The Pirates announced this morning that Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski passed away yesterday at the age of 89.
A career Pirate who played 17 seasons in the major leagues from 1956-72, Mazeroski is best known for his famous home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. The Pirates won the National League’s first shutout since 1927 on the strength of eight All-Star players, including Mazeroski. However, they faced the challenge of defeating a powerful Yankees lineup that included Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey Ford, and others.
With the Series tied at three games apiece, it was Mazeroski who delivered the winning blow in the bottom of the 9th inning of the Wild Game 7. Down 1-0 against Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry, Mazeroski hit a fastball high over the left-center field wall to win the game 10-9 and clinch the Series for Pittsburgh. It was their first World Series title since 1925 and the first time a World Series ended with a home run. To this day, the Mazeroski blast still stands as one of the most iconic home games in sports history.
Mazeroski joined the Pirates organization out of high school in 1954. After two years in the minors, he made his major league debut in July 1956 at the age of 19. He played his first full season in 1957 and established himself as a contact-oriented second baseman, hitting .283 with 149 hits and 59 runs. His 1958 season was arguably his best. Mazeroski hit .275/.308/.439 in 607 plate appearances with 156 hits and 19 home runs, the latter a career high. He was an All-Star for the first time and earned his first Glove while finishing eighth in the NL MVP voting.
In addition to being a contact hitter, Mazeroski’s career was defined by his defense. He won eight Golden Gloves, including five straight from 1963-67. His defense alone accounted for 24.0 bWAR, which tied him for 23rd all-time. Mazeroski holds the record for most double plays hit as a second baseman with 1,709. He led the league in that category every season from 1960-67. He also ranks fifth all-time with 6,685 assists as a second baseman. Indeed, his accomplishments make him one of the greatest defensive secondary men to ever play the game.
In an 11-year span from 1958-68, Mazeroski had 1,608 of 2,016 hits while hitting .263/.300/.374 and accumulating 32.1 bWAR. He was incredibly durable, playing at least 130 games and 527 PA or more every year from 1957-68. He earned a total of seven All-Star nominations, the last of those coming in 1967 when he led the NL in games played and had a career-high 167 hits. He became more of a part-time player by the end of his career and won his second World Series in 1971 against the Orioles. He retired in 1972 at the age of 35.
Overall, Mazeroski hit .260/.299/.367 for a career 84 OPS+ with 2,016 hits, 138 home runs, and 853 runs batted in. He was eligible for Hall of Fame induction in 1978 but did not reach the required threshold before dropping out at a perfect 9 points. less aggressive output than normal as a reason for exclusion. The Veterans Affairs Committee disagreed, inducting Mazeroski into the Hall in 2001 thanks to his outstanding defensive style.
He was one of the greatest Pirates in history, one of baseball’s greatest players, and an icon of that home run. We at MLBTR extend our condolences to Mazeroski’s family, friends, loved ones, former colleagues, and baseball fans around the world.
