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Quiz about The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates
Quiz about The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates

The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates Trivia Quiz


The '79 Pirates were a great team that brought a World Series title to Pittsburgh. Let's see how much you remember about that season.

A multiple-choice quiz by napoleon321. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
napoleon321
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
230,011
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
15
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
9 / 15
Plays
835
Last 3 plays: Guest 24 (9/15), Guest 173 (11/15), Guest 207 (7/15).
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Question 1 of 15
1. Who managed the Bucs in 1979? Hint


Question 2 of 15
2. The Pirates had a losing record against only one National League team in 1979. Who were they? Hint


Question 3 of 15
3. Who led the Pirates pitching staff in wins in 1979? Hint


Question 4 of 15
4. What schedule oddity did the Bucs have to get through in July? Hint


Question 5 of 15
5. On September 1st, Kent Tekulve was sent to play left field after giving up a bunt single to Jack Clark of the Giants. Who came into the game to face San Francisco's Darrell Evans? Hint


Question 6 of 15
6. In the 1970s, the trade deadline was mid-June. What two players did the Pirates acquire via trade in 1979? Hint


Question 7 of 15
7. On August 5th, the Pirates and Phillies played a wild back and forth game at Three Rivers Stadium. The game was tied at eight in the ninth inning, when John Milner hit a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam off who? Hint


Question 8 of 15
8. In a game marred by rain delays in Montreal on September 18th, Willie Stargell finally ended a marathon game by hitting a hanging forkball over the wall in the 11th inning to give the Bucs a 5-3 win at 2:00 in the morning that demoralized the Expos. Who threw the hanging forkball? Hint


Question 9 of 15
9. As any true playoff race should, the 1979 NL East Division race came down to the final day. The Pirates needed to beat the Chicago Cubs, or which other team had to lose? Hint


Question 10 of 15
10. Who would the Bucs face in the NLCS? Hint


Question 11 of 15
11. One of the most famous shots in Pirate history was Bert Blyleven freezing an opposing player with his trademark curveball in the final at-bat of the NLCS to send the Bucs to the World Series. Who was victimized by that final pitch? Hint


Question 12 of 15
12. The Pirates' opponents in the World Series were the Baltimore Orioles. Who did the Orioles beat in the ALCS to get to the World Series? Hint


Question 13 of 15
13. Manny Sanguillen helped the Pirates win game 2 in Baltimore with an RBI single in the ninth inning off which Baltimore pitcher? Hint


Question 14 of 15
14. Before game 5 in Pittsburgh, two events occured to motivate the Pirates. One was that they heard that the city of Baltimore had already planned a victory parade as they were up 3 games to 1 in the best of seven Series. The other was more melancholy. Whose mother had died that morning? Hint


Question 15 of 15
15. Who made the final out of the 1979 World Series by harmlessly flying out to centerfield? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Today : Guest 24: 9/15
Mar 27 2024 : Guest 173: 11/15
Mar 22 2024 : Guest 207: 7/15
Mar 10 2024 : Guest 174: 4/15
Mar 07 2024 : Guest 98: 6/15
Feb 17 2024 : Guest 174: 9/15
Feb 11 2024 : Guest 24: 6/15
Feb 04 2024 : Guest 74: 5/15

Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Who managed the Bucs in 1979?

Answer: Chuck Tanner

Tanner gained a reputation for unorthodox moves, like having Kent Tekulve play left field, and pitching around a batter to get to Eddie Murray in the World Series.
2. The Pirates had a losing record against only one National League team in 1979. Who were they?

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

The Pirates went 4-8 in the regular season against the Reds, but swept them out of the NLCS. They were 10-8 against Philadelphia, 11-7 against Montreal (their top two contenders in the East), and 8-4 against Los Angeles.
3. Who led the Pirates pitching staff in wins in 1979?

Answer: John Candelaria

Candelaria led the Pirates with 14 wins. Both Kison and Blyleven won 13 games, while Rooker won only 4.
4. What schedule oddity did the Bucs have to get through in July?

Answer: Play 3 doubleheaders in 5 days

The Pirates played doubleheaders on July 19th against Houston, and on the 22nd and 23rd against Atlanta. The Bucs went 5-1 in those games, but were so exhausted that they were easily swept by the Reds in the series following Atlanta.
5. On September 1st, Kent Tekulve was sent to play left field after giving up a bunt single to Jack Clark of the Giants. Who came into the game to face San Francisco's Darrell Evans?

