Apart from that, he holds American nationality and was of white ethnicity. 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. He grew up in Oakland, Calif., where he was spotted by Pirates scout Bob Zuk as he played on the same high school team as future majors leaguers Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. What happened Willie Stargell? Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. 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. ", Pirates announcer Bob Prince adopted it immediately: "Chicken on the Hill!" Years later, he said the nickname bestowed on that team -- the Family, from the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" -- wasn't a misnomer. 5d 22h. "Willie was the silent leader of the team. That included Jason and his twobrothers and two sisters, he said. Birthday: March 6, 1940. Upon the Expos departure in 2004, the seat was removed and sent to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He had been in failing health. 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. Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States. What we need to do now is to make sure that FC Cincinnati adheres to all those promises.". Stargell was subjected to racism in the minor leagues, where an angry fan once confronted him with a shotgun, but quickly won them over with his power and personality. display: block; They're going to build the stadium. His 475 career home runs, 1,540. His spouse is Margaret Weller (m. 1993-2001), Dee Stargell. Dodger Hall of Famer Don Sutton said of Stargell, "I never saw anything like it. Stargell was a seven-time All-Star and two-time NL home run leader. 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). Scully said that because he used the name Wilver, he became Stargell's mother's favorite broadcaster.[4]. I briefly described Steve Blass Disease, which I wrote about here in August, an affliction named for a Pirates starter of the early 1970s who, for no clear reason, lost his ability to pitch. Also learn how He earned most of Willie Stargell networth? A segment of Stargell's bowel was removed more than two years before he died. Later, he returned to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. "He was the ultimate class act," McClatchy said. Willie Stargell died on April 9, 2001, in Wilmington, North Carolina, of a kidney disorder. For a decade, BAF, renamed the Willie Stargell Foundation, raised research money and public awareness about the disease. The first player to ever hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium is Pittsburgh Pirates legend Willie Stargell. A lot of memories on this field. Honors and Awards The Pirates retired Willies' number 8 jersey in 1982. Likewise, Max Scherzer stands in the second position with an annual income of $37.4 million and Zack Greinke stands in the third position with an annual salary of $34.5 million. In 1974, the seven-time All-Star was awarded the Roberto Clemente Award. On August 5, 1969, Stargell hit a home run off Alan Foster that left the stadium and measured 507 feet, the longest home run hit at Dodger Stadium. 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. After Stargell died, Joe Morgan said, "When I played, there were 600 baseball players, and 599 of them loved Willie Stargell. In 1973, Stargell achieved the rare feat of simultaneously leading the league in both doubles and homers. Willie Stargell, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series championships with his tape-measure home runs and patriarchal leadership, died on this date in 2001 of a stroke at a medical facility in Wilmington, N.C. Willie Stargell had 2,232 hits in his career. Stargell made his MLB debut at the end of the 1962 season at the age of 22. He smacked a ball completely out of Dodger Stadium. Rather than leave Stargel home, UCs president turned down the invitation, but the board of trustees overruled him and sent the team instead. UC won, but it was a tainted victory to say the least. In 1979, it was Stargell's turn to transform the World Series into a one-man act for an aging star. ", Why Willard Stargel was such a giant in West End. He played briefly for Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College before being signed to the Pirates organization in 1958 for a $1,200 bonus. 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. 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. 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. 1963 Topps No. $4.99. Willie Stargell - 1973 - 470 feet. The Pirates unveiled the 12-foot high statute of Stargell on Saturday. #inline-recirc-item--id-a4809f9c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a4809f9c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { While the stars weren't valuable, they were a symbolic acknowledgement of a player's . "We keep our fingers crossed. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. "We molded together dozens of different individuals into one working force. All Rights Reserved. Jason Stargel says hes a soccer enthusiast and hes pro-FC Cincinnati, but he also wants to protect his father's legacy. However, it is known that he later moved to Florida with his aunt after his parents divorced. } [2] He attended Encinal High School, where his baseball teammates included future MLB players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. Advertise with us The direct cause of his death was complications from a stroke. Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Stargell had more than 40 of each; he was the first player to chalk up this 40-40 accomplishment since Hank Greenberg in 1940; other players have done so since (notably Albert Belle, the only 50-50 player). [3], Stargell played for farm teams in New Mexico, North Dakota, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio. Stargell connected off Andy Messersmith to send the . The seat where the ball landed (the home run was measured at 535 feet (163m)) was replaced with a yellow seat, while the other seats in the upper deck are red. One of the loudest came during the Pirates' final game at Three Rivers on Oct. 1, 2000, several days after it was announced a statue of him would be erected at PNC Park. