Baseball Hall-of-Famer Bill Mazeroski died on Friday, February 20, 2026. Known for his exceptional fielding at second base, Mazeroski may be remembered most for his bottom of the ninth walk-off home run in game seven of the 1960 World Series that spelled victory for the Pittsburgh Pirates and defeat for the New York Yankees. Mazeroski raced around the bases in celebration and was swarmed by joyful teammates and fans as he approached home plate. He had also hit a two-run homer in the series opener to help seal the Pirates’ win but that is less well known.

The Pirates’ upset of the heavily favored Yankees, whose roster included future Hall-of-Famers Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford, was remarkable. It was the first Pirates’ win of the series in thirty-five years. I was just over two months old at the time, so have no memory of it. 

I grew up in central New Jersey, a Yankees fan. An early memory is going to Yankee Stadium with my dad and older brother, both Yankees fans, in the waning years of Mickey Mantle’s storied career. My brother and I brought with us a painted banner that read “C’mon Mick, Use the Stick.” The first of many cherished memories going to games and following the Yankees on TV.

The one year that I played little league baseball, probably 1969, I played in the farm division for a team aptly named the “Yankees.” I played second base and had a mitt with Bill Mazeroski’s name inscribed in it. I had no idea who he was. It was either my father or brother who told me that he was a great second baseman which made me feel good. I’m pretty sure I didn’t learn about his homer that beat the Yankees until much later on. Probably for the best.

I have a distinct memory of one time when the ball was hit right at me at second base. A guy named Roger was at bat for the opposing team. I had a feeling he was going to hit the ball to me. I fielded it cleanly and tossed it overhand to first base for the out. The folks in the stands applauded my play and hollered words of approval. Boy, that affirmation felt good. When I returned to the dugout, the manager told me it was okay to toss the ball underhand in such situations when I was close to the bag. I subsequently read a kids’ story called “Challenge at Second Base,” thinking that maybe I had found my boyhood calling.

Alas, whatever limited skill I displayed in the field was offset by a .000 batting average at the plate. During practice, I would routinely make contact, hitting foul and fair balls alike. But once a game was underway, I choked under the pressure. Consequently, the only way I got on base was either by a walk – the coach liked to remind us that “a walk’s as good as a hit” – or by getting hit by a pitch. That happened at least twice and each time it stung. In one instance, an older hurler, who years later I ran high school cross-country with, beaned my left shoulder. Ow. No wonder I was afraid at the plate. Anyway, I got on base.

I don’t think there was anything notable about my base running abilities. I do recall that our manager was fond of offering this piece of colorful advice: “You better run like the devil!” Chances are better than not that I didn’t heed his direction and was forced out at second.

And so went my short-lived baseball career, though I remained a fan. My brother played for many seasons and got really good at stealing bases. As the two of us grew older, we would go in search of empty baseball diamonds and take turns pitching to one another and hitting balls into the outfield. We still do so, when the opportunity arises. Sometimes we seek out fields with short fences where it is possible to hit home runs with relative ease. After years of watching baseball and trying different batting stances, I can now hit the ball high and far. As the legendary Yankees’ announcer Mel Allen said of Mazeroski’s and so many others’ homers: “Going, going, gone.”