Country star Tim McGraw wore father Tug’s Phillies jersey at World Series
Like father, like son.
Country star Tim McGraw attended Game 3 of the World Series in Philadelphia, wearing his father’s jersey, much to the delight of the Phillies fans who watched the team’s 7-0 beatdown over the Astros.
The three-time Grammy winner appeared on the big screen at Citizens Bank Park and pointed to the elder McGraw’s No. 45, which he wore for the Phillies from 1975-84.
Last Friday, McGraw tweeted “let’s go #Phillies!” with a video of Tug McGraw striking out Willie Wilson to lead Philadelphia to its first-ever World Series in 1980.
Tim McGraw didn’t know the ace was his father until he was 11 years old, when he found his birth certificate.
They met for lunch after a ballgame once with Tug McGraw saying they could be friends but not family, Tim told NPR radio earlier this year.
Years later they met again when Tim McGraw and his mother asked Tug McGraw for some money to help pay for college.
A contract was written up with the agreement that there would be no communication following the payment. Over dinner, Tim McGraw asked Tug McGraw if he believed he was his father.
“I know I am,” Tug McGraw said before deciding to tear the contract up.
It began a relationship that would last for the rest of Tug McGraw’s life, who died aged 59 in 2004 after a battle with brain cancer.
Before Game 3 of the 2008 World Series in Philadelphia, McGraw spread his father’s ashes on the mound before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch.
McGraw was also a popular Met and Tim wore his father’s jersey at Citi Field before throwing out the first pitch before Game 4 of the 2015 World Series.
McGraw coined the phrase “Ya Gotta Believe” during New York’s 1973 season which saw the Mets go from last place to the World Series.
