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 enjoyed his best season in 1971, with 48 homers and 125 RBIs. In '79 he was the National League MVP, Championship Series MVP, and the World Series MVP, taking most of baseball's Top Honors for the year. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. 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. Scully said that because he used the name Wilver, he became Stargell's mother's favorite broadcaster.[4]. The point here is that Amphetamines . For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. Years later, he said the nickname bestowed on that team -- the Family, from the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" -- wasn't a misnomer. Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. He hit a second home run out of Dodger Stadium on May 8, 1973, against Andy Messersmith, measured at 470 feet (140m). Willie Stargell's widow, Dolores, said she, her children and grandchildren were "completely blindsided'' by his second wife's decision to auction the Hall of Famer's memorabilia, including his . 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. "He believed you could do anything . Willie and his bat guided the Bucs to two World Series titles (1971, 1979) and was a seven-time All-Star selection. 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. Discover Willie Stargell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. Only 14 months later, Clemente was dead. What we need to do now is to make sure that FC Cincinnati adheres to all those promises.". 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. 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. 8, here are eight cards that spanned the slugger's career. Willie Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. Apart from that, he holds American nationality and was of white ethnicity. Others honored in this issue were Ted Williams, Larry Doby, and Joe DiMaggio. Willie Stargell's net worth Stargell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 with an 82% vote. Willie Stargell. [3] While on the road with some of those teams, Stargell was not allowed to stay in the same accommodations as the white players. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 6 March. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. Besides, there is not much information regarding his family background. RELATED ACTIVITIES He played alongside the man he credited with much of his success, Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash in 1972. Willie Stargell was 6 ft 2 inches, 188 lb (188 cm, 85 kg). Monica Williams is counting on that, too. 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. The Pirates postponed a formal ceremony dedicating the statue because Stargell could not attend. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. One day it was Willie Stargell. 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. Stargells play declined in the following seasons, and he retired from baseball in 1982. Clearly not in good health, Stargell wiped away tears from his eyes as he hugged several players, including catcher Jason Kendall, amid a wave of cheers that rolled across the stadium that he closed as impressively as he opened it. We have estimated 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. A disease doctors call the silent killer was ultimately responsible for the death of baseball great Willie Stargell. Lake Superior becomes hot spot for winter surfing 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. He's the only guy I could have said that about. Stargell's career took off after the Pirates vacated Forbes Field's vast acreage for symmetrical Three Rivers and its 375-foot power alley. Besides, on one of the news sites, it claims that Willie signed a 1 year / $6000 worth contract with Pittsburgh in the 1963 season. Three Rivers Stadium, a neutral hitter's park, boosted Stargell's power numbers. Stargel finally got his first chance to teach high school when Taft opened in 1955. "This team was much different than any team I played for," Candelaria . The Sporting News ranks Stargell 81st on the top 100 baseball players of all time. Willie was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. Mr. Stargell said he opted to take the field. Also learn how He earned most of Willie Stargell networth? He grew up in Oakland, Calif., where he was spotted by Pirates scout Bob Zuk while playing on a high school team. His batting average dropped more than 40 points that season from .315 in 1966 to .271 in 1967; his home run total was reduced from 33 in 1966 to 20 in 1967. Trending News Because of his race, he wasnt allowed to play against some southern teams, including Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia Tech. He was 61. Stargell died in a Wilmington, North Carolina, hospital on April 9, 2001. WATCH StargelStadium dedication in 2004. The Pirates moved into Three Rivers in mid-1970, and he hit 310 of his 475 career home runs from 1970 until his retirement, despite turning 30 in 1970. He was a Seven Time All-Star. For nearly 30 years, Stargell was the only player to hit a ball out of Dodger Stadium, and he did it twice. Stargell was a seven-time All-Star and two-time NL home run leader. Stargelquickly won the respect and admiration of the team, according to a former player, Malcolm Lindsay Allen Sr. Mr. It's the end of an era. A source close to the Pirates blamed Stargell's health problems on his gaining weight after retiring as a player. Willie Stargell had 2,232 hits in his career. "We fought for those stars," former teammate Bill Robinson said Monday. Stargel went on to UC and lettered in football, basketball and track and became one of UCs first black football players in 1942. [26], List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders, List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle, List of Major League Baseball home run records, List of Major League Baseball career home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball career doubles leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders, List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball career total bases leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual runs batted in leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual home run leaders, List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders, List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise, "Willie Stargell at the Baseball Hall of Fame", "Biography: Stargell, Wilver Dornell (Willie, Pops)", "Obituary: Willie Stargell: Numbers couldn't measure the man", April 17, 1964 Pittsburgh Pirates at New York Mets Play by Play and Box Score, "September 30, 1978 Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score and Play by Play", "Montreal Expos at Pittsburgh Pirates Box Score, October 3, 1982 | Baseball-Reference.com", "June 25, 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates at Philadelphia Phillies Box Score and Play by Play", "Stargell's star a lasting tribute; Blast is marking point for all hitters", "Stargell was Pirates' inspirational leader in '70s", "In a time of upheaval, a constant remains Chipper Jones", "Willie Stargell Gave Out Amphetamines, Dale Berra Testifies", "Stargell hospitalized, undergoing treatment", "100 Greatest Baseball Players by the Sporting News: A Legendary List by Baseball Almanac", "Willie Stargell: Numbers couldn't measure the man", "Sickle Cell Society Inc/Murray Irvis Genetic Disease Center: A History of Care", "The Williie Stargell Foundation Website", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Willie_Stargell&oldid=1132452504, September 16,1962,for thePittsburgh Pirates, October 3,1982,for thePittsburgh Pirates, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 23:36. Kelli, also known as Wendy Rebecca Stargell is suffered from a developmental disorder and says she is unable to support herself. 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. The stroke was one of many complications Stargell suffered as a result of a long history of high blood pressure. 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. So they got the stadium. It just allows us to realize Dad had an impact in the community that so many of the African-American populous grew up in back in the '40s and '50s, Jason said. We were products of different races, were raised in different income brackets, but in the clubhouse and on the field we were one.". According to some sources, his . 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). Alternate titles: Pops Stargell, Wilver Dornel Stargell. Willard Stargel and UC teammates from 1946 (Courtesy of University of Cincinnati Archives & Rare Books Library). "November the 19th. About Us 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. All Rights Reserved. Only 14 months later, Clemente was dead. [3], Stargell played for farm teams in New Mexico, North Dakota, Iowa, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio. Some of the 475 home runs he hit are among the longest in the game, including two shots that cleared Dodger Stadium and balls hit out of the old Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. At 61 years old, Willie Stargell height 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. Stargell died on the day the Pirates opened their new ballpark, PNC Park, where a 12-foot bronze statue of Stargell's likeness was unveiled Saturday. [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. Stargell won his second home-run title that year, edging out three Atlanta Braves: Davey Johnson's 43, Darrell Evans' 41 and Aaron's 40. Willie Stargell was 6 feet and 4 inches tall in height with a bulky body that weighs almost about 90 kg. After hitting 32 homers during a memorable regular season, he had two more during an NL playoff sweep of Cincinnati. Growing up in Pittsburgh, in an era when the Steelers were terrible every year, the Pirates, unlike today, were the team. $60.00. Willie Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. Biographer Frank Garland relates that Stargell's family and friends called him Wilver and that Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully also made a point of using Stargell's given name. Stargell originated the practice of giving his teammates embroidered "Stargell stars" for their caps after a nice play or a good game. He doesn't just hit pitchers, he takes away their dignity." display: none; Besides, the duo was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Dawn Moore, and Precious Stargell. 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. Another fan, Rich Cromer, recalled the anticipation in the crowd every time Stargell came to the plate. Prior to that, Willie was married to his first wife, Dee Stargell, also known as Dolores. He was active in various philanthropies, including efforts to raise money to fight sickle cell anemia. [2] He attended Encinal High School, where his baseball teammates included future MLB players Tommy Harper and Curt Motton. Willie married Margaret Weller of Wilmington in 1993 at . Mr. Stargell, who was named the series' most valuable player, batted .400 and hit three home runs, including a shot in the sixth inning of Game 7 that gave the Pirates the lead for good over the heavily favored Baltimore Orioles. After Stargell died, Joe Morgan said, "When I played, there were 600 baseball players, and 599 of them loved Willie Stargell. He also led the league in runs batted in and slugging percentage. (AP). Stargell promptly did, the chicken was distributed - and Stargell sent Prince the bill. 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. Born in Oklahoma on March 6, 1940, of African-American and Seminole Indian descent, Stargell himself listed the date as March 7, 1941. he'd yell when one sailed over the fence. Unfortunately, he died on April 9, 2001, due to a stroke. 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. Mr. Stargell, a seven-time National League All-Star, is the Pirates' all-time leader in home runs, RBI and extra-base hits. The second home run Stargell hit out of the Dodger Stadium, and the shorter of the two, occurred May 8, 1973. 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