Garvey was born in Tampa, Florida, on December 22, 1948 to parents who had recently relocated from Long Island, New York. Garvey is Irish-American on his father's side; his father's roots come from County Cor… See more

After graduating from Chamberlain High School, Garvey played football and baseball at Michigan State University. He was committed to play football and baseball in college despite being drafted in the third round by th… See more

Garvey was drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1st round of the 1968 MLB draft (June secondary phase). He made his Major League debut on September 1, 1969, at the age of 20. He appeared in the 7th inning to pi… See more