Pittsburgh Sports Legends - Willie Stargell

[Alphalion75]

Stargell, Willie | Baseball Hall of Fame

“Having Willie Stargell on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger.” – Chuck Tanner Willie Stargell was a feared power hitter and a leader on the field and in the clubhouse during his 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

baseballhall.org

 

[PSU12046]

Stargell, Willie | Baseball Hall of Fame

“Having Willie Stargell on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger.” – Chuck Tanner Willie Stargell was a feared power hitter and a leader on the field and in the clubhouse during his 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

baseballhall.org

 

[NittanyBuff]

Pops and the Lumber Company

 

[CF Lion]

Chicken on the hill with Will!

 

[PSU12046]

Pops and the Lumber Company

Those were the days listening to KDKA on AM radio, then memorizing the box scores in the paper the next day. Then going outside in 100 degree weather, playing wiffle ball all day and didn't care

 

[leinbacker]

Windmills in the batter box

 

[WSTLion87]

You'd just excited everytime he'd come to the plate. Even his strikeouts were exciting... I'll never forget that '79 series and how he took control.

 

[PSU12046]

Windmills in the batter box

I did that in little league!

 

[LionJim]

I did that in little league!

You and a thousand others. Pops was one of the most likeable players ever, I remember him so fondly.

 

[pamdlion]

‘79 Pirates had some good nicknames and characters.

Pops, Cobra, Scrap Iron, Hit Man, Otter, Candyman to go along with Omar Moreno, Bill Madlock, Lee Lacey and “The Poster Child for Scurvy” Kent Tekulve.

 

[LionJim]

‘79 had some good nicknames and characters.

Pops, Cobra, Scrap Iron, Hit Man, Otter, Candyman to go along with Omar Moreno, Bill Madlock, Lee Lacey and “The Poster Child for Scurvy” Kent Tekulve.

Lol, that quote about Tekulve I had never heard before, so hilariously apt.

 

[kgilbert78]

There was a star on the wall at the Vet in Philly marking one of his home runs (the longest ever hit there). That's how much respect he had.

 

[MrTailgate]

There was a star on the wall at the Vet in Philly marking one of his home runs (the longest ever hit there). That's how much respect he had.

Every game I ever went to at the Vet for decades, I made it a practice to go look at the Star. How that wasn’t preserved was beyond me. Got crushed in the rubble during the demo.

 

[Alphalion75]

Every game I ever went to at the Vet for decades, I made it a practice to go look at the Star. How that wasn’t preserved was beyond me. Got crushed in the rubble during the demo.

That's Philly.

 

[Gobert21]

Those were the days listening to KDKA on AM radio, then memorizing the box scores in the paper the next day. Then going outside in 100 degree weather, playing wiffle ball all day and didn't care

I pretty much had every Pirates swing down in my wiffle ball lineup. That's the Clemente, Stargell, Manny and Hebner teams.

 

[BrucePa]

I met Willie at a baseball card show with my son about 25-30 years ago. My son is almost 40 now. When Willie shook my son's hand, my son's hand and forearm disappeared into Willie's massive palm. I mentioned to Willie while he was signing some items for us that my son wanted to be a power hitter like Willie. He responded "Just hit line drives. If the Lord blesses you with power, the home runs will come naturally, but just concentrate on hitting line drives." I thought that was good advice....but my son is now a software engineer.

 

[kgilbert78]

Every game I ever went to at the Vet for decades, I made it a practice to go look at the Star. How that wasn’t preserved was beyond me. Got crushed in the rubble during the demo.

Not easy to chisel out a block like that when you are doing a controlled demo for the place. I do have a pair of seats from the Vet though.....

 

[PSUHarry]

‘79 Pirates had some good nicknames and characters.

Pops, Cobra, Scrap Iron, Hit Man, Otter, Candyman to go along with Omar Moreno, Bill Madlock, Lee Lacey and “The Poster Child for Scurvy” Kent Tekulve.

Tremendous Line up and a great bench.

 

[PSU73]

 

[PSU12046]

View attachment 217197

What?!? 1979? Seems like yesterday! Even the stove pipe baseball hat!

 

[kgilbert78]

What?!? 1979? Seems like yesterday! Even the stove pipe baseball hat!

They had those for the centennial of the NL--and I think it only really worked for the Pirates.

 

[LionJim]

They had those for the centennial of the NL--and I think it only really worked for the Pirates.

Because it worked for Willie Stargell.

 

[FG Dreadnought]

Chicken on the hill with Will! I'm reading a bio of Bob Prince and can hear his voice in my mind repeating that phrase plus "you can kiss it good bye" and so many more that had a connection with Willy Stargell. A powerful man with a heart of gold who punished the baseball, viciously.

 

[Morrison Hotel]

There was a star on the wall at the Vet in Philly marking one of his home runs (the longest ever hit there). That's how much respect he had.

Imagine how many home runs he would have had if he would have played his entire career @ PNC Park...holy smokes!

 

[Auxgym]

Stargell, Willie | Baseball Hall of Fame

“Having Willie Stargell on your ball club is like having a diamond ring on your finger.” – Chuck Tanner Willie Stargell was a feared power hitter and a leader on the field and in the clubhouse during his 21 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

baseballhall.org

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