On October 9, 1960, at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Bill Mazeroski hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth inning that gave the Pirates the World Series over the Yankees. It was the first walk-off home run in World Series history—a swing that changed baseball forever.
The Setup: Yankees Were Favored
The Yankees arrived at that Series with 8 championships in the previous 12 years. Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra were offensive powerhouses. Pittsburgh, by contrast, was a blue-collar team with a modest but tight-knit roster. Nobody gave them a chance.
A Tight, Dramatic Series
New York won Games 2, 3, and 5 convincingly, racking up 55 runs across those three contests. But Pittsburgh refused to quit: they won Games 1, 4, 6, and 7. Game 7 was a back-and-forth battle—the Yankees led 7-4 going into the eighth, but the Pirates tied it 9-9 heading into the ninth.
The Moment: Mazeroski Steps Up
With two outs and nobody on base, Mazeroski faced reliever Ralph Terry. Pittsburgh’s shortstop, with a .286 average during the regular season, wasn’t a slugger. But Terry threw a fastball up in the zone, and Mazeroski connected cleanly. The ball flew over the left-field wall. Home run. Pittsburgh 10, New York 9. Series over.
Mazeroski’s Legacy
Mazeroski played 23 seasons, all with Pittsburgh, and was considered the greatest defensive second baseman of his era. His career .260 average was modest, but that home run immortalized him. He was the only walk-off home run winner in World Series history until Joe Carter replicated it in 1993 for Toronto.
| Player | Date | Team | Opponent | Inning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Mazeroski | Oct 9, 1960 | Pittsburgh Pirates | New York Yankees | Bottom 9th |
| Joe Carter | Oct 23, 1993 | Toronto Blue Jays | Philadelphia Phillies | Bottom 9th |
FAQ
Was it the only walk-off home run to win a World Series?
No. Bill Mazeroski in 1960 and Joe Carter in 1993 are the only two. Both won the Series with their ninth-inning swing in Game 7.
What happened to the Yankees after 1960?
They kept winning World Series titles (1961, 1962), but Mazeroski’s home run broke their 1950s dynasty. It was a watershed moment in baseball history.
What was Mazeroski’s career like?
He played 23 years, all with Pittsburgh. He won 8 Gold Glove Awards as a second baseman. His number 9 was retired by the Pirates. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001.
