Ed Ott, Catcher for Champion Pirates in 1979, Dies at 72

Ed Ott, catcher and clubhouse leader for the World Series-winning Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979, died in Danville, Pa., the team announced Sunday. He was 72.

No cause of death was given.

Ott, a native of Muncy, Pa., played eight seasons in the majors, the first seven with the Pirates and the last with the then-California Angels in 1981. He finished with a .259 career batting average, with 33 home runs and 195 RBIs.

Ott played at least 104 games per season from 1977 to 1980 for the Pirates.

In 1979, he hit .273 with seven home runs and 51 RBIs as the Pirates won the National League East, swept West champion Cincinnati in three games in the NL Championship Series and beat the Baltimore Orioles in a seven-game World Series. Ott hit .333 in the World Series.