Bill Mazeroski, Baseball Hall of Famer and Pittsburgh Pirates legend, dies at 89
The man who will forever be known for hitting the greatest home run in baseball history – a walk-off in Game 7 of the World Series – Bill Mazeroski, has died at age 89.
Mazeroski died Friday, February 20.
“His name will always be linked to the greatest home run in baseball history and the 1960 World Series championship, but I will remember him most for the person he was,” Pirates President Bob Nutting said. “Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend, a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and one of the best defensive second basemen the game has ever seen.”
Mazeroski was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 2001. During his career, he was a seven-time All-Star who hit the game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 against the Yankees in the 1960 World Series.
“Bill Mazeroski was synonymous with one of the greatest home runs in baseball history for over 65 years,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “While his bat delivered the first 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.”
Manfred added, “Bill understood that a run saved on the field was as important as a run scored. Bill’s life of hard work and humility was a perfect illustration of the city he represented on the diamond. On behalf of Major League Baseball, I send my deepest condolences to Bill’s family, his friends of our game and all of Pittsburgh’s loyal fans.”
In addition to hitting the most famous home run, Maz was known as one of the best defensive second basemen in the game during his 17 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He holds several records that still stand to this day, including most seasons leading the league in assists with 9, most seasons leading the league in making double plays with 8, and most double plays came in a single season when he had 161 in 1966.
He was also part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame class in 2022.
In 2010, on his birthday, the Pirates unveiled a statue outside PNC Park in his honor, near the right entrance to the field.
Mazeroski is survived by his sons, Darren and David, as well as his four grandchildren.
