This is a love story. It’s a collection of tales about a life-long relationship between the Pittsburgh Pirates and its fans. The story of the five-time World Championship team overflows with anecdotes and illustrations that tell us a great deal about the team, about the city, and about the people who call Pittsburgh their home. In a sense, the history of the Pirates is a mirror image of the people who were schooled in the “steel-mill mentality.” The Pirates have been blessed over the past 100-plus years with a colorful cast of characters who have never been shy about revealing their true feelings. From Babe Adams to Joe Cronin to Roberto Clemente, and on to John Candelaria, Danny Murtaugh, and Willie Stargell, the players and coaches profiled share with their fans a focus on never giving up until the last out is recorded. Some stories will make readers laugh, some will bring a tear, and all are endlessly fascinating. This book is a must-have for fans of the Bucs, and fans of stellar baseball writing.

The year is 1979. America is in a funk. And Pittsburgh was no exception. Double-digit inflation, a near disaster at nearby Three Mile Island, and the decline of downtown businesses all placed over the city of Pittsburgh a cloud that grew darker than the smoke that rose from the Homestead Works 25 years earlier. Into this atmosphere of doom and gloom came a cause to celebrate. The 1979 Pirates, under the baton of manager Chuck Tanner, included a cast of characters known as “Scrap Iron,” “Cobra,” “Teke,” “The Candy Man,” and, of course, “Pops.” The team became a cardiologist’s nightmare as the Bucs compiled a 98-64 regular season record, winning 25 of those games in their last at-bats. Down three games to one, the Bucs rose from the ashes to defeat Baltimore and become World Series champions. Thousands of Pittsburgh faithful marched along Smithfield Street and Fifth Avenue. They cheered, danced, and sang over and over again the team’s theme song—“We Are Fam-a-Lee.” That upbeat song remains linked with the ’79 Bucs to this day. Relive those glory days in Tales from the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. Celebrate the turnaround of shortstop Tim Foli as a player and as a man. Laugh with Chuck Tanner when he heard Pirate fans, including his own wife, actually boo him for what they thought was a poor decision. You might even shed a tear when you read about the untimely passing of the legendary Willie Stargell. These and the other tales about the 1979 Pirates will bring back a heap of fond memories about one of baseball’s most colorful teams. Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, are proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sports—books about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team. Whether you are a New York Yankees fan or hail from Red Sox nation; whether you are a die-hard Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys fan; whether you root for the Kentucky Wildcats, Louisville Cardinals, UCLA Bruins, or Kansas Jayhawks; whether you route for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, or Los Angeles Kings; we have a book for you. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

The Bucs is the story of a baseball club. The word “story” is purposely used in lieu of the more common designation “history.” A baseball club rarely has a history in the strictest sense of the word. Instead, the record of its formation and growth more closely resembles a biography. Each club mirrors the character of those who nurtured its development and wore its uniforms. The Pittsburgh ball club is no exception. Each generation of Pirate fans has been blessed with its own pantheon of god-like heroes: Honus Wagner, Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente, and Wille Stargell. The Bucs shows how Pittsburgh lost the ʼ27 World Series to the Yankees in batting practice. It recalls the miracle of 1960 when Mazeroski electrified the nation with his Series-winning home run. The Bucs is a must for any baseball enthusiast.

This chronicle provides stories on the great Pirates teams of the late 1970's that culminated with a memorable 1979 World Series championship.

This book is the latest collection of little-known baseball stories from the acclaimed author of Tales from the Dugout. Read more than 100 true stories and never-before told anecdotes that come straight from the insider's circle.

The history of the Pittsburgh Pirates professional baseball team from its inaugural 1882 season to today, spotlighting the team's greatest players and most memorable moments.