Pops: The Willie Stargell Story - Hardcover

A touching biography of the beloved Pittsburgh Pirate Willie “Pops” Stargell, this life story documents the 21-year, Hall of Fame career of one of the most celebrated and revered players in the history of Major League Baseball. Beginning with his difficult childhood and revealing his encounters with fierce racial hostility while playing minor league ball in the south, this book goes on to show how Stargell became one of the most feared hitters in baseball, a perennial All Star and MVP candidate, and World Series hero. More than a slugging star, Stargell—a clubhouse leader who was revered for his bursting personality and joie de vivre—earned the affectionate nickname “Pops” during the 1979 season when he began handing out stars to teammates following a good play or game. The stars soon became a symbol of the unity on the Pirates team that went on to win the World Series. This biography also details his life following his playing days: Stargell’s coaching career, his struggles with obesity and diabetes, and his lasting legacy that remains relevant to this day. This telling of a dearly loved man with a larger-than-life personality is a must read for any fan of baseball.

Richard “Pete” Peterson is a regular contributor to the Post-Gazette, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and other newspapers and magazines. He is the author of 50 Great Moments in Pittsburgh Sports, Extra Innings: Writing on Baseball, Growing Up with Clemente, and The Pirates Reader. He lives in Makanda, Illinois.