Bill Madlock

Lore & Background

Bill Madlock was born in Memphis, Tennessee, but grew up in Decatur, Illinois, where he graduated from Eisenhower High School. He accepted a baseball scholarship to Southeastern Community College in Keokuk, Iowa. He was drafted by the Washington Senators in the 5th round of the secondary phase of the 1970 amateur draft. He made his MLB debut with the Texas Rangers on September 7, 1973. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1973, then to the San Francisco Giants in 1977. On June 28, 1979, he was acquired by the Pittsburgh Pirates and was a starting third baseman on the team that won the 1979 World Series. He won batting titles in 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1983. He was traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers in August 1985, and later signed with the Detroit Tigers in 1987. He played for the Lotte Orions in Japan in 1988.

In Their Own Story

The October night air at Three Rivers Stadium smelled of cut grass and cheap beer. The California Angels had taken Game 6, and the crowd was a sea of anxious yellow and black. Then Madlock walked to the plate, adjusted his helmet, and stared at the pitcher like he was daring him to throw a fastball. The stadium went quiet. You could hear the chain-link fence creaking in the wind. He took the first pitch, the second, and on the third—a slider that sat a little too high—he swung. The crack of the bat echoed off the concrete walls, and the ball sailed deep into the upper deck. The Pirates roared. Madlock rounded first base slowly, that calm, almost bored expression on his face, as if he'd done it a hundred times. Because for the fans in the stands, he had. And tonight, it was enough to keep the dream alive.

Reader's Guide

Bill Madlock is a former third baseman who won four National League batting titles. He played for the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Detroit Tigers. He was a key player on the 1979 World Series champion Pirates. He also coached for the Detroit Tigers in 2000 and 2001.

Did You Know?

• Madlock is one of only three right-handed hitters to have won multiple National League batting titles since 1960.
• He won his first batting title in 1975 with a .354 average.
• Madlock collected his 2,000th career hit on September 23, 1987.
• He was ejected from 18 games as a player and three more as a coach.