Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski, who won eight Gold Glove awards while playing for the Pittsburgh Pirates, has passed away.
He was 89.
Mazeroski is known for his memorable walk-off home run in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series to defeat the Yankees.
“It is with a heavy heart that we relay the news of the passing of legendary Pirates and National Baseball Hall of Famer, Bill Mazeroski. Maz was a 7-time All-Star who hit the greatest home run in baseball history. He was a beloved member of the Pirates family and he will be deeply missed,” the Pittsburgh Pirates announced.
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) February 21, 2026
ESPN shared further:
Elected to the Hall by the Veterans Committee in 2001, he was, by some measures, no superstar. Mazeroski had the lowest batting average, on-base percentage and stolen base total of any second baseman in Cooperstown. He hit just .260 lifetime, with 138 homers and 27 stolen bases in 17 years, and had an on-base percentage of .299. He never batted .300, never approached 100 runs batted in or 100 runs scored and only once finished in the top 10 for Most Valuable Player.
His best qualities were both tangible and beyond the box score. His Hall of Fame plaque praises him as a “defensive wizard” with “hard-nosed hustle” and a “quiet work ethic.” A 10-time All-Star, he turned a major league record 1,706 double plays, earning the nickname “No Hands” for how quickly he fielded grounders and relayed them. He led the National League nine times in assists for second basemen and has been cited by statistician Bill James as the game’s greatest defensive player at his position — by far.
“I think defense belongs in the Hall of Fame,” Mazeroski said during his Hall of Fame induction speech. “Defense deserves as much credit as pitching, and I’m proud to be going in as a defensive player.”
But his career’s signature moment took place in the batter’s box, as the square-jawed, tobacco-chewing Mazeroski, a coal miner’s son from West Virginia, lived out the dream of so many kids who thought of playing professional ball.
The Pirates had not reached the World Series since 1927, when they were swept by the New York Yankees, and again faced the Yankees in 1960. While New York was led by Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, Pittsburgh had few prominent names beyond a young Roberto Clemente. It relied on hitters ranging from shortstop Dick Groat to outfielder Bob Skinner, and the starting pitchers Vernon Law and Bob Friend. Mazeroski, who turned 24 that September, finished the season with a .273 average and usually batted eighth.
The series told one story in the runs column and another in wins and losses. The Yankees outscored the Pirates 55-27, and 38-3 in the three games they won. Mazeroski’s counterpart on New York, Bobby Richardson, drove in a record 12 runs and was named the Series MVP — even though he was on the losing team. Yankees ace Whitey Ford shut out the Pirates twice on his way to a then-record 33⅔ straight scoreless World Series innings.
“We are saddened by the passing of Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski, who hit one of the greatest home runs in baseball history. On Oct. 13, 1960, Game 7 of the World Series, bottom of the 9th inning, Mazeroski smashed a walk-off home run to lead the Pirates to a 10-9 win over the Yankees for the championship,” MLB stated.
“Mazeroski’s most famous moment was just a snapshot of his brilliant career. A 10-time All-Star and 8-time Gold Glove winner in 17 seasons with Pittsburgh, Mazeroski was considered one of the finest defensive second basemen of all time. He hit .323 in 12 Postseason games and won 2 World Series rings with the Pirates. A statue depicting Mazeroski’s famous trip around the bases in 1960 stands outside PNC Park in Pittsburgh,” it continued.
We are saddened by the passing of Hall of Fame second baseman Bill Mazeroski, who hit one of the greatest home runs in baseball history.
On Oct. 13, 1960, Game 7 of the World Series, bottom of the 9th inning, Mazeroski smashed a walk-off home run to lead the Pirates to a 10-9… pic.twitter.com/HTeQtd1MF4
— MLB (@MLB) February 21, 2026
More from the New York Post:
There is a 14-foot, 2,000-pound statue of Mazeroski rounding the bases with his arms in the air and one foot on the ground outside of the right-field gate at Pittsburgh’s PNC Park.
It was unveiled in 2010 as part of the 50th anniversary of the iconic home-run trot.
The ball sailed over the left-field wall as Yogi Berra pursued it.
Mazeroski turned a MLB record 1,706 double plays and became a 10-time All-Star. He hit .260 with a .299 on-base percentage and 138 home runs and 27 stolen bases over 17 regular seasons.
“Bill Mazeroski was synonymous with one of the greatest home runs in baseball history for more than 65 years,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. “While his bat delivered the first walk-off, series-ending home run in the history of our Fall Classic in 1960, it was Bill’s glove that earned him recognition from the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001. The career Pirate was an eight-time Gold Glove second baseman, a position he played upon the guidance of Hall of Fame executive Branch Rickey. Bill understood that a run saved in the field was as important as a run driven in.
Watch the legendary home run below:
