The Protection Rests: A Tribute to Invoice Mazeroski (1936–2026)

All WAR figures discuss with the Baseball Reference model except in any other case indicated.

Within the 121-year historical past of the trendy World Sequence, simply as soon as has a participant hit a walk-off house run within the seventh and deciding sport. Within the finale of the 1960 World Sequence, Invoice Mazeroski, the light-hitting second baseman for the Pirates, linked for a solo homer off the Yankees’ Ralph Terry, driving the ball over the brick left subject wall of Pittsburgh’s Forbes Discipline to ship a surprising upset and produce one of the crucial indelible moments in baseball historical past. Whereas it wasn’t totally out of character — Mazeroski had already homered as soon as in that World Sequence and would hit 138 common season house runs for his profession — the 24-year-old second baseman rode the notoriety of that conclusive blast proper into Cooperstown. A well-decorated fielding whiz who by no means managed a league-average season on the plate, he was elected to the Corridor of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 2001, and a quarter-century later stays a controversial alternative.

Mazeroski’s house run stands among the many sport’s most well-known, up there with Babe Ruth’s “Referred to as Shot” within the 1932 World Sequence, Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ‘Around the World” to win the 1951 pennant for the New York Giants and Joe Carter’s 1993 World Sequence-ending two-run homer, which not like Mazeroski’s — which broke a 9-9 tie — turned a possible defeat into victory, albeit in Recreation 6, not Recreation 7. One may swap out one other homer for Ruth’s, resembling Ted Williams’ career-capping blast from 1960, Henry Aaron’s record-breaking 715th from 1974, or signature October blasts by Bucky Dent, Carlton Fisk, or Kirk Gibson, but when there’s a Mount Rushmore of homers, Mazeroski’s declare on a spot is rock-solid.

“Each day of my life I consider that house run. Wouldn’t you for those who had hit it?” Mazeroski later stated with typical humility. “Individuals at all times are reminding me of it. I suppose it have to be a very powerful factor I’ve ever carried out.”

Mazeroski died on Friday in Lansdale, Pennsylvania on the age of 89, in accordance with the Pirates. No reason for dying was given. He’s the second member of these 1960 champions to move away this month, after reliever Elroy Face, who died on February 12.

In a 17-year profession with the Pirates (1956–1972), Mazeroski received eight Gold Gloves and made 10 All-Star groups, counting the three seasons within the 1959–62 span throughout which he was chosen for each video games. Famend for his impeccable footwork, certain arms, and lightning-quick pivot, he led NL second basemen in double performs in eight consecutive years (1960–67) and is the profession chief in that class, with 1,706. In the meantime, he’s fifth on the place in assists (6,685), seventh in putouts (4,974), and eleventh in video games (2,094). Primarily based on Whole Zone’s estimates, his 147 fielding runs ranks third amongst gamers who performed at the least 50% of their video games on the place, behind solely Bid McPhee (154 from 1882–99) and Joe Gordon (150 from 1938–50). Mazeroski did all of this whereas sporting an exceptionally small glove to stop the ball from getting misplaced within the webbing, and whereas taking part in the overwhelming majority of his house video games on Forbes Discipline’s notoriously exhausting infield, which longtime Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince dubbed “alabaster plaster.”

“All people talked about his fast arms, however no person talked about his leg work,” former Pirates common supervisor Joe L. Brown stated of Mazeroski in 2001. “[Manager] Danny Murtaugh used to say his legs have been so fast, so agile, he had the leg management of a ballet dancer.”

“He had marvelous vary, nice instincts and by no means threw to the improper base,” Dick Groat, Mazeroski’s major double play companion from 1956–62, advised ESPN for its SportsCentury collection. “If I might transfer Maz and inform him to play right here or play there, I by no means needed to inform him a second time. Ever.”

Gene Alley, the Pirates’ common shortstop from 1964–72, defined Mazeroski’s quickness on the double play to ESPN:

“Maz by no means actually caught the ball, by no means actually closed his glove over it, turning the double play. He may tilt his glove at an angle and maintain his hand simply so. It was a marvel the ball stayed in there. Then it could slide out in his hand similar to that. He was the one one I ever noticed do it like that.”

