April 9, 2001: Willie Stargell passes away

Thirteen years ago this week – on April 9, 2001 – Hall of Famer Willie Stargellpassed away at the age of 61 following a battle with kidney disease. Word of Stargell's death came the very day the Pirates were preparing to host the Cincinnati Reds in the first regular-season game ever played at brand new PNC Park.

Born March 6, 1940 in Earlsboro, Okla., Stargell was raised in Oakland, Calif., and was signed by the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1958. After topping the 20-homer mark in the minor leagues in both 1961 and 1962, Stargell debuted with the Pirates as a late-season call-up in 1962.

By 1964, Stargell was the Pirates' regular left fielder, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 78 runs while earning a berth in the All-Star Game. Stargell drove in better than 100 runs in both 1965 and 1966, then totaled 104 home runs between 1967 and 1970 during one of the most dominant pitching eras in the game's history.

"He's got power enough to hit home runs in any park, including Yellowstone," said Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson.

By 1971, Stargell and the Pirates put it all together. The big left fielder led the National League with 48 home runs and finished second in the NL MVP voting. The Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles in seven games in the World Series.

Stargell hit 33 home runs in 1972 and finished third in the MVP voting, then led the NL with 44 home runs and 119 RBI in 1973 – again finishing second in the MVP balloting. 

Stargell and the Pirates won NL East titles five times in six seasons from 1970-75, then put another championship season together again in 1979. Stargell, at age 39 and having moved to first base, hit 32 home runs and drove in 82 runs – sharing the NL MVP Award after finishing in a tie with the Cardinals' Keith Hernandez for first place.

Stargell then embarked on a postseason for the ages, winning the NLCS MVP (hitting two home runs and driving in six runs in just three games) and the World Series MVP (hitting three home runs, driving in seven runs and hitting the decisive two-run home run in Game 7 against the Orioles) as the Pirates won their fifth world championship.

Stargell played three more seasons – mostly as a pinch-hitter – before retiring after the 1982 campaign. He finished with 475 home runs, 1,540 RBI and a .282 batting average to go along with seven All-Star Game selections.

Stargell was elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year eligible in 1988.

 CRAIG MUDER