Omar Moreno was the perfect leadoff hitter for the Lumber Company, a speed demon who served as an ever-present threat to steal a base in a lineup featuring Hall of Fame sluggers Dave Parker and Willie Stargell.
The Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder is best remembered for batting .333 (11 for 33) against the Baltimore Orioles and catching Pat Kelly’s fly ball for the final out of Game 7 to clinch the 1979 World Series championship. He led MLB with 757 plate appearances and 695 at-bats and the National League with 77 stolen bases that season.
Moreno batted .255/.315/.341 with 115 doubles, 59 triples, 25 home runs and 263 RBIs in 944 games over eight seasons with the Pirates. Those numbers are punctuated by the player nicknamed “The Antelope” recording 412 of his 487 career stolen bases, including a career-best 96 in 1980, which still stands as a franchise single-season record.
Now 73 and living in his native Panama, Moreno has returned to Pittsburgh to visit his daughter Leury and granddaughter Gaby. He will sign autographs on Federal Street outside PNC Park before the May 30 game against the Minnesota Twins.
You earned a reputation for your speed with 77 stolen bases for Salem in 1973. How much did that catch the eye of the Pirates?
I won the MVP. That year was when the Pirates protected me to the 40-man roster. I don’t look at numbers like that. I ran track and field, so I knew I was fast. When I went to Triple-A, I realized I could steal more bases. In 1975, I stole 51 bases in Charleston. I was hitting .300 (.315) in Triple-A. That’s when they brought me up. Danny Murtaugh said I want to send you back because I want you to play every day because you’re going to be here for a long, long time. In September, they called me up to the big leagues. Then they brought Chuck Tanner to be the manager for the Pirates and traded Al Oliver to the Texas Rangers for Bert Blyleven and John Milner. We had so many good hitters: Dave Parker, Bill Madlock, Phil Garner, Bill Robinson and Willie. My job was to get on base and steal bases.
What is the art to stealing bases?
That was the key for us to win the World Series. I put a lot of pressure on the pitcher when I was on first base. When we went to St. Louis, I talked to Lou Brock, and he gave me a lot of tips. Lou Brock and Maury Wills, those two guys were my mentors. When I was talking to Lou Brock, he said, ‘You see the little hole in the top of the hat? Sit down in the dugout and check out the pitcher from that little hole. Watch the pitcher through that and take away everybody else.’ It was the only way to learn what kind of moves they had. All those guys knew I was going to try to steal. That’s why I made them throw to first base. When I was on first base, it was easy for me to steal second base. That used to be my specialty. When Pete Peterson was GM, Maury Wills went to the Dominican Republic to work with me, Frank Taveras and Miguel Dilone for two weeks when we played for Aguilas Cibaenas. He told me to bait those guys. That’s the only way to steal second base: You have to take a good lead.
You led the National League with 71 steals in 1978 and 77 in ’79. How much did that put you on the map as a major leaguer?
I never think about that. I tried to do my job. I played hard. When I was a rookie, I tried to steal bases to help my team. They called me to the front office. Manny Sanguillen said, ‘Omar, Chuck wants to talk to you.’ Chuck told me, ‘I want you to slow down. I don’t want you to steal bases every time because I want Dave Parker to hit.’ That way they can pitch him. Every ball in the gap I know I’m going to score from first base. When Dave Parker was hot, I’d let him hit first.
What happened in 1980, when you had a career-best 96 stolen bases but lost the NL title to Montreal’s Ron LeFlore (97) on the final day of the season?
“I was looking for the Lou Brock record (118 steals in 1974). I broke my (pinky) finger on a slide in Philadelphia. That’s what slowed me down from stealing bases because I played with my finger broken and wore a cast. (Pirates equipment manager) Tony Bartirome made something for me. I wanted to be the first Latino to steal 100 bases. That’s what I was looking for. We had a doubleheader against the Cubs and I stole two bases, but the game was rained out so it didn’t count. I would’ve had 98, if not for the rainout.
How about batting .333 and catching the last out in Game 7?
The first game, I struck out twice, and we lost the game (5-4). The next game Howard Cosell interviewed Willie in Baltimore. He said, ‘If Omar gets on base, we have a good chance to win the World Series.’ That made me feel good. I knew if I got on base, that would put pressure on the pitchers. I didn’t steal a base in the World Series. If I had a chance to steal, I wanted to go. I didn’t feel comfortable at first base because it was too cold. Orioles manager Earl Weaver said, ‘If we keep Omar off the bases, we’ll be good.’ So I used my bat instead and started hitting.
What was Willie like as a leader on that team?
I get emotional thinking about him. He was like my father. We called him Pops. I was the youngest one on the team, me and Don Robinson. I looked up to those guys as a rookie.
What was it like to see Dave Parker get inducted into the Hall of Fame?
For a long time, Dave Parker was the best player in baseball. This guy, he had everything. He talked like Muhammad Ali. He was a great player. I never played with somebody like him. I was able to congratulate him before he passed. I cried because Dave Parker was a special guy. Him and Willie.
What made the ‘We Are Family’ Pirates so special?
Willie made that team special. Willie and Chuck Tanner. Willie was the guy who kept everybody together. We used to have meetings on the road. He would invite everybody to his house, too. We really had a good thing. It was a good family. Everybody got along. We played baseball like a family. Everybody had each other’s backs.
What do you think of Oneil Cruz at leadoff and playing in center?
I worked with him a little bit in the Dominican Republic when he was a shortstop. I thought he had the potential to be a good player. We are different kinds of players. Oneil has the power to hit the ball out of the park. I would like to talk to him next week about hitting first. If you want to steal more bases, you have to make more contact with the ball. He’s got the potential to steal 60 bases and hit 20 home runs every year.
What do you think you should be best remembered for as a Pittsburgh Pirate?
I want my legacy to be that I was a good player who worked hard and was a key part of the 1979 World Series, a team player. I was inspired to win the World Series.
This is your first trip home since the 40th reunion of the 1979 Pirates. How much are you looking forward to returning to PNC Park to see Pirates fans?
I’m so excited to be back in Pittsburgh. It was the city that gave me an opportunity to play here for a long, long time. I had the opportunity to win a World Series. I’m looking forward to seeing all my fans next Saturday.