| Bill Mazeroski | |
|---|---|
 Mazeroski with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1959 | |
| Second baseman | |
| Born: (1936-09-05)September 5, 1936 (age 89) Wheeling, West Virginia, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 7, 1956, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| October 4, 1972, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .260 |
| Hits | 2,016 |
| Home runs | 138 |
| Runs batted in | 853 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Member of the National | |
 Baseball Hall of Fame | |
| Induction | 2001 |
| Election method | Veterans Committee |
William Stanley Mazeroski (born September 5, 1936), nicknamed "Maz" and "the Glove", is an American formersecond baseman inMajor League Baseball (MLB) who played his entire career for thePittsburgh Pirates from 1956 to 1972. A seven-timeAll-Star known during his career primarily for his spectacular defensive play, he has come to be better known forone of the most memorable home runs in baseball history, a dramatic ninth-inning drive inGame 7 of the1960 World Series that beat the favoredNew York Yankees. It was the first time that the major league season ended with ahome run, and remains the onlywalk-off home run to clinch a World Series championship in Game 7.ESPN ranked the World Series winner at the top of its list of the 100 Greatest Home Runs of All Time, whileSports Illustrated had it eighth in its compilation of the 100 Greatest Moments in Sports History. Mazeroski received theBabe Ruth Award for his play in the Series, during which hebatted .320.
An eight-timeGold Glove Award winner, Mazeroski was particularly noted for his ability to make thepivot in turningdouble plays. His 1,706 career double plays remain a major league record for a second baseman, and were the most by any non-first baseman in history untilshortstopOmar Vizquel passed him in 2009. Mazeroski led theNational League (NL) in double plays eight consecutive years, and recorded over 100 double plays eleven times, both also major league records. His 161 double plays in 1966 remain the major league record for second basemen; when he retired, he held the top three marks in NL history. He led the major leagues inassists a record nine times, and led the NL inputouts five times and infielding percentage three times. Mazeroski set NL records for career games (2,094), putouts (4,974), assists (6,685) andtotal chances (11,863) by a second baseman, all of which were later broken byJoe Morgan; his career fielding percentage of .983 ranked second in NL history when he retired, less than a quarter of a point behindRed Schoendienst.
Mazeroski also provided contributions on offense which were not typical for his position; his 138 career home runs and 853runs batted in (RBI) were the most by any second baseman during the period between 1944 and 1974, with his home run total putting him behind onlyRogers Hornsby among NL second basemen when his career ended. His home run production was particularly impressive due to the Pirates playing in cavernousForbes Field, where the distant reaches in left and center field made it typically the league's most difficult home run stadium until the mid-1960s; Mazeroski hit more than twice as many homers on the road (93) than at home (45) in his career. He closed out his career by helping the Pirates to three consecutive division titles; he andRoberto Clemente were the only members of the 1960 champions who were on the team when they picked up another title in1971, beating the favoredBaltimore Orioles in seven games. Mazeroski later became a coach for the Pirates and theSeattle Mariners. The Pirates organization retired his uniform number in 1987; he is now the only living person so honored. Mazeroski was inducted into theNational Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
Mazeroski was born inWheeling, West Virginia, to aPolish-American family. His parents were Mayme and Louis Mazeroski who resided in nearby Witch Hazel, Ohio. Louis had been a highly regarded baseball prospect himself—he once had a tryout with theCleveland Indians—but a severed foot suffered in a coal mine accident ruined his dream as well as his livelihood. Along with his parents and sister Mary, Mazeroski grew up in a small one-room house that was devoid of electricity and indoor plumbing. He often went by the name of Catfish because of a penchant for fishing, not because of any real passion for the sport but to put food on the table.[1]
Louis became prone to alcohol, but he wasn't about to let his son follow a similar path to the coal mines. The two played catch and talked ball regularly. Their favorite drill was played with a tennis ball, which Louis threw against a brick wall and his son fielded with a glove that had been purchased with money earned from digging an outhouse, as family legend had it. The exercise was designed to sharpen hand-eye coordination and ability to quickly adjust to bad bounces, areas in which young Bill excelled as early as elementary school.[1]
As a child, Mazeroski was a fan of theCleveland Indians and countedLou Boudreau,Bob Feller,Ken Keltner andJoe Gordon as his heroes.[2]
