Pittsburgh Pirates Mount Rushmore
By David Hill
Willie Stargell (1962-1982)
The heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Willie Stargell was one of the most dangerous power hitters of his time.
Although he played in what was essentially the second dead ball era, Stargell was a fearsome slugger, hitting 20 or more homers 15 times. He was known for the way he twirled the bat in a circle while pointing it at the pitching, looking to intimidate the opposition. Yet, despite his presence in the batter’s box, Stargell was also known as one of the nicest players in the game.
A seven time All Star, Stargell finished in the top ten of the MVP vote six times before winning the award in 1979. His selection was controversial, as he was a part time player that year, producing only a .281/.352/.552 batting line while hitting 32 homers. However, his leadership, and his place on the ‘We Are Family’ Pirates tipped the scales in his favor with several voters.
Stargell spent his entire 21 year career with the Pirates, establishing himself as one of the best power hitters in franchise history. Overall, he had a .282/.360/.529 batting line, hitting 475 homers and driving in 1540 runs. He led the league in homers twice, and had ten seasons in the top ten in the league.
Willie Stargell was more than a great player for the Pittsburgh Pirates – he was the heart and soul of the team. He was a legend in every sense of the way.