Only 14 months later, Clemente was dead. However, this news has not been officially confirmed. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. 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. His body was buried at the Oleander Memorial Gardens in Wilmington, North Carolina. Alternate titles: Pops Stargell, Wilver Dornel Stargell. . Inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. 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. 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. He was the 17th player voted in on the first ballot. By Alan Robinson MMI The Associated Press. "Change is difficult. 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. 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. A lot of memories on this field. Willie Stargell - 1973 - 470 feet. Willie Stargell had a career batting average of 0.282. JSA. "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. ", Why Willard Stargel was such a giant in West End. Advertise with us After hitting 32 homers uring a memorable regular season, Stargell had two more during an NL playoffs sweep of Cincinnati. Stargell better known by his given name, Wilver (sometimes mispronounced as "Williver") during his Alameda days played his last major league game in 1982. 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. [2] He attended Encinal High School, where his baseball teammates included future MLB players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. He hit the first home run at Shea Stadium in the first game played in that stadium on April 17, 1964. Willie Stargell. 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 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. Besides, Willie's 19-year old daughter, Kelli filed a lawsuit against her father asking the court to continue the financial support even after her 21st birthday. "We won, we lived and we enjoyed as one," Stargell said. A letter from Stargell's family was shared on Facebook about the situation, which begins: As Willie Stargell's children, we were completely blindsided to learn of the upcoming May 24th auction of . Three Rivers Stadium, a neutral hitter's park, boosted Stargell's power numbers. 11 Copy quote. He's the only guy I could have said that about. The Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 were the catalyst for a Major League Baseball-related cocaine scandal. With his towering shots earning him a reputation as a powerful left-handed hitter, he was called up to Pittsburgh in 1962. Pirates manager Chuck Tanner said of Stargell, "Having him on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger." Beginning in 1975, after years of experimenting at the position, Stargell moved permanently to first base. To get those stars from your leade and captain, that was special.". [5], Beloved in Pittsburgh for his style of play and affable manner, Stargell hit seven of the 18 balls ever hit over Forbes Field's 86-foot-high right-field stands [6] and several of the upper-tier home runs at its successor, Three Rivers Stadium. Willie Stargell made his MLB debut at the end of the 1962 season at the age of 22. "We keep our fingers crossed. The reason for the divorce is rumored to be due to the affairs Willie had with his second wife before their marriage. He was honored with two elaborate days during those last three seasons, and later turned down another. Survivors include his wife of eight years, Margaret Weller-Stargell of Wilmington; four daughters, Precious Stargell and Dawn Stargell Moore, both of Atlanta, Wendy Stargell of Claremont, Calif., and Kelli Stargell of Herndon; a son, Wilver Jr., of Atlanta; his mother; a sister; and five grandchildren. "He believed you could do anything . Mr. Stargell received a thunderous ovation in October during the Pirates' final game at Three Rivers Stadium. Willie Stargell's Life Path Number is 5 as per numerology. Stargell, a beloved figure in Pittsburgh and elsewhere in baseball, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. Willie Stargell Life is one big transition. Several current and former members of the Pittsburgh Pirates - Dale Berra, Lee Lacy, Lee Mazzilli, John Milner, Dave Parker, Rod Scurry - and other notable major league players - Willie Aikens, Vida Blue, Enos Cabell, Keith Hernandez, Jeffrey Leonard, Tim Raines, Lonnie Smith and . 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 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.". We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 6 March. Stargell is the only player to have won all three MVP trophies in a single year. After hitting 32 homers during a memorable regular season, he had two more during an NL playoff sweep of Cincinnati. Though he became quickly known as Willie Stargell, his autograph suggests that he preferred his given name, Wilver. He never made anybody look bad and he never said anything bad about anybody. 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. 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. I understand that, Berding said. Apart from that, he holds American nationality and was of white ethnicity. Groundbreaking for Stargel Stadium in 2004. Stargell enjoyed his best season in 1971, with 48 homers and 125 RBIs. 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. What was the cause of Willie Stargell death? However, he was 0-for-14 in the NL playoffs against the Giants and had only one RBI in the Pirates' 7-game World Series victory over favored Baltimore. Willie Stargell hit 475 home runs during his career. Later, he returned to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. A clubhouse drug scandal and subequent 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. 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. In 1977, Stargell hit his 400th career home run on June 29 against the St. Louis Cardinals. he'd yell when one sailed over the fence. 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. 