Maury Wills, the former Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop who set a new stolen-base record and helped usher in a new era of speed as an offensive weapon in baseball, has died at the age of 89.
Continue reading to find out more about the circumstances surrounding his demise.
Maury Wills death: Cause of death revealed
He died on Monday night at his home in Sedona, Arizona, according to the Associated Press, citing the team. There was no reason given.
Between 1959 and 1965, Wills was a part of three World Series-winning Dodger teams. Wills, who spent most of his 14 seasons in the major leagues at shortstop, retired with 586 career stolen bases, ranking 20th all-time. As a switch-hitting leadoff player in the 1960s, he led the National League in steals for six straight seasons.
More notably, the seven-time All-Star shortstop won three World Series with the Dodgers and was awarded National League MVP in 1962, beating out superstars such as Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, and teammates Tommy Davis and Don Drysdale.
‘This is a difficult one for me,’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday, allegedly fighting back tears.
‘Maury was enormously influential to me, personally and professionally,’ said Roberts, 50. ‘He’ll be sorely missed.’ For me, he was a buddy, a parent, a mentor, and all of the above. This is a difficult one.’
