Pirates legend and Baseball Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski dies at 89

The man who will perpetually be recognized for hitting the best residence run in baseball historical past – a recreation 7 walk-off within the World Series – Bill Mazeroski, has died at 89.

Mazeroski died on Friday, February 20.

“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,” mentioned Pirates Chairman Bob Nutting. “Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend, a National Baseball Hall of Famer, and one of the finest defensive second basemen the game has ever seen.”

Mazeroski was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2001. In his profession, he was a seven-time All-Star who hit the game-winning, walk-off residence run within the ninth inning of recreation seven in opposition to the Yankees within the 1960 World Series.

Along with hitting essentially the most well-known residence run, Maz was often known as one of the perfect defensive second basemen within the recreation throughout his 17 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He holds a number of information that also stand to at the present time, together with most seasons main the league in assists at 9, most seasons main the league in turning double performs with 8, and most double performs turned in a single season when he had 161 in 1966.

He was additionally half of the inaugural class of the Pirates Hall of Fame in 2022.

In 2010, on his birthday, the Pirates unveiled a statue outdoors of PNC Park in his honor close to the suitable discipline entrance of the ballpark.

Mazeroski is survived by his sons, Darren and David, and his 4 grandchildren.