His speed made him a constant threat on the basepaths and he distracted pitchers even if he didn’t try to steal. He was credited with reviving the stolen base as a strategy. Wills led the NL in stolen bases from 1960-65, was a seven-time All-Star selection and won Gold Glove Awards in 1961 and ’62. However, the security guard wouldn’t let him in, saying he was too small to be a ballplayer. He arrived at the ballpark carrying a Dodgers bag and wearing a Dodgers shirt. Wills stayed at home with his family instead of at the team hotel for the All-Star Game. He was the National League Most Valuable Player in 1962, the same year he was MVP of the All-Star Game played in his hometown of Washington, D.C. Wills had his own stint as a manager, guiding the Seattle Mariners from 1980-81, going 26-56 with a winning percentage of. Even to this day, he would be there cheering for me, rooting for me.” “It just showed that he was in it with me. “I remember during games when I played here he would come down from the suite and tell me I need to bunt or I need to do this,” Roberts said. Wills took an active role in Roberts’ playing tenure with the Dodgers. I think a lot of where I get my excitement, my passion, my love for players is from Maury.” “He just kind of showed me to appreciate my craft, showed me how to be a big leaguer. “He was a friend, a father, a mentor - all of the above for me, so this is a tough one for me,” he said. Guardians take WC opener as Ramírez homers, Bieber dominates The team will wear a patch in memory of Wills for the rest of this season. The Dodgers honored Wills with a moment of silence before the opener of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday and showed his career highlights on the stadium video boards. That season he became the first player to steal more than 100 bases. Wills broke Ty Cobb’s single-season record for stolen bases with his 97th swipe on Sept. 281 with 2,134 hits and 586 stolen bases in 1,942 games. He also played for Pittsburgh and Montreal before returning to the Dodgers from 1969-72, when he retired.ĭuring his 14-year career, Wills batted. Wills played on World Series title teams in 1959, ’63 and ’65 during his first eight seasons with the Dodgers. Wills died Monday night at home in Sedona, Arizona, the team said Tuesday after being informed by family members. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Maury Wills, who intimidated pitchers with his base-stealing prowess as a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers on three World Series championship teams, has died.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |