As spring training starts, there is more sad news for the Pirates as the team announced this morning the passing of Bill Mazerosky at the age of 89.
Maz spent sixteen seasons in the big leagues, all with the Pirates, and hit one of the greatest home runs in baseball, the game winning shot over the left field wall at Forbes Field in game seven of the 1960 World Series.
(Video courtesy MLB)
He also was a part of the 1971 championship team, a ten-time all-star, eight-time gold glove winner and has the most double-plays by a second baseman in MLB history at 1,706.
He was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2001 by the Veterans Committee after his initial eligibility ran out in 1992. While Mazeroski acknowledged he was being inducted for his defensive abilities, he kept his remarks at the induction ceremony very short.
The Pirates post on social media announcing his passing said that he was “a beloved member of the Pirates family and he will be deeply missed.” He passed about a week after teammate Elroy Face died.
