SCP Auctions, Inc.
Timed Auction

Spring Premier Auction 2017

Wed, May 24, 2017 04:00PM EDT - Fri, Oct 6, 2017 11:00PM EDT
Lot 139

WILLIE STARGELL'S 1979 PITTSBURGH PIRATES WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS 10K GOLD RING (STARGELL COLLECTION)

Sold for
$82,852.80
Sold Price includes BP

Bid Increments

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Willie Stargell was a born leader. The late Hall of Fame first baseman standing 6’ 2” tall and tipping the scales at more than 200 pounds was affectionately called “Pops” by teammates and fans alike. He led by examplewith his thunderous bat belting a total of 475 home runs and driving in 1540 runs during his prolific 21-year career spent entirely with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Consistency and loyalty helped define the man. A career .282 batter Stargell was a deep threat every time he stepped into the batter's box. Cincinnati Reds’ skipper Sparky Anderson once remarked “He’s got power enough to hit home runs in any park including Yellowstone.”

Although he finished in second place twice (1971 and ’73) in the National League MVP balloting the persistent Stargell finally emerged as the league’s top player in 1979 a season in which he scored a unique (andnever matched) trifecta. That season after batting .281 with 32 round-trippers and 119 runs batted in the Pirates’ 39-year-old patriarch was honored with the elusive N.L. MVP award. Less than a month later he was also named MVP of the 1979 NLCS and World Series as he led the Bucs to their fifth Fall Classic title.

Presented here is Stargell’s 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates World Series Champions 10-karat gold ring. Still in remarkable condition the size 11.75 ring boasts the Pirates “P” logo in diamonds sitting atop a beautifulblack stone. Raised lettering that reads “PITTSBURGH PIRATES WORLD CHAMPIONS” surrounds the black stone. One shank includes “STARGELL” “WE ARE FAMILY” (the team’s unofficial anthem from Sister Sledge that season) the Pirates logo and Stargell’s uniform number “8” on top of a star. He began the practice of handing out embroidered “Stargell Stars” in 1978 to his teammates for their caps after making great plays so it was an appropriate part of the ring’s design. The other shank reads “1979” with a replica of Three Rivers Stadium showing and another star. The inside band is engraved “JOSTENS 10K.” The ring weighs 32 grams and represents an incredible treasure commemorating one of the greatest single-player performances (regular season and postseason) in baseball history.

Letter of Provenance from Margaret Weller-Stargell.

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