Willie Stargell had already crafted the majority of his Hall of Fame career when the 1979 World Series began. But by the end of those seven games against the Baltimore Orioles, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ lovable slugger had cemented a legacy destined for Cooperstown.
On Oct. 17, 1979, Stargell hammered a two-run homer off Baltimore’s Scott McGregor in the sixth inning of Game 7, erasing a 1-0 Orioles lead. The Pirates went on to win the game 4-1, capturing the World Series title.
Stargell was named the Most Valuable Player of that World Series, capping a season where he was also the co-National League MVP (along with Keith Hernandez) and the NLCS MVP. He accomplished it all at the age of 39.
“Having (Stargell) on your ballclub,” said Pirates manager Chuck Tanner, “is like having a diamond ring on your finger.”
In Game 7 of the 1979 World Series, McGregor had allowed just three hits in his first five innings – two of which came off the bat of Stargell. In the sixth, Bill Robinson – the Pirates’ cleanup hitter – stroked a one-out single to left field before Stargell followed with a blast to deep right on the first pitch of the at-bat.