7/23 Through the 1960s: Player-Coach Quail, Friend 1-Hitter, Ralph Rules, Batfests & Duels, Clarke Cycle, Game Days, Mateo & ASG, HBD Mack, Ed & Ginger

1876 - OF Ginger Beaumont was born in Rochester, Wisconsin. He played eight seasons (1899-1906) for Pittsburgh, hitting .321 with 757 runs scored and 200 stolen bases. Beaumont led the league in batting with a .357 average in 1902, and in 1903 led in at bats (613), runs (137) and hits (209) while hitting .342, helping the team to a spot in the first World Series.

1899 - RHP Ed Holley was born in Benton, Kentucky. Ed was purchased in mid-season of 1934 from the Phils, where in 1932-33, he had won 34 games in 58 starts and tossed 435 IP for a weak Philly club. Alas, at age 34 the sidewinder was done, lasting 7-2/3 frames in four Pirates starts with a line of 0-3/15.43. It was his last MLB posting after four years in the show. 

1901 - Fred Clarke hit for the cycle as the Pirates whipped the Cincinnati Reds 9-2 at Exposition Park behind Jack Chesbro, who struck out 11 batters. Lefty Davis, Honus Wagner and Kitty Bransfield added three hits apiece to power the 16-hit Bucco barrage. Clarke became the second Pittsburgh player to hit for the cycle (Fred Carroll in 1887 was the first) and in 1903, again against the Reds, he rode the cycle one more time to become the first NL’er to post a pair of cycles.

1901 - IF Malcomb “Mack” Hillis was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mack had a 12-game major league career; 11 of those outings were with the 1928 Pirates. He went 9-for-39 with two doubles, three triples, six runs scored and seven RBI, but with Sparky Adams and Pie Traynor ahead of him, it was his last Pittsburgh and MLB campaign. Hillis started pro ball in 1922 and finally hung them up in 1934, playing mostly in the Eastern and Pacific Coast Leagues.

1912 - Claude Hendrix tossed a seven-hit shutout, fanning nine, and Hans Wagner singled home Chief Wilson, who had doubled in the bottom of the ninth, to give the Bucs a hard-earned 1-0 win over the Boston Braves at Forbes Field. Honus used a little trickery for his walk-off; he showed bunt, but instead hacked away. Hendrix and Braves hurler Otto Hess were in command throughout; only one runner from each squad had reached third prior to the Wilson tally.

Claude Hendrix - 1912 Wire Service photo

1925 - The Pirates scored twice in the ninth inning to defeat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 at Forbes Field to regain first place. They held the top spot for all but three days during the rest of the season and capped it with a World Series title. Jess Haines of the Redbirds and the Buccos Emil Yde “waged a brilliant slab duel” per the Pittsburgh Press. The Pirates final frame was opened by Kiki Cuyler’s triple. The Cards’ infield played in and Pie Traynor punched a double over their heads into right field. Glenn Wright followed with a single to center to walk-off the win and vault the Corsairs back into first place.

1930 - Pie in the sky guy: The Pirates won the first game of a Baker Bowl twin bill against the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 as Heinie Meine slipped past Roy “Swede” Hanson in a match decided by a ninth-inning Pie Traynor homer. The second game, twice delayed by rain, went 13 innings and ended in a 16-15 Pittsburgh victory. With darkness threatening, Traynor was again the Bucco of the hour, blasting a three-run shot that provided just enough insurance to hold off the Phils, while capping a 5-for-7 showing in the nitecap. The second game set a couple of single game records: With a deluge of eight home runs and nine doubles, the total bases mark of 83 was established. The other record was for the total number of at bats as the two clubs combined for 117 AB’s.

1947 - Ralph Kiner hit his 24th and 25th long balls of the year off the Phils’ Al Jurisich, breaking the club record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo in 1938 and tied by Kiner in his rookie year of 1946. Pittsburgh beat Philly 6-2 at Forbes Field as Hank Greenberg also went yard. Tiny Bonham gave up 11 hits but only two runs in the complete game win. Kiner ended the year with 51 homers, tops in the National League and tied with Johnny Mize for the Major League title.

1958 - The Dodgers put up crooked numbers before the Bucs got to the plate in both ends of a twilight double bill, but the first inning jolt made no difference as the Bucs swept them 11-3 & 6-3 at Forbes Field. Ronnie Kline gave up three runs to open the double dipper, then settled in to toss a four-hitter. Dick Stuart had four hits, including two triples, and two RBI; Roberto Clemente and Frank Thomas added three more raps, including a homer, and six more RBI while Dick Groat plated two more runs. Bob Friend did the honors in the nightcap, fanning 10 before getting ninth inning help from ElRoy Face. LA jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead, but Groat’s bases-filled double keyed a five run response by the Buccos; he ended the evening with three hits and four RBI.

Dick Groat - 1958 Hires

1965 - The Pirates backed up 34-year-old Bob Friend's one-hitter, a fourth inning infield rap by Don Landrum, with three homers (two by Jim Pagliaroni, the other by Donn Clendenon) to defeat the Cubs handily at Wrigley Field, 6-0. Five Bucs had multiple hits, led by Roberto Clemente and Manny Mota with three each as the Bucs put up single runs in six separate innings. Friend  made ‘em hit his pitch; he struck out just two Cubbies and walked three, with none of the Windy City runners reaching second. It was almost a mirror image of his only other MLB one-hitter in 1955, also tossed at Wrigley and spoiled by a fourth-inning infield knock.

1967 - The Bucs dropped the opener of a Forbes Field twin bill to the Astros 8-5 despite seven hits between Maury Wills and Bill Mazeroski. But they kept swinging in the nightcap, winning a 15-2 laugher. Maz banged out two more hits and joined Roberto Clemente (with a pair) and Donn Clendenon (four RBI) in the home run parade. The Great One had three hits, along with Wills and Manny Mota, giving Tommy Sisk a big pad in his complete-game win. Manny Sanguillen, fresh from the Columbus Jets, made his MLB debut and first start, going one-for-five.

1968 - Three years after taking his last MLB at bat, coach Bill Virdon was called back to duty with the Bucs due to multiple injuries, military obligations, and the Quail having more ability than the Bucs had available in the minors. Virdon got into six games (two pinch hitting, four as an OF’er) from July 17th to August 7th as a 37-year-old while still pulling coaching duties. The Quail went 3-for-6 at the dish, and this day was his return’s highlight when he banged a ninth-inning, game-tying, two-run pinch hit homer off Reds closer Ted Abernathy. Unfortunately for the storyline, the Pirates eventually lost in 12 innings at Forbes Field, 7-6.

