Turning back time

Bucs’ Candelaria, Orioles’ McGregor recall 1979 Series

Guy Cipriano

UNIVERSITY PARK — The uniform of the slugger who homered off Scott McGregor during the sixth inning of Game 7 of the 1979 World Series hung in the same restaurant where the former Baltimore Orioles pitcher dined Tuesday afternoon.

CDT photo/Michelle Bixby

Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher John Candelaria throws out the ceremonial first pitch before Wednesday’s game between State College and Aberdeen as the Spikes honored the 1979 Pirates’ World Series victory. Candelaria won Game 6 that season. Aberdeen pitching coach Scott McGregor beat Candelaria in Game 3, but gave up Willie Stargell’s game-winning home run in Game 7.

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McGregor chuckled when he noticed the Willie Stargell memorabilia.

His job as Aberdeen IronBirds pitching coach brought McGregor to State College during a time when the Spikes honored the 1979 Pirates, who defeated the Orioles 4-3 to capture their fifth world championship.

“It’s unbelievable,” McGregor said. “Time goes by quick. I was eating at (P.J.) Harrigan’s, and there was Stargell’s uniform. I’m thinking they like me here.”

John Candelaria, who faced McGregor in Game 3, also attended Wednesday’s game at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park. Aberdeen is an Orioles’ affiliate, so the Spikes purposely arranged the tribute for this series.

The night offered no time for the left-handers to swap old war stories.

McGregor’s job forced him to oversee every IronBirds pitch. Candelaria threw out the ceremonial first pitch and signed autographs.

The duo didn’t interact much on Oct. 12, 1979, either.

The game represented their World Series debuts, with McGregor pitching the Orioles to an 8-4 victory at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates scored three runs in the first two innings, but Orioles manager Earl Weaver stuck with McGregor.

“I was throwing the ball really well and I felt pretty confident,” McGregor said. “We were playing well, they were playing well. I started out the game, didn’t have the best command, left a lot of pitches over the plate and they were whacking them. Earl stayed with me, and I threw super after that.”

Candelaria’s memories of the game, which included a weather delay, are different. He was removed by Pirates manager Chuck Tanner during a five-run fifth. To make matters worse, Candelaria surrendered a hit to McGregor.

The victory gave Baltimore a 2-1 series lead. Candelaria even received a chilly reception from his father, John, who flew to Pittsburgh from Puerto Rico to watch the game.

“After the game, he looked at me, and I looked him and said, ‘Hi, Dad great to see you,’ and gave him a hug,” Candelaria said. “He punches me and says, ‘I flew all that way to see that.’ It was humbling.”

Candelaria vindicated himself four days later by combining with reliever Kent Tekulve to lead the Pirates to a 4-0 Game 6 victory. The teams were tied 0-0 entering the seventh.

“I had trouble in the first inning, put up some goose eggs after that, and Teke came in, did his job and we turned the page in Game 7,” Candelaria said. “It was the whole team. It was a team effort. That’s what it took.”

McGregor started Game 7 by pitching five straight scoreless innings before surrendering the homer to Stargell, the leader of a team whose unity sparked frequent playing of the Sister Sledge song “We are Family.” Sticking with their promotional theme, the Spikes played the song after Wednesday’s fifth inning.

“A lot of people say, ‘Don’t you hate that song?’” McGregor said. “I don’t. I got to be in the World Series and pitched the seventh game. That’s something every kid dreams of. Me and Jim Bibby were the only two guys pitching. I’m very proud of us just getting there. We were a very young team at the time.”

The Orioles received a reprieve in 1983, when they defeated Pennsylvania’s other team in the World Series. McGregor pitched 17 innings — the same total he threw in 1979 — against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“I was pitching the fifth game and we said, ‘Not this time. We’re not going to let this one get away,’” said McGregor, who ended his 13-year career with the Orioles in 1988 with a 138-108 mark. “We put it away in five, which was nice.”

Neither Pittsburgh or Baltimore has returned to the World Series since their triumphs. The Pirates haven’t had a winning season since losing to Atlanta in the 1992 National League Championship Series. The Orioles’ last winning season came in 1997.

Both franchises are attempting to restore pride through their farm systems, which increases the attention on the Spikes and IronBirds. Pirates general manager Neal Huntington was at Wednesday’s game.

“I think Neal is trying to head in that direction, and as he says if it doesn’t work out, his head is going to fall,” said Candelaria, who ended his 19-year career with the Pirates in 1993 with a 177-122 record and a career 3.33 ERA. “I understand what he’s doing. I hope it works out for him and the Pittsburgh franchise.”

McGregor said the Orioles, who have drafted and developed Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, Brad Bergesen, Nolan Reimold and Brian Matusz, and Pirates face challenges that didn’t exist in 1979.

“With free agency and the way people move around, it’s just harder to build a franchise,” McGregor said. “It’s a very difficult thing because the Pirates and Orioles are struggling right now. No free agent wants to be with us. You’re not going to get those and you don’t have the money. Just like the Pirates, we have to tradeoff guys because you can’t afford to resign them.

“If you’re on the bad side of the coin, it seems like it’s a never-ending cycle. The key right now is to get a group of guys together, no matter who they are, hope they jell together on the field and start playing and get that winning atmosphere.”