Jim Bibby, Helped Pittsburgh Win 1979 World Series, Dies at 65

Jim Bibby a hard-throwing pitcher who helped lead the Pittsburgh Pirates to the 1979 World Series title, died Feb. 16 at a hospital in Lynchburg, Va. He had bone cancer. He was 65.

Bibby, who had lived in the Lynchburg suburb of Madison Heights for more than 25 years, was a 6-foot-5 right-hander who had a 95-mph fastball and an intimidating presence on the mound. He played for 13 years in the major leagues, mostly for the Pirates, Texas Rangers and Cleveland Indians.

In 1973, he pitched the first no-hitter in Rangers history, shutting out the Oakland Athletics, 6-0. He played in the All-Star Game as a Pirate in 1980, when he had his best season, with a 19-6 record and a 3.32 earned run average. He finished third in voting for the National League Cy Young Award that year.

During the championship season in 1979, when the Pirates adopted "We Are Family" as their anthem, Bibby compiled a 12-4 record with an ERA of 2.81. He started two games in the World Series against the Baltimore Orioles, including the decisive seventh game, which Pittsburgh won 4-1, but he left after four innings and did not get credit for the victory. It was the last time the Pirates won the World Series.

James Blair Bibby was born Oct. 29, 1944, in Franklinton, N.C., and attended Fayetteville State University in North Carolina. Originally signed by the New York Mets in 1965, he went to the majors in 1972 with the St. Louis Cardinals and was traded to Texas the next season.

He won 19 games — and lost 19 — for the Rangers in 1974, helping the team finish second in the American League West. In the mid-1970s, Bibby had two fine seasons with Cleveland before joining the Pirates in 1978.

After his stellar season in 1980, Bibby had shoulder problems, but not before pitching a gem of a game against the Atlanta Braves on May 19, 1981. He allowed a single to the leadoff hitter, Terry Harper, and then retired the next 27 batters in order.

"I'm excited about it, but I'm not going to jump up and click my heels together," Bibby said after the game. "It just felt good to win."

Bibby retired in 1984 with a career record of 111-101 and an ERA of 3.76.