Steve Garvey is a former Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987. He is notable for his long tenure with the Dodgers and is also running for the United States Senate in California in the 2024 election.
December 22, 1948: Steve Garvey's Birth
Steve Garvey was born on December 22, 1948.
1956: Batboy for MLB Teams
Steve Garvey was a batboy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers during spring training from 1956.
1961: End of Batboy Role
Steve Garvey's time as a batboy ended in 1961.
June 1966: Drafted by the Minnesota Twins
Steve Garvey was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in June 1966.
1966: High School Graduation
Steve Garvey graduated from George D. Chamberlain High School in 1966.
1967: Football at Michigan State University
In 1967, Steve Garvey played football and earned a letter as a defensive back at Michigan State University.
1968: Drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers
Steve Garvey was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1968.
September 1, 1969: Major League Debut
Steve Garvey made his major league debut on September 1, 1969 at 20 years old as a pinch hitter.
1969: MLB Career Start
Steve Garvey began his Major League Baseball career in 1969. Over his 19-year career, he achieved a batting average of .294, hit 272 home runs, and had 1,308 RBIs in 2,332 games played.
1969: MLB Debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers
In 1969, Steve Garvey began his Major League Baseball career playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
July 21, 1970: First MLB Home Run
On July 21, 1970, Steve Garvey hit his first home run.
1970: Hall of Fame Era Consideration
Steve Garvey was considered by the Hall of Fame's Modern Baseball Era Committee for his contributions from the 1970–1987 era during the 2018 voting session but was not elected.
1971: Marriage to Cynthia Truhan
At age 22, Steve Garvey married Cynthia Truhan in 1971. They had two daughters, Krisha and Whitney.
1971: Bob Robertson Sets NLCS Home Run Record
Bob Robertson set the National League Championship Series home run record in 1971.
1971: College Graduation
In 1971, Steve Garvey received a Bachelor of Science in health and physical education from Michigan State University.
June 13, 1973: Start of Enduring Infield
On June 13, 1973, the Dodgers' infield of Garvey, Ron Cey, Bill Russell, and Davey Lopes played their first game together, marking the beginning of a long run for the quartet.
1973: Move to First Base
Steve Garvey moved to first base in 1973 after Wes Parker retired.
1973: Hall of Fame Era Consideration
Steve Garvey was considered by the Hall of Fame's Expansion Era Committee for his contributions from the 1973–present era during the 2011 and 2014 voting sessions but was not elected.
1974: National League MVP Award
Steve Garvey won the National League Most Valuable Player Award in 1974.
1974: First of Four Straight Gold Glove Awards
In 1974, Steve Garvey won the first of four straight Gold Glove Awards.
1974: All-Star Game Write-In Vote
In 1974, Steve Garvey became one of only two players to start an All-Star game as a write-in vote.
September 3, 1975: Start of Consecutive Games Streak
On September 3, 1975, Steve Garvey began his record-breaking streak of consecutive games played, which would later be recognized as the fourth-longest in Major League Baseball history.
June 1976: Team Meeting About Garvey's Popularity
In June 1976, Dodgers manager Walter Alston called a team meeting due to an article in which teammates criticized Steve Garvey for courting publicity. Garvey addressed the team and said that if anyone had something to say about him, they should say it to his face.
1977: Fourth Straight Gold Glove Award
Steve Garvey won his fourth straight Gold Glove Award in 1977.
1978: Confrontation with Don Sutton
In 1978, Steve Garvey confronted his teammate Don Sutton about comments Sutton made to the press complaining that Garvey got all the publicity and asserting that Reggie Smith was a better player. Garvey threw Sutton into Tommy John's locker, causing signed baseballs to spill out, but they managed to move past the incident and congratulated each other on the field for the remainder of the season.
1978: National League Championship Series MVP
Steve Garvey was named the National League Championship Series MVP in 1978.
1978: Second All-Star Game MVP Award
Steve Garvey won his second All-Star Game MVP Award in 1978.
1978: All-Star Game MVP Award
Steve Garvey won the All-Star Game MVP Award in 1978.
1981: Roberto Clemente Award
Steve Garvey won the Roberto Clemente Award in 1981.
1981: World Series Championship
Steve Garvey won his only World Series Championship as a member of the Dodgers in 1981.
