PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Pirates announced Saturday morning Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski passed at age 89.
Maz talks with Larry Richert on KDKA Radio in 2020
His dramatic home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in game seven won the 1960 World Series against the heavily favored Yankees. He would hit .320 in that series with a pair of doubles and home runs and a .960 OPS.
Mazeroski was known more for his glove, one of the greatest defensive second basemen in the history of the game winning eight Gold Glove Awards. He still holds the National League record for most seasons leading the league in assists (nine) and double plays (eight). He also turned 161 double plays in 1966, which also remains an NL record.
There are a couple of quotes from his National Baseball Hall of Fame biography that really explain his impact in the field.
Teammate Vern Law said: “Maz would constantly come up with balls we thought were base hits. You’re running over to back up a base and here Maz has got the ball and he’s throwing that hitter out.”
Bill Virdon recalled what it was like playing behind him in center field. “The impressive thing about Maz was that he did everything at second base. I backed him up for six years and never got a ball,” Virdon said.
Over the years Mazeroski would spend time with Pirates infielders at Spring Training in Bradenton, most notably Neil Walker credited him for his help as he transitioned to play second base.
Growing up about an hour away from Pittsburgh in the Ohio Valley, Mazeroski was signed by the Pirates at 17-years-old and started for the Bucs at age 20. He is survived by his two sons, Darren and David, and four grandchildren.