Saturday, January 30, 2010
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/
Bill Mazeroski had to pause three times during a three-minute speech, but he made it.
His voice trembling, standing at the podium before about 75 team officials, reporters and players at the Pirates' annual media luncheon yesterday, he spoke in characteristically humble tones just before the unveiling of the statue design that soon will be erected in his honor.
Andrew Rush/Post-Gazette
Bill Mazeroski looks at a miniature version of a statue of himself which will be outside PNC Park. Plans for the statue were officially revealed during a press conference Friday. The statue will commemorate the Hall of Famer's home run that won the World Series 50 years ago.
"I hit one home run," he said. "I get all the credit and don't deserve it. You get in the Hall of Fame. You get a street named after you. Holy hell, how can you get a better life than that?"
The room burst into laughter and applause.
"Now, I get a statue. I don't know what to say after that. Just, thanks."
Mazeroski and Bob Nutting, the Pirates' owner, then unveiled the 14-inch model, to more applause.
The statue, expected to be 12 feet tall and made from bronze, will be created by Pittsburgh sculptor Susan Wagner, who also did the Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell statues. Her other works include the Pittsburgh Police memorial on the North Shore and a Jackie Robinson memorial in New Jersey.
It will be unveiled Sept. 5 before a game against the Washington Nationals.
As reported earlier in the week, the pose for the statue will be of Mazeroski rounding second base after the home run, culled from a photograph by the Post-Gazette's James G. Klingensmith. And it will be located at the riverfront edge of Mazeroski Way, the short street on the side of PNC Park facing Heinz Field. The sidewalk will be chiseled to simulate infield dirt, and authentic bricks from Forbes Field will provide a backdrop.
"Bill's story is so inspirational, not only for his Hall of Fame career but also for the way he has continued to represent himself and the Pirates off it," Nutting said. "I'm thrilled that, soon, our fans will have a special place outside PNC Park to remember and share this story."
Andrew Rush/Post-GazetteThe miniature version of a statue of Bill Mazeroski that will be outside PNC Park.
GM defends payroll use
General manager Neal Huntington, in his speech to the media, said that "a lot has been made of payroll," and he made a case for why it should not be an issue.
The Pirates' payroll projects to $35.6 million for the coming season, which would be the lowest in Major League Baseball. But Nutting said last weekend that Huntington had "lots" of additional money he could have spent and did not.
"If we wanted to spend money for the sake of spending money, we could have spent it. And there was more money left to spend," Huntington said. "But, as we looked at the dollars being allocated to other major league players as free agents vs. what we had internally, we decided it was a better use of our resources to give those at-bats and innings to players who are going to be here for multiple years. The payroll isn't the driving force. The driving force is getting these players better and finding out who is going to be part of the turnaround."
This, too, from Huntington: "The 2010 Pirates, on paper, as you look at them, it's easy to dismiss. It's easy to say it's just another year. We're not doing that. You will never hear me say we're going to win in 2012 or 2013. To me, that basically means that we're not trying to win tonight's game. We're going to have given our team a chance to win every game every night. And by the time we look up in September, it's going to have been a fun year."
Players hear the call
Team president Frank Coonelly spoke of competing for a "championship" and a "return to the playoffs," likening the current team to those that led up to the Pirates' 1960 success.
And it appeared to resonate with the players.
"I believe in what we have," center fielder Andrew McCutchen said. "We have a lot of depth now. Now, we have guys coming up through the minors. When I was coming through the system, we didn't have that. It makes you feel good, actually. It's great to talk about playoffs. I love it."
"Every guy who steps out here, that's what he's trying to do," left fielder Lastings Milledge said. "We're not out here to win 15, 20 more games than last year. We want to put ourselves in the position for the playoffs."
Three players added
Three more non-roster players were invited to spring training, all of the minor league variety: Infielders Brian Friday and Doug Bernier, and catcher Hector Gimenez.
Friday, 24, is the lone prospect of the group. He batted .265 with seven home runs for Class AA Altoona last season.
The non-roster total is 25.
Pittsburgh Pirates
An illustration displaying the location of the Bill Mazeroski statue at PNC Park.
Tickets on sale
Individual tickets for all games, including the April 5 opener, go on sale at 10 a.m. today. They will be on sale at PirateFest, as well as the usual outlets, including the PNC Park box office.
Dejan Kovacevic: dkovacevic@post-gazette.com. Find more at PBC Blog.
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First published on January 30, 2010 at 12:00 am
Mazeroski's statue is unveiled at PNC Park
By Karen Price, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski is known for many things, including his humility, class, distaste for public speaking and, of course, hitting the home run that won the World Series for the Pirates in 1960.
All those were on display Friday when the Pirates unveiled a model of the statue in Mazeroski's likeness to be erected outside PNC Park this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of that championship.
Pirates Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski stands with a miniature likeness of the statue that will be erected outside PNC Park after the replica was unveiled Friday during the team's annual hot stove event at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. The statue honors Maz's 1960 World Series home run against the New York Yankees.Christopher Horner Tribune-Review
"It's amazing," Mazeroski said. "You don't ever expect to have a statue put up of you in a ballpark. Gee, I mean, that's something special. I don't know if I deserve it or not, but I'm going to be very happy with it."
The statue captures Mazeroski's image after he rounded second base, right arm holding his cap high, left arm outstretched, right leg bent back in mid-stride, left leg planting on the ground. When finished, it will sit at the end of the cul-de-sac on Mazeroski Way, near the right-field entrance to the park. Behind it will sit part of the wall from Forbes Field bearing the No. 406, over which he hit the legendary home run, and the concrete around the statue will model the infield dirt.
Susan Wagner, who designed the Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell statues outside PNC Park, is the sculptress. The statue will be revealed Sept. 5 prior to the game against the Washington Nationals.
"We debated over the pose, but we decided to capture that unbelievable moment that has inspired our city and region to dream about what can be done," Pirates owner Bob Nutting said.
Mazeroski said he doesn't think about the home run every day, but someone does bring it up every day.
Not that he minds.
"I don't get tired of talking about it, I know that," said Mazeroski, who welcomed a third grandchild Thursday. "All I could think (rounding the bases) was, 'We beat the Yankees! We beat the Yankees!' because I was sitting on the bench after they tied it up wondering what in the world happened. All we needed was three outs and we would be world champs, and here they come and tie it up.
"Then someone yelled, 'Maz, you're up!' "
As with the other statues, fans will be able to donate to the fund. But instead of getting their names on a brick, donors will get their names engraved on cast aluminum ivy leaves that will be installed on the Forbes Field backdrop. Small leafs are available for $150, large leafs for $500 and commemorative certificates will be issued to fans donating $25. There will be eight Gold Gloves incorporated into the backdrop that can also be engraved.
Fans can place orders at PirateFest, by calling 1-877-MAZ-1960 or on-line at Pirates.com.
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