December 1982: Garvey Signs with Padres
In December 1982, Steve Garvey signed with the San Diego Padres for $6.6 million over five years. This move was considered a 'masterstroke' by General Manager Jack McKeon, who saw Garvey's value as a role model and for his 'box office appeal.' Garvey's signing led to a significant increase in season ticket sales by 6,000 seats in his first year with the Padres.
December 1982: Signing with the San Diego Padres
In December 1982, Steve Garvey signed with the San Diego Padres.
1982: Dodgers Keep Garvey's Number Out of Circulation
After Garvey signed with the Padres in 1982, the Dodgers did not allow anyone else to wear his number 6 for 21 years.
July 29, 1983: End of Consecutive Games Streak
On July 29, 1983, Steve Garvey's streak of 1,207 consecutive games played ended when he broke his thumb in a collision at home plate against the Atlanta Braves.
1983: Divorce from Cynthia Truhan
In 1983, Steve Garvey and Cynthia Truhan divorced. Cynthia left Garvey for composer Marvin Hamlisch, unaware that Garvey was already romantically involved with his secretary.
1983: Garvey Media Group
In 1983, while still playing for the Padres, Steve Garvey started Garvey Media Group, focusing on sports marketing and corporate branding.
1984: National League Championship Series MVP
In 1984, Steve Garvey led the Padres to their first National League pennant and won his second National League Championship Series MVP award. His performance included a two-run walk-off home run that sealed the victory.
1984: Error-Free Season
In 1984, Steve Garvey made history by becoming the only first baseman in MLB history to commit no errors while playing 150 or more games. He handled 1,319 total chances flawlessly in 159 games for the Padres.
1984: Second National League Championship Series MVP
In 1984, Steve Garvey was again named the National League Championship Series MVP.
1986: Start of Long-Distance Relationship
Steve Garvey and Rebecka Mendenhall began their long-distance relationship in 1986.
May 23, 1987: Final MLB Appearance
On May 23, 1987, Steve Garvey made his final appearance in a Major League Baseball game, pinch-hitting for Lance McCullers and flying out. This marked the end of his 19-year MLB career.
1987: Jeffrey Leonard Ties NLCS Home Run Record
Jeffrey Leonard tied the National League Championship Series home run record in 1987.
1987: Hall of Fame Era Consideration
Steve Garvey was considered by the Hall of Fame's Modern Baseball Era Committee for his contributions from the 1970–1987 era during the 2018 voting session but did not achieve the necessary votes for induction.
1987: End of MLB Career
Steve Garvey's MLB playing career ended in 1987.
July 1988: Pregnancy of Cheryl Moulton
In July 1988, Steve Garvey discovered that Cheryl Moulton was pregnant with his child, Ashleigh Young.
November 1988: Proposal to Rebecka Mendenhall
In November 1988, Steve Garvey proposed to Rebecka Mendenhall, informing her about Cheryl Moulton's pregnancy.
1988: Garvey Communications
In 1988, Steve Garvey headed Garvey Communications, which was primarily involved in television production, including infomercials. Additionally, he engaged in motivational speaking for corporations.
1988: Number Retirement by the San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres retired Steve Garvey's number 6 in 1988.
January 1, 1989: Broken Engagement
On January 1, 1989, Steve Garvey broke his engagement with Rebecka Mendenhall. Despite knowing she was pregnant, Garvey ended their relationship.
January 1989: Engagement to Candace Thomas
In January 1989, Steve Garvey became engaged to Candace Thomas. Their courtship included trips to the inauguration of President George H. W. Bush and the Super Bowl.
February 18, 1989: Marriage to Candace Thomas
On February 18, 1989, Steve Garvey married Candace Thomas, whom he met at a benefit for the Special Olympics. They have three children together and four children from previous marriages.
October 1989: Birth of Slade Mendenhall
In October 1989, Steve Garvey's son, Slade Mendenhall, was born.
1990: Board Member of Baseball Assistance Team
Since 1990, Steve Garvey has served as a member of the board of the Baseball Assistance Team, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping former major league, minor league, and Negro League players through financial and medical hardships.
1992: Dianne Feinstein's Senate Term
Dianne Feinstein held the Senate seat from 1992 until her death in 2023, which Steve Garvey is now seeking to fill.