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. Aman who was a role model and a father figure to many of his players and students. Big and powerful at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, with a deep, commanding voice, Stargell intimidated pitchers even before they delivered the ball by pinwheeling the bat in rhythm with their delivery. Age at Death: 61. Only months from his 40th birthday, he made an unprecedented three-way sweep of MVP awards, sharing the NL award with Keith Hernandez of St. Louis and winning it in the playoffs and World Series - a feat still not matched. Willie Stargell Signed Autographed Perez Steele Celebration Postcard. They supported me when I was here, so I owe it to them to support them, said Ward, an All-American at Michigan and three-year pro. 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. Fri 20 Apr 2001 21.07 EDT. Stargell remained one of the most popular athletes in Pittsburgh history and received thunderous ovations at any public function he attended. He became the third player, after Lou Boudreau in 1946 and Joe Adcock in 1954, to collect five extra-base hits in one game. On a minor-league assignment for a team in New Mexico, Mr. Stargell recalled that he had to sleep in a rank-smelling bait shop and miss meals that his white teammates could enjoy because of the racial climate of the time. Stargell. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { Willie married Margaret Weller of Wilmington in 1993 at . 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. After years of suffering from a kidney disorder, he died of complications related to a stroke in Wilmington, North Carolina, on April 9, 2001. 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. [8], In the 1985 trial of alleged cocaine dealer Curtis Strong, Stargell was accused by Dale Berra and John Milner (both former Pirates teammates) of distributing "greenies" (amphetamines) to players. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. I did very well because of him.. He was 61. For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. He was subjected to racism in the minor leagues, where an angry fan once confronted him with a shotgun. Great team." Stargell died in April 2001. Willie Stargell That's where the future lies, in the youth of today. Willie Stargell decided to award players with a gold star any time they had a good game or made a good play. Before one game in Texas, he was confronted by a man with a shotgun who threatened to "blow your brains out" if he played that evening. "[5], The Willie Stargell Foundation was established to promote research and treatment for kidney disease. Bob Prince, the colorful longtime Pirate radio announcer, would greet a Stargell home run with the phrase "Chicken on the Hill". Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940. He is a celebrity baseball player. 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. 1940 Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA as Wilver Dornal Stargell. 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. Last Update: Jan 03, 2023. 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. [3] While on the road with some of those teams, Stargell was not allowed to stay in the same accommodations as the white players. [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. Died: April 9, 2001 . The direct cause of his death was complications from a stroke. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. [13] The shot came in the second inning and chased starting pitcher Jim Bunning out of the game. Stargell hit 29 homers in 1969. Stargell's swings seemed designed to hit home runs of Ruthian proportions. Honors and Awards The Pirates retired Willies' number 8 jersey in 1982. According to some sources, his . April 9, 2001. 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. He had been in failing health for several years with a kidney . [16] He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988, his first year of eligibility. We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". 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. display: block; Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States. 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). Apart from that, Willie was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller at the time he died. "He said it's important that we be better. The point here is that Amphetamines . Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork. 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 inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. [1], Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, but later moved to Florida with an aunt after his parents divorced. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses reelection bid, Fiery train crash in Greece kills at least 36, injures some 85, Garland to face Congress amid ongoing special counsel investigations, FBI chief says agency feels pandemic likely started with Chinese lab leak, House select committee hearing paints China as a strategic antagonist, JetBlue flight forced to abort landing in close call at Logan Airport, Three officers shot, standoff follows in Kansas City, Mo., police say, Vanessa Bryant, family settles claims over Kobe crash site photos for $28.5M, Bald eagle couple lays new egg after losing eaglets two years in a row, Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing. 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 after hitting 28 homers and driving in 97 runs in 390 at-bats. He had to suffer from quite complications in his love life. That's part of the legacy of Willard Stargel. Mr. Stargell, 52, whose full name is Wilver Dornel Stargell, is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Upon the Expos departure in 2004, the seat was removed and sent to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. He also reconciled with the Pirates after a public rift of undetermined origin in the 1980s that made fans boo him and caused the abrupt cancellation of a team-sponsored Willie Stargell night. Willie Stargell. He threw out the ceremonial first pitch at the 1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Baseball Hall of Famer Willie Stargell, who led the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series titles with tape-measure home runs and patriarchal leadership that earned him the nickname "Pops," died . Willie Stargell was born on March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, USA as Wilver Dornal Stargell. He would always say, Son, dont appear to be, but be. 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