Mazeroski attended Warren Consolidated High School inTiltonsville, Ohio, where he was a multi-sports star, most notably in baseball and basketball. He was a four-year starter with the varsity baseball team, normally as a shortstop or pitcher. In his senior year, he was named Class A 2nd team All-Ohio in basketball.[1]
Mazeroski turned down college scholarship offers fromDuquesne,Ohio State andWest Virginia to pursue a professional baseball career. In 1954, after several major league teams had courted the infielder, the Indians,Boston Red Sox,Chicago White Sox andPhiladelphia Phillies among them, the 17-year-old finally chose the Pirates, largely because they agreed to accelerate his start in Class-A ball unlike the others.[1]
Success at the pro level did not come easily for Mazeroski at the outset. In 1955, the 17-year-old made his debut with the Class AWilliamsport Grays, where he hit .235 in 93 games. He played exclusively at shortstop, where he was charged with 31errors. The next spring, Pirates general managerBranch Rickey noticed how well he turned the double play as a second baseman, which prompted his move to the right side of the diamond.[1] Mazeroski moved up to the Triple AHollywood Stars farm club to begin the 1955 season. While he played 20 errorless games at his new position, the two-level jump proved to be too much at the plate. He was sent back to Williamsport, where he got back on track with a .293 batting average and 11 homers in 114 games.
Mazeroski returned to Hollywood at the outset of the 1956 campaign, only this time things were noticeably different. He hit .305 with an .823 OPS (on-base plus slugging) to earn a promotion to the major leagues midway through the season. At a time when the vast majority of young athletes were required to hone their skills in the minors for several years, Mazeroski got the call at 19 years of age. As expected, the transition was not a seamless one.[1]
He made his first big league appearance on July 7, 1956, against theNew York Giants at thePolo Grounds in New York. His firsthit was asingle offJohnny Antonelli in his firstat bat.[3] But for most of the next five weeks, his batting average tumbled below the .200 mark; he hit his first home run on August 16, a 2-run shot offRobin Roberts in the fourth inning, to lead the Pirates to a 4-1 road win over the Phillies. But a few days later, Pirates managerBobby Bragan dropped him behind the pitcher in the batting order for 10 games. Mazeroski regrouped to hit .243 in 81 games, but later conceded that the drop in the lineup had an adverse effect on his confidence at the plate early in his career.
AfterDanny Murtaugh replaced Bragan at the helm in early August 1957, Mazeroski and the Pirates showed immediate and steady improvement. "Baseball men are saying that Mazeroski, with his great hands and range and arm, is perhaps the finest young infielder in the business,"Sports Illustrated reported in its 1958 preseason analysis.[4]
In 1958, the young Bucs promptly stunned the baseball world with a second-place finish, while Mazeroski blossomed into an All-Star for the first time in his career. His 19 home runs and 69 RBI each ranked second at his position in the major leagues. He also was selected for his first Gold Glove Award.[5] His father Louis died of lung cancer early the next year, but not before he had witnessed his son achieve stardom.[1]
Soon Pirates broadcasterBob Prince began referring to Mazeroski as simply "The Glove", as the perennial Gold Glove candidate set the bar for defense at his position that would still be in place decades later.Houston Astros and future Hall of Fame second basemanJoe Morgan called him "the gold standard" for infield defense.[1]
Mazeroski turned the double play into an art form withGene Kelly-like footwork, magical hands, sure arm and exceptionally strong legs that survived countless attempts by baserunners to break up the play. Coupled with acute baseball instincts, he displayed unparalleled range in the field, as evidenced by the nine seasons that he led the league in assists per nine innings; recent analytics credit him similarly intotal zone runs at the position. Remarkably, Mazeroski was able to accomplish this even though he played nearly half of his games at Forbes Field, whose infield was widely thought to be the worst in the majors because of its alabaster-like surface and many errant hops.[1]
What also made Mazeroski unique was his trademark glove, which wasn't much larger than his right hand. Its compactness allowed for a quicker grip, ball transfer and release, especially on double play attempts. Once broken in, the piece of equipment would see action for several years at a time.[1]
"Maz never really caught the ball, never really closed his glove over it turning the double play," said Pirates shortstopGene Alley, who assisted Mazeroski on many of his 161 double plays in the 1966 season, still a major league record. "He could tilt his glove at an angle and hold his hand just so. It was a wonder the ball stayed in there. Then it would slide out in his hand just like that. He was the only one I ever saw do it like that."[6]
