Former Expo, legendary base-stealing shortstop Maury Wills dies at 89

Maury Wills, who intimidated pitchers with his base-stealing prowess as a shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers on three World Series championship teams, has died. He was 89.

Wills died Monday night at home in Sedona, Ariz., the team said Tuesday after being informed by family members. No cause of death was given.

Wills played on World Series title teams in 1959, '63 and '65 during his first eight seasons with the Dodgers. He also played for Pittsburgh and Montreal before returning to the Dodgers from 1969-72, when he retired.

During his 14-year career, Wills batted .281 with 2,134 hits and 586 stolen bases in 1,942 games.

Remembering Maury Wills. <a href="https://t.co/XIMk4JzR4t">pic.twitter.com/XIMk4JzR4t</a>

Wills broke Ty Cobb's single-season record for stolen bases with his 97th swipe on Sept. 23, 1962. That season he became the first player to steal more than 100 bases.

The Dodgers honoured Wills with a moment of silence before the opener of their doubleheader against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday and showed his career highlights on the stadium video boards. The team will wear a patch in memory of Wills for the rest of this season.

Manager Dave Roberts, an outfielder during his 10-year MLB career, was moved to tears as he recalled Wills's impact on him.

"He was a friend, a father, a mentor — all of the above for me, so this is a tough one for me," he said. "He just kind of showed me to appreciate my craft, showed me how to be a big leaguer. He just loved to teach. I think a lot of where I get my excitement, my passion, my love for players is from Maury."

Wills took an active role in Roberts's playing tenure with the Dodgers. Roberts stole 42 bases in 2003.

"I remember during games when I played here he would