St. Louis Post-Dispatch · Mar 4, 2018
McGee's coaching lessons go beyond just baseball
St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame shortstop Ozzie Smith (left) talks with outfield instructor Willie McGee during St. Louis Cardinals spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, in Jupiter, Fla. Photo by Chris Lee,JUPITER, Fla. • Former Cardinals star center fielder Willie McGee, then a special instructor for the club, had told Tommy Pham as early as 2011 “that I could play in the big leagues,” Pham related the other day. “I’ll never forget that.”
Six years later, Pham finally made it to the big leagues to stay — and star — and he paid special tribute to McGee the night of the Baseball Writers’ Dinner in January when Pham was honored as the St. Louis Baseball Man of the Year.