Answer: Grant Jackson

Tekulve was furious at first ("There's no way you can pull me out of the game. Jack Clark just bunted on me!"), and then Chuck Tanner told him to play left field. Jackson got Evans to fly out (to Tekulve!), and the Bucs escaped San Francisco with a 5-3 victory.
6. In the 1970s, the trade deadline was mid-June. What two players did the Pirates acquire via trade in 1979?

Answer: Bill Madlock and Tim Foli

Foli was acquired from the Mets, and he hit .290, with several clutch hits in the playoffs. Madlock, who had a reputation as a troublemaker in San Francisco, was put in his place quickly by manager Chuck Tanner, who told him that "If he ever threw a lineup card in his face (referring to an incident in which Madlock tore up the lineup card and threw it in the face of the Giants' manager), Tanner would hand his head to him."
7. On August 5th, the Pirates and Phillies played a wild back and forth game at Three Rivers Stadium. The game was tied at eight in the ninth inning, when John Milner hit a pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam off who?

Answer: Tug McGraw

McGraw was brought in to face light hitting Pittsburgh catcher Steve Nicosia, but Chuck Tanner countered by pulling Nicosia (who had gone 4 for 4 that game), and sending up Milner in his place to take away the McGraw screwball. It paid off, big time. According to Kent Tekulve, Nicosia was not surprised. Nicosia told him, "I'm a .220 career hitter. What were my odds of going 5 for 5?"
8. In a game marred by rain delays in Montreal on September 18th, Willie Stargell finally ended a marathon game by hitting a hanging forkball over the wall in the 11th inning to give the Bucs a 5-3 win at 2:00 in the morning that demoralized the Expos. Who threw the hanging forkball?

Answer: Dale Murray

Murray's hanger gave the Pirates a much needed win. If the Pirates lost that game, they likely would not have made the playoffs.
9. As any true playoff race should, the 1979 NL East Division race came down to the final day. The Pirates needed to beat the Chicago Cubs, or which other team had to lose?

Answer: Montreal Expos

The Bucs beat the Cubs 5-3, and the Phillies defeated Montreal 3-2, to give the Pirates a playoff spot. Montreal finished 2 games back, St. Louis 12 games back in third place, Philadelphia 14 games back in fourth, Chicago 18 games back in fifth, and New York finished dead last at 35 games back with the worst record in the National League.
10. Who would the Bucs face in the NLCS?

Answer: Cincinnati Reds

The Reds won the NL West by 1.5 games over the Houston Astros.
11. One of the most famous shots in Pirate history was Bert Blyleven freezing an opposing player with his trademark curveball in the final at-bat of the NLCS to send the Bucs to the World Series. Who was victimized by that final pitch?

Answer: Cesar Geronimo

Geronimo (a lefty facing a righty) buckled on a Blyleven curveball that dropped right into the strike zone for strike three, and the Pirates were World Series bound!
12. The Pirates' opponents in the World Series were the Baltimore Orioles. Who did the Orioles beat in the ALCS to get to the World Series?

Answer: California Angels

The Orioles defeated the Angels 3 games to 1.
13. Manny Sanguillen helped the Pirates win game 2 in Baltimore with an RBI single in the ninth inning off which Baltimore pitcher?

Answer: Don Stanhouse

The Pirates knew that they could hit Stanhouse from his years in Montreal, where they lit him up. Manny hit a bad ball (as he was a bad ball hitter) from Stanhouse that allowed catcher Ed Ott to score what turned out to be the winning run.
14. Before game 5 in Pittsburgh, two events occured to motivate the Pirates. One was that they heard that the city of Baltimore had already planned a victory parade as they were up 3 games to 1 in the best of seven Series. The other was more melancholy. Whose mother had died that morning?

Answer: Chuck Tanner's

Tanner said, "She decided to ask a favor of the Great Scorekeeper". The Pirates came out full of adrenaline, and crushed the Orioles 7-1.
15. Who made the final out of the 1979 World Series by harmlessly flying out to centerfield?

Answer: Harold (Pat) Kelly

Kelly's lazy fly ball settled into Omar Moreno's glove, and the Pirates celebrated a 4-1 win that gave them the World Series title.
Source: Author napoleon321

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Nightmare before going online.
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