1979 World Series Game 7 Memories, by Mark Erickson

Back in the day I used to emulate Willie Stargell’s pre-pitch warmup during kid pick-up games in the empty lot behind my house. The Pittsburgh Pirates were my favorite NL team during the Dave “Cobra” Parker, Kent Tekulve, Rennie Stennett, Manny Sanguillen, et. al. era. I rooted for the Pirates in the 2015 NL wild card game. Damn Cubs.

During the game when the Pirates won the 1979 World Series, I was on a school bus headed up to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area that is situated at the Minnesota/Canada border where no motor boats are allowed. I listened to the game on a transistor radio. Within minutes of the Pirates winning the World Series, the feed from Minneapolis station WCCO failed. I was so happy.

During the trip, we canoed, portaged, and saw Native American petroglyphs on stone emerging straight up from the water. I also experienced my first “sauna baptism.” That is, my school chums and I sweated in a sauna, then ran toward the water, dove off the dock, and submerged into the COLD October water. Repeat.

I am still in regular contact with my canoe partner.

– Mark Erickson