Bill Mazeroski, Pittsburgh Pirates legend and 1960 World Series hero, dies at 89

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA: Bill Mazeroski, the Hall of Fame second baseman best known for his dramatic Game 7 walk-off home run in the 1960 World Series, has died at the age of 89. The Pittsburgh Pirates announced that Mazeroski died on Friday, February 20.

No cause of death was provided. Over a 17-season career spent entirely with Pittsburgh, Mazeroski became one of baseball’s most accomplished defensive infielders and a defining figure in franchise history.

Pittsburgh Pirates and MLB remember a franchise icon

Pirates chairman Bob Nutting paid tribute to Mazeroski’s impact on and off the field.

“Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend … 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: humble, gracious and proud to be a Pirate,” he said.

Mazeroski was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001 by the Veterans Committee. 

Though his offensive statistics were modest compared with many Hall of Fame players- a .260 career batting average, 138 home runs and a .299 on-base percentage- he earned recognition for his defensive excellence.

His plaque describes him as a “defensive wizard” with “hard-nosed hustle” and a “quiet work ethic.”

He led the National League nine times in assists at his position and eight times in double plays, including 161 in a single season in 1966, a mark that still stands. 

During his Hall of Fame induction speech, he emphasized the importance of his craft, saying, “I think defense belongs in the Hall of Fame. Defense deserves as much credit as pitching, and I’m proud to be going in as a defensive player.”

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred also issued a statement, saying, “Bill Mazeroski was synonymous with one of the greatest home runs in baseball history for more than 65 years.”

Manfred added, “While his bat delivered the first walk-off, 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.”

He extended condolences “to Bill's family, his friends across our game, and all the loyal fans of Pittsburgh.”

The home run that defined a career

Mazeroski’s place in baseball history was cemented on October 13, 1960, at Forbes Field.

Facing the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series, the Pirates and Yankees battled through a back-and-forth contest that ended tied 9-9 entering the bottom of the ninth inning.

Leading off the inning against Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry, Mazeroski hit a home run over the left-field wall, giving Pittsburgh a 10-9 victory and its first championship since 1925.

The blast remains the only Game 7 walk-off home run in World Series history.

Reflecting on the moment years later, Mazeroski told The New York Times in 1985, "I was just looking to get on base."

He said, "Nothing fancy, just looking for a fastball until he got a strike on me. I thought it would be off the wall, and I wanted to make third if the ball ricocheted away from Berra. But when I got around first and was digging for second, I saw the umpire waving circles above his head, and I knew it was over."