Willie Stargell is the only player to win the MVP of the regular season, Championship Series, and World Series in the same year. 1979.
Stargell's Pittsburgh Pirates had won the Fall Classic in 1971, but the death of Roberto Clemente seemed to suck the life out of the franchise. True, they'd get back to the National League Championship Series, but always come up short. But in '79 Stargell, who they called "Pops", made sure they didn't lose. Across the field was the Cincinnati Reds.
It was quite a series against the Reds. For Stargell and his teammates, that is! All Willie did was hit .455, slug two home runs and drive in six. The team that had swept the Pirates in 1975, found themselves pushed aside in the minimum games required.
So it was on to the Fall Classic, where just like in 1971, it was the Baltimore Orioles. And just like in 1971, this thing was going seven. Again, game seven was in Baltimore. And again Pittsburgh would win.
But it didn't seem like there would even be a game seven. Baltimore won the first game, Pittsburgh the second. In game three in Pittsburgh, a slugfest went to the Orioles, 8-4. Game four also went to the O's, 9-6 despite a Stargell home run. But Willie kept the spirits up.
The Orioles didn't stop there, however. They were ahead 1-0 after five innings of game five. But that's when the Pirates hit the jets. They scored seven times from there, and held Baltimore to no runs the rest of the way for good measure. So the Baltimore lead was now three games to two. It was on to Memorial Stadium for game six.
The Pirates had Jim Palmer at their mercy again and again in this one. But for a while in the sixth contest, it seemed Pittsburgh couldn't get a runner home. And they needed some. Finally in the seventh, with the game scoreless, they pushed across two runs. The second run scored on a Stargell sac fly. In the bottom of the frame, Baltimore got the tying run to the dish, but Ken Tekulve got them out of that inning. In the next two frames, Baltimore was retired 1-2-3 by Teke, while Pittsburgh scored two more in the top of the eight to seal it. Winner-take-all game seven.
The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead, and again Pittsburgh did not seem to be able to capitalize. Stargell was stranded on second in the top of the second after a single and an error. In the top of the third, he doubled and later made it to fourth on an error. But again, Willie was stranded. Scott McGregor, the Baltimore starter, seemed to settle down after this. He got the Pirates 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, and the dangerous Dave Parker to start the sixth. But Bill Robinson singled, and Stargell was back at the dish. First pitch swining...And it was Willie with a home run! 2-1, Pittsburgh.
Stargell had two more at-bats in the game. He hit a double in the top of the eighth that led nowhere. Baltimore loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, before Tekulve got them out of that. In the top of the ninth, Pittsburgh pushed across two more. The bases were loaded, and it was 4-1, Pittsburgh. Stargell was the batter. He would have liked to get the Pirates some more breathing room, but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
But as it turns out, Pittsburgh did not need any more. Teke got the first two batters to fan in the bottom of the ninth. Then, pinch hitter Pat Kelly flied out. Pittsburgh had won it all.
Pops had held the team together, and inspired the Pirates not to quit, even when it was 3-1 Baltimore. Willie had gone 4-5 in this oh-so-important game, and his numbers could have been even better if his teammates had come through a little more. But no matter. Pops had three home runs, seven RBIs and a .400 batting average to go along with all that. And he also had his, MV3!
References
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/27e0c01a
Stargell's Pittsburgh Pirates had won the Fall Classic in 1971, but the death of Roberto Clemente seemed to suck the life out of the franchise. True, they'd get back to the National League Championship Series, but always come up short. But in '79 Stargell, who they called "Pops", made sure they didn't lose. Across the field was the Cincinnati Reds.
It was quite a series against the Reds. For Stargell and his teammates, that is! All Willie did was hit .455, slug two home runs and drive in six. The team that had swept the Pirates in 1975, found themselves pushed aside in the minimum games required.
So it was on to the Fall Classic, where just like in 1971, it was the Baltimore Orioles. And just like in 1971, this thing was going seven. Again, game seven was in Baltimore. And again Pittsburgh would win.
But it didn't seem like there would even be a game seven. Baltimore won the first game, Pittsburgh the second. In game three in Pittsburgh, a slugfest went to the Orioles, 8-4. Game four also went to the O's, 9-6 despite a Stargell home run. But Willie kept the spirits up.
The Orioles didn't stop there, however. They were ahead 1-0 after five innings of game five. But that's when the Pirates hit the jets. They scored seven times from there, and held Baltimore to no runs the rest of the way for good measure. So the Baltimore lead was now three games to two. It was on to Memorial Stadium for game six.
The Pirates had Jim Palmer at their mercy again and again in this one. But for a while in the sixth contest, it seemed Pittsburgh couldn't get a runner home. And they needed some. Finally in the seventh, with the game scoreless, they pushed across two runs. The second run scored on a Stargell sac fly. In the bottom of the frame, Baltimore got the tying run to the dish, but Ken Tekulve got them out of that inning. In the next two frames, Baltimore was retired 1-2-3 by Teke, while Pittsburgh scored two more in the top of the eight to seal it. Winner-take-all game seven.
The Orioles took an early 1-0 lead, and again Pittsburgh did not seem to be able to capitalize. Stargell was stranded on second in the top of the second after a single and an error. In the top of the third, he doubled and later made it to fourth on an error. But again, Willie was stranded. Scott McGregor, the Baltimore starter, seemed to settle down after this. He got the Pirates 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth, and the dangerous Dave Parker to start the sixth. But Bill Robinson singled, and Stargell was back at the dish. First pitch swining...And it was Willie with a home run! 2-1, Pittsburgh.
Stargell had two more at-bats in the game. He hit a double in the top of the eighth that led nowhere. Baltimore loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, before Tekulve got them out of that. In the top of the ninth, Pittsburgh pushed across two more. The bases were loaded, and it was 4-1, Pittsburgh. Stargell was the batter. He would have liked to get the Pirates some more breathing room, but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
But as it turns out, Pittsburgh did not need any more. Teke got the first two batters to fan in the bottom of the ninth. Then, pinch hitter Pat Kelly flied out. Pittsburgh had won it all.
Pops had held the team together, and inspired the Pirates not to quit, even when it was 3-1 Baltimore. Willie had gone 4-5 in this oh-so-important game, and his numbers could have been even better if his teammates had come through a little more. But no matter. Pops had three home runs, seven RBIs and a .400 batting average to go along with all that. And he also had his, MV3!
References
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/27e0c01a
