Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. What position did Willie Stargell play? While he did hit 8 home runs, Seaver held him to a .238/.301/.546 . [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 never made anybody look bad and he never said anything bad about anybody. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. [11] He retired with 475 home runs despite playing much of his career at Forbes Field, whose center field distance was 457 feet (139m). 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. Apart from that, he holds American nationality and was of white ethnicity. 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. He never played another game in the outfield. Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. It's the end of an era. Stargell died in a Wilmington, North Carolina, hospital on April 9, 2001. One of our talks stands out. Willie Stargell died of a stroke at a medical facility in Wilmington, North Carolina, on this day in 2001, after leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series championships with tape-measure home runs and patriarchal leadership. 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. Willie Stargell, byname of Wilver Dornel Stargell, also called Pops, (born March 6, 1940, Earlsboro, Okla., U.S.died April 9, 2001, Wilmington, N.C.), American professional baseball player who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to World Series championships in 1971 and 1979. ", Why Willard Stargel was such a giant in West End. He died on 9 April 2001 in Wilmington, North Carolina, USA. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He became the third player, after Lou Boudreau in 1946 and Joe Adcock in 1954, to collect five extra-base hits in one game. Stargell, 61, died from a stroke at 12:23 a.m. this morning at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. He grew up in Oakland, Calif., where he was spotted by Pirates scout Bob Zuk while playing on a high school team. Willie Stargell was 6 ft 2 inches, 188 lb (188 cm, 85 kg). Beginning in 1975, after years of experimenting at the position, Stargell moved permanently to first base. 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. I still miss him. Despite developing a kidney disorder that required frequent dialysis, Stargell later worked in the Braves' minor league department for 10 years until returning to the Pirates in 1997 as an aide to general manager Cam Bonifay. Willie Stargell decided to award players with a gold star any time they had a good game or made a good play. Corrections? 13 Copy quote. If he hadn't played his first 8 seasons at cavernous Forbes Field, then the majors' most spacious ballpark, he probably would have hit more than 600 homers. He taught me how to use my speed. #inline-recirc-item--id-a4809f9c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d, #right-rail-recirc-item--id-a4809f9c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d { 2was built in 2004 - four years after his death at the age of 67. The former TaftStadium, completed in 1986, was renamed in Stargels honor. 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. He is a celebrity baseball player. [2] He attended Encinal High School, where his baseball teammates included future MLB players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. Willie Stargells income source is mostly from being a successful Actor. [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. In addition to his NLCS and World Series MVP awards, Stargell finally took home the elusive MVP award (as co-winner along with St. Louis' Keith Hernandez) at the age of 39. Stargel Stadium in the West End with the Downtown skyline to the south. "These days, not even a food truck, Williams said. "He believed you could do anything . Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Born in Oklahoma on March 6, 1940, of African-American and Seminole Indian descent, Stargell himself listed the date as March 7, 1941. Later, he returned to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. For his first 10 years in the majors, Stargell was content to play in Clemente's shadow, even after Stargell surpassed him in production. Willie Stargell died on April 9, 2001. They're letting me stay to fulfill my catering orders until the end of November and then I'm out," Williams said. He won the final two NL Player of the Month awards of his career in April (.347, 11 HR, 27 RBI) and in June (.333, 11 HR, 36 RBI); yet he did not win the MVP award, finishing second to Joe Torre. 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. That's how much respect we have for the man. . To get those stars from your leade and captain, that was special.". Willie Stargell had 2,232 hits in his career. After hitting 32 homers during a memorable regular season, he had two more during an NL playoff sweep of Cincinnati. Stargell was selected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1988, his first year of eligibility. Stargell began and ended the season as the Pirates' everyday left-fielder, but spent extended periods playing first base as well. Apart from that, Willie was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller at the time he died. Live. Stargell remains the oldest player to win an MVP award. 