Next up in my fun series of "Nickname" cards is none other than Pittsburgh Pirates legend Willie Stargell, aka "Pops".
Take a look:
I designed the card with a 1979 template since that was the year
Stargell led the Pirates to a World Championship, even winning a
co-M.V.P. (with Keith Hernandez of the Cardinals).
Sure, he had better years during his Hall of Fame career, but '79
was the "We Are Family" season where Stargell took on a father-like
leadership of the Pittsburgh team, and I remember that season, and that
run, very well!
Besides his M.V.P. that season, Stargell also finished in second
place for the award twice in his career, 1971 and 1973. And for good
measure, he finished third in the running in between, in 1972.
Always a "big bopper", Stargell led the league in homers twice,
runs batted in once, doubles once, and slugging once, all between the
years of 1971 and 1974.
A seven-time all-star, by the time he retired after the 1982 season
Stargell popped 475 home runs to go along with 1540 R.B.I.'s, 423
doubles, 1194 runs scored and a .282 batting average.
Absolutely loved in Pittsburgh, and throughout baseball, he was
inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, being named on 352 of 427
ballots.
He played 21 years in the Major Leagues, and they were all for the Pirates.
"Pops"!
