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Biography of Willie Stargell
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Biography

Popular and powerful, Willie Stargell crushed 475 career homers, leading the National League with 48 blasts in 1971 and 44 in '73. An intimidating left-handed batter, Stargell helped popularize the following of "tape-measure" home runs during the 1960s and '70s.

His influence extended into the clubhouse, where he rewarded teammates with "stars" for outstanding performance. His father-figure status earned him the nickname "Pops" and his leadership helped the Pirates win World Championships in 1971 and in 1979, when he shared National League MVP honors.

Elected to Hall of Fame by Baseball Writers in 1988,Player;
352 votes on 427 ballots - 82.44%

Major League Debut: 9/16/1962
Primary Position: Left Fielder
Bats: L Throws: L Primary Uniform #: 8
Played For: Pittsburgh Pirates (1962-1982)
Primary Team: Pittsburgh Pirates

Post-Season: 1970 NLCS, 1971 NLCS, 1971 World Series, 1972 NLCS, 1974 NLCS, 1975 NLCS, 1979 NLCS, 1979 World Series

Awards : All-Star (7): 1964-1966, 1971-1973, 1978;
National League MVP 1979; NLCS MVP 1979;
World Series MVP 1979

"That rare combination of athlete and
gentleman. He is one of the very few to be a star both on and off the field." — Ken Brett

Wilver Dornel Stargell
(Pops)

Born: March 6, 1940,
Earlsboro, Oklahoma

Died: April 9, 2001,
Wilmington, North Carolina