Bill Mazeroski, who hit the first ever walk-off home run to end a World Series and lead the Pirates over the Yankees in 1960, died Friday.
He was 89.
Mazeroski was an eight-time Gold Glove winner whose slick fielding at second base earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame from the Veterans Committee.
But his highlight that will live on forever is the ninth-inning leadoff home run to break a 9-9 tie in Game 7, turning the Pirates into improbable champions despite getting outscored, 55-27, during the series.
There is a 14-foot, 2,000-pound statue of Mazeroski rounding the bases with his arms in the air and one foot on the ground outside of the right-field gate at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.
It was unveiled in 2010 as part of the 50th anniversary of the iconic home-run trot.
The ball sailed over the left-field wall as Yogi Berra pursued it.
“Bill Mazeroski was synonymous with one of the greatest home runs in baseball history for more than 65 years,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “While his bat delivered the first walk-off, series-ending home run in the history of our Fall Classic in 1960, it was Bill’s glove that earned him recognition from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. The career Pirate was an eight-time Gold Glove second baseman, a position he played upon the guidance of Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey. Bill understood that a run saved in the field was as important as a run driven in.
“Bill’s lifetime of hard work and humility was a perfect illustration of the city he represented on the diamond. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I extend my deepest condolences to Bill’s family, his friends across our game, and all the loyal fans of Pittsburgh.”
Mazeroski turned an MLB record 1,706 double plays and became a 10-time All-Star.
He hit .260 with a .299 on-base percentage and 138 home runs and 27 stolen bases over 17 regular seasons.
“Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said. “His name will always be tied to the biggest home run in baseball history and the 1960 World Series championship, but I will remember him most for the person he was: humble, gracious and proud to be a Pirate.”
Mazeroski is survived by his two sons and four grandchildren.
“Everyone across the Pirates organization is deeply saddened by the loss of Bill Mazeroski,” Nutting added.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
