Ed Ott was a tough, hard-nosed catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and part of the squad that won the 1979 World Series.
- Died: March 3, 2024 (Who else died on March 3?)
- Details of death: Died in Danville, Pennsylvania, at the age of 72.
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Ed Ott’s legacy
Ott’s hometown high school in Muncy, Pennsylvania didn’t have a baseball team, so he competed in wrestling and football, and played baseball in an American Legion league. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970, but he didn’t start out in the position where he would make his mark: catcher. Ott began as a third baseman, then moved to the outfield before finally landing behind the plate.
Ott became a starter in 1977 and gained a reputation as an enforcer – a tough player who could both take and deliver hits as needed. He was with the Pirates when they won the 1979 World Series, hitting .333 in the series with 3 RBI. Ott was traded to the California Angels in 1981, but he had to sit out the 1982 season with a rotator cuff injury. He retired at 32 after a brief comeback attempt in the minor leagues.
Following his career on the field, Ott became a coach with the Houston Astros, then managed the minor league Allentown Ambassadors. He also coached several teams in the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball.
On the time spent with his teammates:
“The camaraderie and friendship we’ve had, we would’ve went to war for each other.”—from the July 2019 40th anniversary celebration of the Pirates’ 1979 World Series victory in PNC Park
Tributes to Ed Ott
Full obituary: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
