Willie Stargell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Willie Stargell |
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Stargell in 1965
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| Left fielder / First baseman | |||
| Born: March 6, 1940 Earlsboro, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: April 9, 2001 (aged 61) Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 16, 1962, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| October 3, 1982, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .282 | ||
| Hits | 2,232 | ||
| Home runs | 475 | ||
| Runs batted in | 1,540 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1988 | ||
| Vote | 82.4% (first ballot) | ||
Wilver Dornell Stargell (March 6, 1940 – April 9, 2001) was a famous American professional baseball player. He was known as "Pops" later in his career. Stargell played all 21 of his seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He was one of the most powerful hitters in baseball history.
Stargell hit more home runs than any other player in the 1970s. He had a batting average of .282, with 2,232 hits and 475 home runs. He also had 1,540 runs batted in (RBI). Stargell helped the Pirates win two World Series championships in 1971 and 1979. He was a seven-time All-Star player. In 1979, he made history by winning three major awards in one season. These were the National League (NL) MVP Award, the NL Championship Series MVP Award, and the World Series MVP Award. In 1988, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Baseball Beginnings
Willie Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma. He later moved to Florida with his aunt after his parents separated. He then moved to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. He went to Encinal High School, where he played baseball with future MLB players.
Stargell signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959. He started playing in minor league baseball. During his time in the minor leagues, Stargell faced challenges. He was sometimes not allowed to stay in the same hotels as his white teammates. He was even threatened once in Plainview, Texas, for being a Black player. Despite these difficulties, he kept playing baseball. Letters from his friend and scout, Bob Zuk, encouraged him to continue.
Willie Stargell's MLB Career
Willie Stargell was loved by fans in Pittsburgh. They admired his playing style and friendly personality. He was known for hitting incredibly long home runs. Some of his hits went over the 86-foot-high stands at Forbes Field. He also hit many upper-deck home runs at Three Rivers Stadium.
Stargell was 6 feet 3 inches tall with long arms. He had a unique way of holding his bat. He would hold only the knob of the bat with his lower hand. This gave him extra reach. Before batting, he would warm up with a sledgehammer instead of a regular weighted bat. When he was at the plate, he would swing his bat in a wide circle until the pitcher started to throw.
Starting in the 1960s
Stargell made his MLB debut in 1962 when he was 22 years old. His first full season was in 1964. That year, he hit the first home run ever at Shea Stadium. He also made his first of seven appearances in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. He continued to play well in 1965 and 1966. In both years, he hit over 100 runs batted in (RBI).
In 1967, Stargell had some fitness issues. His batting average and home run numbers dropped. But he worked hard to get back in shape. By 1969, he was playing strongly again. He finished the decade with a .307 batting average, 29 home runs, and 92 RBIs.
Amazing 1970s Seasons
Stargell had an excellent season in 1970. He hit 31 home runs and had 85 RBIs. In one game, he had five extra-base hits. This included three doubles and two home runs. The Pirates won their division title that year. They made it to the postseason for the first time since 1960.
In 1971, Stargell's career reached new heights. He led the league with 48 home runs. This was one of the most home runs ever hit by a Pirate in a single season. He finished second in the MVP award voting. Stargell was a key player on the Pirates' World Championship team. They defeated the Baltimore Orioles in seven games.
He continued to play very well in 1972 and 1973. In 1973, he led the league in both doubles and home runs. He was the first player since 1940 to hit over 40 doubles and 40 home runs in one season. He also led the league in runs batted in. For the third year in a row, he was a top MVP candidate.
From 1975 onwards, Stargell played mostly at first base. He no longer played in the outfield. In 1977, he hit his 400th career home run.
Stargell started a special tradition in 1978. He gave his teammates embroidered "Stargell stars" for their caps. They earned a star for making a great play or having a good game. This tradition helped bring the team together. Stargell believed this team would win the World Series the next year.
The Pirates did win the World Series in 1979. They had a great comeback season. The team adopted the song "We Are Family" as their anthem. Stargell's leadership and play inspired his teammates. He won the MVP awards for both the NLCS and the World Series. In Game 7 of the World Series, Stargell hit a dramatic home run. This helped the Pirates win the championship against the Orioles. His performance in the 1979 World Series set records for extra-base hits.
Stargell also won the NL MVP award in 1979. He shared it with Keith Hernandez. At 39 years old, he became the only player to win all three MVP awards in a single year. Pirates manager Chuck Tanner said, "Having him on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger."
Final Years in the 1980s
Stargell played until 1982. He retired with 475 home runs. Many of these were hit at Forbes Field, which was a very large stadium. Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente once said Stargell hit many fly balls that would have been home runs in smaller parks. Stargell's last game was on October 3, 1982. He hit a single in his final at-bat.
Longest Home Runs
Willie Stargell was famous for hitting incredibly long home runs. At one point, he held the record for the longest home run in nearly half of the National League stadiums.
On August 5, 1969, Stargell hit a home run at Dodger Stadium that traveled 507 feet. It was the longest home run ever hit there. He hit another very long home run out of Dodger Stadium in 1973.
On June 25, 1971, Stargell hit the longest home run in Veterans Stadium history. The spot where the ball landed was marked with a yellow star. This star remained until the stadium was torn down in 2004. In 1978, he hit the only fair ball to reach the club deck of Olympic Stadium. The seat where it landed was replaced with a yellow seat to mark the spot.
Bob Prince, the Pirates' radio announcer, had a special phrase for Stargell's home runs: "Chicken on the Hill." This was because Stargell owned a chicken restaurant in Pittsburgh. When Stargell hit a home run, his restaurant would give away free chicken.
Later Life and Legacy
After retiring as a player, Stargell worked as a first base coach for the Atlanta Braves from 1986 to 1988. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Stargell returned to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1997. He worked as an aide to the general manager and as a special adviser to the team owner. The owner, Kevin McClatchy, called Stargell "the ultimate class act."
Willie Stargell passed away on April 9, 2001, due to health complications. Just two days before he died, a large statue of him was unveiled at the Pirates' new stadium, PNC Park. This statue became a special memorial to him.
The Pirates retired his uniform number 8 on September 6, 1982. In 1999, he was ranked among the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He also threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Many people admired Willie Stargell. Fellow Hall of Famer Joe Morgan said, "When I played, there were 600 baseball players, and 599 of them loved Willie Stargell."
The Willie Stargell Foundation was created to help with research and treatment for kidney disease. There is also a Willie Stargell Memorial Awards Banquet that raises money for children in Pittsburgh. Stargell also worked to raise awareness and funds for sickle cell anemia earlier in his life.
A major road in his childhood home of Alameda, California, was renamed Wilver “Willie” Stargell Avenue in his honor.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle
- Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame
- List of Major League Baseball home run records
- List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
- List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise
