| 1979 Baltimore Orioles | |
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| AL East Champions AL Champions |
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| Location | |
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| Results | |
| Record | 102–57 (.642) |
| Divisional place | 1st |
| Other information | |
| Owner(s) | Jerold Hoffberger, Edward Bennett Williams |
| General manager(s) | Hank Peters |
| Manager(s) | Earl Weaver |
| Local television | WMAR-TV |
| Local radio | WFBR (Chuck Thompson, Bill O'Donnell, Brooks Robinson) |
| < Previous season Next season > | |
The 1979 Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. The Orioles finished first in the American League East division of Major League Baseball with a record of 102 wins and 57 losses. They went on to defeat the California Angels in the 1979 American League Championship Series, 3 games to 1, before losing in the 1979 World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 3.
Contents
Season overview[edit]
The 1979 season represents a dividing line in Orioles history. Attendance was poor before it and terrific after it, steadily rising into the 1990s in a new ballpark at Camden Yards. Also, ownership changed hands in 1979, with a twelve-million-dollar sale marking the change from Jerry Hoffberger's Baltimore Baseball Group—a local, family-oriented operation—to Edward Bennett Williams, a powerhouse attorney from Washington, D.C. with ideas about moving the club to the nation's capital.
Against the backdrop of noise and tension, the club played well, winning 102 games and the American League East title for the first time since 1974. The season was a return to glory days of the late '60s and early '70s under manager Earl Weaver, but this club was different in nature and spirit. The talent wasn't as dominant, but a blend of heart, skills, and original personalities produced a team as compelling and effective as any in Orioles history.
Years later, it's still hard to say what happened in the summer of 1979, what caused Orioles games at Memorial Stadium to become more popular. It didn't hurt that pro football's Baltimore Colts, more popular for a long time, were coming apart under owner Robert Irsay; with the team losing and Irsay threatening to move, fans were abandoning the franchise and looking for an alternative.[citation needed] Another factor was a change in the Orioles' flagship radio station: After 22 years on WBAL, the games were now on WFBR, a smaller, hipper station with a younger audience.
Offseason[edit]
- December 4, 1978: Jeff Schneider was drafted by the Orioles from the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1978 rule 5 draft.[1]
- December 21, 1978: Steve Lake was purchased from the Orioles by the Milwaukee Brewers.[2]
- January 16, 1979: Mike Dimmel was traded by the Orioles to the St. Louis Cardinals for Benny Ayala.[3]
- March 26, 1979: Elrod Hendricks was released by the Orioles.[4]
Regular season[edit]
A new owner[edit]
The team had won 90 games and drawn 1.05 million fans in 1978, maintaining a depressing attendance level that hadn't changed in 25 years.[citation needed] With player salaries rising and profits falling, Hoffberger was under pressure from his family to sell. He announced in 1978 that he would entertain offers, and Williams's purchase was completed in August '79. The lawyer said he would move to Washington only if attendance continued to disappoint, although crowds had already begun to swell earlier in the season, before Williams laid down his challenge.[citation needed]
The players[edit]
The '79 Orioles didn't have a high payroll, but they won with a blend of intelligence, strong fundamentals, and guile. An amalagam of All-Stars and role players who jelled under Weaver's forceful hand, they pitched well, made key plays in the field, hit in the clutch, came from behind, and won games in unusual ways. The phenomenon was given a nickname: "Oriole Magic".[citation needed]
Offense[edit]
Those carrying the heaviest loads on offense were outfielder Ken Singleton, who had a career-best year with 35 homers and 111 RBIs and finished second in the American League MVP voting and first baseman Eddie Murray, who had 25 homers and 99 RBI.
Rich Dauer, Kiko Garcia, and Doug DeCinces filled out the infield, with Garcia, a farm-system product, taking over for aging Mark Belanger at shortstop. Al Bumbry batted leadoff, stole 37 bases, and ran down balls in center field. Rick Dempsey hit just .239, but his get-dirty style behind the plate made him a fan favorite.
Weaver's idea of platooning veteran John Lowenstein and rookie Gary Roenicke in left field was surprisingly successful. Roenicke, acquired in the Montreal deal, had 25 homers and 64 RBI in his first full season in the majors. Lowenstein, acquired from the Texas Rangers on waivers after the '78 season, added 11 homers and 34 RBIs.
Weaver also found places to plug in reserve outfielder Pat Kelly, who batted .288; pinch hitter deluxe Terry Crowley, who batted .317, and Benny Ayala, a reserve outfielder with a knack for extra-base hits. Lee May still received the majority of the designated hitter at-bats, producing 19 homers and 69 RBIs.
Pitching[edit]
Pitching was still the heart of the club. The Orioles had the AL's lowest team ERA (3.28, more than a half run lower than the next best team ERA) and limited opponents to a .241 average, the league's lowest by 12 points. The staff was led by Mike Flanagan, whose 23-9 record, 3.08 ERA, and 16 complete games earned him the AL Cy Young Award. After Flanagan, there was Dennis Martínez (15-16, 18 complete games), Scott McGregor (13-6), Steve Stone (11-7), and Jim Palmer (10-6), who was injured and failed to win 20 games for only the second time in the '70s. The bullpen, with Don Stanhouse, left-hander Tippy Martinez, and right-handers Tim Stoddard and Sammy Stewart, had 28 wins and 30 saves.
Stanhouse, a closer acquired in a six-player deal with the Montreal Expos before the 1978 season, made the AL All-Star team despite a habit of narrowly escaping jams. Weaver nicknamed Stanhouse "Full Pack," as in the full pack of cigarettes Weaver nervously smoked to help him get through Stanhouse's appearances.[citation needed] Flanagan called Stanhouse "Stan the Man Unusual,"[5] a play on the nickname of Hall of Famer Stan "The Man" Musial.
"Wild Bill"[edit]
In section 34 in the upper deck down the right-field line, a bearded cab driver named "Wild" Bill Hagy became the symbol of the awakening. He would rise from his seat, stand in front of his section, and spell out O-R-I-O-L-E-S with his body, twisting his arms and legs into recognizable facsimiles of the letters. When other, nearby sections joined in the cheer, it grew in popularity until the entire ballpark was following Hagy's lead, sending roaring cheers into the night.[citation needed]
Season standings[edit]
| AL East | W | L | GB | Pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore Orioles | 102 | 57 | -- | .642 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 95 | 66 | 8 | .590 |
| Boston Red Sox | 91 | 69 | 11.5 | .569 |
| New York Yankees | 89 | 71 | 13.5 | .556 |
| Detroit Tigers | 85 | 76 | 18 | .528 |
| Cleveland Indians | 81 | 80 | 22 | .503 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 53 | 109 | 50.5 | .327 |
Notable transactions[edit]
- June 26, 1979: John Stefero was signed by the Orioles as an amateur free agent.[6]
- September 1, 1979: Elrod Hendricks was signed as a free agent by the Orioles.[4]
Roster[edit]
| 1979 Baltimore Orioles | |||||||||
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| Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
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Catchers
Infielders
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Outfielders
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Manager
Coaches
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Player stats[edit]
Batting[edit]
Starters by position[edit]
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | Dempsey, RickRick Dempsey | 124 | 368 | 88 | .239 | 6 | 41 |
| 1B | Murray, EddieEddie Murray | 159 | 606 | 179 | .295 | 25 | 99 |
| 2B | Dauer, RichRich Dauer | 142 | 479 | 123 | .257 | 9 | 61 |
| 3B | DeCinces, DougDoug DeCinces | 120 | 422 | 97 | .230 | 16 | 61 |
| SS | Garcia, KikoKiko Garcia | 126 | 417 | 103 | .247 | 5 | 24 |
| LF | Roenicke, GaryGary Roenicke | 133 | 376 | 98 | .261 | 25 | 64 |
| CF | Bumbry, AlAl Bumbry | 148 | 569 | 162 | .285 | 7 | 49 |
| RF | Singleton, KenKen Singleton | 159 | 570 | 168 | .295 | 35 | 111 |
| DH | May, LeeLee May | 124 | 456 | 116 | .254 | 19 | 69 |
Other batters[edit]
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belanger, MarkMark Belanger | 101 | 198 | 33 | .167 | 0 | 9 |
| Lowenstein, JohnJohn Lowenstein | 97 | 197 | 50 | .254 | 11 | 34 |
| Kelly, PatPat Kelly | 68 | 153 | 44 | .288 | 9 | 25 |
| Smith, BillyBilly Smith | 68 | 189 | 47 | .249 | 6 | 33 |
| Skaggs, DaveDave Skaggs | 63 | 137 | 34 | .248 | 1 | 14 |
| Crowley, TerryTerry Crowley | 61 | 63 | 20 | .317 | 1 | 8 |
| Ayala, BennyBenny Ayala | 42 | 86 | 22 | .256 | 6 | 13 |
| Harlow, LarryLarry Harlow | 38 | 41 | 11 | .268 | 0 | 1 |
| Krenchicki, WayneWayne Krenchicki | 16 | 21 | 4 | .190 | 0 | 0 |
| Corey, MarkMark Corey | 13 | 13 | 2 | .154 | 0 | 1 |
| Molinaro, BobBob Molinaro | 8 | 6 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| Chism, TomTom Chism | 6 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| Hendricks, ElrodElrod Hendricks | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
Pitching[edit]
Starting pitchers[edit]
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martínez, DennisDennis Martínez | 40 | 292.1 | 15 | 16 | 3.66 | 132 |
| Flanagan, MikeMike Flanagan | 39 | 265.2 | 23 | 9 | 3.08 | 190 |
| Stone, SteveSteve Stone | 32 | 186 | 11 | 7 | 3.77 | 96 |
| McGregor, ScottScott McGregor | 27 | 174.2 | 13 | 6 | 3.35 | 81 |
| Palmer, JimJim Palmer | 23 | 155.2 | 10 | 6 | 3.30 | 67 |
Other pitchers[edit]
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
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| Ford, DaveDave Ford | 9 | 30 | 2 | 1 | 2.10 | 7 |
Relief pitchers[edit]
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
| Player | G | IP | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanhouse, DonDon Stanhouse | 52 | 72.2 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 2.85 | 34 |
| Martinez, TippyTippy Martinez | 39 | 78 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 2.88 | 61 |
| Stewart, SammySammy Stewart | 31 | 117.2 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3.52 | 71 |
| Stoddard, TimTim Stoddard | 29 | 58 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1.71 | 47 |
| Flinn, JohnJohn Flinn | 4 | 2.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Rineer, JeffJeff Rineer | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
Postseason[edit]
ALCS[edit]
The Orioles won the Series, 3 games to 1, over the California Angels.
| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California - 3, Baltimore - 6 | October 3 | Memorial Stadium | 52,787 |
| 2 | California - 8, Baltimore - 9 | October 4 | Memorial Stadium | 52,108 |
| 3 | Baltimore - 3, California - 4 | October 5 | Anaheim Stadium | 43,199 |
| 4 | Baltimore - 8, California - 0 | October 6 | Anaheim Stadium | 43,199 |
World Series[edit]
NL Pittsburgh Pirates (4) vs. AL Baltimore Orioles (3)
| Game | Score | Date | Location | Attendance | Time of Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pirates – 4, Orioles – 5 | October 10 | Memorial Stadium | 53,735 | 3:18 |
| 2 | Pirates – 3, Orioles – 2 | October 11 | Memorial Stadium | 53,739 | 3:13 |
| 3 | Orioles – 8, Pirates – 4 | October 12 | Three Rivers Stadium | 50,848 | 2:51 |
| 4 | Orioles – 9, Pirates – 6 | October 13 | Three Rivers Stadium | 50,883 | 3:48 |
| 5 | Orioles – 1, Pirates – 7 | October 14 | Three Rivers Stadium | 50,920 | 2:54 |
| 6 | Pirates – 4, Orioles – 0 | October 16 | Memorial Stadium | 53,739 | 2:30 |
| 7 | Pirates – 4, Orioles – 1 | October 17 | Memorial Stadium | 53,733 | 2:54 |
Awards and honors[edit]
- Earl Weaver, Associated Press AL Manager of the Year
Farm system[edit]
Notes[edit]
- ^ Jeff Schneider page at Baseball Reference
- ^ Steve Lake page at Baseball Reference
- ^ Benny Ayala page at Baseball Reference
- ^ a b Elrod Hendricks page at Baseball Reference
- ^ Matt Schudel, Mike Flanagan, Orioles' pitcher, executive and broadcaster, dies at 59, Washington Post (August 25, 2011). Retrieved on April 19, 2012.
- ^ John Stefero page at Baseball Reference
References[edit]
- Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, N.C.: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.
- 1979 Baltimore Orioles team page at Baseball Reference
- 1979 Baltimore Orioles season at baseball-almanac.com
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