Five decades after Mazeroski played his final game, he still holds the major league records for second basemen for most double plays in a season (161), most double plays in a career (1,706), most years leading the league in twin killings (eight) and most seasons leading in assists (nine).[7] His 543 assists in 1964 were the most by any second baseman between 1938 and 1983.[5]
SaidDick Groat, Mazeroski's first double-play partner in the big leagues, "He had marvelous range, great instincts and never threw to the wrong base. His release on the double play was phenomenal. When Maz was a kid, I had a couple of years' experience on him. If I would move Maz and tell him to play here or play there, I never had to tell him a second time. Ever."[6]
Mazeroski also was known for extraordinary durability, especially given the physical demands of the second base position and chronic lower body issues later in his career. In a span of 12 seasons (1957-1968), he started 150 or more games seven times and at least 129 in each one. In 1966 and 1967, the iron man was in the field for all except 32 of a possible2,921+2⁄3 innings.[5]
In 1961, Mazeroski recorded 144 double plays, breaking the NL record of 137 shared byJackie Robinson andRed Schoendienst. On April 28, 1966, Mazeroski became the second NL player to hit 100 home runs as a second baseman when he tookChicago Cubs starterFerguson Jenkins deep in a 9-6, 10-inning road win. Later that year, he shatteredJerry Priddy's single-season major league record of 150 double plays at second base, which was set with theDetroit Tigers in the 1950 campaign. In 1967, Mazeroski broke Schoendienst's NL record of 1,368 career double plays. On August 19, 1968, in an 8-3 road loss to theCincinnati Reds, he broke Schoendienst's league record of 1,834 games at second base. In 1969, he brokeFrankie Frisch's NL record of 6,026 assists andBilly Herman's league record of 10,815 total chances; in 1970, he brokeNellie Fox's major league record of 1,619 double plays, and Herman's NL record of 4,780 putouts.[5]
In the second game of a doubleheader on June 28, 1970, in the final game played at Forbes Field, Mazeroski fielded aDon Kessinger ground ball near second base and stepped on the bag to force outWillie Smith for the final out in a 4-1 victory over the Cubs. On July 16, he fielded the first batted ball in the history ofThree Rivers Stadium, a ground ball off the bat ofTy Cline that opened a 3-2 loss to the Reds. On August 17, 1971, Mazeroskidoubled in the second inning of a 6-5 loss to theHouston Astros for his 2,000th career hit. On July 23, 1972 against the Reds, he singled in the first inning of a 3-2 win; it was the last regular-season hit of his career, as he went hitless in his final 30 at bats as his playing time was gradually reduced to occasionalpinch hitting.[8]
At the end of his career, Mazeroski ranked fourth in Pirates history in games played (2,163), fifth in home runs (138) and at bats (7,755), sixth in RBI (853) and doubles (294), and seventh in hits (2,016) andtotal bases (2,848). Modernsabermetrics credit him with 27.6Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in the 1960s, the most of any major leaguer at his position. Joe Morgan broke Mazeroski's NL record for games at second base on September 28, 1980, his record for putouts in 1981, his record for total chances in 1982 and his record for assists in 1983.[5]
On the heels of a subpar season for Mazeroski and his fourth-place team, the 1960 campaign exceeded the wildest dreams of Pittsburgh sports fans. The Battlin' Bucs, as they would become known, dominated the National League virtually from the start to claim their first pennant since the 1927 season. Meanwhile, Mazeroski was an NL starter in both All-Star Games.[a][5]
The Pirates seized control of the pennant race in August, when they won 21 of 31 games with Mazeroski in a lead role. He hit .373, drove in 16 runs and had a 26-game errorless streak in the month.[5] The team was rewarded with a trip to the1960 World Series, where the second baseman forged his legacy against theNew York Yankees with a pair of game-winning home runs. The second came on October 13 off relieverRalph Terry at Forbes Field, the only homer to end a World Series in major league history until 1993.[10]
One of the wildest games in baseball history got wilder yet in the top of the ninth inning, when the Yankees plated two runs to forge a 9-9 deadlock. At that point, Mazeroski admittedly got caught up in the sudden turn of events. It seemed the second baseman had forgotten that he was to lead off the bottom half of the inning, and it wasn't until first base coachLenny Levy reminded him of the fact that he hurriedly picked up a bat.[11]
At precisely 3:36 p.m. local time, on a 1-0 count, Mazeroski slammed Terry's high fastball just to the left of the 406-foot marker in distant left-center field. "Here's a swing and a high fly ball going deep to left! This may do it!" NBC Radio broadcasterChuck Thompson told the national audience. "Back to the wall goes(Yogi) Berra ... It is over the fence -- home run! The Pirates win! ... Ladies and gentlemen, Mazeroski has hit a one-nothing pitch over the left field fence at Forbes Field to win the 1960 World Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates!"
