It’s not a single word, but that’s okay. It was such an intriguing story that it just had to be told. That’s the nice thing about being the one who makes the rules, you can bend them to fit your interests or agendas. So, keeping in mind that this writer is master and commander of his keyboard, C is for Chicken on the Hill.
Pops
Do you know who Pops is? If you were a part of the late 70s and early 80s Pittsburgh Pirates you surely did. Guys like Dave Parker, Kent Tekulve, and Bill Madlock called Willie Stargell “Pops” because that’s who he was to them. Stargell was a leader, a teacher, a caregiver, and a guidance counselor. He was the pseudo father. He was Pops. By the time teammates started calling Stargell this he was nearly a fifteen-year veteran who had spent his entire career in Pittsburgh.
Pops hit Ruthian-sized home runs and led the MLB in round-trippers during the 1970s with 296. He was a 7-time All-Star and a 2-time World Series champion. Also, he is the only player to win the National League Championship Series MVP, the World Series MVP, and the regular season MVP all in one year (1979). Simply put, Pops was a guy you would want on your team. He could lead not only by example but also with his mouth. He was truly a well-rounded player. The cherry on top of his storied career was a Hall of Fame election in 1988.
C Is for Chicken on the Hill
Not only was Stargell known for his fearsome bat, but he was also known for his fondness of fried chicken. This deep love led him to become a part-owner of a restaurant called All-Pro Chicken, located in the Hill District of Pittsburgh. For a brief period of time, Stargell’s All-Pro Chicken would give away free chicken to all patrons who were in the restaurant whenever Pops homered.
Pirates’ radio broadcaster, Bob Prince picked up on this and started calling Stargell’s home runs “Chicken on the Hill”. People who lived in the Hill District got wise to the gimmick as well and took to waiting in the parking lot of All-Pro Chicken during Pirates games. They would listen to the game on the radio and then when Stargell came to bat they would rush into the restaurant. Well, one can only give out so much free chicken before it starts to look bad on the books. And unfortunately for the residents of the Hill District, the promotion didn’t last too long. But to a few people who still remember, Stargell’s big blasts will always be known as “Chicken on the Hill.”
Main Photo:
Players Mentioned:
