Bill Mazeroski's top 10 career moments

Bill Mazeroski was different from every ballplayer who ever existed, and not just because of the gob of chewing tobacco that distended his cheek and appeared to be lodged there.

All would-be Major Leaguers dream of homering in the ninth inning of Game 7 to win the World Series. Mazeroski is the only one to turn that fantasy into a reality by going deep off Yankees right-hander Ralph Terry at the crunchiest of crunch times to break a ninth-inning deadlock and forge a 10-9 triumph that secured the 1960 Series for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

A fixture at second base for Pittsburgh through most of 17 seasons, Mazeroski would have experienced a fulfilling career even without his signature Fall Classic moment. As it turned out, his singular homer transformed him from an institution into a legend.

1. Your turn to hit -- Oct. 13, 1960
According to baseball folklore, a Pirates coach had to remind Mazeroski that he was due to lead off the Pirates’ ninth. Having scored twice in their half of the inning, the Yankees appeared to own momentum -- at least until Mazeroski pulled Terry’s 1-0 delivery over the left-field wall. Mazeroski thus sealed Pittsburgh’s first Series triumph in 35 years.

2. Cooperstown? Not so fast -- 2001
This was the year when Mazeroski was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee after falling short in 15 tries on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America ballot (1978-92). Mazeroski’s entry into the Hall was viewed as a triumph for non-sluggers who happened to be superior defenders. Mazeroski was so overcome with emotion that he ended his induction speech after completing only a few sentences of his prepared remarks.

3. Changing dance partners -- 1958-67
Reflecting his defensive greatness and adaptability, Mazeroski won eight Gold Glove Awards in 10 seasons while working alongside three shortstops: Dick Groat, Dick Schofield and Gene Alley. Before Mazeroski retired following the 1972 campaign, he tutored two of his successors: Dave Cash and Rennie Stennett.

4. All-around excellence -- 1958
Statistically, this was Mazeroski’s most productive season. He won his first Gold Glove and reached career highs in home runs (19) and OPS (.747) while driving in 68 runs. He also placed eighth in the National League Most Valuable Player Award balloting, the highest finish of his career.

5. Pairs aplenty -- 1966
The Pirates set an NL record by amassing 215 double plays. Mazeroski was directly responsible for this prodigious total, participating in 161 of them. He committed only eight errors all season and finished with a .992 fielding percentage.

6. Forbes farewell -- June 28, 1970
Poised to move into Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates played their final games at Forbes Field, sweeping a doubleheader from the Cubs. Fittingly, Mazeroski recorded the last defensive out of the nightcap and collected the Pirates’ final hit.

7. Lifetime achievements -- April 14, 1969; Aug. 5, 1970
On the first of these dates at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, Mazeroski recorded his 6,027th career assist to eclipse Frankie Frisch’s all-time mark for second basemen. A little more than a year later at Philadelphia, he passed Babe Herman to assume the top spot in putouts among second basemen with 4,781.

8. He could hit, too -- Aug. 17, 1971
Mazeroski toiled diligently to earn his .260 lifetime batting average along with his defensive records. He stroked his 2,000th career hit, a double off Houston’s Wade Blasingame, on this date.

9. Durability defined -- 1957-68
Mazeroski played in an era when sliding hard into second base to break up a double play was expected. His position was therefore considered one of the most grueling in the game. Yet, he averaged 150 games per year in this stretch, exceeding that figure seven times.

10. Immortal image -- Sept. 5, 2010
On this date, a 12-foot statue of Mazeroski rounding second base, batting helmet raised high in his right hand after clobbering his epic World Series homer, was unveiled outside Pittsburgh’s PNC Park. It happened to be his 74th birthday. Said Mazeroski, “How could anyone ever dream of something like this?”