1979 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates had 98 wins and 64 losses and captured the National League East Division title by two games over the Montreal Expos. The Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds to win their ninth National League pennant, and the Baltimore Orioles to win their fifth World Series title – and also their last playoff series victory to date. The disco hit "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge was used as the team's theme song that season.[2]

1979 Pittsburgh Pirates
1979 NL East Champions
1979 NL Champions
1979 World Series Champions
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record98–64 (.605)
Divisional place1st
Other information
Owner(s)John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Thomas P. Johnson (minority shareholder)
General manager(s)Harding "Pete" Peterson
Manager(s)Chuck Tanner
Local televisionKDKA-TV 2
Milo Hamilton, Lanny Frattare, Nelson Briles
Local radioKDKA–AM 1020
Milo Hamilton, Lanny Frattare
StatsESPN.com
BB-reference
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Offseason

Regular season

Key transactions

Season standings

NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
Pittsburgh Pirates 9864 0.605 48–33 50–31
Montreal Expos 9565 0.594 2 56–25 39–40
St. Louis Cardinals 8676 0.531 12 42–39 44–37
Philadelphia Phillies 8478 0.519 14 43–38 41–40
Chicago Cubs 8082 0.494 18 45–36 35–46
New York Mets 6399 0.389 35 28–53 35–46

Record vs. opponents

1979 National League Records

Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta4–86–127–1112–61–94–87–54–86–1211–74–8
Chicago8–47–56–65–76–128–109–96–129–38–48–10
Cincinnati12–65–78–1011–76–68–48–48–410–76–128–4
Houston11–76–610–810–87–59–35–74–814–47–116–6
Los Angeles 6–127–57–118–106–69–33–94–89–914–46–6
Montreal9–112–66–65–76–615–311–77–117–57–510–8
New York8–410–84–83–93–93–155–138–10–14–88–47–11
Philadelphia5-79–94–87–59–37–1113–58–109–36–67–11–1
Pittsburgh8–412–64–88–48–411–710–8–110–87–59–311–7
San Diego12–63–97–104–149–95–78–43–95–78–104–8
San Francisco7–114–812–611–74–145–74–86–63–910–85–7
St. Louis8–410–84–86–66–68–1011–711–7–17–118–47–5

Game log

: 98–64 (Home: 48–33; Away: 50–31)

1979 Game Log ({{{win}}}–{{{loss}}})
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie
Bold = Pirates team member

Source: baseball-reference.com[6]

Roster

1979 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Opening Day lineup

  1. SS Frank Taveras
  2. CF Omar Moreno
  3. RF Dave Parker
  4. 1B Willie Stargell
  5. LF Bill Robinson
  6. 2B Rennie Stennett
  7. C Ed Ott
  8. 3B Phil Garner
  9. P Bert Blyleven

Player stats

Batting
Pitching

Postseason

Postseason game log

National League Championship Series

Game 1

October 2, Riverfront Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Pittsburgh 002 000 000 03 5100
Cincinnati 000 200 000 00 270
W: Grant Jackson (1-0)  L: Tom Hume (0-1)   SV: Don Robinson (1)
HRs: PIT Phil Garner (1)   Willie Stargell (1)   CIN George Foster (1)

Game 2

October 3, Riverfront Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Pittsburgh 000 110 000 1 3110
Cincinnati 010 000 001 0 280
W: Don Robinson (1-0)  L: Doug Bair (0-1)   SV: None
HRs: PIT None   CIN None

Game 3

October 5, Three Rivers Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cincinnati 000 001 000 181
Pittsburgh 112 200 01X 770
W: Bert Blyleven (1-0)  L: Mike LaCoss (0-1)   SV: None
HRs: CIN Johnny Bench (1)   PIT Willie Stargell (2)   Bill Madlock (1)

World Series

The Pirates became one of only six teams in the 20th century to have won a World Series after trailing three games to one. Two of those teams were the Pirates, in 1925 and 1979. The others were the 1903 Boston Red Sox (in a best-of-nine series), 1958 New York Yankees, 1968 Detroit Tigers, and 1985 Kansas City Royals. Five Pirates had 10 or more hits in this series, a World Series record.

Chuck Tanner's mother died the morning of Game 5 (this was mentioned during the telecast by announcer Howard Cosell). 1960 World Series hero Bill Mazeroski threw out the first ball in Game 5. The Pittsburgh Pirates were the last team in the 20th Century to win Game 7 of the World Series on the road. U.S. President Jimmy Carter made an appearance in Game 7, he threw out the first ball, and after the game made a visit to the victorious Pittsburgh locker room.