Against this, Mazeroski was not a lot of a hitter, although his 12 seasons of on a regular basis play (1957–68) did assist him amass 2,016 hits. For his profession, he batted .260/.299/.367, making him the one Corridor of Fame place participant with an on-base proportion beneath .300. Amongst that group, his 84 OPS+ is forward of solely shortstops Luis Aparicio and Rabbit Maranville (each 82) and catcher Ray Schalk (83).

William Stanley Mazeroski was born on September 5, 1936 in Wheeling, West Virginia, about 60 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. The household — dad and mom Louis and Mayme, sister Mary and Invoice — lived on the opposite aspect of the Ohio River, in a one-room tumbledown home with no electrical energy or indoor plumbing in Little Rush Run, Ohio. Louis was a coal miner who had been a standout sandlot shortstop, getting a tryout with Cleveland earlier than his foot was crushed in a mining accident at age 17.

Regardless of — or due to — the damage, Louis tried to reside out his main league goals by instructing his son baseball beginning at a really younger age, sharpening his reflexes and adjusting to dangerous hops by fielding tennis balls that caromed off a brick wall. Although the youthful Mazeroski solely grew to be 5-foot-11, he starred as a middle for Warren Consolidated Excessive Faculty’s basketball staff, incomes Second Workforce All-Ohio honors as a senior and receiving scholarship presents from Ohio State, Duquesne, and West Virginia College. On the diamond he was a four-year letterman, starring as a shortstop and pitcher. Regardless of having solely 60 college students in his graduating class, the college’s staff made all of it the best way to the finals of the state championship event in 1953. Mazeroski drew curiosity from scouts for Cleveland, the Phillies, Purple Sox, and White Sox, in addition to the Pirates. He selected Pittsburgh as a result of it was the one staff keen to begin him above Class D, signing for a $4,000 bonus.

Mazeroski was nonetheless simply 17 when he started his profession at A-level Williamsport, the place he hit a mere .235/.291/.333 with three house runs in 93 video games in 1954. He was a full-time shortstop that season, however the next spring, common supervisor Department Rickey determined that between his arm energy and spectacular capacity to make the pivot on the double play, Mazeroski was higher suited to second. The Pirates began him at Hollywood of the Pacific Coast League in 1955 — then thought of one stage above Triple-A — however he struggled in 20 video games there earlier than returning to Williamsport, the place, as an 18-year-old in a league the place the typical age was 24, he hit a way more spectacular .293/.354/.438 with 11 homers in 114 video games. He performed effectively sufficient in a return to Hollywood in 1956 (.306/.358/.465, his solely time with a .300 batting common at any stage) that the Pirates known as him up in early July. On July 7, 1956, 59 days earlier than his twentieth birthday, he debuted, accumulating a single off the Giants’ Johnny Antonelli in his first plate look. He spent his first 5 weeks along with his batting common typically beneath .200, however heated up in mid-August throughout a stretch that included his first house run, one among three hits he collected off the Phillies’ Robin Roberts, a future Corridor of Famer, on August 16. He completed the season with a .243/.290/.318 (67 OPS+) line and three homers in 81 video games.

The Pirates completed seventh within the NL with a 66-88 report in 1956, their first time escaping final place since ’51, and their first with Brown as their GM; even with Rickey in that function, that they had misplaced 317 video games from 1952–54, however by the point Mazeroski had arrived, the youth motion was exhibiting returns. Rickey had signed Groat in June 1952, and had plucked 20-year-old Roberto Clemente from the Dodgers as a Rule 5 choose in November 1954, whereas Brown traded for heart fielder Invoice Virdon in mid-1955. Although the Pirates really backslid to 62-92 in 1957, they went 26-25 after Murtaugh took over from the fired Bobby Bragan — a transfer that got here as a reduction to the younger Mazeroski, who later advised Sports activities Illustrated, “I immediately felt as if an elephant had simply climbed down off my shoulders.”

Aided by hitting coach George Sisler, Mazeroski discovered to make use of the entire subject higher as an alternative of making an attempt to tug each ball. He improved to a decent .283/.318/.407 (96 OPS+) with eight house runs and three.6 WAR in 1957, his first full season. The Pirates rocketed to 84-70 and a second-place end in 1958, with the 21-year-old Mazeroski having what would stand as his finest season on each side of the ball. He hit .275/.308/.439 (97 OPS+) with 19 homers, was elected to begin his first All-Star Recreation, received his first Gold Glove, and ranked seventh within the NL with 4.7 WAR. Whereas he would match each that mark and its underlying 23 fielding runs in 1963, he would by no means surpass these numbers.

