Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 Homer

Lore & Background

On October 13, 1960, Pirates second baseman William Stanley Mazeroski hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 7 at Forbes Field. The series was tied at three games apiece, and the score was tied 9-9. With no outs and no one on base, Mazeroski hit a 1-0 pitch at 3:36 p.m. over the 406-foot sign on the outfield wall. It is the only walk-off home run in Game 7 to win a World Series.

In Their Own Story

The air inside Forbes Field was thick with tension as the ninth inning wound down. The scoreboard showed New York leading by one run, their fate seemingly secure after days of dominance. Then, pitcher Ralph Terry threw a pitch that hung just a fraction too long. Bill Mazeroski, clutching his bat, swung with every ounce of hope from Pittsburgh. The ball soared high into the night sky, clearing the left-field fence and silencing the Yankees' dream.

Reader's Guide

The 14-foot, 2,000-pound statue, designed by artist Susan Wagner, stands outside PNC Park's right field gate. It depicts Mazeroski rounding second base, jumping for joy with his batting helmet in his right hand. Wagner modeled it after a photograph by James Klingensmith of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Behind the sculpture is a small section of the original Forbes Field wall. Next to the statue is a marker describing the home run.

Did You Know?

• The statue was unveiled in 2010, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the home run.
• The marker next to the statue states that Mazeroski hit the only walk-off home run in Game 7 to win a World Series.