Willie Stargell at 39 was the oldest player to win MVP honors for both the National League and the World Series. In the World Series, he hit .400 with a record seven extra-base hits and matched Reggie Jackson's record of 25 total bases, set in 1977. Stargell, pitcher Bruce Kison, infielder Rennie Stennett, and catcher Manny Sanguillén were the only players left over from the 1971 World Series, when the Pirates faced the Orioles. Orioles' pitcher Jim Palmer, Mark Belanger, and manager Earl Weaver were the only ones who were still with the team that faced the Pirates in 1971.

As was the case when the same two teams played in the 1971 World Series, a game in Baltimore was rained out. Game 1 of this series was postponed, while Game 2 of the 1971 series had to be moved back a day. In this Series, it was the American League team's "turn" to play by National League rules, meaning that there was no designated hitter and the Orioles' pitchers would have to bat. While this resulted in pitcher Tim Stoddard getting his first major league hit and RBI in Game 4. Overall, it hurt the Orioles because Lee May, their designated hitter for much of the season and a key part of their offense, was only able to bat three times in the whole series. The Pirates wore four different uniform combinations during the series: gold cap, black jersey and gold pants for Games 1 & 5, black cap, gold jersey and black pants for Games 2, 6 & 7, black cap and solid white pinstriped uniform for Game 3 and a black cap and solid gold uniform for Game 4.

Game 1

October 10, 1979, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 53,735

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pittsburgh 000 102 010 4113
Baltimore 500 000 000 563
W: Mike Flanagan (1-0)   L: Bruce Kison (0-1)
HR: PIT Willie Stargell (1); BAL Doug Decinces (1)

Game 2

October 11, 1979, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 53,739

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pittsburgh 020 000 001 3112
Baltimore 010 001 000 261
W: Don Robinson (1-0)   L: Don Stanhouse (0-1)  S: Kent Tekulve (1)
HR: PIT none; BAL Eddie Murray (1)

Game 3

October 12, 1979, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attendance: 50,848

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 002 500 100 8130
Pittsburgh 120 001 000 492
W: Scott McGregor (1-0)   L: John Candelaria (0-1)
HR: BAL Benny Ayala (1); PIT none

Game 4

October 13, 1979, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attendance: 50,883

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 003 000 060 9120
Pittsburgh 040 011 000 6171
W: Tim Stoddard (1-0)   L: Kent Tekulve (0-1)
HR: BAL none; PIT Willie Stargell (2)

Game 5

October 14, 1979, at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Attendance: 50,920

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 000 010 000 162
Pittsburgh 000 002 23x 7131
W: Bert Blyleven (1-0)   L: Mike Flanagan (1-1)
HR: BAL none; PIT none

Game 6

October 16, 1979, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 53,739

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pittsburgh 000 000 220 4100
Baltimore 000 000 000 071
W: John Candelaria (1-1)   L: Jim Palmer (0-1)  S: Kent Tekulve (2)
HR: PIT none; BAL none

Game 7

October 17, 1979, at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Attendance: 53,733

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pittsburgh 000 002 002 4100
Baltimore 001 000 000 142
W: Grant Jackson (1-0)   L: Scott McGregor (1-1)  S: Kent Tekulve (3)
HR: PIT Willie Stargell (3); BAL Rich Dauer (1)

Composite Box

1979 World Series (4-3): Pittsburgh Pirates (N.L.) over Baltimore Orioles (A.L.)

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Pittsburgh Pirates 180 118 463 32819
Baltimore Orioles 516 511 160 26549
Total Attendance: 367,597   Average Attendance: 52,514
Winning Player's Share: $28,264,   Losing Player's Share $22,114 * Includes Playoffs and World Series

Awards and honors

All-Stars

1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

League leaders

  • Omar Moreno, National League stolen base leader, 77[15]
  • Dave Parker, led NL in extra-base hits
  • Dave Parker, led NL in sacrifice flies

Other team leaders

  • Runs scored – Omar Moreno (110)
  • Stolen bases – Omar Moreno (77)
  • Walks – Dave Parker (67)

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
AAA Portland Beavers Pacific Coast League Johnny Lipon
AA Buffalo Bisons Eastern League Steve Demeter
A Salem Pirates Carolina League Jim Mahoney
A Shelby Pirates Western Carolinas League Tom Zimmer
Rookie GCL Pirates Gulf Coast League Woody Huyke

Notes

  1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
  2. ""Family" reunion; Close ties still bind 1979 Pirates". pennlive.com. July 21, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
  3. Will McEnaney at Baseball-Reference
  4. "Ken Macha page at Baseball-Reference". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 5, 2008.
  5. Enrique Romo at Baseball Reference
  6. "1979 Pittsburgh Pirates Schedule & Results". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  7. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  8. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  9. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  10. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  11. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  12. "Major League Baseball Stats | pirates.com: Stats". Pittsburgh Pirates.
  13. "1979 National League Championship Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  14. "1979 World Series". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  15. Stolen Bases Single Season National League Leaders by Baseball Almanac

References

  • 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference
  • 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Almanac
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
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