Tim McGraw Says Discovering The Truth Of His Biological Dad Gave Him Hope

“How could I ever be angry?” McGraw said in response to his father’s early absence in his life.

Tim McGraw performs at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena on his Standing Room Only Tour; Photo by Tyler Conrad

Growing up, Tim McGraw never imagined the kind of opportunities that would be waiting for him outside of his small hometown in Louisiana. But when he discovered that his real dad was Tug McGraw, a Major League Baseball pitcher and World Series champion, this revelation didn’t just change how he saw his family, it changed how he saw himself.

While he and his father may have had a rocky start, McGraw says the truth gave him something incredibly powerful: hope.

“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,’” the country icon told Esquire. “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?”

Tim McGraw; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Tim McGraw didn’t meet Tug until he was 11 years old. For most of his upbringing, he was under the impression that his stepfather, Horace Smith, was his biological dad. The stumbled upon this life-changing discovery completely by accident. He had just moved in with his grandparents following his mother’s divorce to his stepdad and he was searching through a closet when he found his birth certificate.

“It said my dad’s full name and it said his occupation was professional baseball player. And it was pretty much a shock. … I thought there had been some sort of mistake,” he explained in an interview with NPR.

Before McGraw had any idea of who his real father was, he was a true fan of Tug’s MLB career.
Photo Courtesy Tim McGraw
“Oddly enough, I had three baseball cards on my wall. I can’t remember the first one, one was César Cedeño and the third one was Tug, [who] I had up on my wall because he was one of my favorite players, believe it or not.”

Naturally, McGraw felt the instant desire to meet his biological father. So his mom contacted Tug’s lawyer, borrowed a car that could make the trip, and drove them to Houston, where a few tickets were waiting for them at the box office for the game.

The “Paper Umbrellas” singer’s first attempt at connecting with his father was hopeful but complicated. He recalls tossing a ball with Tug during batting practice and sharing a brief lunch. But the moment was quickly overcome with uncertainty as he recalls Tug telling him, “We can be friends, but I don’t know if I’m your dad or not.”

Tim McGraw still didn’t give up hope for their relationship. He returned to Houston the following year, this time wearing a jersey with Tug’s name and number. Standing in the Astrodome bullpen, calling out to his dad, he recalled being ignored by his father throughout the entire game. That painful moment marked the last time he saw Tug until he was 18 years old.

The pair eventually grew a stronger bond, and McGraw can honestly say that he never had any resentment towards his father for his early absence. Because at the end of the day, he still remembers that hope that he could achieve dreams far beyond his small town.

Since his father’s passing from brain cancer, Tim McGraw has found meaningful ways to honor his legacy. He launched the Tug McGraw Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting individuals affected by “brain-related military trauma and glioblastoma through education, resources, and wellness programs.” Then in 2008, McGraw paid tribute in a deeply personal moment. He attended the World Series to scatter his father’s ashes on the pitcher’s mound and threw out the first pitch in Game 3.

Now, he’s preparing to honor Tug’s legacy once again by headlining the first-ever all-day concert event at the historic Field of Dreams in Dyersville, Iowa, on August 30.