Phil Garner remembered as ‘heart and soul’ of Pirates’ 1979 World Series-winning team

CHICAGO -- The same as anyone who watched them win the World Series, Kent Tekulve knows the 1979 Pirates featured plenty of stars, most notably Willie Stargell and Dave Parker.

Tekulve was also keenly aware of the role Phil Garner played on the team.

“Phil Garner was the heart and soul of what our team was about,” Tekulve said. “He brought grit and a little arrogance. He rounded out the clubhouse and our attitude on the field. Just a special player and person.”

Garner passed away Saturday following a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76. Garner is survived by his wife, Carol, plus sons Eric and Ty, daughter Bethany and six grandchildren.

The player nicknamed “Scrap Iron” spent five of his 16 MLB seasons with the Pirates (1977-81), hitting a career-high 17 home runs that first year, helping Pittsburgh win a World Series and making the National League All-Star team in 1980 and ’81.

In 1979, Garner hit .293 with 11 home runs and 59 RBIs, though his best work came in the postseason. That’s when Garner hit .417 in the National League Championship Series and .500 (12-for-24) in seven games against the Orioles.

Overall, Garner played for the A’s, Pirates, Astros, Dodgers and Giants from 1973-88. After his playing career ended, Garner went into coaching and managed the Brewers (1992-99), Tigers (2000-02) and Astros (2004-07), guiding Houston to the 2005 World Series.

“Phil Garner was a fierce competitor, a respected leader and a cherished part of the Pirates family,” said Pirates chairman Bob Nutting. “His contributions to the 1979 World Series championship team will forever be part of Pirates history. We always appreciated welcoming Phil back to Pittsburgh, and it was evident how deeply this city, this team, his teammates and our fans meant to him.

“He will be remembered not only for the grit, passion and heart he brought to the game but also for the way he carried himself as a devoted family man and respected member of the baseball community.

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Garner family during this difficult time. Phil will be deeply missed.”

Pirates infield coach Chris Truby was promoted to the Tigers a week before Detroit fired Garner in 2002. It wasn’t a long stint, but Truby certainly remembers being around Garner and the knowledge that he shared.

Truby also knew Garner as a baseball lifer and someone who played a sizable role around the game, earning the respect of everyone who knew him.

“He was all baseball,” Truby said. “He was a good man. He’s everything you think of when you think of old school baseball. It was a big part of his life. He affected and impacted so many players who played for him and have been around him. Just a good human being.”

The “Scrap Iron” nickname for Garner came from former Pirates broadcaster Milo Hamilton, who took note of Garner’s ability to knock down balls at third base, how he was seemingly bothered by nothing.

That same mentality carried through to whenever Garner joined the Pirates as a player. Tekulve remembered Garner as a strong defender but also an integral part of the team’s chemistry.

Garner and Parker famously sniped at one another, a sort of iron-sharpen-(scrap) iron mentality -- only with the busting of chops. Despite being undersized, especially when compared to Parker, Garner never backed down.

Much of that defined the “We Are Family” Pirates.

“It was kind of our identity,” Tekulve said. “Nobody was safe. You had to protect yourself. When you went on the field, that carried with you. He really epitomized what a whole lot of our club was about.”

Tekulve even shared a jab at how he used to needle Garner -- all out of love, of course. Despite accumulating 13.4 wins above replacement (per Baseball Reference) during parts of five seasons with the Pirates, Tekulve gave Garner grief about his offensive production.

“I used to tell him, he’s only hitting eighth because we didn’t have a designated hitter,” Tekulve said.

At the same time, the role Garner played was only partially tied to baseball. He was a glue guy, a productive hitter and defender but also the type of guy who always seemed to play a key role on championship teams.

Those character traits only grew as Garner moved into managing and impacted countless players around the sport.

“To win a championship, you need star players,” Tekulve said. “But what most people don’t realize is how much you need the other guys who play around the superstars. Phil was the perfect example of that. He just blended in with everything we were doing.”

Jason Mackey: Jason.Mackey@pirates.com and @JMackey_PGH.