By Alan Robinson MMI The Associated Press. He died on April 9, 2001, New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Unfortunately, he died on April 9, 2001, due to a stroke. [4] 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. 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. The direct cause of his death was complications from a stroke. 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. 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. "Every one of them was giant," Tanner said. In 1988, Stargell was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Pirates retired his number. Stargell continued to post excellent numbers in 1972 (.293, 33, 112) finishing third in MVP voting behind Johnny Bench and Billy Williams. He was born on March 6, 1940. He won the first of the three NL Player of the Month awards of his career in June 1965 (.330, 10 HR, 35 RBI). Pirates manager Chuck Tanner said of Stargell, "Having him on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger." Besides, on one of the news sites, it claims that Willie signed a 1 year / $6000 worth contract with Pittsburgh in the 1963 season. Fri 20 Apr 2001 21.07 EDT. 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. 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. 2 bids. (AP). "It hurt Pops, I think, a little when UC decided to go the bowl game and leave him home when (Virginia Tech) said they wouldn't play against UC because dad was on the team, but they took a vote and that was the leadership that was at the University of Cincinnati at that time," Jason said. 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. That's part of the legacy of Willard Stargel. Willie was married to his second wife until he died of a stroke. "The whole family was just so excited when the Taft alumni suggested that the stadium, Taft Stadium, be named Willard Stargel.". This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ", Stargell played until 1982, but he never appeared in more than 74 games after 1979. Willie Stargell was a professional baseball player originally from the United States of America. "He was the ultimate class act," McClatchy said. Stargel should have been the head coach, but at the time there were no black head coaches in the PHSL, Allen wrote in a book, 100 OrSo Boyhood Memories of the Real West Endies., Even though we loved Joe Corcoran (the white head coach), our confidant was Mr. Stargel He knew, better than we, what was what., He was sort of like a father to many of us, Bobby Chapman, who played at Taft in the late 50s, said in an Enquirer article in 1990. He returned to the All-Star Game the next two seasons, hitting over 100 runs batted in (RBI) in both years, and finishing respectively 14th and 15th in MVP voting. "We molded together dozens of different individuals into one working force. However, some sources claim that the late player had a huge net worth of nearly $2 million. Just as Clemente mentored him, Mr. Stargell said he tried to mentor other players. Besides, there is not much information regarding his family background. Also in the stands was 74-year-old Carl Ward, a Taft football legend and one of four players from the great 1960 team that went on to playin the NFL. $60.00. Discover Willie Stargell's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. On average, a report based on the research of 2019 says that the average income of an MLB player is $3.4 million per year. [14] The star remained in place until the stadium's 2004 demolition. Stargell wore the mantle of leadership as well as he did an outfielder's glove or a first baseman's mitt as an unappreciated defensive player. Upcoming Birthday Currently, Willie Stargell is 82 years, 11 months and 17 days old. Stargell's last game was on October 3, 1982 at Three Rivers Stadium against the Montreal Expos. He began his professional career when baseball was still grappling with segregation. ", For his first 10 years in the majors, Stargell was content to play in Clemente's shadow, even after he passed Clemente in production. He was 61. If you took the approach that is currently being taken regarding the use of steroids, these players were all cheaters as well. https://www.britannica.com/facts/Willie-Stargell, 8 (1977-1979, Pittsburgh Pirates) 8 (1970-1976, Pittsburgh Pirates) 8 (1962-1982, Pittsburgh Pirates). Clearly not in good health, Stargell wiped away tears from his eyes as he hugged several players amid a wave of cheers that rolled across the stadium. "Change is difficult. We have estimated 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. 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. "Those were precious. Following a Pirate sweep of the Friday-night double-header, Stargell belted a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning of the season's penultimate game to give the Pirates an early 41 lead, although the Pirates relinquished that lead later in the game and fell two runs short after a four-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning,[10] thus eliminating themselves from contention for the pennant. Trending News On April he was admitted 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. A source close to the Pirates blamed Stargell's health problems on his gaining weight after retiring as a player. He was active in various philanthropies, including efforts to raise money to fight sickle cell anemia. Prior to that, Willie was married to his first wife, Dee Stargell, also known as Dolores. "He didn't just hit pitchers, he took away their dignity," former Dodgers pitcher Don Sutton said. [15], After retirement, Stargell spent two years as a first base coach for the Atlanta Braves from 19861988, wearing his customary #8. Apart from that, as of 2019, the highest-earning MLB player is Stephen Strasburg, with an annual income of $38.3 million. is 6'4"(1.93m) . 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. He hit the first home run at Shea Stadium in the first game played in that stadium on April 17, 1964. The next day it was Roberto Clemente. #inline-recirc-item--id-a4809f9c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Born in Oklahoma on March 6, 1940, of African-American and Seminole Indian descent, Stargell himself listed the date as March 7, 1941. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? He had been in failing health for several years with a kidney . Stargel helped UC to one its finest seasons, including a win over Indiana. Stargell signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization and entered minor league baseball in 1959. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Hence, she filed the suit in 1982 through attorney Richard Hughes, asking for $1,800 a month from her father. He was the 17th player voted in on the first ballot. After suffering for several years from a kidney disorder, Stargell died from a stroke on April 9, 2001, in Wilmington, N.C. What was the cause of Willie Stargell death? How Did Willie Stargell Died? Willie, or "Pops," as you like to call him, was an American professional baseball player. Stargell was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988 with an 82% vote. Besides, the duo was blessed with two beautiful daughters, Dawn Moore, and Precious 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1987. Bob Prince, the colorful longtime Pirate radio announcer, would greet a Stargell home run with the phrase "Chicken on the Hill". His spouse is Margaret Weller (m. 1993-2001), Dee Stargell. 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. After Stargell died, Joe Morgan said, "When I played, there were 600 baseball players, and 599 of them loved Willie Stargell. Baseball, Coffee, Trying. I've been here - this is my 11th here, said Taft football coach Jeff Cargile. Stargel Stadium in the West End with the Downtown skyline to the south. He played alongside the man he credited with much of his success, Roberto Clemente, who died in a plane crash in 1972. And in a few weeks, crews will tear it downto make room for a new Major League Soccer stadium for FC Cincinnati. Starting in 1981, sickle cell awareness and fundraising was gradually being assumed by The Sickle Cell Society Inc. The Willie Stargell Foundation transitioned to raising money for treatment of and research into kidney disease. Pictured on one of a set of 4 USA nondenominated commemorative postage stamps issued 20 July 2013, celebrating Major League Baseball All-Stars. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Upon the Expos departure in 2004, the seat was removed and sent to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. For a time, whenever he homered, Stargell's restaurant would give away free chicken to all patrons present in the restaurant at the time of the home run, in a promotion dubbed "Chicken on the Hill with Will". Copyright 2017 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. CINCINNATI - It's the end of an era. Despite developing a kidney disorder that required frequent dialysis, Stargell later worked in the Braves' minor league department for 10 years until returning to the Pirates in 1997 as an aide to general manager Cam Bonifay. He was then pinch run by Doug Frobel and subsequently was replaced by Richie Hebner at first base.[12]. He was a Seven Time All-Star. 11 Copy quote. Wilver Dornel Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Okla., and grew up near Oakland, Calif. 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 . The former TaftStadium, completed in 1986, was renamed in Stargels honor. [17] Berra said that he obtained amphetamines from Stargell and Bill Madlock; he said he could get them from Stargell "on any given day I asked him for one. Willie Stargell played leftfielder and first baseman. "He said it's important that we be better. 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. He never played another game in the outfield. "Now, every opening day at PNC Park, everybody will know this is Willie Stargell's day," said Chuck Tanner, Stargell's manager from 1977-82. 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. 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. Price on day of issue was 45. That's what $20,000 does, literally.". 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. It's the end of an era. Years later, he said the nickname bestowed on that team - the Family, from the Sister Sledge song, "We Are Family" - wasn't a misnomer. He remains the oldest player to win an MVP award. He was born on March 6, 1940 Facts Top Questions Where was Willie Stargell born? Later, he returned to Alameda, California, to live with his mother. His 1963 rookie season was lackluster, but he enjoyed much more success the following season, his first as an everyday player. He is a celebrity baseball player. Standing 6ft 3in (1.91m) with long arms and a unique bat-handling practice of holding only the knob of the bat with his lower hand to provide extra bat extension, Stargell seemed larger than most batters. In 1973, Stargell achieved the rare feat of simultaneously leading the league in both doubles and homers. "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. Live. Though he became quickly known as Willie Stargell, his autograph suggests that he preferred his given name, Wilver. 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. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Willie Stargell was married to his second wife, Margaret Weller in the summer of 1993. Willie Stargell was born in Earlsboro, Oklahoma, United States. 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