First baseman Steve Garvey was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ most enduring infield lineup. He was with the Dodgers from 1969 to 1982 and with the San Diego Padres from 1983 to 1987. Garvey is one of just 15 Major League Baseball players to have 200-plus hits over six or more seasons.
The retired MVP, head of Garvey Communications television productions and a member of the Baseball Assistance Team board, is on a winning streak again. In fall 2012, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, Garvey underwent surgery performed by Dr. Mark S. Litwin, chair of the UCLA Department of Urology, which cured him of the disease.
Since then, he has been sharing his success story and raising awareness of the disease. Moreover, in April 2013, Garvey auctioned some of his baseball memorabilia and directed a substantial portion of the proceeds to UCLA Urology. According to Dr. Litwin, “Steve is a terrific spokesman for bringing prostate cancer to the attention of countless individuals and for supporting UCLA’s research and patient-care efforts. We all appreciate his contributions of time and energy, as well as his generosity.”
Sports Illustrated referred to Garvey as baseball’s “Iron Man” (April 25, 1983), and clearly, he continues to live up to that honorable designation in many ways.