After marrying Milene Nicholson, the secretary of the Pirates’ head of scouting, in October 1958, Mazeroski didn’t preserve in form throughout that offseason, reporting to spring coaching 15 kilos chubby. He misplaced vary, and a pulled muscle in his leg didn’t assist; whereas he was chosen for each All-Star video games, he slipped to a 67 OPS+ and 0.2 WAR. With Sisler counseling him to maneuver deeper within the batter’s field and wait on curveballs till they broke, he rebounded to .273/.320/.392 (94 OPS+) with 11 house runs and a couple of.5 WAR in 1960, once more beginning each All-Star Video games and claiming his second Gold Glove. Led by Groat and third baseman Don Hoak — who completed second to Groat within the NL MVP voting — in addition to Clemente and Cy Younger winner Vern Regulation, the Pirates received 95 video games and took house their first pennant since 1927.

Although the World Sequence towards the Yankees went all the way down to the ultimate pitch, New York’s three wins have been all by at the least 10 runs — 16-3 in Recreation 2, 10-0 in Recreation 3, and 12-0 in Recreation 6 — whereas the Pirates’ have been all by three runs or fewer. Within the combination, the Pirates have been outscored 55-27 and outhit 91-60, although they benefited from Yankees supervisor Casey Stengel’s curious choice to not begin Whitey Ford in Recreation 1, thus conserving him lined up for begins in Video games 4 and seven. Ford as an alternative began solely Video games 3 and 6, a choice that contributed to the 70-year-old Stengel’s shedding his job shortly after the collection regardless of having led the Yankees to 10 pennants and 7 championships in 12 years.

Mazeroski went 2-for-4 in Recreation 1, with a two-run homer off Jim Coates within the fourth inning of a 6-4 win. He collected hits in every of the following 4 video games as effectively, together with a two-run double to chase starter Artwork Ditmar within the second inning of Recreation 5.

In Recreation 7, the Pirates took an early 4-0 lead, with Mazeroski contributing a bunt single to load the bases within the second inning earlier than coming round to attain. Aided by house runs by Invoice Skowron and Yogi Berra, the Yankees rebounded, and by the eighth inning they led 7-4. The Pirates answered again by scoring 5 runs within the eighth — all with out Mazeroski batting — with Hal Smith’s two-out, three-run homer off Coates giving them a 9-7 lead. The Yankees tied the sport within the prime of the ninth towards reliever Harvey Haddix, however as Roger Angell later recalled, Mazeroski made a key defensive play with two outs and Mickey Mantle on first:

… an amazing play that may without end go insufficiently sung, due to what occurred afterward and since it was a easy pressure at second. Certainly with the fleet Mantle barreling towards second on the pitch, [Pirates shortstop] Dick Groat’s finest play on Skowron’s grounder into the outlet was to first. Groat, nevertheless, after bobbling the ball barely, regarded to Mazeroski and rushed his throw, which went broad, certainly wider than the compactly put-together Maz may stretch. However Maz, for whom second base is T.S. Eliot’s “nonetheless level of the turning world,” appeared to put each fibre of his being finish to finish for an prompt to snag Groat’s throw and nip the sliding Mantle by a heartbeat. After which he jogged in towards the underside of the ninth and immortality.

That arrange Mazeroski’s leadoff at-bat towards Terry, who had relieved Coates following Smith’s homer and retired Hoak on a fly ball to finish the eighth. Terry, who had warmed up 5 instances because the first inning, fell behind 1-0 as Mazeroski handed on a shoulder-high fastball off the plate. His subsequent pitch — a slider that didn’t slide — was over the plate, and Mazeroski clouted it over the left subject wall, with Berra (in left subject) and Mantle (in heart) giving half-hearted chase however having no likelihood. Pandemonium ensued as followers stormed the sphere whereas Mazeroski rounded the bases, batting helmet in hand.

Remarkably, Mazeroski — who hit .320/.320/.640 with 5 RBI — was not named the World Sequence MVP. As a substitute, the honour went to Yankees second baseman Bobby Richardson, who drove in 12 runs, a report now shared with Freddie Freeman of the 2024 Dodgers. The MVP vote had been taken within the eighth inning of Recreation 7, and it stays the one time because the award’s inception (in 1955) that it went to a member of the shedding staff. Mazeroski did win that 12 months’s Babe Ruth Award, given by the New York BBWAA chapter to essentially the most excellent participant within the postseason.