1969 - After three years of low scoring games, the All-Star contest at RFK Stadium featured some offense, with the National League winning, 9-3. Bucco reps Matty Alou went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run while Roberto Clemente whiffed against Sudden Sam McDowell in his only at bat. The game was originally scheduled to be contested the prior evening but heavy rains forced its postponement to the following afternoon. It also cost the match its ceremonial opening pitcher, President Richard Nixon, who was slated for the night game formalities but spent Wednesday at the Apollo 11 splashdown as Vice President Agnew Spiro performed the day game’s honorary duties. The daylight contest was the last All-Star Game to be played earlier than Eastern prime time.

7/23 From 1970: Spence Slam, 5 For Rock, Rick Roll, Streaks, Sly Guy, Game Days, TRS '74 ASG, Jose-Bo, Danny-Rich, Guillen-Catchers, A-Ram Dump (& Return), Sox Shuffle

1974 - TRS hosted the 45th All-Star Game, drawing 50,706 fans. The National League romped 7-2 with Pirate lefty Ken Brett, the Bucs only All Star, credited with the win. He tossed a pair of scoreless frames, giving up a hit and a walk. It was the third time the Pirates hosted the All-Star Game (the first two were at Forbes Field in 1944 and 1959). It was the first of two times that the game was played at Three Rivers Stadium, with TRS hosting the ASG again in 1994. 

1977 - With some clutch two-out at-bats and a bit of legerdemain from Chuck Tanner, the Bucs scored four times in the seventh to beat Cincinnati 5-4 at Three Rivers Stadium. Down 4-1, the Bucs cut the lead to a run on doubles by Dave Parker and Rennie Stennett around a Bill Robinson knock. Two righty pinch-hitters, Fernando Gonzalez and Jerry Hairston, reached on a walk and infield single to load the bases with two outs. Sparky Anderson saw Willie Stargell with a helmet and bat, so he kept lefty starter Frank Capilla in to instead face Jim Fregosi, who banged out a two-run single to put Pittsburgh up by a run. It was a little chicanery on Tanner’s part as unknown to Sparky, Pops had an elbow problem that was so severe that he couldn’t swing a bat; otherwise Pedro Borbon would have faced Fregosi. Grant Jackson did yeoman’s work when he squelched a bases-loaded threat left by Teke in the eighth and then tossed a 1-2-3 ninth frame against Pete Rose, Ken Griffey and Joe Morgan to save Jim Rooker's win.

1979 - The Bucs won their ninth game in a row by a 7-1 count over the Atlanta Braves at Three Rivers Stadium in the lidlifter of a twin bill. Tim Foli went 3-for-5 with four RBI to lead the attack while Bert Blyleven tossed a four hit complete game. The Bucs pulled off the 500th triple play in MLB history in the second inning of the nitecap when Braves’ pitcher Phil Niekro bounced into a 5-4-3, Bill Madlock-to-Phil Garner-to-Willie Stargell triple killing at TRS, but he had the last laugh as he spun a two-hitter in an 8-0 Atlanta romp, ending the Bucco winning streak.

1982 - Pittsburgh dropped Atlanta 6-0 at TRS as Rick Rhoden did it all. He tossed a six-hit, complete game shutout with only two Braves reaching second, banged out two hits and chased home a pair of runs. Dale Berra had a big day too, making two great plays in the field and scoring three times, one on a swipe of home as part of a double steal with Omar Moreno.

Bobby Bo - 1987 Donruss Opening Day

1986 - The Bucs sent RHP Jose DeLeon to the Chicago White Sox for OF Bobby Bonilla. DeLeon had a long and workmanlike career while Bobby Bo earned four All-Star berths with the Pirates, hitting .284 with 114 HR and 500 RBI for the Pirates from 1986-91. The Pirates had originally signed Bonilla out of high school in 1981, but the White Sox claimed him in 1985’s Rule 5 draft after a FO braincramp. The move ended Lee Mazzilli’s three-year run with the Pirates; he was released to make roster space for Bonilla and signed with his old team, the Mets.

1988 - In a game played “mostly for laughs” per Bob Hertzel of the Press, a team of Pirates old-timers edged a club of former World Series 1-0 at TRS as part of the Equitable Old-Timers series. The only run scored between player antics came in the first frame when Bill Virdon touched home thanks to an Al Oliver double.

1991 - A couple of milestone moments: Longtime Buc coach Jeff Banister made his MLB  debut and singled off Atlanta’s Dan Petry in his only big league at bat. Banister was a Pirate lifer after being drafted in 1986 until landing the skipper job in Texas, returning to Pittsburgh's FO when that gig was up (he’s now the bench coach for Arizona). In the same game, rookie John "Rock" Wehner, now a Pirates broadcaster, went 5-for-5 to become the first 'Burgh rook since Richie Zisk in 1973 to collect five hits; he single handedly outhit the Bravos 5-to-4. (Wehner had a quick start to his career. He went 4-for-4 a week later and was batting .432 on July 31; he posted a .340 BA in his rookie campaign). The Bucs beat the Atlanta Braves handily 12-3 at TRS that night before 21,644 fans. Gary Redus banged a fifth-inning grand slam and with Spanky LaValliere combined to drive in seven runs while Bobby Bonilla homered to help Doug Drabek post his 10th victory. 

1996 - The Pirates sent RHP Danny Darwin to the Astros for minor league RHP Rich Loiselle. Loiselle spent his six-year MLB career (1996-2001) as a Pirate and claimed 29 saves in 1997 after being converted from a starter to the pen. He finished 9-18-49/4.38, going steadily downhill after fairly strong 1997-98 campaigns. The veteran Darwin won 16 more games before hangin’ the spikes up after the 1998 season, closing out 21 years with 171 wins in the show.

Jose Guillen - 1999 Upper Deck MVP

1999 - The Pirates swapped OF Jose Guillen and RHP Jeff Sparks to Tampa Bay for catchers Joe Oliver and Humberto Cota, scuffling for help behind the plate after Jason Kendall broke his ankle. Guillen, who had 28 homers and 154 RBI in his first two seasons, was having a down year after arriving at spring training a month late due to visa problems but proved to be an overpay. He went on to have a half dozen 20+ HR campaigns, including a 31-bomb season in 2003.

2003 - The Pirates traded 3B Aramis Ramirez, OF Kenny Lofton, and cash to the Cubs for SS Jose Hernandez, RHP Matt Bruback, and 2B Bobby Hill in Dave Littlefield's darkest day of salary dumping. It was speculated that RHP Kris Benson, not Ramirez, was who the Cubs were after, but he missed his prior start and so Chicago passed on him. The Bucs also dealt Scott Sauerbeck & Mike Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox for Brandon Lyon & Anastacio Martinez. Ten days later, Gonzo was traded back to Pittsburgh with Freddy Sanchez & cash for Brandon Lyon (who had flunked his Pirates physical), Martinez & Jeff Suppan, basically making the new Rube Goldberg deal a swap of Sauerbeck & Suppan for Sanchez and causing one big headache for the traveling secretaries.

2015 - 3B Aramis Ramirez, who began his career as a Bucco, was traded back to the ‘Burg by the Milwaukee Brewers along with cash for minor league reliever Yhonathan Barrios exactly 12 years after he was originally dealt away in a contract dump. A-Ram, who retired at the end of the year, filled a gap on the left side of the infield caused by injuries to Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer and also manned first base for the first time after 2,100+ games at the hot corner.

2018 - In between scattered rain storms, the Pirates licked Corey Kluber and the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Park by a 7-0 count for their 10th straight win, the team’s longest string since 2004. Trevor Williams tossed his first MLB shutout, a four-hitter cut short after six innings because of the wet weather. Starling Marte extended his hitting streak to 16 games with two hits and two RBI while Josh Harrison cracked a two-out, three-run homer; Marte and Josh Bell also went deep. Jordy Mercer added two hits to the pot and Gregory Polanco banged a two-out, two-run triple. The Bucs’ victory streak ended at 11 games, snapped two days later by Trevor Bauer, 4-0.

Trevor Williams - 2018 Topps

2022 - Jose Quintana, who was rumored to be making his final Pittsburgh start before the trade deadline (Q lasted until August 2nd when he was dealt to the Cards), tossed seven innings of four-hit, shutout ball, and with help from Wil Crowe and David Bednar, put away the Miami Marlins 1-0 at PNC Park. Yoshi Tsutsugo drove in the only run with a two-out single in the sixth as the Bucs kept stubbing their own toe by stranding 10 runners while going 1-for-11 with RISP.

2023 - The Pirates had three wins to date in July, largely due to poor pitching. So they went with a bullpen game, and five Buc twirlers - Ryan Borucki, Osvaldo Bido (the winner), Jose Hernandez, Carmen Mlodzinski and David Bednar (the save) - tossed Pittsburgh’s first shutout in two months, scattering six hits and fanning a dozen LA Halos for a 3-0 victory at Angel Stadium. The Pirates ducked a couple of bullets - with the bases jammed and no outs in the fourth, a liner was turned into a DP, and in the ninth, the Angels jammed the sacks with one away, but a comebacker was converted into a 1-2-3 twin killing. The Corsairs didn’t bang the ball around much, but Bryan Reynolds had two hits, driving in a run and scoring while Endy Rodriguez hit his first MLB homer. On the other side of the pillow, Jared Triolo’s 13-game hitting streak was snapped.

2025 - Andrew McCutchen gave the Bucs an early 1-0 lead with a solo shot in the first, and Spencer Horwitz made it an easy day for Bailey Falter by banging his first career grand slam in the next frame. Falter went seven innings v Detroit at PNC, giving up a run on four hits as the Pirates won, 6-1. It was Pittsburgh’s third straight win, and after a loss, they tore off five more consecutive dubs. It didn’t move the season’s needle much; the club ended the year with a 71-91 slate and last in the Central Division.

7/22 From 1970: Five Bombs, Teke For Two, Game Days, SI Grilli, LaRoche Deal, Vogey-Colin, Seth & Murf Sign, RIP Lloyd, HBD Ryan

1973 - Pittsburgh swept San Diego 3-1 and 13-7 at TRS. Willie Stargell hit two homers and chased home five runs during the twin bill while rookie Dave Parker smacked his first MLB bomb in the opener. Nellie Briles went seven innings, giving up six hits to win the lidlifter with help from Ramon Hernandez and Dave Giusti with Willie’s two-run double being the key blow. Stargell’s two long balls primed the attack in the nightcap; Bob Robertson also went long. The Cobra had three raps, with Willie, Robby, Al Oliver and Manny Sanguillen adding two knocks each while Richie Zisk iced the game with a bases-loaded, bases-clearing double. Behind that firepower, Luke Walker took home the win with Bob Moose and John Lamb holding down the fort at the finish.

1977 - RHP Ryan Vogelsong was born in Charlotte, NC. He worked five years for the Pirates (2001, 2003-06), going 10-19 with a 6.00 ERA. He then took a hiatus to Japan, but came back in 2011 to his original team, the San Francisco Giants, and pitched strong ball for the G-Men, earning an All-Star spot in 2011. He rejoined Pittsburgh in 2016 as a long man/spot starter, but missed a two-month chunk of the campaign after a brutal beaning that nearly cost him his eye. Vogey went 3-7/4.81 for the Bucs in that campaign, then signed with the Twins in 2017 but was released in camp. A fan fave in the Bay, he retired as a Giant.

1979 - Kent Tekulve saved both ends of a doubleheader as the Pirates swept the Braves 5-4 and 3-2 at Three Rivers Stadium. Teke scattered four hits over three scoreless innings in the first game of the twin bill, closing out Don Robinson’s win (which Robby helped along with two RBI and a run scored), then tossed the final inning in relief of Jim Bibby (who was also a hitting hero with a two-run homer) in the second game for his 16th save of the year. With the sweep, the Pirates pulled within 1/2 game of front-running Montreal. It was a long day at the ballyard; rain delays added four hours to the games, which stretched out over 10 hours. And there was no rest as the Bucs and Bravos had a twilight doubleheader on tap for the next evening. They split that night, with the Bravos taking the second match to end a Bucco winning spell of 13-of-14 games. 

