On January 12, 1988 On this date in 1988, Willie Stargell was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot. He was named on 352 of the 427 ballots, while a total of least 321 (75%) were necessary for election. Stargell was the only player voted in that year, but five others on the ballot eventually got in, one of them being Bill Mazeroski, who finished seventh with 33.5% of the votes.

Willie the leader of two World Championships and he was the National League Co-MVP in 1979 at age 39, he played all 21 seasons in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform,  He was a .282 career hitter with 475 homers and 1,540 RBIs. In Pirates history he ranks third in games played, fifth in runs, seventh in hits, fourth in doubles and first in RBIs, homers and walks. Stargell also becomes the 17th player to be elected in his first year of eligibility. Pitcher Jim Bunning falls four votes shy of the 321 needed for election in his 13th year on the ballot.