"I thought it would go over (the wall). I was hoping it would," Mazeroski told reporters in the jubilant home team clubhouse afterward. "But I was too happy to think. All year we've been a fighting, come-from-behind ballclub. We always felt we could pull it out even after the Yankees tied it in the ninth, but I didn't think I'd be the guy to do it." The legendary homer gave the Pirates their first World Series championship in 35 years and set off a raucous celebration in the Steel City that lasted for days.[11]
"I was almost at second base when (the ball) finally went over," Mazeroski said. "I was running so hard, just trying to make sure I'd get to third. Then it took a moment or two to realize what happened -- it was gone." At that point, Mazeroski finished his sprint around the bases like a giddy schoolboy before he was mobbed at home plate. "You know, all I could think about was, "We beat the Yankeesǃ We beat themǃ We beat the damn Yankeesǃ" he said.[11]
Fourteen-year-old Andy Jerpe retrieved the ball amid the cherry trees inSchenley Park, which was adjacent to the ballpark. After taking pictures with the ball for the gathered press, Mazeroski signed the ball for him in the clubhouse and told him, "Keep it. The memory's good enough for me," but the keepsake was lost during a neighborhood game a short time later.[12]
The Game 7 homer marked the third game-winning hit for Mazeroski in the series. In the fourth inning of Game 1, withDon Hoak on base, he hit a two-run homer off relieverJim Coates that cleared the large scoreboard in straight-away left field. The blow extended Pittsburgh's lead to 5–2 and proved to be the difference in a 6–4 victory. In Game 5, Mazeroski rapped a two-run double to left field off Art Ditmar that scored Hoak andGino Cimoli in the fourth inning. The hit gave his team a 3-0 advantage that held up in a 5-2 triumph. Even though Mazeroski hit .320 with team highs of five RBI, four runs scored and two home runs, Yankees counterpartBobby Richardson was selected theMost Valuable Player of the series.[10]
In September 2010, astatue of Mazeroski was unveiled outsidePNC Park in Pittsburgh, depicting his legendary home run celebration — a runner pose with both arms extended, ball cap in right hand.[13]
The home run was ranked number 2 onThe Sporting News' list of "Baseball's 25 Greatest Moments.[14] In 2020, writing forThe Athletic, sportswriterJoe Posnanski ranked the home run at number 8 in his series of "60 moments", a list of most memorable moments in baseball history.[15]
Mazeroski was the focus of a staged game-endingtriple play as part of a cameo appearance in the 1968 filmThe Odd Couple. In the scene,Oscar Madison is distracted from witnessing the play by an annoying phone call fromFelix Unger (immediately after predicting to fellow sportswriterHeywood Hale Broun the Mets still have a chance to win if Mazeroski hits into a triple play). Reportedly, the scene was actually filmed just prior to the start of a regular game atShea Stadium on June 27, 1967. Maz reported that he was given only 10 minutes to get it done:
They had a guy out there pitching and he was throwing fastballs. I knew I had to hit aliner to the third baseman. It only took two takes. The first pitch, I hit a line drive that went just foul. The second one, I hit a one-hopper right to third. He caught it, stepped on third, threw to second, threw to first, a triple play. Now that took talent!"[16]
Jack Fisher was the pitcher for the Mets in that scene. In reality, Mazeroski never suffered such an inglorious moment during his playing days, but he did record two triple plays as a fielder, both against theCincinnati Reds. On April 18, 1966, in the seventh inning of a home game,Vada Pinsonstruck out during adouble steal attempt. CatcherJesse Gonder threw to third basemanBob Bailey, who then threw to Mazeroski to retireTommy Harper off second base, and Mazeroski then threw to first basemanDonn Clendenon to retirePete Rose off first base; the Pirates went on to win 4-3.[17] And on July 31, 1968, in the second game of a doubleheader,Tommy Helms lined out to shortstopGene Alley in the fourth inning of a 10-1 Pirates victory; Alley threw to Mazeroski, who then threw to Clendenon, retiringLee May andTony Pérez before they could return to their bases.[18]
