The
Pittsburgh Pirates have decided to go with their 1979 “We Are Family” throwback
uniforms on Sunday afternoon home games for the 2016 season. I don’t know
whether to be thrilled by this or appalled. As you can see in the pictures I’ve
posted, you can see that they’re pretty pitiful looking outfits. Especially the
pinstriped ones that my wife called pyjamas when she saw me watching my DVD box
set of the 1979 World Series.
However, considering how good
the Pirates were back in 1979 (World Series Champions) it’s good that they will
pay homage to the last Pittsburgh team to win it all. While the Pirates won
three NL East titles in the early 1990s and have been a Wild Card Entry every
season since 2013, they have been unable to duplicate the success that Willie
Stargell and the crew had in 1979.
Stargell was the team leader.
The first baseman led the Pirate charge that season by batting .281 with 32
home runs and adding 82 RBIs and won the National League’s Most Valuable Player
Award. He then went on to win the MVP awards in both the NLCS against the Reds
(.455, 2, 6) and the World Series against the Orioles (.400, 3, 7) all at the
age of 39. While he played parts of three more seasons for the Pirates, he
never reached the same success again.
Other contributors to the Pirate
cause was right fielder Dave Parker (.310, 25, 94), centre fielder Omar Moreno
(.282, 8, 69 and 77 stolen bases), left fielder Bill Robinson (.264, 24, 75)
and third baseman Bill Madlock (.328, 7, 44).
As far as the pitchers go, the starting
staff was led by Bert Blyleven (12-5 win loss record, 3.60 ERA, 172 strike
outs), John Candeleria (14-9, 3.22, 101) and Bruce Kison (13-7, 3.19, 105). The
bullpen won more than 40 games in relief led by closer Kent Tekulve (10-8, 2.75
and 31 saves), Jim Bibby (12-4, 2.81), Enrique Romo (10-5, 2.99 and five saves)
and Grant Jackson (8-5, 2.96 and 14 saves.)
The Pirates won the NL East with
a record of 98 wins and 64 losses, two games ahead of the second place Montreal
Expos, but not clinching until the final day of the regular season.
The Cincinnati Reds were the
NLCS challenger and the Pirates took care of them in a three-game sweep,
winning the first two games in Cincinnati by scores of 5-2 (11 innings) and 3-2
(10 innings) before returning home to Three Rivers Stadium for the third game,
won by a score of 7-1.
Next up was a thrilling
seven-game World Series against Baltimore. The teams split the first two games
in Baltimore, with the O’s winning Game 1 by a score of 5-4, and Pittsburgh
answering with a 3-2 win in the second game. Baltimore took Game 3 (8-4) and
Game 4 (9-6) to take a commanding three games to one lead, but couldn’t finish
off the Pirates.
Game 5 was dominated by the
aforementioned pyjama-clad Pittsburgh squad, 7-1. The final two games in
Baltimore were won by scores of 4-0 and 4-1. It was the second last time in
World Series play that a team had come from behind to win the Series after
trailing three games to one. (The last time was the 1985 Royals over the
Cardinals.)
So while the Pirates may look a
little silly on Sunday afternoons at PNC Park this season, keep in mind that
the tribute is for one of the greatest teams in Pittsburgh franchise history.
The “We Are Family,” World Series Champion, 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates.
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