Willie Stargell

Willie “Pops” Stargell played 21 seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. During that time he batted .282 with 2,232 hits, and 475 home runs. He was consistent during his career, compiling seven All-Star selections, two NL Home run crowns, six NL East pennants, and two World Series titles. But his greatest season was in 1979, when he was the only player in history to win the MVP, NLCS MVP, and World Series MVP awards in one year. At his urging, the team adopted Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” as the team’s anthem. The We Are Family Pirates caught fire after a last-place April to win the NL East on the final day of the season, surging through the playoffs and into the World Series where Pops played a lead role, hitting for 25 total bases in the series. The illustration employs a 70s bubblegum typeface alongside rows of Stargell Stars, a merit patch Stargell gave to players who made contributions on the field. with Willie front-and-center.