Mazeroski became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 1978, but initially drew little support before gradually gaining in the voting nearly every year; he ran out of initial eligibility in 1992, having never received 50% of the vote. Skeptics pointed to his shortcomings as a hitter; his .299on-base percentage remains the lowest of any non-pitcher in the Hall, though his power at the plate brings hison-base plus slugging figure more in line with other defensive stars elected previously, includingRabbit Maranville,Ray Schalk andLuis Aparicio.Newsweek columnistGeorge Will remarked in 1995, "The exclusion of Mazeroski fromCooperstown is a case of simple discrimination against defensive skills."[19] Mazeroski was finally elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in2001.
On induction day in Cooperstown, Mazeroski only made it as far into his prepared remarks as thanking theVeterans Committee voters for choosing a player based largely on defensive skills (a rarity) before getting so overcome with emotion that he had to stop. Apologizing to those who "had to come all the way up here to hear this crap," he then sat down to a long and loud standing ovation from the audience and his fellow Hall of Famers.[20]
In 1979, Mazeroski was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame.[21]
In 1995,Harrison Central High School inCadiz, Ohio had a field donated by Mazeroski which later became known as Mazeroski Field. In 2003,Buckeye Local High School in Rayland (which had since absorbed Warren Consolidated) honored him by naming their new baseball field after him, placing a monument behind home plate in recognition.
In 2004, theOhio Valley Athletic Conference saluted Mazeroski by electing him among the inaugural members of their Hall of Fame, alongside Boston Celtic greatJohn Havlicek and Olympic wrestlerBobby Douglas.
Mazeroski was recognized by Major League Baseball by being selected to throw out the first pitch of theHome Run Derby that preceded the 2006All-Star Game at Pittsburgh'sPNC Park, receiving a long standing ovation. He also was picked to manage the National League during the All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game during the All-Star week celebrations.
In 2022, Mazeroski was inducted as an inaugural member of thePirates Hall of Fame.[22]
In 1987, Mazeroski ran for theDemocratic nomination for County Commissioner in his home ofWestmoreland County, Pennsylvania but his bid was unsuccessful.[23]
Mazeroski resides inPanama City, Florida with his wife Milene (née Nicholson). Milene had been the secretary for Rex Bowen, at the time the head of the scouting department with the Pirates. The couple had two sons.[1] Darren is a retired junior college baseball coach, while Dave is an atmospheric scientist.
In 2010, the 50th anniversary of the1960 World Series, Mazeroski was to be the guest of honor at the first showing of the original television broadcast of Game 7; it was thought to be lost before it was discovered at the home ofBing Crosby, who had been co-owner of the Pirates throughout Mazeroski's career. However, he was unable to attend due to an undisclosed illness that left him hospitalized for several days.
The annual "Bill Mazeroski Golf Tournament" is held each spring. Proceeds from the event go to a baseball scholarship that is awarded to a senior graduate of Buckeye Local High School in Warren Township, which is located near his former high school.[24]
Mazeroski was featured in an FSN Pittsburgh commercial that featured former Pirates first basemanSean Casey.
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