Stargell died on . 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 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. Once, Prince said on the air that if Stargell homered, everybody in the restaurant would eat free. He was grateful for getting the head coaching job at Walnut, Jason said. His 475 career home runs, 1,540. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Upcoming Birthday Currently, Willie Stargell is 82 years, 11 months and 17 days old. The Pirates retired his #8 in 1982 and erected a 12-foot bronze statue of Willie at the entrance to left at PNC Park (The Pittsburgh Pirates current home). Stargelquickly won the respect and admiration of the team, according to a former player, Malcolm Lindsay Allen Sr. Mr. Stargell's career took off after the Pirates vacated Forbes Field's vast acreage for symmetrical Three Rivers and its 375-foot power alley. }, First published on April 9, 2001 / 8:32 AM. Privacy Policy Stargell continued to post excellent numbers in 1972 (.293, 33, 112) finishing third in MVP voting behind Johnny Bench and Billy Williams. He retired following the 1982 season with a .282 career batting average, 1,540 RBI and seven All-Star Game selections. Corrections? Prior to that, Willie was married to his first wife, Dee Stargell, also known as Dolores. He died on April 9, 2001, New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. And in a few weeks, crews will tear it downto make room for a new Major League Soccer stadium for FC Cincinnati. Many in the West End community are not ready to let go of their historic field because of what it represents: a tribute to Willard Stargel, a former sports hero and a beloved Taft coach and teacher who overcame racism on the field and in the workplace. (Hebner had a .938 OPS and 30 home runs in 647 career at-bats against . (AP). Willie Stargell is a familiar name in the baseball world. Stargell died yesterday of a stroke at age 61, and Pittsburgh mourned on a day that should have been set aside for glory, a day when the Pirates opened their new downtown ballpark featuring. On June 25, 1971, Stargell hit the longest home run in Veterans Stadium history during a 144 Pirates win over the Philadelphia Phillies. Standing 6ft 3in (1.91m) with long arms and a unique bat-handling practice of holding only the knob of the bat with his lower hand to provide extra bat extension, Stargell seemed larger than most batters. [15] As his death occurred on the same day as the official opening of the stadium against the Reds, the statue served as a de facto memorial for Stargell. One day it was Willie Stargell. "When you had Willie Stargell on your team, it was like having a diamond ring on your finger," Tanner said. [15], After retirement, Stargell spent two years as a first base coach for the Atlanta Braves from 19861988, wearing his customary #8. The Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 were the catalyst for a Major League Baseball-related cocaine scandal. Willie Stargell, Pittsburgh Pirates Slugger, Dies at 61, https://www.nytimes.com/2001/04/09/obituaries/willie-stargell-pittsburgh-pirates-slugger-dies-at-61.html. Price on day of issue was 45. For a decade, BAF, renamed the Willie Stargell Foundation, raised research money and public awareness about the disease. One of the greatest home run hitters ever, in volume and in distance, Stargell hit 475 homers -- many of them soaring, majestic shots that rattled a pitcher's confidence. 8, here are eight cards that spanned the slugger's career. Barring a home playoff game, the Senators play their final game at Stargel Stadium this Friday. Steelers' legend Franco Harris died Wednesday, just two days before the 50 th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception and just three days before his number 32 is retired by the Steelers during a game at Acrisure Stadium against the Las Vegas Raiders.. Pirates' legend Willie Stargell died just two days after his statue was unveiled outside PNC Park. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Among the most feared power hitters in baseball history, Stargell had the most home runs (296) of any player in the 1970s decade. The second home run Stargell hit out of the Dodger Stadium, and the shorter of the two, occurred May 8, 1973. He returned to the All-Star Game the next two seasons, hitting over 100 runs batted in (RBI) in both years, and finishing respectively 14th and 15th in MVP voting. Stargel should have been the head coach, but at the time there were no black head coaches in the PHSL, Allen wrote in a book, 100 OrSo Boyhood Memories of the Real West Endies., Even though we loved Joe Corcoran (the white head coach), our confidant was Mr. Stargel He knew, better than we, what was what., He was sort of like a father to many of us, Bobby Chapman, who played at Taft in the late 50s, said in an Enquirer article in 1990. He was the first minor-league hitting coach for Chipper Jones. In 1978, against Wayne Twitchell of the Montreal Expos, Stargell hit the only fair ball to reach the club deck of Olympic Stadium. Teammate Al Oliver once said, "If he asked us to jump off the Fort Pitt Bridge, we would ask him what kind of dive he wanted. We are representative of change.". Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing The former TaftStadium, completed in 1986, was renamed in Stargels honor. At one time, Stargell held the record for the longest home run in nearly half of the NL parks. Stargell, a beloved figure in Pittsburgh and elsewhere in baseball, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. 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.". Aman who stood as a shining example to generations that if you believe in yourself and work hard, you can break down barriers and succeed. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. 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. Willie Stargell was a professional baseball player originally from the United States of America. Stargell's two home run titles came in his first three years at Three Rivers. Mr. Stargell received a thunderous ovation in October during the Pirates' final game at Three Rivers Stadium. Stargell is the only player to have won all three MVP trophies in a single year. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA as Wilver Dornal Stargell. The short fence in right field (300 feet (91m) to the foul pole) at Forbes Field was guarded by a screen more than 20 feet (6.1m) high which ran from the right-field line to the 375-foot (114m) mark in right center. At 39, seemingly several years past his prime, and after knee injuries had robbed him of his mobility and some of his strength, Stargell's postseason performance was every bit as haunting and as driven as Clemente's. He's the only guy I could have said that about. He also posted a career batting average of .282, with 2,232 hits and 1,540 runs batted in. Likewise, he attended Encinal High School, where his baseball teammates included future MLB players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. Stargell was named to the NL All-Star team seven times and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., in 1988. "[5], The Willie Stargell Foundation was established to promote research and treatment for kidney disease. "We fought for those stars," former teammate Bill Robinson said Monday. At 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, and with a deep, commanding voice, Stargell intimidated pitchers even before they delivered the ball by pinwheeling the bat in rhythm with their delivery. That was Stargel Stadium No. PITTSBURGH -- 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 leadership, died Monday. [15] Stargell was hospitalized for three weeks in 1999 to treat undisclosed medical problems with one of his organs. Wilver Dornel Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Okla., and grew up near Oakland, Calif. "It means everything to the boys and to the parents and to the fans," Erica Bradley said while watching her son play in Tafts homecoming game two weeks ago. For the third year in a row, he was narrowly edged out of the MVP award, as Pete Rose took the honor. Not just. He smacked a ball completely out of Dodger Stadium. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1965, in Earlsboro, Oklahoma to Gladys Vernell Stargell and William Stargell. It's the end of an era. UC won, but it was a tainted victory to say the least. He left center stage to the 38-year-old Clemente, who, fearful he would never play in another Series, turned the postseason into a personal showcase of his grace, talent and determination. He is from USA. He had been in failing health. Chapman also followed Stargel intoteaching. Date of Death: April 9, 2001. Frequent offseason conditioning problems came to a head in 1967, when Stargell showed up to spring training at a weight of 235 pounds. He had been in failing health for several years with a kidney . Stargell lost some of that weight, but gained weight again while working for the Pittsburgh front office.[19]. A clubhouse drug scandal and subsequent 1985 federal court trial in Pittsburgh implicated more than 30 major leaguers and badly tarnished not only the Pirates' image, but baseball's as well. Wilver Dornell Stargell (March 6, 1940 - April 9, 2001), nicknamed "Pops" later in his career, was an American professional baseball left fielder and first baseman who spent all of his 21 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) ( 1962 - 1982) with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Willard Stargel and UC teammates from 1946 (Courtesy of University of Cincinnati Archives & Rare Books Library). Willie Stargell hit 475 home runs during his career. April 9, 2001. A lot of success.". Willie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. With a career riddled with injuries and nagging pain, Willie Stargell retired in 1982 after posting 2,232 hits, 1,195 runs . 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. With a voice as big as his 6-foot-4-inch frame, Mr. Stargell intimidated pitchers as he set up at the plate with the distinctive pinwheel twirl of his bat that kept time with the pitchers' motion. He became the third player, after Lou Boudreau in 1946 and Joe Adcock in 1954, to collect five extra-base hits in one game. , money, salary, income, and assets. "We molded together dozens of different individuals into one working force. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. [8] He finished out the decade with a strong performance in 1969 (.307, 29 HR, 92 RBI), and finished 21st in MVP voting. "Those were precious. "[18] Stargell strongly denied these accusations. Thats not enough to reopenher business somewhere else, she said. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Further details are below. I understand that, Berding said. The next day it was Roberto Clemente. Stargell had been in failing health for several years due to a kidney disorder, according to officials at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., where he died. "He didn't just hit pitchers, he took away their dignity," former Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton said. 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. A 12-foot bronze statue of Willie Stargell was unveiled at the left field entrance to the Pirates new ballpark in Pittsburgh on Saturday. He suffered from a kidney ailment and heart disease caused by high blood pressure. RELATED ACTIVITIES Baseball star Willie Stargell, who has died aged 61, was the first player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and did it twice. Advertise with us However, it is known that the duo had a son, Williw Jr., and a daughter, Kelli. [3] While on the road with some of those teams, Stargell was not allowed to stay in the same accommodations as the white players. He has concerns over the West End's history and its future. 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.". display: block; For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. "My heart has not changed. The Pirates unveiled the 12-foot high statute of Stargell on Saturday. "He's up there, and he knows the Pirates are opening today. Many of the football players came from homes with no fathers. Willie Stargell. ", Pirates announcer Bob Prince adopted it immediately: "Chicken on the Hill!" "We won, we lived and we enjoyed as one," Stargell said. Jason, though, said his father wasnt bitter about it. He had problems with his kidneys for several years before his death. They're letting me stay to fulfill my catering orders until the end of November and then I'm out," Williams said. He slumped badly in 1976, after Dolores developed a blood clot on her brain, but won the comeback player of the year award in 1978. Apart from that, Willie was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller at the time he died. The 1979 World Series victory also made the Pirates the only franchise in baseball history to twice recover from a three-games-to-one deficit and win a World Series (previously they had done so in 1925 against the Washington Senators). He was 61. He hit a second home run out of Dodger Stadium on May 8, 1973, against Andy Messersmith, measured at 470 feet (140m). Willie Stargell, whose great menacing bat and gentle patriarch's compassion were the hallmarks of his singular 21-year-career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, died of a stroke shortly after. Fri 20 Apr 2001 21.07 EDT. Stargell remains the oldest player to win an MVP award. He was always around the kids and it was evident as they grew up and paid homage to him and Id just be in the company of these wonderful people from Taft who would tell me to scoot over so they could sit next to Dad. Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States. Just as Clemente mentored him, Mr. Stargell said he tried to mentor other players. The Sporting News ranks Stargell 81st on the top 100 baseball players of all time. After he went off to World War II,he came back to UC in 1946 with one year of eligibility left and -- still the only black player on the team played end on offense and defense. Willie Stargell's net worth They were swept in that year's NLCS by the Cincinnati Reds, but not before Stargell collected six hits in 12 at-bats, the most hits by either team in this series. Stargell played and nothing came of the incident. Jason was just a kid at the time, but he heard the stories and saw evidence of his dads impact first-hand. Willie Stargell. In 1979, it was Stargell's turn to transform the World Series into a one-man act for an aging star. Willie Stargell - 1973 - 470 feet. Nicknamed "Pops," Stargell was a dynamic leader on the field with his tape-measure shots and a fatherly yet forceful presence off it, distributing his coveted Stargell stars for extra effort to teammates who proudly attached them to their ballcaps. Or purchase a subscription for unlimited access to real news you can count on. Willie was married to his second wife until he died of a stroke. Willie Stargell, May 8, 1973. So stick with us till the end. He is a celebrity baseball player. 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. 3. He was 61. He had been in the hospital recovering from gallbladder surgery at the time of his death. He believed you could do anything you want to do, Chapman said. ", For his first 10 years in the majors, Stargell was content to play in Clemente's shadow, even after he passed Clemente in production. But Berding saidthey're trying to retain the neighborhood's character and complexion. "It's emotional. That's part of the legacy of Willard Stargel. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Stargell's career took off after the Pirates vacated Forbes Field's vast acreage for symmetrical Three Rivers and its 375-foot power alley. 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. Too easy? To remember No. 13 Copy quote. he'd yell when one sailed over the fence. This referred to Stargell's ownership of a chicken restaurant in Pittsburgh's Hill District. Stargell, who was divorced from Dolores, continued to live in Wilmington, N.C., with his wife Margaret. Stargell had been in failing health for several years due to a kidney disorder, according to officials at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C., where he died. Stargell hit 29 homers in 1969. Kelli, also known as Wendy Rebecca Stargell is suffered from a developmental disorder and says she is unable to support herself. He was honored with two elaborate days during those last three seasons, and later turned down another. Stargells play declined in the following seasons, and he retired from baseball in 1982. Upon the Expos departure in 2004, the seat was removed and sent to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Anyone can read what you share. Stargel finally got his first chance to teach high school when Taft opened in 1955. Stargell died on April 9, 2001 at a hospital in Wilmington, North Carolina. $4.99. By Alan Robinson MMI The Associated Press. Willie Stargell I see a lot of people who love their jobs. Rather than leave Stargel home, UCs president turned down the invitation, but the board of trustees overruled him and sent the team instead. [22], Stargell also worked to raise awareness of sickle cell anemia. The Friday night lights at Taft High School are almost out. [11] He retired with 475 home runs despite playing much of his career at Forbes Field, whose center field distance was 457 feet (139m). After hitting 32 homers during a memorable regular season, he had two more during an NL playoff sweep of Cincinnati. A powerful hitter, Stargell finished his career with 475 home runs, a feat made more impressive by the fact that he played parts of eight seasons in Pittsburghs cavernous Forbes Field. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Stargell signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and entered minor league baseball in 1959. 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. A source close to the Pirates blamed Stargell's health problems on his gaining weight after retiring as a player. His wife is Margaret Weller (16 January1993 - 9 April2001)( his death), Dolores Parker (19 November1966 - 1983)( divorced)( 2 children), Lois Beard (14 May1962 - 1965)( divorced)( 1 child). 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. Stargell began and ended the season as the Pirates' everyday left-fielder, but spent extended periods playing first base as well. Later, he returned to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. PITTSBURGH -- 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 leadership, died. Only four other home runs have been hit out of Dodger Stadium. For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. "Nobody could hit a ball as far as Willie," Tanner said. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Stargel was prepared to teach high school math after getting a bachelors degree in 1947 and a Masters in 1952, but Cincinnati Public Schools didnt hire blacks to teach high school, he said. . There's nothing I value more than the closeness of friends and family, a smile as I pass someone on the street. Stargell originated the practice of giving his teammates embroidered "Stargell stars" for their caps after a nice play or a good game. display: none; Hall of Fame slugger Willie Stargell, who led the Pirates to two World Series victories with his tape-measure home runs, died of a stroke yesterday at age 61. "The whole family was just so excited when the Taft alumni suggested that the stadium, Taft Stadium, be named Willard Stargel.". Willard Stargel made a name for himself at Old Woodward High School, where he was astandout football end and basketball guard and the city high hurdles champion for two years running and jumping. During his career, he batted .282 with 2,232 hits, 1,194 runs, 423 doubles, 475 home runs, and 1,540 runs batted in, helping his team win six National League (NL) East division titles, two NL pennants, and two World Series championships in 1971 and 1979, both over the Baltimore Orioles. Friday nights were our nights.. A disease doctors call the silent killer was ultimately responsible for the death of baseball great Willie Stargell. He hit seven of the 18 homers over the right-field roof at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field from 1909-70 and once held the record for the longest homer in nearly half of the National League parks. On August 1 of that year, Stargell collected five extra-base hitsthree doubles and two home runsin the Pirates' 2010 victory over the Atlanta Braves at Fulton County Stadium. He was then pinch run by Doug Frobel and subsequently was replaced by Richie Hebner at first base.[12]. Statues of Honus Wagner and Clemente also are on the grounds of the park, which opens Monday. Taft fans arrive early for the homecoming game on Oct. 4. Willie Stargell decided to award players with a gold star any time they had a good game or made a good play. [5], Stargell returned to the Pittsburgh club in 1997 as an aide to Cam Bonifay, the team's general manager. $60.00. $5.85 shipping. display: none; Stargell's swings seemed designed to hit home runs of Ruthian proportions. A segment of Stargell's bowel was removed more than two years before he died. We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". "When you had Willie Stargell on your team, it was like having a diamond ring on your finger," said Chuck Tanner, the Pirates' manager for Stargell's final six seasons. He was born on March 6, 1940. While standing in the batter's box, he would windmill his bat until the pitcher started his windup. Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente estimated, perhaps generously, that Stargell hit 400 fly balls to the warning track in left and center fields during his eight seasons in the park. While in Plainview, Texas, he was accosted at gunpoint by a man who threatened his life if he played in that night's game. Alternate titles: Pops Stargell, Wilver Dornel Stargell. [7] He made his first of seven trips to the All-Star Game that year. Where is Willie Stargell buried? He won the first of the three NL Player of the Month awards of his career in June 1965 (.330, 10 HR, 35 RBI). Stargell began and ended the season as the Pirates' everyday left-fielder, but spent extended periods playing first base as well. On April he was admitted at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. Stargel went on to UC and lettered in football, basketball and track and became one of UCs first black football players in 1942. At 61, https: //www.nytimes.com/2001/04/09/obituaries/willie-stargell-pittsburgh-pirates-slugger-dies-at-61.html research money and public awareness about disease! Players of all time, or redistributed opened in 1955 took off the! 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