1993: Hall of Fame Ballot
In 1993, Steve Garvey was included on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time. He remained on the ballot until 2007 but never reached the 75% voting threshold for induction.
1995: Highest Hall of Fame Vote Percentage
In 1995, Steve Garvey received his highest percentage of votes for the National Baseball Hall of Fame, with 42.6%. Despite this, he did not reach the 75% threshold needed for induction.
1999: Appearance on Just Shoot Me!
In 1999, Steve Garvey played himself on an episode of the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!
September 1, 2000: Charged by FTC
On September 1, 2000, Steve Garvey and his management company, Garvey Management Group, were charged by the Federal Trade Commission for false advertising related to a weight-loss product.
2003: Jolbert Cabrera Given Number 6
In 2003, the Dodgers gave Jolbert Cabrera Steve Garvey's former number, 6.
2004: Cleared of Liability
In 2004, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that Steve Garvey was not liable for the content of the infomercials as he was merely a spokesman. He had earned $1.1 million for appearing in the advertisements.
2007: Final Year on Hall of Fame Ballot
In 2007, Steve Garvey's name appeared for the last time on the National Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. His highest voting percentage was 42.6% in 1995, and he received 21.1% in his final year.
2008: Top Free Agent Signing
In 2008, Sports Illustrated ranked Steve Garvey's signing with the Padres as the 15th best free agent signing ever.
2009: Michigan State Baseball Distinguished Alumnus of the Year
Steve Garvey was named Michigan State Baseball Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2009.
2010: Induction into the Michigan State University Hall of Fame
Steve Garvey was inducted into the Michigan State University Hall of Fame in 2010.
2011: Hall of Fame Voting
In 2011, Steve Garvey was considered by the Hall of Fame's Expansion Era Committee for the 1973–present era but was not elected.
2014: Hall of Fame Voting
In 2014, Steve Garvey was again considered by the Hall of Fame's Expansion Era Committee for the 1973–present era but did not achieve the necessary votes for induction.
2014: Jersey Retirement by Michigan State University
Michigan State University retired Steve Garvey's baseball jersey number 10 in 2014.
2017: Hall of Fame Modern Baseball Era
In 2017, Steve Garvey was on the 10-candidate ballot considered by the Modern Baseball Era Committee for the 2018 Hall of Fame voting but did not meet the 75% voting threshold.
2018: Hall of Fame Voting
In 2018, Steve Garvey was on the 10-candidate ballot considered by the Modern Baseball Era Committee for the Hall of Fame but fell short of the 75% threshold needed for induction.
December 2019: Hall of Fame Voting
In December 2019, Steve Garvey received six votes (37.5%) from the Modern Baseball Era's 16-member committee during the voting for the 2020 Hall of Fame class, falling short of the 75% threshold needed for induction.
2020: Hall of Fame Voting
In the December 2019 voting for the 2020 Hall of Fame class, Steve Garvey received six votes (37.5%) from the Modern Baseball Era's 16-member committee, falling short of the 75% threshold needed for induction.
October 10, 2023: Senate Run Announcement
On October 10, 2023, Steve Garvey announced his candidacy for the 2024 United States Senate elections in California, running as a Republican. He aims to fill the seat previously held by Democrat Dianne Feinstein.
October 2023: Senate Candidacy Announcement
In October 2023, Steve Garvey announced his candidacy for the US Senate.
March 2024: Advances to November Election
In the March 2024 'jungle primary,' Steve Garvey advanced to the November election for the term starting in January 2025, narrowly trailing Democratic U.S. Representative Adam Schiff by 3,478 votes.
March 2024: Senate Primary Election
Steve Garvey ran in the "jungle primary" for the Senate seat in March 2024.
April 26, 2024: Controversial Remarks
On April 26, 2024, Steve Garvey made controversial remarks by repeatedly calling college students protesting the war in Gaza 'terrorists.'
2024: Steve Garvey's Senate Candidacy
Steve Garvey is running for US Senate in California in 2024.
January 2025: Senate Election
In January 2025, Steve Garvey is set to face Adam Schiff in the election for the Senate seat, aiming to complete the term ending in January 2025.
January 2025: Potential Start of Senate Term
The Senate term that Steve Garvey is running for starts in January 2025.