1979 Bucs memories

My brother Delaware Dave sent me the following message. It got me thinking… Though it was a defining moment of my childhood, the Pirates winning the World series seems so very long ago and such a distant era, as noted in many of the details below. It is as far removed from us now as 1952 was then. if that makes any sense. It freaks me out, anyhow.

After suffering through this present season I sprung for a box set of the 1979 World Series after reading a review somewhere. Jesse and I watched the 1st three innings of Game 1 last night. Classic. I have some funny impressions to share.

* The announcers were Keith Jackson and Don Drysdale, Howard Cosell did color. Cosell tries to get in all these little tid bits about players like Steve Nicosia. There is just something funny about him waxing poetically about a journeyman catcher.
* Most of the players had really cheesy mustaches. My vote for the best bad mustache is John Lowenthal who played left field for the O’s. He has hair like Jesse’s with a bad mustache.
* Jim Rooker looks like a porno star. His hat accumulated only 1 Stargell Star through out the course of the year.
* The game was played in 41 degree weather. Apparently it snowed that morning and the field is just a mud bath. It looks worse than any little league field. In between innining these guys literally run out with bath towels to try and soak up the water.
* At 1 point the umpires called out the head ground’s keeper. He was some dude with an Italian name. He ran out in a knit ski sweater.
* Omar Moreno opens the game with a 2 hopper to second and almost beat out the throw. Jesse’s response: “that dude has wheels.”
* I did not remember that Harvey Haddux was the pitching coach for the Bucs.
* Lee Lacy-enough said
* Tim Foli chokes up so far on the bat that he looks like a little kid. Also has a bad mustache.

More to come.
DP