BACKGROUND: Inclement spring weather and the nearly-extinct practice of scheduled doubleheaders handed the 1979 Pirates a grueling itinerary coming out of the All-Star break. Over the 18-day span of July 19 to August 5, the Bucs had zero off days and played 24 games, thanks to three scheduled doubleheaders and three make-up doubleheaders. (For example, the Braves came to Three Rivers Stadium for a Sunday-Monday series on July 22-23. Sunday's afternoon's scheduled doubleheader took ten hours, with a little less than half of that time occupied by rain delays, and resolved itself with two Pirate victories.
Pennant Race Flashback: August 11, 1979
