Willie Stargell

After playing alongside Roberto Clemente for a decade, Willie Stargell took over as the emotional leader of the Pittsburgh Pirates during the '70s. His clutch home runs and inspirational presence helped make the 1970s the most productive decade in the club's history, capped by the "We Are Family" World Series of 1979 -- when the Bucs bounced back to win the championship after trailing three games to one.
His ticket to Cooperstown: 475 career home runs, giving out Stargell's stars to adorn worthy players' caps, and a some prodigious blasts outside Pittsburgh. He belted the first home run in the first game ever at Shea Stadium, and hit the longest homers ever measured at three ballparks -- Dodgers Stadium, Olympic Stadium and Veterans Stadium.
Stargell was also quotable. Try this one from early in his career, as he spoke about a fellow Hall of Famer: "Trying to hit Sandy Koufax was like trying to drink coffee with a fork."
Willie, whose number-8 was retired by the Pirates, was born on this date in 1940.

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