Willie Stargell

American baseball player and coach (1940-2001)

Wilver Dornell "Willie" Stargell (March 6, 1940 – April 9, 2001) was an American professional baseball player. He was nicknamed "pops" in the later years of his career. He played Major League Baseball for 21 years. He was the left fielder and first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1962-1982). While he was with the Pirates, he batted .282. He scored 2,232 hits, 423 doubles, 475 home runs and 1540 runs batted in. This helped his team win six National League East division titles, two National League pennants and two World Series (1971, 1979). Stargell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.[1]

Willie Stargell
Left fielder / First baseman
Born: (1940-03-06)March 6, 1940
Earlsboro, Oklahoma
Died: April 9, 2001(2001-04-09) (aged 61)
Wilmington, North Carolina
Batted: Left Threw: Left
debut
September 16, 1962, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last appearance
October 3, 1982, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Career statistics
Batting average.282
Home runs475
Runs batted in1,540
Teams
Career highlights and awards
[[{{{hoflink}}}|Member of the {{{hoftype}}}]]
[[{{{hoflink}}}|Baseball Hall of Fame]]
Induction1988
Vote82.4% (first ballot)

Stargell died on April 9, 2001 at a hospital in Wilmington, North Carolina. He had problems with his kidneys for several years before his death. Stargell died on the same day that the Pittsburgh Pirates opened their new ballpark, PNC Park. After his death, former Pirates manager Chuck Tanner said, "When you had Willie Stargell on your team, it was like having a diamond ring on your finger."[2]

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References

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  1. "Willie Stargell at the Baseball Hall of Fame". baseballhall.org. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
  2. Robinson, Alan (9 April 2001). "Pirates slugger Willie Stargell dead at 61". The Daily Courier. Retrieved 2 December 2012.

Other websites

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Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Joe Torre
Bob Gibson
Lou Brock
Major League Player of the Month
June 1965 (with Vern Law)
April 1971
June 1971
Succeeded by
Pete Rose
Lou Brock
Ferguson Jenkins
Preceded by
Johnny Bench
National League RBI Champion
1973
Succeeded by
Johnny Bench