Season 27, Day 3 - "Off to a Good STARt"

It's Pirate week, and today's quiz is inspired by Willie Stargell.

Willie Stargell

“He doesn’t just hit pitchers, he takes away their dignity.”

Willie Stargell was a baseball player who spent his entire MLB career (1962-1982) with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nicknamed “Pops,” Stargell played the first part of his career in the outfield (primarily left field) before moving to first base. He was a World Series champion with the Pirates in 1971 and 1979 (both times over the Baltimore Orioles), winning the World Series MVP and regular season National League MVP in 1979. He was one of the most feared power hitters of his era, tallying more home runs in the 1970s than any other player; his impressive career total of 475 would be higher if he hadn’t played at the cavernous Forbes Field until 1970. At one time, Stargell held the record for the longest home run in a number of major league ballparks; he still holds the record for Dodger Stadium, where he hit two balls completely out of the park (only four other home runs have cleared the stadium in its history). While most players warm up with a weighted bat in the on-deck circle, Stargell often used a sledgehammer (pictured above). He had an iconic batting routine in which he would windmill his bat until the pitcher started his windup; The Sporting News ranked him #4 on their list of “the MLB batting stances we’ve imitated most in the backyard.” Known for his affable personality as well his great play, Stargell was responsible for the adoption of the Sister Sledge song “We Are Family” as the team anthem of the 1979 World Series champion Pirates.