1982 - Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner passed away at age 76. The 18-year veteran (all but one in a Bucco uniform, at least in part) batted .316 and teamed with his brother, Paul - known as ''Big Poison'' - to lead the Pirates' attack in the late 1920's and throughout the 1930's. Lloyd, who was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1967, had 2,459 career hits. The speedy Waner was Pittsburgh’s long-time center fielder and leadoff hitter with an eagle eye at the dish. In 8,333 plate appearances, he struck out just 173 times. After retiring as a player after the 1945 campaign, Waner worked as a Pirates scout from 1946-49 before retiring to Oklahoma City to work for the city.

Rick Reuschel - 1987 Fleer

1987 - The Pirates turned some strong pitching from Rick Reuschel and some shoddy Giant play into a 4-0 win over San Francisco at Candlestick Park. Both teams bats were quiet as the clubs traded five hits, and the Bucs were nursing a 1-0 lead going into the ninth inning when a single, an error, three walks (two intentional) and a wild pitch netted them three runs to put the contest away. Big Daddy went the distance, needing just 91 pitches to dispatch the G-Men.

1989 - The Pirates released starting SS Rey Quinones just 71 games after sending RHP Mike Dunne and prospect OF Mark Merchant to Seattle for his services. He had held out with the Mariners and was off to a slow start before the Pirates, aware that he was considered a reclamation project owing to performance and attitude (GM Larry Doughty said the club knew that Quinones “marched to his own drummer.”) They thought that Jimmy Leyland, known as a player’s manager, could unlock Quinones’ potential, but the 25-year-old hit just .209 and made 19 errors in Pittsburgh. He had no takers on the trade market and went unclaimed after he was released; Quinones never played in MLB again.

1992 - It took the Pirates 13 innings, but they outlasted Houston at the Astrodome by a 10-7 count. There was plenty of hitting - 11 Bucs had hits, including all eight starters, with Alex Cole and Gary Redus collecting three each - but ultimately pitching won the contest for Pittsburgh. Denny Neagle (the starter), Stan Belinda (the winner) and Bob Patterson (the save) put together six innings of no-run, one-hit ball to keep the ‘Stros quiet until Orlando Merced’s RBI single and Jose Lind’s bases-loaded ground-rule double cashed in the winning runs.

1993 - The Bucs scored four times in the ninth to rally past the Braves 8-7 at TRS. Jay Bell drove in the first run in the final frame, and with two outs, Dave Clark’s single got the Bucs within a run. The next hitter, Kevin Young, dropped a soft liner into right center that flicked off David Justice’s glove and wildly deflected away, plating Lloyd McClendon and Clark, who scored all the way from first. Blas Minor claimed the victory, although he gave up a pair of two-out, run-scoring singles to the Bravos in the ninth inning to make the big comeback necessary. The middle of the order - Jeff King, Dave Clark and Young - came through in spades with six hits and seven RBI.

Bronson Arroyo - 2000 Upper Deck

2000 - The Pirates beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 at Three Rivers Stadium in front of 28,485 Saturday night fans. Bronson Arroyo allowed two hits over seven shutout innings for his first major league win with Jason Christiansen and Mike Williams following on. Mike Benjamin had a double & triple while Emil Brown added a pair of hits, scoring once & driving in a run.

2009 - The Pirates traded Adam LaRoche to the Boston Red Sox for two minor leaguers, SS Argenis Diaz and RHP Hunter Strickland. LaRoche remained in the show until 2016 when he retired, while Diaz played for Pittsburgh briefly in 2010 and is now a coach at Florida’s TNXL Academy. Strickland tossed for eight teams and was released by the Los Angeles Angels in May.

2009 - The Bucs used a season-high five home runs to hold off the Brewers 8-7 at PNC Park. Brandon Moss went long in the ninth for his first walk-off homer; Ryan Doumit added a pair of blasts while Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones each had one. Delwyn Young and Jones had three hits apiece. Paul Maholm started and was chased in the fifth after giving up all seven runs; Joel Hanrahan, John Grabow and eventual winner Matt Capps then shut the gate.

2013 - Jason Grilli was on the cover of Sports Illustrated, the poster boy for Ben Reiter’s story “The Strangest But Truest Story of the Summer: The Playoff Bound Pirates and Their Sharknado Bullpen.” It was purely coincidental that Grilled Cheese was injured pitching the same day, put on the DL, and out of action until September 3rd (Jinx? What jinx?). It was also the first time in 21 years, since Barry Bond’s 1992 appearance, that a Pirate graced the cover of SI. 

Colin Holderman - 2024 Pirates graphic

2022 - The Bucs sent DH Daniel Vogelbach, who they had signed as a free agent in the preseason, to the Mets for RHP Colin Holderman. Vogey was hitting just .228, but alluring power with a dozen dingers and 34 RBI. Rookie Holderman, 26, slashed 4-0/2.04 in 15 outings and was a strikeout per inning guy, although a bit on the wild side, averaging four walks per nine, but has grown into a dependable back-end role for the Bucco bullpen. A deal with the Mets was in the air for days and finally reached fruition when the Mets surrendered Holderman, who was the Pirates chief target all along. Holderman’s now in Cleveland and Vogey rejoined the club in ‘25 as a hitting coach, moving on to the Brewers staff in ‘26. 

2025 - The Jekyll and Hyde Pirates, who had just been swept by the AL’s cellar-dwelling White Sox, took their second game from the Detroit Tigers, 60-win high-flyers, by an 8-5 score at PNC Park. Spencer Horwitz, Bryan Reynolds and Tommy Pham went 9-for-14 with five doubles, six RBI and five runs scored. Mitch Keller got the win and the Renegade, David Bednar, earned his 15th save. The two-bagger outburst was the first time the Pirates had eight doubles with three players smacking a pair each since Pokey Reese, Brian Giles and Abraham Nunez banged away in a 17-10 win at Milwaukee v the Brewers on 8/24/2002.

2025 - The Pirates signed first round (sixth overall) prepster pick RHP Seth Hernandez ($7.25M/slot $7,558,600), the highest bonus ever paid for a high school pitcher. Earlier, they had inked second rounder (comp) pick SS Murf Gray ($997,500/slot $1.13M) of Fresno State. Both players cracked 2026’s MLB Pipeline Top 100 prospects list.

7/22 Through the 1960s: Maz & Willie Team Up, Do-It-All Deacon, Six For Ginger, Game Days, Marty & Bill Join, HBD Denny, RC, Larry, Elmer, Mooney & Jack

1857 - SS Jack Glasscock was born in Wheeling, West Virginia. He got his start as a 20-year-old for the Alleghenys of the International League and then went on to play the next 15 campaigns for five different clubs, winning the NL batting crown in 1890 before joining the Pirates in mid-1893 in a trade with St. Louis for Frank Shugart and cash. Jack hit .341 in his first Bucco go-around, but at age 36, he dipped to .281 in 1884’s offense-hot season and retired the following year, closing out his career with Louisville and Washington. He spent several more seasons in the minors and played/managed through 1901. Glasscock retired to Wheeling. He was sometimes known as Pebbly Jack as he kept his infield position clean by getting rid of any stones, pebbles or other hazards that could cause a grounder to take a bad bounce. 

1880 - C George “Mooney” Gibson was born in London, Canada. He played a dozen years for the Bucs (1905-16) as a defense-first catcher, batting .238 but tossing out 949 runners. He had a 46% throw-out rate and was durable, too, once catching 140 straight games; he was behind the dish for 1,118 Buc matches, second only to Jason Kendall. Mooney finished his career as a NY Giant. He later returned to Pittsburgh as a manager, first in 1920-22, then from 1932-34, finishing second three times with a mark of 401-330. Gibson was the first baseball player elected to the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. His nickname may have been inspired by his round, moon-shaped face, though others claim he picked it up by playing on a sandlot team known as the Mooneys.

1885 - LHP Elmer Knetzer was born in Carrick. He tossed for the Pittsburgh Rebels of the Federal League from 1914-15 with a 38-26/2.73 slash, with six years in the NL sandwiched on either end of that stint. Knetzer was the first active player to jump from the NL to the FL after Brooklyn lowballed him during contract time. He went by “Pretzel” and “The Baron” - Pretzel because of the way his curveball twisted, while Baron goes unexplained other than Abe Yager of the Brooklyn Eagle bestowed the “Carrick Baron” calling card on Elmer early in his career. He stayed a hometown boy, and when he died in 1975, he was buried in St. Wendelin Cemetery in Carrick.

1885 - OF Sheldon “Larry” LeJeune was born in Chicago. He played briefly for two seasons in the show, his last being in 1915 for the Pirates, hitting .161 and committing five errors in 61 chances. He came to Pittsburgh with a strong resume - he had led the Central League in batting from 1912-1915 and in homers in 1910 and 1912. Larry made the record books in 1910, when he hurled a baseball 426’ 9”, a mark that stood until minor-leaguer Don Grates broke it (434’) in 1952.

Ginger Beaumont - Helmar T206

1899 - The Pirates rolled over the Philadelphia Quakers by an 18-4 count at Exposition Park. OF Ginger Beaumont went 6-for-6 at leadoff and scored six times, the first MLB player to plate that often in a single contest, without hitting a ball out of the infield. Rookie second baseman Jimmy Williams drove in three runs with a pair of triples to help Jesse Tannehill cruise to the win.

1908 - The Pirates scored twice in the first inning and those runs held up as they beat the Brooklyn Superbas, 2-1, at Exposition Park. As described by the Pittsburgh Press: “Howie Camnitz was on the rubber for the Pirates and pitched in faultless style, allowing only four hits and having his opponents at his mercy the whole way.” One of those hits was a bomb by Brooklyn 1B Tim Jordan, who “...laced the sphere over the right field fence...It was a terrific swat and the Superba star was cheered to the echo by the spectators.” He was the first batter to put one into the seats on the fly at the Expo since 1899; the lines were reportedly 400’ and center 450’ to the wall. 

1910 - Winning pitcher Deacon Phillippe hit an inside-the-park grand slam off Brooklyn’s Fred Miller as part of a 14-1 win at Washington Park as the Pirates swept the Superbas in a four game set. Mel Stottlemyre was the next MLB pitcher to hit an inside the park grannie - in 1965! Phillippe was the first Bucs hurler to empty jammed bases; there are only five other twirlers in franchise history (Al McBean, Don Robinson, Bruce Kison, Enrique Romo & Denny Neagle) with grand slams. As for the game, every starter but one had a hit and all nine scored.

1911 - The Pirates paid St. Paul of the American Association $22‚500 for RHP Marty O'Toole‚ the most expensive player purchase at the time. The AA ace joined the Bucs when St. Paul’s campaign ended (His first Bucco start was on August 30th). Barney Dreyfuss spent another $5‚000 for his battery mate Bill Kelly. In 1912‚ O'Toole went 15-17/2.71, but led the NL with 159 walks and was out of Pittsburgh by 1914, winning a total of 26 games while walking 300 batters in 599-1/3 IP. Kelly was a reserve catcher, hitting .290 while playing through 1913.

Marty O'Toole - 1911 Press

1932 - LHP Jack McMahan was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He pitched for one season in the show, and his 11-game stint with the Pirates in 1956 didn’t go so well. In 13-1/3 IP, the Rule 5 pick from the Yankees gave up nine runs on 18 hits with nine walks, and he was traded with Curt Roberts to the Kansas City Athletics on June 23rd for Spook Jacobs. His stay with KC went a little better (0-5/4.82), but it was his last MLB stop. He retired after the 1959 season following a minor league tour. Jack passed on in 2020 at the age of 88, and left for his legacy an endowed scholarship for Arkansas Tech.

1933 - Fans were hard to come by during the depression-era 30’s, but 27,000 came out to Forbes Field to see the Bucs and Giants mix it up, the biggest local turnout since 1930. The first game was a duel between Larry French and Carl Hubbell, who exchanged six-hitters in the lidlifter, with the G-Man claiming a 1-0 win thanks to Mel Ott’s sac fly in the first inning. It was a tight game, and the fans got into it by showering ump Charlie Moran with pop bottles after he called Bucco Tony Piet out at first, changed his mind and ruled him safe, and then, as the Giant infield charged first in protest, reverted back to his original call. There were no injuries - Moran even caught a couple of the bottles (although Beans Reardon, the third base arbitrator who had nothing to do with the decision, had some debris aimed at him, too) and after a cleanup, the game went on. The heated rooters and New York nine cooled off after an hour’s rain delay and Heinie Meine tossed the Pirates to a calm 6-2 win. The contest’s pivotal blow was a two-run triple by Arky Vaughan, who then tallied thanks to a wild pitch.

