In 1979, it was Stargell's turn to transform the World Series into a one-man act for an aging star. After Stargell died, Joe Morgan said, "When I played, there were 600 baseball players, and 599 of them loved Willie Stargell. What happened Willie Stargell? Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? He had to suffer from quite complications in his love life. But when UC got an invitation to play Virginia Tech in the Sun Bowl in Texas, it came with one condition. Willie Stargell died on April 9, 2001, in Wilmington, North Carolina, of a kidney disorder. While in Plainview, Texas, he was accosted at gunpoint by a man who threatened his life if he played in that night's game. No bother: I named Willie Stargell, Manny Sanguillen and Danny Murtaugh. Thats part of the reason people were so upset when they first learned FC Cincinnati wanted to bulldoze Stargel Stadium and replace it with a new $250 million soccer stadium. To get those stars from your leade and captain, that was special.". The Pirates lost the first two games of that series, which Stargell said that media began referring to as "the St. Valentine's Day Massacre" before Pittsburgh's comeback.[9]. Stargell was a seven-time All-Star and two-time NL home run leader. Stargell died on . It's the end of an era. 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. 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. Unfortunately, there are no details regarding their marriage. Prior to that, Willie was married to his first wife, Dee Stargell, also known as Dolores. He was honored with two elaborate days during those last three seasons, and later turned down another. To see them for sale and auction on eBay, click the title of each. He shared the Sports Illustrated magazine's "Sportsmen of the Year" award with NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who also played at Three Rivers Stadium, for the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing Willie Stargell decided to award players with a gold star any time they had a good game or made a good play. 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. A segment of Stargell's bowel was removed more than two years before he died. } Age at Death: 61. Frequent offseason conditioning problems came to a head in 1967, when Stargell showed up to spring training at a weight of 235 pounds. He played alongside the man he credited with much of his success, Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash in 1972. In 1982, the Pirates retired his uniform number 8. 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. The best offer he could get was teaching phys-ed in junior high, and he had to go back to summer school to get credits to qualify. No one disagreed over the name, but there was some disagreement over how to pronounce it, Jason said. 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. In a 21-year-career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he hit 475 home runs and shared the National . 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. 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." [17] Commissioner Peter Ueberroth later cleared Stargell and Madlock of any wrongdoing. [13] The shot came in the second inning and chased starting pitcher Jim Bunning out of the game. Willie, or "Pops," as you like to call him, was an American professional baseball player. 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. 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. . A source close to the Pirates blamed Stargell's health problems on his gaining weight after retiring as a player. The Pirates retired his #8 Jersey. 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. At 61 years old, Willie Stargell height , money, salary, income, and assets. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. In 1988, Stargell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Pirates retired his number. Willie Stargell That's where the future lies, in the youth of today. 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. 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. Stargell promptly did, the chicken was distributed - and Stargell sent Prince the bill. "It's emotional. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Stargell. Works: Willie Stargell: An Autobiography. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 1940 Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA as Wilver Dornal Stargell. 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. 11 Copy quote. [1], Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, but later moved to Florida with an aunt after his parents divorced. "Change is difficult. Stargelwas head football coach at Walnut Hills through 1978 but remained a fixture in the West End. 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. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Corrections? This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. He never made anybody look bad and he never said anything bad about anybody. Willie Stargell died on April 9, 2001, in Wilmington, North Carolina, of a kidney disorder. Stargell attended high school in California, where he attracted the attention of Pirates scouts and was signed to a minor league contract. 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. Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 (age 60) in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. His 1963 rookie season was lackluster, but he enjoyed much more success the following season, his first as an everyday player. 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. If he forgot to give you one, we'd be at his locker saying, `Willie, I did this' or 'Willie, I did that.' The team had a personal trainer work with Stargell before the 1968 season to get him in the best shape of his career, but Stargell had a poor season and manager Larry Shepard criticized Stargell's physique as too muscular. It proudly displays Willard Stargels name on the field, the press box, the scoreboard and the locker room building. 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. 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. Pirates owner Kevin McClatchy, who employed Stargell as his special baseball adviser, stood at the base of the Stargell statue with a tear in his eye hours before the Pirates' first game there. Stargell signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and entered minor league baseball in 1959. His spouse is Margaret Weller (m. 1993-2001), Dee Stargell. "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. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. [21] Champion Enterprises sponsors a Willie Stargell Memorial Awards Banquet which raises money for disadvantaged children in Pittsburgh. He is from USA. Stargell is the only player to have won all three MVP trophies in a single year. Stargell enjoyed his best season in 1971, with 48 homers and 125 RBIs. 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. In that game, Joe Torre hit two homers in a losing cause In 1972, against the Dodgers in Los Angeles, Stargell launched a home run off Claude Osteen that was . As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Years later, he said the nickname bestowed on that team - the Family, from the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" - wasn't a misnomer. Jason Stargel says hes a soccer enthusiast and hes pro-FC Cincinnati, but he also wants to protect his father's legacy. 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. The Sporting News ranks Stargell 81st on the top 100 baseball players of all time. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He 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 from the favored Orioles. 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. Growing up in Pittsburgh, in an era when the Steelers were terrible every year, the Pirates, unlike today, were the team. When it comes to Stargell gamers, there are two key characteristics to note. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Willie Stargell was born on 6 March 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA. He also posted a career batting average of .282, with 2,232 hits and 1,540 runs batted in. 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). Willie Stargell - 1973 - 470 feet. They're going to build the stadium. Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork. 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. Once, Prince said on the air that if Stargell homered, everybody in the restaurant would eat free. Omissions? Dodger Hall of Famer Don Sutton said of Stargell, "I never saw anything like it. Willie Stargell I found myself in a race with Mother Nature to play as much baseball as I could before she forced me to stop. For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. Born in Oklahoma on March 6, 1940, of African-American and Seminole Indian descent, Stargell himself listed the date as March 7, 1941. Known as "Pops" to fans and to the teammates who benefited from his fatherly presence, Mr. Stargell died two days after a 12-foot bronze statue of him in a batting stance was unveiled at PNC Park, where the Pirates played for the first time yesterday and where a moment of silence was invoked. Rather than leave Stargel home, UCs president turned down the invitation, but the board of trustees overruled him and sent the team instead. Statues of Honus Wagner and Clemente also are on the grounds of the park, which opens Monday. He was a member of the Pirates' World Championship team, the Pirates defeating the Baltimore Orioles in seven games. Only four other home runs have been hit out of Dodger Stadium. Trending News 2001 The Associated Press. Willie Stargell played leftfielder and first baseman. That's how much respect we have for the man. 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. Then, his play on the field inspired his teammates and earned him the MVP awards in both the NLCS and the World Series. 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 didn't just hit pitchers, he took away their dignity," former Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton said. [4] He might have quit baseball over the racial difficulties that he experienced, but he was encouraged by letters he received from friend and baseball scout Bob Zuk. 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. 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. His height is 6 2.. Hall of Famer and 7-time All-Star who hit 475 home runs with . The 1970 Pirates won the National League East title for their first postseason berth since winning the 1960 World Series. "We keep our fingers crossed. Willie married Margaret Weller of Wilmington in 1993 at . 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. When did willie stargell die? Willie died on April 9, 2001 from complications related to his kidney disease - the same day PNC was opened. 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. "We fought for those stars," former teammate Bill Robinson said Monday. Fri 20 Apr 2001 21.07 EDT. 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. One of the loudest came during the Pirates' final game at Three Rivers on Oct. 1, 2000, several days after it was announced the statue would be erected at PNC Park. He was the first minor-league hitting coach for Chipper Jones. 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