the east. On the west, it's connected by the Lefty O'Doul Bridge, named after another San Francisco baseball player.
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How McCovey Cove Got Its Name
The name "McCovey Cove" was thought up by two sportswriters. Mark Purdy from the San Jose Mercury News first suggested naming the water after McCovey. He thought of names like 'McCovey Channel' or 'McCovey Stream.' But his friend, Leonard Koppett from the Oakland Tribune, came up with the more catchy name, 'McCovey Cove.' This name quickly became very popular, even though it's not the official name.
What Makes McCovey Cove Special
On game days, McCovey Cove becomes a lively place! Fans often go out in boats and even kayaks. They bring fishing nets, hoping to catch a home run ball that lands in the water. This tradition reminds people of Willie McCovey's playing days. Back then, kids would gather behind the outfield fence at Candlestick Park when he was up to bat. McCovey was also known for hitting home runs into a public swimming pool at Jarry Park in Montreal. So, balls landing in the water in San Francisco is a cool nod to his legend.
Right outside the ballpark wall, there's a public walkway along the water. Across the cove, you'll find McCovey Point and China Basin Park. There's a statue of Willie McCovey there. At the base of his statue, you can see plaques honoring the winners of the Willie Mac Award. This award is also named after him. Along the southern side of the cove, there are plaques showing the opening day rosters for every Giants team from 1958 to 1999. There's even a small baseball field for kids, called Barry Bonds Junior Giants Field, near McCovey's statue.
Giants' "Splash Hits" into the Cove
A "splash hit" happens when a San Francisco Giants player hits a home run that lands directly in McCovey Cove. These special hits are counted on a scoreboard on the right field wall. As of September 25, 2020, Giants players have hit 83 "splash hits."
The player with the most "splash hits" is Barry Bonds, who hit 35 of them! Other Giants who have hit the cove more than once include Brandon Belt (nine times), Pablo Sandoval (eight times), and Denard Span (five times). Seven other players have hit two each. Eleven other Giants players have hit one "splash hit." Carlos Beltrán hit his 300th career home run into the cove on September 14, 2011.
Three "splash hits" have been "walk-off" home runs. This means the hit ended the game instantly, giving the Giants the win. These were hit by Barry Bonds (August 19, 2003), Brandon Crawford (April 13, 2014), and Mike Yastrzemski (July 29, 2020).
Barry Bonds is also the only Giants player to hit a "splash hit" during the postseason. He did this on October 12, 2002, in Game 3 of the 2002 National League Championship Series.
In 2007, Oracle Park hosted the Home Run Derby. McCovey Cove was a big part of the event's promotions. Willie McCovey himself gave special bats to the players. However, it was tough to hit the cove. None of the eight sluggers could hit a fair ball into the water. Only Prince Fielder hit a foul ball into the cove. Later, Fielder did hit a fair ball into the cove on July 20, 2008, becoming the 17th visiting player to do so.
No right-handed batter has ever hit an opposite field home run into McCovey Cove. Giants catcher Buster Posey has come very close a few times.
Four visiting pitchers have given up multiple "splash hits" to Giants players. These are Liván Hernández, Rodrigo López, John Thomson, and Chris Paddack.
Other Home Runs into McCovey Cove
Besides Giants players, 37 players from other teams have hit home runs into McCovey Cove a total of 53 times. The players who have done this the most are Carlos Delgado, Carlos González, and Adam LaRoche, each hitting three. Other players who have hit it twice include Max Muncy, Curtis Granderson, Bryce Harper, Luis Gonzalez, and Cliff Floyd.
Only four players from the American League have hit the cove: David Ortiz, Mitch Moreland, Adam Dunn, and Shin-Soo Choo. Delgado, LaRoche, and Harper are the only three players to hit home runs into McCovey Cove while playing for two different visiting teams.
Two visiting players have hit the water during the postseason. Rick Ankiel hit one in the 11th inning of a game on October 8, 2010. His home run helped the Atlanta Braves win that game. Bryce Harper hit one on October 7, 2014, in the 7th inning of a game while playing for the Washington Nationals.
Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum has given up the most home runs into McCovey Cove to visiting players, with five. Other Giants pitchers who have given up multiple include Madison Bumgarner (four times) and Johnny Cueto (three times).
It's pretty rare, but players from opposing teams have hit home runs into McCovey Cove in the same game three times. This happened on May 28, 2001, May 12, 2014, and August 9, 2019.
Images for kids
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McCovey Cove (2002)
