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Let’s explore Steve Garvey’s wife in this report which has become necessary following his death. Garvey was previously married to Cynthia Truhan whom he married at the age of 22 in 1971.  Regretfully, Garvey lost Cynthia to musician Marvin Hamlisch; meanwhile, Garvey was already having an affair with his secretary. In 1983, Garvey and Cynthia got divorced.

Garvey got engaged to Candace Thomas in January 1989 after they met at a Special Olympics fundraiser. Garvey and Thomas started dating over the following few weeks, going to the Super Bowl and President George H. W. Bush’s inauguration.

Who is Steve Garvey? 

Steve Garvey is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a first baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres from 1969 to 1987.

Steve Garvey biography

Garvey was born in Tampa, Florida to parents who had recently relocated from Long Island, New York. During spring training from 1956 to 1961, Garvey served as a bat boy for the Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees, and Detroit Tigers.

He graduated from George B. Chamberlain High School in 1966. Following his graduation from Chamberlain High School, Garvey pursued football and baseball at Michigan State University. Despite being drafted in the 3rd round by the Minnesota Twins in the June 1966 amateur draft at the age of 17, Garvey remained committed to playing both sports in college.

He attributed his decision to Spartan head football coach Duffy Daugherty’s encouragement to become a multi-sport athlete. During his time at MSU, Garvey earned a letter as a defensive back in 1967 and recorded 30 tackles. In his first at-bat in a Spartan uniform, he hit a grand-slam home run, with the ball landing in the Red Cedar River.

Garvey’s contributions to Michigan State University’s baseball program were recognized when he was named the Michigan State Baseball Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2009. He was also inducted into the Michigan State University Hall of Fame in 2010, and his baseball jersey number 10 was retired from Michigan State University in 2014.

Steve Garvey career

Garvey was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round of the 1968 MLB draft (June secondary phase). He made his debut in the Major Leagues on September 1, 1969, at the age of 20, coming in as a pinch hitter for Ray Lamb in the 7th inning. Unfortunately, he struck out in his only plate appearance. He had two more plate appearances in 1969 as a pinch hitter and achieved his first hit on September 10 against Denny Lemaster of the Houston Astros.

In 1970, Garvey played third base for the Dodgers and hit his first home run on July 21, 1970, off Carl Morton of the Montreal Expos. Following Wes Parker’s retirement, Garvey transitioned to first base in 1973. Garvey formed part of one of the most enduring infields in baseball history, alongside Ron Cey at third base, Bill Russell at shortstop, and Davey Lopes at second base.

These four infielders remained the Dodgers’ starters for eight and a half years, starting on June 13, 1973. In 1974, Garvey became one of only two players to be voted as a write-in candidate to start an All-Star Game. That same year, he won the NL MVP award and began a streak of six seasons with 200 or more hits. During the 1978 National League Championship Series, which the Dodgers won against the Philadelphia Phillies, Garvey hit four home runs and a triple, matching Bob Robertson’s record from the 1971 NLCS.

This outstanding performance earned him the League Championship Series Most Valuable Player Award. Jeffrey Leonard would later tie the NLCS home run record in the 1987 NLCS. Garvey’s cheerful personality, accessibility to reporters, and willingness to sign autographs for fans made him an immensely popular player.

The Dodgers capitalized on this by featuring him prominently in their public relations campaigns. However, this led to tension with some of his teammates, including Cey and Lopes, who believed Garvey’s behavior was solely motivated by endorsement opportunities. In mid-June 1976, Cey, Lopes, and another unnamed player voiced their criticism of Garvey in a San Bernardino.

Who is Steve Garvey wife?

In 1971, when Garvey was 22 years old, he wed Cynthia Truhan for the first time. Sadly, Garvey lost Cynthia to artist Marvin Hamlisch; in the interim, he was already involved in a romantic relationship with his secretary. Garvey and Cynthia separated in 1983. After meeting Thomas in January 1989 at a Special Olympics benefit, Garvey proposed to her. Over the next few weeks, Garvey and Thomas got to know one another by attending the inauguration of President George H. W. Bush and the Super Bowl.