Tim McGraw wears No. 45 jersey of his father, Tug McGraw, at Game 3 of World Series
PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia fans liked it and they loved it during Game 3 of the World Series.
During the Phillies’ 7-0 victory on Tuesday, country music star Tim McGraw was in attendance at Citizens Bank Park with his wife, Faith Hill, WTXF-TV reported. It was the first World Series game played in Philadelphia since 2009.
McGraw, 55, was sporting the No. 45 jersey worn by his father, reliever Tug McGraw, with whom he had a complicated relationship.
Tim McGraw received a big ovation when he appeared on the Jumbotron screen and showed off the back of his uniform, which had his father’s name and number on it, WPVI-TV reported.
Tug McGraw was a key part of the Phillies’ first World Series victory in 1980, winning five games and saving 20 others during the regular season, according to Baseball-Reference.com.
“I didn’t know he was my dad,” Tim McGraw said in a 2013 interview with Larry King. “I was 11 years old, and I was rummaging around in mom’s closet and found a birth certificate. I was growing up in Louisiana, and my mom was divorced, and we were barely getting by.”
“People ask me, ‘How could you have a relationship with your father? You were growing up in nothing. He was a millionaire baseball player. He knew you were there, and he didn’t do anything,” McGraw said in an interview with Esquire in 2021. “But when I found out Tug McGraw was my dad, it gave me something in my little town in Louisiana, something that I would have never reached for. How could I ever be angry?”
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Tim McGraw met his father for the first time later in 2013 but did not see him again for another seven years, Billboard reported.
Tug McGraw died on Jan. 5, 2004, in Brentwood, Tennessee. He was 59.
Tim McGraw has plenty of hits. The Phillies could have used a few of them on Wednesday night, becoming only the second team in World Series history to be no-hit.
Before the start of the World Series, Tim McGraw tweeted, “Let’s go Phillies!” and posted a video of his father striking out Willie Wilson of the Kansas City Royals for the final out of the 1980 World Series at Veterans Stadium. That gave the Phillies their first World Series title. They would win the Series again in 2008 against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Check out these memorable photos of country music star Tim McGraw through the years.
2001: Entertainer of the Year Tim McGraw and his wife Faith Hill arrive November 7, 2001, at the Country Music Association Awards in Nashville, Tennessee.
2002: Country singers Faith Hill and her husband Tim McGraw arrive at the 74th annual Academy Awards on March 24, 2002, at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, California.
2003: Country singer Tim Mcgraw performs on stage at the 2003 Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Casino Resort on October 27, 2003, in Las Vegas.
2004: Musician Tim McGraw performs during "The Today Show" in Rockefeller Center on November 24, 2004, in New York City.
2005: Singers Tim McGraw and Faith Hill arrive at the 2005 American Music Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on November 22, 2005, in Los Angeles.
2006: Singer Faith Hill (left) and singer Tim McGraw pose next to McGraw’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in front of the Virgin Megastore on October 17, 2006, in Los Angeles.
2007: Singers Faith Hill and Tim McGraw attend a cocktail party in celebration of The Cartier Charity Love Bracelet at The Cartier Mansion on June 7, 2007, in New York City.
2008: Singers Faith Hill (left) and husband Tim McGraw arrive at the 50th annual Grammy awards held at the Staples Center on February 10, 2008, in Los Angeles.
2009: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill attends the 43rd annual CMA Awards at the Sommet Center on November 11, 2009, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2010: Musician Tim McGraw and singer Faith Hill arrive for the 45th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 18, 2010, in Las Vegas.
2011: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill attend the 45th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 9, 2011, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2012: Singer/songwriter Tim McGraw performs at the 2012 BamaJam Music and Arts Festival – Day 1 at BamaJam Farms in Enterprise, Alabama, on June 14, 2012.
2013: Singers Tim McGraw (left) and Taylor Swift perform onstage during the 48th annual Academy of Country Music Awards at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 7, 2013, in Las Vegas.
2014: Tim McGraw (left) and Faith Hill kiss onstage at the 2014 CMA Festival on June 5, 2014, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2015: Recording artists Faith Hill (left) and Tim McGraw attend the 87th annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 22, 2015, in Hollywood, California.
2016: Tim McGraw and Faith Hill attend the 50th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 2, 2016, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2017: Recording artists Tim McGraw (left) and Faith Hill attend the 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards at Toshiba Plaza on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas.
2018: Tim McGraw attends the screening of "Free Solo" hosted by Tim McGraw at SilverScreen Theater at the Pacific Design Center on November 11, 2018, in West Hollywood, California.
2019: Tim McGraw performs on stage during Day 3 of the 2019 CMA Music Festival on June 8, 2019, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2020: Tim McGraw (left) and CEO of Big Machine Scott Borchetta announce Tim McGraw’s return to Big Machine Records at Omni Hotel on February 21, 2020, in Nashville, Tennessee.
2021: Faith Hill, Isabel May and Tim McGraw attend the world premiere of "1883" at Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas on December 11, 2021, in Las Vegas.
2022: Faith Hill and Tim McGraw attend the 28th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at Barker Hangar on February 27, 2022, in Santa Monica, California.