For as climactic because it was, Mazeroski’s homer ranks solely eighth by way of championship win chance added (cWPA). As MLB.com’s Mike Petriello defined final fall within the wake of the Dodgers’ thrilling Recreation 7 win over the Blue Jays, Hal Smith’s homer within the earlier inning turned a one-run deficit right into a two-run lead, growing the Pirates’ championship odds by 63.6%. Mazeroski’s homer “solely” improved their possibilities by 36.7% — which is to say that with no outs and the rating tied in a walk-off scenario, the percentages of the Pirates profitable on the level of his homer have been already increased.

Simply 24 years previous on the time of his signature blast, Mazeroski nonetheless had loads of baseball forward of him. He spent the following eight seasons because the Pirates’ beginning second baseman, hitting a mixed .262/.298/.368 (87 OPS+) whereas averaging 152 video games, 10 house runs, 13 fielding runs, and three.1 WAR per 12 months. He received 5 straight Gold Gloves in that span (1963–67), perennially main NL second basemen in most key defensive classes, and began All-Star Video games in 1962 (twice) and ’67, whereas making the groups as a reserve two different instances. After Groat was traded to the Cardinals in November 1962, the Pirates appointed Mazeroski staff captain.

The Pirates’ aggressive fortunes ebbed and flowed throughout the eight seasons following their World Sequence title. They received 93 video games in 1962, 90 in ’65, and 92 in ’66, however in addition they completed beneath .500 4 instances in these eight seasons, and proper at .500 as soon as. They positioned third in a 10-team league in each 1965 and ’66, three video games behind the Dodgers within the latter season, however within the years earlier than division play and wild playing cards, that wasn’t sufficient. Murtaugh stepped down after 1964 resulting from well being issues, although he returned to the dugout for the second half of 1967, when he guided the staff to a 39–39 report after Harry Walker was fired.

Mazeroski had confirmed ultra-durable throughout that span. From 1964–67, he reached the 162-game mark 3 times, with a excessive of 163 (together with a tie sport) in ’67. He missed the primary 21 video games of the 1965 season after fracturing a metatarsal in his proper foot, and performed in simply 130 video games that 12 months. In 1969, a recurrent hamstring damage restricted him to only 67 video games, together with simply six after June 29. With Murtaugh again on the helm in 1970, Mazeroski performed 112 video games, however his 65 OPS+ and 1.1 WAR each prompt the Pirates may do higher, and because the season went on, he more and more yielded to 22-year-old rookie Dave Money. On June 28, 1970, Mazeroski did have the excellence of recording the ultimate out of Forbes Discipline’s 62-year historical past on a forceout at second off the bat of the Cubs’ Don Kessinger; this, after he had collected the Pirates’ closing hit on the ballpark, an eighth-inning double. One other double, on August 17 off the Astros’ Wade Blasingame, marked Mazeroski’s 2,000th profession hit.

The Pirates went 89-73 in 1970, profitable the NL East, however they have been swept by the Reds within the best-of-five Nationwide League Championship Sequence, with Mazeroski going hitless in his solely begin in Recreation 3. Lowered to a reserve function, he slipped beneath alternative stage in 1971 and ’72, however nonetheless served as a valued mentor to the staff’s youthful gamers, together with Money and fellow second baseman Rennie Stennett. The Pirates repeated as NL East champions in each seasons; in these postseasons, Mazeroski was restricted to pinch-hit responsibility. His pinch-single within the second inning of Recreation 4 of the 1971 NLCS off the Giants’ Gaylord Perry led to a game-tying three-run homer by Richie Hebner. The Pirates clinched the collection that afternoon, and went on to beat the Orioles within the World Sequence.

