Ed Ott: World Series-winning catcher with Pirates, dead at 72

Nathan Edward Ott, nicknamed “Otter”, was an American professional baseball player, coach, and manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1974 to 1981 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the California Angels. Ott was a member of the 1979 World Series champions with the Pirates.

Ed Ott: World Series-winning catcher with Pirates, dead at 72

Ed Ott, a former major league catcher and coach who helped the Pittsburgh Pirates win the 1979 World Series, died Sunday. He was 72. Ott died in the central Pennsylvania town of Danville, according to the Pirates. No further details were provided by the team.

Ott, a Muncy native, was selected by Pittsburgh in the 23rd round of the 1970 amateur draft out of high school. He batted .259 with 33 homers and 195 RBIs in 567 major league games.

He and Steve Nicosia were the main catchers when the Pirates won it all in 1979. Ott hit .273 with seven homers and a career-best 51 RBIs in 117 regular-season games that year. He played in three World Series games against Baltimore, going 4-for-12 and driving in three runs.