1934 - 1B RC Stevens was born in Moultrie, Georgia. The 6’5” slugger was signed out of Moultrie HS, but his one-trick stick wasn’t enough to earn him a starting spot in the show. As a backup, he hit decently, with a .260 BA and eight homers in 108 PA in 71 games from 1958-60, but he couldn’t outpace Ted Kluszewski, Dick Stuart and Rocky Nelson in the first base race.

RC Stevens - 1958 Topps

1939 - Boston committed seven errors in a 9-3 loss to the Bucs at Braves Field, allowing five unearned runs to cross the plate. It got so bad that one frustrated Bee’s fan jumped out of the stands and took a swing at Braves’ catcher Al Lopez after he dropped a popup. The Bucs did their part, too, banging out 13 hits, led by Lee Handley’s 3-for-4 effort. Chuck Klein ran his hitting streak to 21 games with a 2-for-5 performance before the Bees stopped him the next day.

1939 - Girls’ baseball never caught on in Pittsburgh, but softball, both on the amateur and pro levels, was red hot here for years. The Duquesne Gardens hosted a pair of games touted as “Girls Indoor Baseball” (never mind that it was softball) on back-to-back days with the championship New York City Roverettes going against the Pittsburgh All-Stars. Pittsburgh won the opener, 2-1,  behind SS Ann Giaciach, who had four hits, but was thumped in the rematch, 10-1.

1963 - Utilityman Denny Gonzalez was born in Sabana Grande de Boya, Dominican Republic. He played parts of four seasons as a Buc (1984-88), hitting .206. After his playing days were over, Gonzalez scouted for the Chicago White Sox and was in charge of the Sox' Dominican Academy. He also has taken the Dominican National team reins in international play.

1964 - Pittsburgh scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back as they whipped the St. Louis Cardinals 13-2 at Busch Stadium. Bill Mazeroski knocked in five runs with a double and homer while Willie Stargell hit for the cycle with four runs scored and three more driven in. Jerry Lynch also went yard (he had hit a grand slam against the Redbirds in the game before) and added three ribbies as Bob Veale cruised to victory in his breakout (18-12/2.74) season.

7/21 Through 1984: Pops Last Pop, Lynch Launch, Roberto Rocks/18-Gamer, Pie's 22-Gamer, Game Days, Frankie HoF, All-Timers, TSN Cobra, HBD Kimera, Dick & Cy

1877 - LHP Irv “Young Cy” Young was born in Columbia Falls, Maine. Irv worked on the railroad and played amateur ball; he didn’t join a pro team until he was 27 and was good enough to be in the majors the following year. He was a star pitcher for a terrible team, the Boston Beaneaters, and the Pirates had interest in him even then; they offered to buy him in September of his 1905 rookie campaign for $7,500 but were turned down. They persisted and finally in 1908 he was traded to the Pirates for pitchers Tom McCarthy and Harley Young. In 16 games for the Bucs, Young was 4-3-1/2.01. Sadly for Irv, the 1909 Bucs were loaded with pitchers - their top six starters were Vic Willis, Howie Camnitz, Nick Maddux, Lefty Leifield, Babe Adams & Deacon Phillippe - and despite Irv’s strong showing, he was on the outside looking in. Young Cy returned with the White Sox in 1910 and pitched well, but after the following season, his age 34 campaign, he was done. Something Out Of Nothing: in 1905, Irv went 20-21 for the Boston Beaneaters to become one of two pitchers (Ned Garver of the 1951 St. Louis Browns was the other at 20-12) in the post–1900 era to win 20 games for a team that lost 100 games (the Hub’s record was 51-103), and the lefty also posted the most wins earned by a pitcher with an overall losing record.

1927 - IF Dick Smith was born in Blandburg, Cambria County. The Bucs signed him out of Lock Haven, and from 1951-55 he yo-yoed back and forth between Pittsburgh and the minors. In 70 games over that span, he hit .134, never reaching the Mendoza Line in any of his five campaigns. But he was a decent minor league hitter, and his pro career spanned from 1949-60 with the last seven years spent mainly in the Pacific Coast League before he retired at age 32.

1932 - The Pirates tied the Cubs in the seventh frame on a Dave Barbee triple and Gus Suhr sac fly, then with the bases empty and two outs in the ninth inning, rallied for a 3-2 win at Forbes Field. Pie Traynor singled to keep the contest alive and then came all the way around when Lloyd Waner, who had entered the game in the eighth inning, doubled on the next pitch to plate Pie with the game winner. Ray Kremer tossed a complete game seven-hitter, retiring the last eight hitters, for the win. Little Poison’s walkoff knock kept alive his 22-game hitting streak, with Lloyd posting hits in 31-of-32 contests.

1942 - At Forbes Field, in front of 11,500 fans in a game under the new Forbes Field lights, KC Monarchs (and ex-Pittsburgh Crawfords) pitcher Satchel Paige intentionally walked Howard Easterling with Grays on first and second and set up a battle with Homestead’s Josh Gibson. Years earlier, Paige had told Gibson that one day he would strike him out with the bases jammed, and the showman decided now was that time. Well, he didn't fan him (Josh did K twice), but Satch did coax a pop to left with the same result. Still, the Grays rallied from a 4-0 deficit, tying the game with a four-spot in the eighth and won 5-4 in 11 innings. Paige got his revenge when he later won three Negro League World Series games against Homestead to lead KC to the title.

Frankie Frisch - 1961 Fleer Hall of Fame

1947 - Frankie “The Fordham Flash” Frisch was enshrined in the Hall of Fame. He never played for the Bucs but managed the club from 1940-46. His teams were usually competitive (539-528/.505) but never serious contenders, and Frankie's years of steering the Pirates were remembered more for his colorful on-field antics than claiming clutch victories.

1950 - 19-year-old Bob Friend, who had been signed out of Purdue as a freshman and was working his first minor league campaign at Class B Waco, tossed a no-hitter against Wichita Falls, fanning eight and walking a pair, to win his 12th game as a pro. After the game, the youngster was promoted to Indianapolis, the Bucs top farm club, and made his debut in 1951 with the big club.

1956 - All-Star RHP Brooks Lawrence took his 13-game winning streak into the ninth with a 3-1 lead over the Bucs, but his string was snapped by Roberto Clemente, who hit a three-run homer as the Pirates edged the Cincinnati Reds 4-3 at Crosley Field. Lawrence gave up just six hits, but three of them were bunched up in the ninth. The first run was chased home by Frank Thomas, who had two hits. Winner Elroy Face tossed two scoreless innings in relief of Bob Friend. 

