Signature Event
Oct. 13, 1960 - It didn't look as if the Pirates would need any heroics from Bill Mazeroski
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| Mazeroski is mobbed after his homer gave the Pirates the 1960 World Series championship. |
when they scored five runs in the eighth inning, the final three on Hal Smith's homer, to take a 9-7 lead over the Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series. But New York rallied for two runs in the ninth, with some elusive baserunning by Mickey Mantle at first base allowing the tying run to score.
Mazeroski momentarily forgot that he was leading off the bottom of the inning and had to be reminded by someone on the bench. As he walked to the plate, his thought was "get on base." Years later, he said he said he thought the Pirates would lose. The first pitch from Ralph Terry was a high fastball for ball one. The second was a slider, or so Terry said.
But, Mazeroski remembered, it didn't slide. When he hit the pitch, he thought the ball would reach the wall at Forbes Field, so he ran all out. But when leftfielder Yogi Berra circled away from the wall, Maz knew the Pirates had won. Fans poured on the field, but Pirate players formed a V around home plate that allowed Mazeroski to touch home with the run that made the Pirates, who were outhit 91-60 and outscored 55-27, world champions for the first time in 35 years.
Maz's homer is the only one that ever has ended a World Series Game 7.
Odds 'n' Ends
To earn the money for his first baseball glove, Mazeroski dug an outhouse for his Uncle Og, who would later coach him in semipro ball.
Mazeroski gained more fame for his basketball skills than his baseball talent at Warren Consolidated High School in Tiltonsville, Ohio.
Mazeroski's wife, the former Milene Nicholson, was an employee in the Pirates front office when they were introduced to each other by manager Danny Murtaugh.
Murtaugh vetoed a proposed trade that would have sent Mazeroski to Kansas City after the 1958 season. The player the Pirates would have received? Roger Maris.
Mazeroski earned the nickname "No Touch" for his technique of ricocheting the ball from his glove to his bare hand.
In his rookie year, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Vada Pinson was offered $100 if he could take Mazeroski out at second. But when he slid into Maz, he ended up limping off the field to the laughter of his teammates.
To strengthen his arm, one of the strongest among second basemen, Maz practiced by playing catch with his right elbow held firmly against his side.
Shortstop Gene Alley says that he and Mazeroski only twice failed to make possible double plays in 1966.
Mazeroski used the same glove for years. After the 1960 World Series, he thought he had lost it, but Roberto Clemente showed up with it the following year in spring training. The glove, which had gotten into his
gear by mistake, was so battered several kids in Puerto Rico had refused to accept it as a gift from Clemente.
Maz succeeded Dick Groat as team captain in 1963, after his first shortstop partner was traded to the Cardinals.
Mazeroski also holds a National League record for having five straight seasons (1960-64) leading the circuit in assists. He accomplished this playing his home games on the notoriously hard and rough Forbes Field infield.
He led the league in chances eight times, a NL record.
He tied a NL mark for having more than 500 assists in five seasons. (Ryne Sandberg broke the record with six.)
Maz also hold the major league record for most games played by a second baseman in one season, 163 in 1967. Between 1965-68, he played in 392 consecutive games, then a NL record for second basemen.
He also led NL second basemen in fielding percentage three times (1960, 1965 and 1966).
When Maz set the major league record with 161 double plays in 1966, he broke his own NL mark of 144 in 1961, still the third highest total in history.
Maz's favorite defensive play came against the Mets. He stabbed a hard grounder to his left on the edge of the outfield grass, turned all the way around, and threw out Tommie Agee at home by 10 feet as he tried to score from second on what he thought was a sure hit.
Only four first basemen in history have participated in more double plays than Mazeroski.
Maz and other Pirates appeared in the 1968 movie version of "The Odd Couple." When Clemente refused to hit into a triple play for the cameras, Maz assumed the role and did the job in only two takes.
Mazeroski's dietary habits amazed teammates. Manny Sanguillen said Maz would order two Budweisers and two kielbasa sausages for breakfast.
The Pirates retired Mazeroski's No. 9 on Aug. 7, 1987.
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