6/26 Through the 1970s: Sox Hop, DH Jam, Duel, Steve's String Ends, Game Days, HBD Jason, Bill, Howie, Bert, Debs, Babe & Elmer

1893 - RHP Elmer Ponder was born in Reed, Oklahoma. Elmer was an Oklahoma U grad of Cherokee descent and was part of the early wave of Native American players (the Bucs also had Moses Yellowhorse on the 1921 roster). He played for the Pirates in 1917, splitting a pair of 1-0 contests to begin his career, losing a six-hitter to the Braves’ Art Nehf and then topping Al Demaree of the Giants by spinning a two-hit effort, returning again from 1919-21. He got into just three games his first year before he left to join the Army during WW1, and didn’t return until after the season started in 1919. His first outing in July was special; although the Bucs lost to the Phils 6-1, Ponder tossed 5-2/3 perfect innings of relief. No Pirates reliever could claim five or more innings of perfect work until 94 years later, when Vin Mazzaro did it in 2013 against the Milwaukee Brewers. Elmer went 14-21/2.74 for the Pirates before he was traded to the Cubs in ‘21. He finished the year there before being sent to the PCL, where he toiled through the 1928 campaign. Elmer retired to Albuquerque, started a business, married and raised three kids before passing on at age 80.

1897 - CF Steve Brodie's string of consecutive games ended at 574. His arm was so sore the Pirates went on the road without him to allow him time to recover. The streak was a 19th-century National League record, three games shy of the then-MLB mark. Brodie was a strong two-way player that the Bucs released the following year in a move to cut salary, a fairly recurrent theme throughout franchise history. Steve was eccentric, even for the era. Per the Baltimore Sun’s Mike Kingaman “Brodie talked to baseballs, caught flies behind his back and once nabbed a line drive that had ricocheted off his head. He mumbled to himself in the outfield, passing time by reciting soliloquies from Shakespeare. Once, Brodie chastised himself on the field for committing an error, The Sunwrote: ‘Then, as further punishment, he refused to talk to himself for the rest of the game.’ But he was a solid fielder who played with a hole cut in the pocket of his glove, believing he could better grasp the ball with his bare palm. Per baseball lore, one of the ways Steve stayed fit in the winter was by donning a catcher's mask/chest protector and wrestling a muzzled black bear in his backyard.

1903 - OF Floyd “Babe” Herman was born in Buffalo. His off-the-wall stories are legion, such as the time he ended up on third base with two other teammates or tales of fly balls bouncing off his body in the outfield. In actuality, Babe was an average fielder with a great stick - his lifetime BA was .324 and he retired with a 140 OPS+. Herman played part of his 13-year career in Pittsburgh, batting .235 (the lowest average of his career) in 1935, returning as a coach in 1951 and later serving as a Bucco scout. Per the New York Times, he got his nickname in the minor leagues, playing when Babe Ruth was a star. “'He was put in to pinch-hit, and the first time he got a hit, the manager of the club said, ‘You're my Babe,’” as told to the paper by Charles Herman, Floyd’s son.

1903 - The Bucs lost the fight and the game: Before the start of a Giants-Pirates duel at the Polo Grounds, New York catcher Frank Bowerman started a fight with Pittsburgh’s player/manager Fred Clarke. Bowerman was fined $100 for starting the brawl while Clarke escaped with his wallet intact, as the league apparently felt his shiner was punishment enough. Christy Mathewson then led the fired-up Big Apple nine over Pittsburgh by an 8-2 tally. There are various tales of what led to the fisticuffs, the two favorites being bad blood carried over from when Clarke managed Bowerman at Louisville or manager John McGraw egging Bowerman into the bout to light a fire under the G-Men before their series with the Bucs (though they won that battle, they lost the war, falling 6-1/2 games short of the National League Champion Pirates at season’s end).

Debs Garms - 1940 Louisville Slugger ad

1907 - OF Debs Garms was born in Bangs, Texas. Debs played 12 years in the show, mainly as a utility player although he did start three seasons for the Boston Braves. That’s where the Bucs got him from in 1940, and he hit .355 for them in 358 ABs. That was good enough for him to be awarded the batting title by Ford Frick; there was no minimum at-bat requirement and the National League President used the accepted 100 games played as the qualifier (Garms played 103 contests). Stan Hack of the Cubs was the next highest hitter at .317, compiled in 603 at-bats, and Chicago fans cried “we wuz robbed” to no avail. Thanks to Debs, by 1950 the standard was changed to a 400 at-bat minimum and a few years later to 3.1/PA per game (502 PA). The corner man cooled off the next season as he hit .264 for Pittsburgh. Garms was a good stickman with a .293 career BA, and in 1941 he set the then-record of seven consecutive pinch hits. He retired after the 1945 season to become a rancher and later a quarryman. BTW, Debs wasn’t a baseball moniker - he was named after socialist politician Eugene Debs.

1918 - RHP Elmer “Bert” Singleton was born in Ogden, Utah. He came to the Pirates as part of the Bob Elliot deal, working for Pittsburgh from 1947-48 while slashing 6-8-3/5.54. Bert put parts of seven seasons in the show and his overall professional career spanned 24 years, from 1940-63, with 14 seasons in the Pacific Coast League. He retired at age 45 to become a salesman.

1921 - LHP Howie Pollet was born in New Orleans. After some stellar seasons with St. Louis (two World Series, three All-Star selections), he was sent to Pittsburgh in 1951, the victim of a slow start and back-to-back contract holdouts. He pitched here through 1953 and returned for his final bow in 1956, going 14-31-2/4.59 for some sad sack teams. Howie coached for the Cards and the Houston Astros from 1959-64, then retired and joined the business world.

