Tim McCarver, a stalwart catcher for 21 seasons in Major League Baseball before becoming a Hall of Fame broadcaster, has died at the age of 81. According to a press release from the National Baseball Hall of Fame, McCarver died of heart failure Thursday in his hometown of Memphis. McCarver, a two-time All-Star in St. Louis, played 12 seasons with the Cardinals, teaming up with ace Bob Gibson to form the heart and soul of two World Series championship squads in 1964 and 1967. Two years later, he was part of a blockbuster trade to the Philadelphia Phillies, where he would spend nine more seasons. McCarver also played for the Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos as he became one of the few MLB players to appear in four different decades. After his playing career ended in 1980, McCarver embarked on a second career in baseball, making an even greater impact on the game as a broadcaster. McCarver joined Fox as its No. 1 baseball analyst in 1996 and he worked primarily with play-by-play announcer Joe Buck, covering a total of 23 World Series and 20 All-Star Games before stepping down after the 2013 season. For more on the life and career of Tim McCarver, click on the link in our bio. 📸: 2012 @apnews photo; @usatodaysports graphic #timmcarver #mlb #stlouiscardinals #worldseries #baseball #fox #broadcasting #broadcastcareer #halloffame