The Pittsburgh Pirates came into Baltimore for the first time since the 1979 World Series. I actually went to one of those games. I don't remember which one, but I know it wasn't the last game. Maybe the next to last. I sat next to an obnoxious Pirates fan. My big gulp size soda just "accidentally" made it's way to his lap. It's nice to do those things when you're a geeky 15 year old. Now the guy would probably punch me out.

The park relived the old "Orioles magic" theme. Back when the team was actually good.

O's remember 1979 Series with Pirates
Baltimore brings back Weaver, other stars for Inter league game
By Amanda Comak / MLB.com

BALTIMORE -- The lifers in baseball have waited a long time to see these two uniforms on opposite sides of the diamond again. The Pirates on one side, the Orioles on the other -- it's a matchup 29 years in the making.

And taking a glance at the field Friday night at Camden Yards surely would have brought many fans back to a cool October night in 1979.

It was Turn Back the Clock night in Baltimore, as the Bucs and O's met for the first time since Pittsburgh took the '79 World Series in seven games.

In honor of the celebration, the Orioles donned throwback jerseys and paid tribute to members of those 1979 teams on the field prior to the game. In attendance for the Orioles was former manager Earl Weaver, pitcher Scott McGregor and third baseman Doug DeCinces. The Pirates were represented by Grant Jackson, the Game 7 winning pitcher.

Weaver recalled the series as if it happened yesterday, describing specific plays, pitches and events with startling clarity. He also noted that even 29 years doesn't ease the pain of losing in Game 7.

"Yes, it does [still hurt]. I don't think there's any doubt about it," Weaver said. "I still don't see how things went wrong, not with the pitching I had to throw at 'em."

The 1979 season was the start of what fans in Baltimore fondly call "Orioles Magic," a term coined after DeCinces hit a game-winning home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning on June 22 of that year. The homer sent the Memorial Stadium faithful into a frenzy and gave the Orioles a come-from-behind win over the Tigers, spurring their run to the World Series.

"I think what happened was the fans started sensing that we were good, but we were a team where the game was never over until it was over," DeCinces said. "It was just a special experience that night. I remember being at home plate and the fans were standing and clapping and anticipating me doing something.

"It was a great time in the city of Baltimore to be a fan. I remember them calling me back out onto the field, and the game was eight, maybe 10 minutes over, and I came back out and all these people were still there cheering. And the next night, we came back and we did it again, and from that point on, nobody was leaving the game in the seventh inning, because we always had a chance."

The magic simply ran out on the Orioles that season, as the offense went silent after taking a 3-1 series lead, and the Pirates countered in the final three games on the back of slugger Willie Stargell.

"All of a sudden, we just couldn't score any runs," DeCinces said. "Weather had a lot to do with it. They didn't score a lot of runs either, but Willie Stargell got extremely hot."

Stargell hit .400 in the series, smacking three homers and knocking in seven runs -- not to mention the effect the affectionately nicknamed "Pops" had in the clubhouse.

"We were down 3-1 [in the series] and Willie Stargell just said, 'Lets show them how the Pirates play baseball,'" Jackson said.

Looking at the Orioles nearly 30 years later, a lot has changed since the '79 season, and although time may not have eased the pain, it also hasn't tainted the memories.

"I get people all the time that come up to me and say, 'I was there,'" DeCinces said. "It was one of those experiences that, as a fan, you have forever."