Dodgers Base-Stealing Legend Maury Wills Dies at 89

**pwaldo** · 09-20-2022, 09:57 PM

https://redstate.com/jimthompson/202...s-dies-n630416

The Dodgers have suffered heartbreak this year, losing the greatest voice in baseball history, in Vin Scully. On Tuesday, the Dodgers lost another team icon, Maury Wills.

Maury Wills set a new record for steals in 1962 by swiping 104 bases, breaking Ty Cobb's record of 96. Wills was the first to break the mythical “100” number, and that record stood for 12 years. He is one of only five players in the modern era, to make 100 steals. Wills is credited with bringing back the stolen base as an offensive weapon. He also played on three World Series championship teams with the Dodgers. His numbers, in today’s market, would have earned him many millions; his highest-earning year was his last. He made $100,000 in 1972. His lifetime earning was just over $500,000.

A funny story from his MVP year: It is 1962; the All Star Game was played in Washington. Wills hadn’t stayed at the team hotel, instead opted to stay with his family. When Wills showed up at the park, he was denied entry by a security guard. The guard just couldn’t accept the fact that Wills was a major league baseball player. He was too short. Wills asked that someone go with him to check with the guys in the clubhouse. He assumed the ball players inside would vouch for him. They did, but not the way that Wills expected.

“So we walk down there and baseball players have a sick sense of humor, because when I stood in front of the door, with my Dodger shirt and duffel bag, and the man opened the door and said, ‘Anybody in here know this boy?’ and they all looked at me and said, ‘Never saw him before,”

After the game, Wills left with his MVP trophy and showed it to the guard.

“He still didn’t believe me, he thought maybe I was carrying it for somebody,” Wills told the Washington Post.