Mazeroski retired after the 1972 season, transferring immediately into a task because the staff’s third base coach below Virdon, who regardless of profitable the division title as a rookie supervisor didn’t make it by the next season; Murtaugh got here out of retirement in September. Mazeroski didn’t return to teach in 1974, however did coach third for the Mariners in ’78 and ’79. He usually served as a spring teacher for the Pirates, making an impression upon one more technology of gamers. In 2010, he tutored Neil Walker as he made the conversion from third base to second. “He was in both his late 60s or early 70s at the moment, and he was nonetheless fairly spectacular,” Walker recalled within the wake of Mazeroski’s dying. “The arms have been nonetheless there, the glove was nonetheless there, the footwork was nonetheless there. The eyes have been in all probability going somewhat bit, however it was simply unimaginable.”

The Pirates honored Mazeroski by retiring his no. 9 in 1987. After his election to the Corridor of Fame in 2001, the staff named a avenue exterior PNC Park Mazeroski Manner in his honor. On his birthday in 2010, a bronze statue commemorating his jubilant journey across the bases following his Sequence-winning homer was unveiled alongside the Allegheny River exterior PNC Park. Forbes Discipline was razed in 1972, however a plaque commemorating Mazeroski’s house run nonetheless stands on the positioning, together with a portion of the brick outfield wall. Since October 13, 1985, on the twenty fifth anniversary of the house run, followers collect on the spot yearly to rewatch the sport, timing it in order that Mazeroski’s house run occurs at 3:36 p.m., because it initially did. For the fiftieth anniversary in 2010, Mazeroski and over 1,000 followers confirmed as much as rejoice.

Mazeroski grew to become eligible for election to the Corridor of Fame on the BBWAA’s 1978 poll. He scraped by with simply 6.1% of the vote, didn’t attain double digits till 1983, and after 5 years spent within the 30% vary, topped out at 42.3% in ’92, his closing 12 months of eligibility. Beginning in 1996, his case was taken up by the Veterans Committee on an annual foundation. With Brown serving because the committee’s chairman — and alas conserving alive the VC’s lengthy historical past of cronyism — Mazeroski didn’t lack for assist. After falling one vote wanting election in 2000, he was elected the following 12 months. Ted Williams, who had served on the committee since 1986 and had been frank about his unwillingness to assist Mazeroski resulting from his weak offense, missed the 2001 vote whereas recovering from open-heart surgical procedure. As a substitute of needing 12 out 15 votes to clear 75%, Mazeroski solely wanted 11 out of 14, and he squeaked by.

It might be an understatement to counsel that the election sparked controversy. “The Corridor of Fame Veterans Committee was created to rectify errors. Which implies its subsequent act must be self-abolishment,” wrote the New York Submit’s Joel Sherman. Implicitly, the Corridor agreed, overhauling the committee format so that every one residing Corridor of Famers, all Spink and Frick Award winners (writers and broadcasters), and all VC panelists whose phrases had not expired (a bunch that didn’t embrace Brown) would have a vote on a biennial foundation, beginning in 2003.

“You dream of lots of issues,” Mazeroski stated of his election, steering away from the controversy. “You need to be within the large leagues. You need to make the All-Star Recreation. You need to be in a World Sequence. You need to do all these issues. However you by no means dream of this. It’s fairly thrilling. I simply hope I can reside as much as it.”

Although he started his induction speech by noting he’d written 12 pages, Mazeroski ended up delivering one of many shortest speeches in Corridor historical past. “I feel protection belongs within the Corridor of Fame. Protection deserves as a lot credit score as pitching and hitting, and I’m proud and honored to be going into the Corridor of Fame on the defensive aspect and principally for my defensive talents,” he stated. Overcome by emotion, he continued for only a couple extra minutes. “I assumed when the Pirates retired my quantity that will be the best factor ever to occur to me… I feel you’ll be able to kiss these 12 pages down the drain… I need to thank all of the family and friends who made this lengthy journey up right here to take heed to me converse and listen to this crap.”

Does Mazeroski belong in Cooperstown? By the superior statistics, his case is flimsy. Even along with his sturdy standing in fielding runs, his 36.5 profession WAR and 31.2 JAWS each rank simply 52nd, decrease than any non-Negro Leagues Corridor of Famer on the place, within the common neighborhood of different glove wizards resembling Placido Polanco, Mark Ellis, and Frank White, to not point out a much less achieved defender who hit a game-winning homer in a World Sequence Recreation 7, Howie Kendrick.

Such is the ability of 1 fateful swing of the bat. Protection alone isn’t sufficient to get a participant to Cooperstown, however protection and one of the crucial well-known and enduring house runs in baseball historical past? That’s one other story.