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. All Rights Reserved. The spot where the ball landed was eventually marked with a yellow star with a black "S" inside a white circle until Stargell's 2001 death, when the white circle was painted black. Willard Stargel and UC teammates from 1946 (Courtesy of University of Cincinnati Archives & Rare Books Library). Discover Willie Stargell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. UC won, but it was a tainted victory to say the least. Mr. Stargell said he opted to take the field. Chapman, a 5-3, 120-pound running back when he started playing football at Taft, said he earned a football scholarship at Northern Illinois thanks to Stargel. Stargell also had three homers, including the decisive shot in Game 7 in Baltimore, as the Pirates rallied from a 3-1 deficit to wrest the World Series title from the favored Orioles. 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. Stargell died on the same day that the Pittsburgh Pirates opened their new ballpark, PNC Park. However, he was 0-for-14 in the NL playoffs against the Giants and had only one RBI in the Pirates' seven-game World Series victory over favored Baltimore. [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. Stargell died on . Unfortunately, he died on April 9, 2001, due to a stroke. "Things have always seemed to work out well for Pops and for the family and just doing the right thing seems to always be fruitful, so we hope," Jason said. I understand that, Berding said. Wilver Dornel Stargell was born March 6, 1940, in tiny Earlsboro, Oklahoma, the son of William and Gladys Vernell Stargell. He would always say, Son, dont appear to be, but be. Theres a lot of people that carry themselves in a certain way, but then behind closed doors theyre not, andhe was really intent on me trying to be the person that you see all the time, Jason said. [8] He finished out the decade with a strong performance in 1969 (.307, 29 HR, 92 RBI), and finished 21st in MVP voting. For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. In 1979, he became the first and currently only player to win the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award, the NL Championship Series MVP Award and the World Series MVP Award in one season. [16] He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988, his first year of eligibility. Stargell enjoyed his best season in 1971, with 48 homers and 125 RBIs. Besides, the duo was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Dawn Moore, and Precious Stargell. Among the most feared power hitters in baseball history, Stargell had the most home runs (296) of any player in the 1970s decade. They didn't know whether to pitch or run.". 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). In the same game, teammate Bob Robertson also collected five hits, including a home run; not until Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones in 2012 would two Pirates collect five hits in the same game. "November the 19th. Birthday: March 6, 1940. 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. This referred to Stargell's ownership of a chicken restaurant in Pittsburgh's Hill District. If he hadn't played his first 8.5 seasons at cavernous Forbes Field, then the majors' most spacious ballpark, he probably would have hit more than 600 homers. Only four other home runs have been hit out of Dodger Stadium. Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing While playing for the Pirates' farm club in Asheville, N.C., he was nicknamed "On the Hill Will" for the long homers he hit onto a hillside far beyond the right field fence. A 12-foot bronze statue of Willie Stargell was unveiled at the left field entrance to the Pirates new ballpark in Pittsburgh on Saturday. [3], Stargell played for farm teams in New Mexico, North Dakota, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio. He believed you could do anything you want to do, Chapman said. Stargell refused to participate in the team's plans, still stinging from the team's refusal to even consider him for its managerial job that season. 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. Wilver Dornell Willie Stargell (March 6, 1940 April 9, 2001), nicknamed Pops in the later years of his career, was an American professional baseball player. 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). A plaque of Willard Stargel hangs on the wall facing the field. Stargell also threw out the ceremonial last pitch at Three Rivers Stadium before the team's move after the 2000 season. So stick with us till the end. Willard Stargel plaque at Stargel Stadium. 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. Willie Stargell I see a lot of people who love their jobs. Jason, though, said his father wasnt bitter about it. "Nobody could hit a ball as far as Willie," Tanner said. 5d 22h. Willie Stargell, 61, a hulking fixture of the Pittsburgh Pirates teams that won World Series championships in 1971 and 1979 and a baseball Hall of Famer who demoralized pitchers with towering home runs belted during 21 seasons in the major leagues, died April 9 of a stroke at New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, N.C. And in a few weeks, crews will tear it downto make room for a new Major League Soccer stadium for FC Cincinnati. He had to suffer from quite complications in his love life. However, it is known that the duo had a son, Williw Jr., and a daughter, Kelli. The Friday night lights at Taft High School are almost out. During a drug trafficking trial back in 1985, names like Willie Stargell, Willie Mays, Dave Parker, Bill Madlock and Dale Berra were all mentioned as players who used greenies. A lot of success.". 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