The 1979 Baltimore Orioles season was the 79th season in Baltimore Orioles franchise history, the 26th in Baltimore, and 26th at Memorial Stadium. 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 the 1979 World Series to the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4 games to 3.
The 1979 season represented a turning point in Orioles history. Attendance of games was poor in 1978, but ownership changed hands in 1979, with a 12-million-dollar sale by Jerry Hoffberger's Baltimore Baseball Group, a local, family-oriented operation, to Edward Bennett Williams, a Washington, D.C. attorney with ideas to move the club to the nation's capital.
During the season, the club played well, winning 102 games and the American League East title for the first time since 1974. Additionally, Earl Weaver used 140 different lineups during the regular season.
The cause of the rise in popularity during the 1979 season is still unknown. Some suspect that a cause could be linked to the NFL's Baltimore Colts coming apart under Robert Irsay. With the team losing and Irsay threatening to relocate, people may have been looking for an alternative. Another factor was a change in the Orioles' flagship radio station: After 22 years on WBAL, the games were now on WFBR, a smaller station, but with a younger audience.
The team won 90 games and drew 1.05 million fans in 1978, maintaining an attendance level that hadn't changed in 25 years. Hoffberger was under pressure to sell the team due to player salaries rising and profits falling. He announced in 1978 that he would entertain offers. Williams' purchase was completed in August of 1979. The lawyer said he would move to Washington if attendance continued to disappoint, although the draw was up well before Williams issued his warning.
The Orioles didn't have a high payroll, but won with a lot of effort and the individual skills that team members had to offer. An amalgam of All-Stars and role players jelling under Weaver, they pitched well, made key plays, hit in the clutch, came from behind, and won games in unusual ways. The phenomenon was given a nickname: "Oriole Magic".
Those carrying the heaviest loads on offense were outfielder Ken Singleton, who had a career 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 RBIs.
Rich Dauer, Kiko Garcia, and Doug DeCinces filled out the infield, with Garcia 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 .239, but his get-dirty style behind the plate made him a fan favorite.
Weaver's platoon of veteran John Lowenstein and rookie Gary Roenicke in left field was also successful. Roenicke, acquired from Montreal, had 25 homers and 64 RBIs, while Lowenstein, released by Texas Rangers after the 1978 season, added 11 homers and 34 RBIs.
Weaver also found places to plug in reserve outfielder Pat Kelly, who batted .288; pinch hitter Terry Crowley, who batted .317, and Benny Ayala, a reserve outfielder with a knack for extra-base hits. Lee May received the majority of the designated hitter at-bats, producing 19 homers and 69 RBIs.
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) and limited opponents to a .241 average, the league's lowest by 12 points. The staff was led by Mike Flanagan, whose 23âÂÂ9 record, 3.08 ERA, and 16 complete games earned him the AL Cy Young Award. After Flanagan, there was Dennis MartÃÂnez (15âÂÂ16, 18 complete games), Scott McGregor (13âÂÂ6), Steve Stone (11âÂÂ7), and Jim Palmer (10âÂÂ6), who was injured and failed to win 20 games for only the second time in the 1970s. 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, made the All-Star team. Weaver called Stanhouse "Full Pack", as in the full pack of cigarettes Weaver smoked to get through Stanhouse's appearances.
In section 34 in the upper deck down the right-field line, a bearded cab driver named "Wild" Bill Hagy became a symbol for the team and fellow attendees of the games. 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 followed Hagy's lead, sending roaring cheers into the night.
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
The Orioles won the Series, 3 games to 1, over the California Angels.
NL Pittsburgh Pirates (4) vs. AL Baltimore Orioles (3)