“We Are Family” can be heard in the mind of fans as they remember Willie Stargell’s MVP season that brought the World Series championship to Pittsburgh in 1979. The charismatic Stargell helped make the Pirates America’s favorite team for a summer. Stargell is remembered for a Hall of Fame career that featured a .282 average, 2,232 hits, 423 doubles, 475 homers and 1,540 runs batting in his 21-years with the Pirates.

In the collection is an invitation to the dedication of Stragell’s Hall of Fame plaque on July 31, 1988. Stargell has added his autograph to the bottom of the invitation.

For years in souvenir stands at MLB stadiums offered baseballs with stamped signatures of the home team. In the collection is a contract signed by Willie Stargell agreeing to have his autograph appear on those balls. The terms of the contract? Pops received one cent per ball sold. Stargell signed this contract on March 14, 1967 just after completing three consecutive trips to the All Star game from 1964-1966.

The manager of the 1979 championship Pirate team, Chuck Tanner piloted Pittsburgh through Stargell’s final six seasons. In this handwritten letter Tanner writes, “Willie was the leader of our team on the field and off the field. He was like a 10 diamond karat ring on your finger to manage. What an honor I had.” Tanner then pens his name at the bottom.