1962 - Jim Marshall came off the bench in the 11th frame and delivered a bases-loaded single to vault the Pirates past his former club, the San Francisco Giants, by a 7-6 score at Forbes Field. Don Hoak led the attack with three hits, including a bases jammed triple. Roberto Clemente ran his hitting streak to 18 games with two raps before the Giants shut him down the next day. Neither starter got through the third inning as Al McBean and San Francisco’s Digger O’Dell were chased early. The teams combined to use nine pitchers, with ElRoy Face beating Don Larsen in the end.

1963 - Pinch hitter Jerry Lynch drilled a three-run home run off Chicago's Lindy McDaniel in the ninth inning to tie the Cubs at Forbes Field, 5-5. Lynch’s homer was his 14th career round-tripper off the bench, tying the MLB mark set by former Cincinnati teammate, George Crowe (He became the to-date leader in August. Lynch swatted 18 pinch hit homers in his career; Matt Stairs holds the current record with 23). The Bucs eventually won the contest in 14 innings 6-5 on Bill Virdon’s two-out infield single to salvage a doubleheader split with the nightcap victory. In the lidlifter, the Pirates stranded nine runners and went 0-for-8 w/RISP during the game, dropping a 5-1 decision. Roberto Clemente hit into a 3-6 triple play in the second frame, lining out to first baseman Merritt Ranew, who stepped on first to force Manny Mota and then threw to second to retire Ducky Schofield, giving an early indication of what kind of day was on tap for the Bucs.

Jerry Lynch - 1964 Kahn's Wieners

1969 - The Baseball Writers Association selected an All-Time team that included old Pirates Hans Wagner and Pie Traynor. Local legend Stan Musial from Donora was chosen as a member of the All-Time Living Players team. The writers also voted on the ultimate All-Timers: Joe DiMaggio was selected as the greatest living player and Babe Ruth named as the greatest of all time.

1972 - Coach Kimera Bartee was born in Omaha. After a six-year pro career as an outfielder, mostly with Detroit, Bartee was hired as the Bucs’ roving minor league outfield & baserunning coordinator in 2008 with a 2011 stint as short-season State College’s skipper. In the 2016 offseason, he was promoted to the Pirates as the outfield/baserunning coach and later became the Tigers first base coach. Kimera passed away young, at age 49, from a brain tumor.

1979 - Dave Parker was a cover boy of The Sporting News in the magazine’s All-Star issue along with George Brett, Fred Lynn & Pete Rose. The Cobra made TSN look prophetic as he showcased his powerful arm by throwing out Jim Rice at third base and Brian Downing at home while adding an RBI on a sac fly. Parker was named the game's MVP for his efforts.

1982 - Willie Stargell hit his final bomb, his club record 475th home run, against the Reds’ Tom Hume, an eighth-inning, game-winning, pinch-hit solo shot in a 3-2 victory at Riverfront Stadium. Larry McWilliams claimed the win, backed by a two-inning save by Kent Tekulve. 

1983 - The Pirates walked off with a 5-4 decision over the Los Angeles Dodgers at TRS for their 10th win in 11 games, the opening shot of a 20-of-25 July winning streak that would carry them from fifth place on July 10th to first. (They finished with 84 wins, good for second, six games behind the Phils.) The City of Angels raced out to a 4-1 lead behind Fernando Valenzuela, but the Pirates chipped away with single runs in the seventh and the eighth to trim the gap to one. The Bucs had a runner on first in the ninth, thanks to a Dodger boot, with two down when Bill Madlock singled and Jason Thompson drew a walk off of Steve Howe to jam the sacks. Jim Morrison smacked one foul into the second level as a teaser, then became the hero for real when his rap into left chased home two runs to give Kent Tekulve, the Pirates fourth pitcher, the victory.

7/21 From 1985: Hank v Oh, Bell Rings, Freddy Ready, Splashy Stairs, Freaky, Gifts, Gem, Game Days, Cole-Wilson, #11 Retired, Grilli Signed, Jim HoF, HBD Max

1988 - RJ Reynolds was clutch; his double and triple, both with two away, drove in all three Bucco runs in a 3-2 win over the Western-Division leading LA Dodgers at TRS, moving the Pirates to a half-game behind the East leaders, the NY Mets. Pittsburgh was hot; the Corsairs had won 12-of-13 to get themselves back in the pennant race, although they faded, winning 85 games and finishing second, 15 games behind the Mets in the NL East. Hits were hard to come by as Orel Hershiser and Doug Drabek were both sharp on the bump. RJ learned after the game that he had a new competitor for outfield time as Darnell Coles was traded to the Mariners for Glenn Wilson.

1988 - In a swap of outfielders, Pittsburgh sent Darnell Coles to Seattle for Glenn Wilson. Wilson spent 1988-89 as a Buc, returning again for his 1993 swan song. He got into 147 games and was solid, hitting .274 with 11 HR. Coles spent 1987-88 as a Pirate, also smacking 11 homers but hitting just .230 in 108 games. GM Syd Thrift had been after Wilson for over a year when he was with the Phillies, but couldn’t strike a deal with the Philadelphia FO, which sought a front-line pitcher. This exchange was finalized during the game and announced the next day.

1991 - Randy Tomlin spun a three-hit, complete game masterpiece against the Reds at TRS, winning by a 6-0 score and allowing just four baserunners, none of whom made it past first base. (That no-one-past-first feat wouldn’t be duplicated by the Buccos again until 2017 when Steven Brault and three relievers stopped the Brewers). Andy Van Slyke and Don Slaught both had two-run raps while Gary Redus had three hits, missing the cycle by a homer, and scored twice.  

1995 - The Pirates beat the Expos 7-6 in 12 innings in a see-saw match up at TRS. Houston scored four times in the opening frame off Paul Wagner, who rebounded to put up zeroes over the next four innings. The Bucs tied it up in the fifth on a pair of two-run long balls banged by Kevin Young and Jacob Brumfield. The ‘Stros pushed across a couple of more runs to take a 6-4 lead into the bottom of the ninth. Pittsburgh got the first two runners aboard via walks, and KY smacked a game-tying two-out double. In the 10th, more Houston wildness helped load the bases but the Bucs couldn’t convert. Finally in the 12th frame, two more free passes (one intentional) around an error loaded them again and fittingly enough, KY drew a walkoff walk to give the sixth hurler, Jim Gott, the win. Houston walked nine batters, gave intentional passes to two more and bopped a pair as the Pirates stranded a dozen runners.