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 (age 60) in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. He's optimistic about what's to come and what he hopes will remain. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". 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. He has concerns over the West End's history and its future. No one disagreed over the name, but there was some disagreement over how to pronounce it, Jason said. He didnt hold a lot of resentment.. Despite being overshadowed at times by more prolific home run hitters Hank Aaron and Willie Mays, and by the play of his own Hall of Fame teammate, Roberto Clemente, Stargell's sheer power was unrivaled. The Pirates retired his #8 Jersey. He also led the league in runs batted in and slugging percentage. Willie was married to his second wife until he died of a stroke. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA as Wilver Dornal Stargell. Willie Stargell made his MLB debut at the end of the 1962 season at the age of 22. Apart from that, Willie was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller at the time he died. Stargell played three more seasons on arthritis-ravaged knees, the last at the request of former MVP teammate Dave Parker, but had only 14 more homers and 64 more RBIs. Stargell was one of two players to hit a ball completely out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. Among the most feared power hitters in baseball history, Stargell had the most home runs (296) of any player in the 1970s decade. Barring a home playoff game, the Senators play their final game at Stargel Stadium this Friday. Beginning in 1975, after years of experimenting at the position, Stargell moved permanently to first base. 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. A source close to the Pirates blamed Stargell's health problems on his gaining weight after retiring as a player. [15] Stargell was hospitalized for three weeks in 1999 to treat undisclosed medical problems with one of his organs. ", Stargell played until 1982, but he never appeared in more than 74 games after 1979. The home run was his third of the series and, coincidentally, credited Stargell with the winning runs in both Game 7s of the two postseason meetings between the Pirates and the Orioles (1971 and 1979). He hit a second home run out of Dodger Stadium on May 8, 1973, against Andy Messersmith, measured at 470 feet (140m). "We won, we lived and we enjoyed as one," Stargell said. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1965, in Earlsboro, Oklahoma to Gladys Vernell Stargell and William Stargell. 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. Stargell began and ended the season as the Pirates' everyday left-fielder, but spent extended periods playing first base as well. "It's emotional. Willie Stargell's Life Path Number is 5 as per numerology. 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. 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. It proudly displays Willard Stargels name on the field, the press box, the scoreboard and the locker room building. On April he was admitted at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 6 March. The Pirates struggled early in Stargells career, but the team turned the corner in the 1970s, winning the National League (NL) Eastern Division title six times in the decade. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Stargell died on the same day that the Pittsburgh Pirates opened their new ballpark, PNC Park. He was the 17th player voted in on the first ballot. The Friday night lights at Taft High School are almost out. Only four other home runs have been hit out of Dodger Stadium. $6.00 shipping. 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. Dad was an educator about life and teaching people how to walk.". In 1978, against Wayne Twitchell of the Montreal Expos, Stargell hit the only fair ball to reach the club deck of Olympic Stadium. . But before Willie was born, his dad skipped town. 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. Others honored in this issue were Ted Williams, Larry Doby, and Joe DiMaggio. Just as Clemente mentored him, Mr. Stargell said he tried to mentor other players. Stargell's career moved to another level in 1971. He was grateful for getting the head coaching job at Walnut, Jason said. The Pirates fell apart after Stargell retired in 1982. They didn't know whether to pitch or run.". Following a Pirate sweep of the Friday-night double-header, Stargell belted a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning of the season's penultimate game to give the Pirates an early 41 lead, although the Pirates relinquished that lead later in the game and fell two runs short after a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning,[10] thus eliminating themselves from contention for the pennant. Statues of Honus Wagner and Clemente also are on the grounds of the park, which opens Monday. However, some sources claim that the late player had a huge net worth of nearly $2 million. He was 61. 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. Privacy Policy We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". He never played another game in the outfield. 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. [7] He made his first of seven trips to the All-Star Game that year. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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. [13] The shot came in the second inning and chased starting pitcher Jim Bunning out of the game. Besides, there is not much information regarding his family background. Born March 6, 1940 Died April 9, 2001 (61) Add or change photo on IMDbPro Add to list Known for Monday Night Baseball 7.2 TV Series [21] Champion Enterprises sponsors a Willie Stargell Memorial Awards Banquet which raises money for disadvantaged children in Pittsburgh. The late player had a huge net worth of nearly $ 2 million in this issue were Ted,... The time he died more than two years before he died All-Star game that year the Senators play their game! Decade, BAF, renamed the willie Stargell & # x27 ; Life. 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