June 16 In Bucco History

 Pete Cascarart, no-hit, Big Poison, Dick Groat, DPs, the big choke, Pedro & Casey...

• 1913 - IF Pete Coscarart was born in Escondido, California. He spent the last five years of his career in Pittsburgh (1942-46) after an All-Star stint at Brooklyn. Coscarart backed efforts in 1946 to form a players union and voted to strike for its acceptance, and as a result, he found himself out of the major leagues. He sued MLB baseball in 2001 for royalties associated with the use of his name and image, lost the case and had his $10,000/year pension taken away from him by Bud Selig because of the suit. 
• 1916 - Boston RHP Tom Hughes tossed a no-hitter against the Bucs, winning 2-0 at Braves Field. The Pittsburgh Press cited Hughes’ fastball and change of pace, while noting “he has ever been a Buccaneer hoodoo.” Hard luck Pirate starter Erving Kantlehner worked his third straight game without the Pirates scoring a run in his support. 
• 1927 - Lee Meadows defeated Boston 6-0 behind the smokin’ bat of Paul Waner. Big Poison ran his hitting streak to 19 games‚ his multi-hit and RBI streak to 12 games and his extra-base hit streak to 11 games, going 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBI. Meadows did his part, too, spinning a six-hitter against the overmatched Braves at Forbes Field. 
• 1952 - Dick Groat was signed out of Duke University as a “Bonus Baby,” for $25,000 plus $5,000 annually for the next five years, according to interviews. At the time of his signing, the media speculated that it was more like $75,000, and the Pirates never officially announced a figure. 
• 1994 - The Pirates beat the Cardinals 7-5 in 10 innings. They made it hard on themselves by banging into a NL record-tying seven double plays at Busch Stadium, but put up a three spot in the tenth for the win. The Pirates scored their last run on a DP; Carlos Garcia’s sac fly brought home Orlando Merced while Gary Varsho, who had started on first base, was thrown out trying to get to third after the play at the plate. 
• 1998 - The Bucs blew a 7-1 ninth inning lead against the Phillies to lose 8-7 at Veteran’s Stadium after Philadelphia roughed up relievers Ricardo Rincon and Rich Loiselle. The pair walked three and gave up a triple and a two out walk-off grand slam to Mike Lieberthal. SS Lou Collier also threw away a grounder that allowed two runs to score and made the final tallies all unearned.
• 2012 - Pedro Alvarez homered twice and Casey McGehee once, as did Alex Presley, to lead the Pirates to a 9-2 win over the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. McGehee had four RBI and El Toro added three.