1979 players moved by ceremony

Sunday, August 23, 2009
By Dejan Kovacevic, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/

The Family had quite the reunion.

Chuck Tanner, the 80-year-old patriarch of those famed 1979 Pirates, arrived at PNC Park in a wheelchair, the result of heart surgery in March, but he insisted on walking to the field for the 30th anniversary ceremony before the game last night at PNC Park.


Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Members of the 1979 world championship Pirates together with the World Series trophy before Saturday night's game. From left to right, top row, Omar Moreno, Bruce Kison, partially blocked by Chuck Tanner, Kent Tekulve, Bill Madlock, wife of the late slugger Willie Stargell, Margaret Stargell, Don Robinson, and Rennie Stennett,, Bottom row right to left are Dale Berra , Mike Easler, Grant Jackson, Steve Nicosia and Phil Garner.

"Wouldn't miss this for the world," Tanner said, customarily smiling wide. "Look at this turnout, too, how many are here. Doesn't surprise me a bit. No, sir."

All but three of the team's living former players were on the field: Dave Parker, Omar Moreno, Phil Garner, Bill Madlock, Manny Sanguillen, Rennie Stennett, Mike Easler, Lee Lacy, Matt Alexander, Dale Berra, Steve Nicosia, Ed Ott, Bert Blyleven, Grant Jackson, Bruce Kison, John Candelaria, Kent Tekulve, Jim Rooker and Don Robinson, The lone living players not on hand were Tim Foli, Jim Bibby and Enrique Romo.

Also here were coach Al Monchak, trainer Tony Bartirome and Margaret Stargell, wife of Willie Stargell.

"I'm so happy to see everybody," Sanguillen said. "Some of them, I don't see in a long time."

Tanner's introduction was saved for last and drew the loudest ovation, as well as warm embraces from the players surrounding him and a gathering around the World Series trophy.

The current state

Moreno, who squeezed the final out of Game 7 in Baltimore, was one of several on hand to express disappointment with the current state of the franchise.

"It's sad," Moreno said. "I remember playing in Pittsburgh those years, and everything was different. We were winners. The children here had players they knew, they loved. Money has changed the game a lot, you know."

Ott spoke of money, too, specifically as it relates to the Pirates' commitment to keeping players.

"You'd like to say there's a light at the end of the tunnel here, especially those of us who have been part of this. But you don't know, and it hurts a little bit," Ott said. "I know the price to keep players is high these days. Minimum wage was $16,000 when I was a rookie, and I don't know what it is now."

He was told it is $400,000.

"Wow. Well, there still comes a point where you have to take pride in the ball club, especially with all the revenue sharing in baseball now. You can't just keep moving Jason Bay, Aramis Ramirez and players like that. You have to hold onto them. There's no Willie here. There's no Parker. Until they bring it back to getting those kinds of talents -- and keeping them -- nothing's going to change here."