Maury Wills

The man who revived the stolen base and set a games-played record that still stands.

Maurice Morning Wills (October 2, 1932 – September 19, 2022) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a shortstop from 1959 to 1972, most prominently as an integral member of the Los Angeles Dodgers teams that won three World Series titles. He also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Montreal Expos. Wills is credited with reviving the stolen base as part of baseball strategy.

Quick Facts

Position: Shortstop; Manager
Born: 2 October 1932
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died: 19 September 2022
Place of death: Sedona, Arizona, U.S.
Bats: Switch
Throws: Right
Debut league: MLB

Facts from the source article.

Background

Wills was the National League Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1962, stealing a record 104 bases to break the old modern-era mark of 96, set by Ty Cobb in 1915. He was an All-Star for five seasons and seven All-Star Games, and was the first MLB All-Star Game Most Valuable Player in 1962. He also won Gold Gloves in 1961 and 1962. In a fourteen-year career, Wills batted .281 with 20 home runs, 458 runs batted in, 2,134 hits, 1,067 runs, 177 doubles, 71 triples, 586 stolen bases, and 552 bases on balls in 1,942 games. Wills briefly managed the Seattle Mariners in parts of the 1980 and 1981 seasons. From 2009 until his death in 2022, Wills was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, serving as a representative of the Dodgers Legend Bureau.