Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series victories with his tape-measure home runs and patriarchal leadership, died Monday after a long illness. 2 bids. A segment of Stargell's bowel was removed more than two years before he died. Stargell led the Pirates to World Series championships in 1971 and 1979, sharing the National League Most Valuable Player Award with Keith Hernandez of the Cardinals in '79 at the age of 39. To this day, West Enders debate whether its Stargel with a soft G or Stargel with a hard G. Jason said his family uses a hard G, but they dont object to the other sound. He was brought back briefly to coach in 1985, but Mr. Stargell never realized his goal of becoming a full-time manager of a team, though he served in the Pirates' front office and coached and scouted for the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. Years later, he said the nickname bestowed on that team - the Family, from the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" - wasn't a misnomer. A career .282 hitter with 1,540 RBI, he became the 200th person inducted to the Hall of Fame when he entered in 1988. [8] He finished out the decade with a strong performance in 1969 (.307, 29 HR, 92 RBI), and finished 21st in MVP voting. He was previously married to Margaret Weller, Dolores Parker and Lois Beard. "I was like a kid on Christmas Eve who couldn't wait to open his presents," Stargell said of the mid-1970 move into Three Rivers. Willie Stargell is a familiar name in the baseball world. For his first 10 years in the majors, Stargell was content to play in Clemente's shadow, even after Stargell surpassed him in production. "These days, not even a food truck, Williams said. In 1999, he ranked 81st on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players,[20] and was also nominated as a finalist for the MLB All-Century Team. Stargell never hit more than 33 homers in Forbes Field, but hit 48 in his first full season in Three Rivers in 1971 and had 125 from 1971-73 until knee and elbow injuries cut into his production. The stroke was one of many complications Stargell suffered as a result of a long history of high blood pressure. With Stargell batting cleanup for most of his 20-year career, the Pirates won World Series championships and NL pennants in 1971 and 1979 and six NL East titles from 1970-79. The Pirates postponed a formal ceremony dedicating the statue because Stargell could not attend. Mr. Stargell was a hero of the 1979 World Series team, which overcame a three-games-to-one deficit and cultivated its identity with the disco anthem "We Are Family." Further details are below. This referred to Stargell's ownership of a chicken restaurant in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Not just. Stargell capped off the year by hitting a dramatic home run in Baltimore during the late innings of a close Game 7 to seal a Pirates' championship. Chapman also followed Stargel intoteaching. [17] Berra said that he obtained amphetamines from Stargell and Bill Madlock; he said he could get them from Stargell "on any given day I asked him for one. But Berding saidthey're trying to retain the neighborhood's character and complexion. He did so twice over the course of his 21-year career, with . Honors and Awards The Pirates retired Willies' number 8 jersey in 1982. Trying to win back their disillusioned fans during that 104-loss season, the Pirates had rehired Stargell as a coach but he left again a year later to rejoin Tanner, who was hired by the Atlanta Braves after being fired in Pittsburgh. Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing The Cubs did manage to get the tying runs on base in the last of the 11th, but Beckert lined into a game-ending double play. Despite playing the front half of his career in Forbes Field, a graveyard for left-handed hitters with a right-field power alley of 436 feet, Stargell averaged 24 homers from 1963-69. At 61 years old, Willie Stargell height He had an awkward interaction with the Pirates that season when the team wanted to schedule a Willie Stargell Night to honor his Hall of Fame election. He formed the Black Athletes Foundation (BAF) shortly after President Richard M. Nixon identified the disease as a "national health problem" in the early 1970s. In seven of the next nine seasons, Stargell finished in the top 10 in MVP voting, as his career moved onto a Hall of Fame track. Great man. He mistook the backfire from a car at a nearby rodeo for gunfire and his knees began to give way, he said, "But I went on to have a very good game.". . Pirates manager Chuck Tanner said of Stargell, "Having him on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger." "He said it's important that we be better. Willie Stargell decided to award players with a gold star any time they had a good game or made a good play. Stargell's last game was on October 3, 1982 at Three Rivers Stadium against the Montreal Expos. he'd yell when one sailed over the fence. We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". "He believed you could do anything . Growing up in Pittsburgh, in an era when the Steelers were terrible every year, the Pirates, unlike today, were the team. Stargell's career took off after the Pirates vacated Forbes Field's vast acreage for symmetrical Three Rivers and its 375-foot power alley. Stargell died of a stroke two days after a 12-foot (4-metre) bronze statue of him was unveiled at the opening of the Pirates new stadium, PNC Park. Baseball, Coffee, Trying. Willie Stargell was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller in the summer of 1993. [17] Commissioner Peter Ueberroth later cleared Stargell and Madlock of any wrongdoing. 