Kevin Young - 1995 Donruss

1997 - The Pirate “Freak Show” stayed alive with a 3-2 win over Curt Schilling and the Phillies at Veterans Stadium. Philadelphia jumped ahead 2-0 against Esteban Loaiza, but Al Martin’s homer off a hanging forkball in the sixth tied it. Keith Osik led off the next frame with a double and went to third on a grounder, but a suicide squeeze attempt by Kevin Polcovich fizzled and Osik was a dead duck at home. But Kevin made amends, working the count full and then yanking a heater over the fence in left. Matt Reubel, Marc Wilkins and Rich Loiselle closed the door the rest of the way. Despite striking out 17 times (Schilling had 15 K in 8 IP; the Post-Gazette headline was “Get A Whiff Of This”), the Bucs remained alive in the race, 2-1/2 games behind the Houston Astros.

1997 - RHP Max Kranick was born in Scranton and was drafted by the Pirates in the 11th round of the 2016 draft out of Valley View HS. The Buc coaches quickly shortened his arm motion and he reached the upper levels in 2021, starting at Altoona, moving up to Indianapolis and getting his call to the show on June 27th. He opened some eyes in his debut, spinning five perfect frames against the Cards before rain washed out his day. Max started 2022 at Indy, and yo-yo’ed between AAA and the show, with his season ending with June TJ surgery. After a stop in NY with the Mets, he’s now with the Nats.

2003 - Matt Stairs became the first player to hit two home runs into the Allegheny River (both on the bounce) during a 5-3 win over Houston at PNC Park (he hit his first ball into the drink while playing for the Cubs two years before). Josh Fogg got the win with the help of three relievers; Mike Lincoln finished for the save. It was also a milestone match for Jason Kendall, who caught his 1,000th game and celebrated with two hits and a walk to make the day a special occasion.

2007 - The Pirates retired Paul "Big Poison" Waner's #11 in a ceremony before their game against the Houston Astros on the 55th anniversary of his 1952 Hall of Fame induction. Waner was the first National League player since Honus Wagner, 28 years before, and the seventh batter in history to reach the 3,000 knock plateau. (He got #3,000 against his old matey Rip Sewell on June 19th, 1942, as a Boston Brave.) The team ran a scoreboard video, presented his family on the field, and rolled his #11 into the outfield grass. The Bucs celebrated by ending a seven-game losing streak, toppling Houston, 7-3, and then reverted back to form by losing seven of the next eight contests.

Paul Waner - Helmar Hey Batter

2008 - The Bucs ended a six-losses-in-seven-games streak with a 9-3 win over Houston at Minute Maid Park, led by Freddy Sanchez who had three hits, including a homer, with four RBI. Jason Bay went 4-for-5 with a dinger, Nate McLouth and Xavier Nady posted three hits and Adam LaRoche contributed a long ball. Despite the score, Pittsburgh was trailing 3-2 until the Bucs rallied with three homers (one inside-the-park) and seven runs in the ninth inning to make Tyler Yates a winner.

2011 - The Pirates signed Jason Grilli from Philadelphia’s AAA Lehigh club as he had a major league opt-out clause that he exercised to join the Buccos. “Grilled Cheese” pitched for Pittsburgh from 2011-14 with a line of 3-11-47/3.01 and a K rate of 12.4 batters per nine innings. He went from bridge man to closer, taking Joel Hanrahan’s spot in 2013 and earning an All-Star berth with 33 saves. Grilli had a down campaign in 2014 and was traded to the Los Angeles Angels for Ernesto Frieri, passing the Pirates closer torch into Mark Melancon’s hands.
 
2017 - Josh Bell had a career-high four hits, including a double, triple & four RBI, as the Bucs beat the Rockies 13-5 to extend their winning streak to six games, claiming their 12th victory in 14 matches. Fran Cervelli added three raps to go with three RBI for his fourth straight multi-hit game, Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-4 with two walks, three runs scored & three runners plated, Starling Marte scored four times & swiped two sacks, and Jordy Mercer hit a 444’ homer as the Pirates swatted 18 hits against Colorado at Coors Field. Trevor Williams went into the seventh inning for the win with Jhan Marinez providing the finishing touches. 

2023 - Roberto Clemente became the second player to have his number retired by the Altoona Curve, both to honor Arriba and keep the number out of circulation. Roberto never played minor league ball for Pittsburgh, but you can spot his jersey on fans in the stands at every Curve contest. Helping celebrate were Roberto Clemente Jr, Roberto Clemente III and Duane Rieder of the Clemente Museum. Arriba joins Adam Hyzdu (1999-2000, 55 HR/184 RBI) whose #16 was retired in 2000. Adam was an Eastern League All-Star both years and still holds several franchise batting records. The Curve franchise started the same year Hyzdu arrived and has always been a Pirates affiliate. 

Henry Davis - 2023 Donruss Coming Attractions

2023 - Rookie Henry Davis had three hits, two leaving the yard, to become the first MLB player to have a multi-homer game against Shohei Ohtani (it was also the 23-year-old’s first two-dinger contest), and for the first time in his career, Ohtani gave up four home runs in a game (Ji Man Choi and Jack Suwinski also went deep; Choi and Davis went back-to-back). But the Halos put up eight runs in the fourth and fifth innings on just five hits - four cleared the fence to go with four walks -  at Angel Stadium to outscore the Pirates, 8-5. The defeat was the Bucs’ 12th loss in 15 July games. The match was the first nine-inning game in MLB history in which each team hit 4+ home runs while also striking out 13+ times. Close your eyes and swing hard...  

2024 - Jim Leyland was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Jim was the skipper of the Pirates, Marlins, Rockies and Tigers, posting a record of 1,769-1,728. He took three teams to the postseason, won a World Championship, was voted Manager of the Year three times and won a WBC Championship at the helm of 2017’s USA nine. Jimmy was introduced by Andy Van Slyke, who narrated a career highlight film, and predictably fought back tears a couple of times during his acceptance speech, expressing the lifetime joy the game gave him "From the heart of a little boy and a soul of an old man" while recalling relationships. In 2017, Leyland was inducted into the Michigan Sports HoF, the Tigers retired his number in ‘24 and he’s a member of the Pirates HoF.