BY MARK A. LARSON
“We Are Family.”
It wasn’t just a hit song for the group Sister Sledge back in 1979. It became the Pittsburgh Pirates’ anthem on the way to the World Championship of baseball that year.
The family, of course, was led by the senior member of the Pirates … 39-year old “Pops” (Willie) Stargell. He was the National League’s co-MVP along with the Cardinals’ Keith Hernandez as well as MVP in the N.L. Championship Series and World Series.
During the regular season, Stargell hit .281, with 32 homers and 82 RBIs. He batted .455 in the Playoffs and .400 in the Fall Classic. Stargell also belted three homers and four doubles in the World Series. He was a big reason the Bucs overcame a three games to one deficit and bested the Orioles in seven games that autumn.
• WORLD CHAMPS •
As mentioned, St. Louis first-baseman Keith Hernandez shared Most Valuable Player honors with Stargell. Hernandez won the N.L. batting title with a .344 average. He also gathered 210 hits, drove in 105 runs and scored a league-leading 116 times. Hernandez also led the senior circuit with 48 two-baggers.
Dave Kingman of the Cubs was tops in the N.L. with 48 home runs, San Diego’s Dave Winfield led the league with 118 RBls and Pittsburgh’s Omar Moreno swiped a league-best 77 bases.
Relief specialist Bruce Sutter of Chicago was named the National League’s Cy Young Award winner. He was 6-6, with 37 saves and a 2.23 ERA. Sutter struck out 110 batters in 101 innings. Knuckleball-hurling brothers Joe and Phil Niekro, of the Astros and Braves respectively, tied for the league lead with 21 victories each. Houston’s J.R. Richard led the N.L. with 313 strikeouts and a 2.71 ERA.
The National League Rookie of the Year in 1979 was pitcher Rick Sutcliffe of the Dodgers. The 6’7” righthander went 17-10, with a 3.46 ERA.
• N.L. Co-MVPs •
• A.L. MVP •
In the American League, Don Baylor was the big power man – and MVP – as he led the Angels to their first-ever division title. Baylor blasted 36 homers, to go along with a league-leading 139 RBls and 120 runs scored. He hit .296, with 33 doubles and 22 stolen bases. To call it a career year for Baylor would not be an understatement as he had his personal best in games, at-bats, hits, runs, doubles, home runs and RBls.
Although Baylor paced the A.L. in RBls, he did not lead the league in home runs. That honor went to Gorman Thomas of the Brewers, who sent 45 baseballs over outfield fences in 1979. Meanwhile, Boston’s Fred Lynn won the batting title, hitting .333, and Willie Wilson of the Royals topped the junior circuit with 83 stolen bases.
Mike Flanagan of the Orioles was named the Cy Young Award winner in the American League. He posted a 23-9 record to go along with a 3.08 ERA. His 23 wins and five shutouts were league highs.
In his final season with California, Nolan Ryan’s 223 strikeouts led the A.L. The Yankees’ Ron Guidry had the lowest ERA in the league (2.78), while Mike Marshall of the Twins saved a league-leading 32 contests.
Two infielders shared Rookie of the Year honors, shortstop Alfredo Griffin of the Blue Jays and Minnesota third-baseman John Castino. Griffin hit 287, while Castino was right behind him at .285.
• • • • • •
See related article on BaseballCardFun.com entitled:
“BASEBALL HOBBY NEWS — Dull 1979 Set But Pivotal Tear for the Hobby”
Click Link Here
• Originally Published in Apr. 1993 “Baseball Hobby News” •
THIS ARTICLE FROM “BASEBALL HOBBY NEWS” MAGAZINE IS REPRINTED WITH THE PERMISSION OF BOTH THE EDITOR/PUBLISHER AND THE AUTHOR. IT HAS BEEN RETYPED, BUT NO CONTENT HAS BEEN CHANGED (EXCEPT FOR VERY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS, CORRECTIONS TO TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS AND CHANGES TO GRAPHICS). COMMENTS OR INFORMATION IN THE ARTICLE MAY BE OUT-OF-DATE.
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