553 Stargell Rookie Card Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. Among the most feared power hitters in baseball history, Stargell had the most home runs (296) of any player in the 1970s decade. Besides, the duo was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Dawn Moore, and Precious Stargell. Dad had such an impact, not just as a coach or an educator, but he was involved in their lives, Jason said. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. They excited fans with numerous come-from-behind victories along the way (many during their final at-bat) to claim the division pennant on the last day of the season. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Updates? He also worked as a special baseball adviser to Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy, who called Stargell "the ultimate class act". Works: Willie Stargell: An Autobiography. On April he was admitted at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. A plaque of Willard Stargel hangs on the wall facing the field. (AP). Willie Stargell. Advertise with us Stargell's first wife, Dolores, kept detailed statistics on every ball he hit and estimated he would have had 22 more homers in 1969 if the Pirates had played in Three Rivers Stadium, which opened a year later. Then, his play on the field inspired his teammates and earned him the MVP awards in both the NLCS and the World Series. By Alan Robinson MMI The Associated Press. He remains the oldest player to win an MVP award. "My heart has not changed. A 12 foot bronze statue of Stargell was erected in front of the Pirates PNC Park to honor one of the town's true sports legends. Besides, these figures, however, vary according to the contract and the skills of the player. Willie Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. "He didn't just hit pitchers, he took away their dignity," former Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton said. He won the first of the three NL Player of the Month awards of his career in June 1965 (.330, 10 HR, 35 RBI). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. "He's up there, and he knows the Pirates are opening today. He became the third player, after Lou Boudreau in 1946 and Joe Adcock in 1954, to collect five extra-base hits in one game. [4] On April 7, 2001, two days before Stargell died, a larger-than-life statue of him was unveiled at the Pirates' new stadium, PNC Park, as part of the opening-day ceremonies. Too easy? Prior to that, Willie was married to his first wife, Dee Stargell, also known as Dolores. Willie Stargells income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. The Pirates did win the World Series in 1979, in a similar style as they had ended the 1978 season: from last place in the NL East at the end of April, the Pirates clawed their way into a first-place battle with the Montreal Expos during the latter half of the season. "[5], The Willie Stargell Foundation was established to promote research and treatment for kidney disease. Willie Stargell Signed Baseball Treat Authentics COA Official League Baseball $59.00 $10.00 shipping or Best Offer Willie Stargell Signed ONL William White Baseball 1990's SUPER CLEAN Pirates COA $115.00 $11.45 shipping or Best Offer Willie Stargell Autographed Signed Official National League Baseball Pirates HOF $75.00 $5.99 shipping or Best Offer They won the Public High School League in 1960 and '61 and -- amazingly -- sent fourplayers from the 1960 team Walter Johnson, Al Nelson, Cid Edwards and Ward to the NFL. Because of his race, he wasnt allowed to play against some southern teams, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. PITTSBURGH (AP) - Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, the thunderous home run hitter who carried the Pittsburgh Pirates into two World Series with his power and helped win them with his patriarchal. Corrections? Terms of Use, Willie Stargell with his first wife and son. He stayed active in baseball by performing various coaching duties for the Pirates and for the Atlanta Braves. Jason was just a kid at the time, but he heard the stories and saw evidence of his dads impact first-hand. Stargell reluctantly became the Pirates' leader upon Clemente's death in a Dec. 31, 1972, plane crash, saying, "There's a time in a man's life when he has to decide if he's going to be a man.". Clearly not in good health, Stargell wiped away tears from his eyes as he hugged several players amid a wave of cheers that rolled across the stadium. 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