1930 - Larry French tossed a seven-hit shutout to beat Phil Collins and the Philadelphia Phils 1-0 in the opening game of a Forbes Field DH’er. The Buc bats woke up in the second game, pounding out an 11-5 win. Paul Waner had three hits, including a double and triple, scored four times and drove in a run to lead the attack. All nine Pirates had hits; seven different Bucs scored and seven had RBI. Erv Brame went the distance for the victory.

Larry French - 1934 Goudey

1935 - The Bucs swept a twin bill from Boston at Braves Field by 4-2 and 5-1 scores. It was their third doubleheader in five days (they went 5-1 during the twin bill trio), and one that “Little Poison” Lloyd Waner was glad to have end so he could soak his barking dogs - he set a record by running down 18 balls over the two games (nine in each contest) while collecting five hits. Guy Bush tossed a six-hitter in the opener, and Lloyd’s three knocks led the hit parade, with Pep Young (who homered), Woody Jensen and Gus Suhr adding a pair of raps. Bill Swift spun a four-hitter in the nightcap, chipping in with a pair of doubles along with two-hit outings by Waner, Jensen and Tom Padden.

1936 - Red Lucas and Boston’s Danny MacFayden were hooked up in a scoreless duel after eight innings at Braves Field, each hurler holding his foe to four hits with only one runner for either squad reaching as far as third. Then the bats broke out in the ninth. Gus Suhr banged a one-out homer to right, Bill Brubaker doubled behind him, and Al Todd seemed to ice it with his two-out, RBI knock. But the Bees buzzed; they had two outs when three straight singles made it 2-1 and left Bostonians on the corners. After a meeting on the mound, manager Pie Traynor, who had Guy Bush warming up, let Lucas decide the game, and a grounder to second put an end to the rally. Both pitchers went the distance and ended up tossing seven-hitters with four whiffs each. The win pulled the Pirates within four games of first; they finished the year with 84 wins, good for fourth place.

1943 - OF Bill Robinson was born in McKeesport. The Elizabeth-Forward grad played eight years for Pittsburgh, from 1975-82, batting .276 with 109 HR and 412 RBI. He was a fairly regular starter from 1976-79 (he also played the IF corners), and won a ring with the ‘79 Bucs. He held a variety of coaching jobs afterward as a hitting coach for the Mets, Yankees and Dodgers, a minor league skipper for the Giants and Phils (he was also a batting instructor w/Philly) and Venezuelan manager, along with a brief gig with ESPN. He passed away in 2007.

Bill Robinson - 1976 SSPC

1950 - The Pirates met the Boston Red Sox in the Bosox’ first visit to the City since the Expo Park days of the 1903 World Series, and 26,113 (a huge crowd; the team averaged about 15,000 that year) turned out for the exhibition clash for the Western PA Safety Council. The big draw was Ted Williams, who met Ralph Kiner in a pre-game home run derby that “Mr. Slug,” the Post Gazette’s nickname for Kiner, won, 8-4. The Pirates also won the game 4-3; Williams hit a two-run shot when it counted in the ninth inning to tie the game, but was answered by 3B Pete Castiglione, whose solo bomb took the match honors in the Bucco half.

1968 - In the year of the pitcher, the Bucs found themselves on the wrong end of history as St. Louis’ Bob Gibson tossed his fifth straight shutout against them, winning 3-0 on a five-hitter at Busch Stadium. He was zoned in on one of the great hurling streaks of history. The Dodgers scored once off him in the next game, then he authored three more shutouts in his next five games, giving up one run twice. His totals for that stretch of 11 games were: 11 wins, 11 complete games, 99 innings, three runs allowed on 56 hits, with 13 walks and 82 strikeouts. 3B Maury Wills ran his hitting streak to 24 games during the loss by beating out a ninth-inning bunt single. His string ended during the second game of the twinbill, a 3-1 Pirate win, when Larry Jaster and Wayne Granger laid an 0-for-5 on Wills. It was a good run by Wills; he hit .419 during the 24-game stretch. As for the game, Steve Blass won, with a save from Ron Kline.

1974 - Jason Kendall was born in San Diego. He spent nine years as a Pirate (1996-2004), putting up a .308 BA, hitting over .300 six times and earning three All-Star berths. He was on a Hall of Fame track before a string of injuries slowed the back half of his career, finishing his 16-year run with a .288 BA. Kendall has been a member of the Kansas City Royals coaching staff, serving as a roving special assignment coach since retiring as a player in 2012.

6/26 From 1980: Cutch Crunch, Hot El Coffee, Turnin Two, Mac's Steal, Jay Fiver, Duels, Two For JT, Game Days, 4 & 9 Retired, HBD Justin

1984 - 1B Jason Thompson hit two homers in each game (a pair off Dennis Eckersley and then two more off Rich Bordi) during a doubleheader split with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, winning the first match 9-0 behind a Rick Rhoden four-hitter and dropping the nitecap 9-8. Thompson tied the club record (set by Ralph Kiner on 9/11/47) by hitting four home runs in a doubleheader. In the opener, the Pirates jumped to a quick 8-0 lead after three innings, with the only drama being Johnny Ray’s effort for a cycle (he fell a homer short). Doug Frobel joined the HR parade in the second match by adding a pair of long flies, but the four homers were all solo shots and not quite enough to rally the Bucs from a six-run opening frame by the Cubbies against Larry McWilliams.

1987 - Before the game, the Bucs honored Ralph Kiner and Bill Mazeroski, announcing that they were retiring #4 and #9, in August for Maz and September for Mr. Swat, when the Mets were in town (Kiner was a broadcaster for NY). Maz’s number was unused, but Kiner’s #4 was sported by Mike LaValliere, who switched to #12. The Bucs then took care of the Cubs at TRS by a 5-2 score behind Andy Van Slyke’s three hits, including a homer, and three RBI and a Barry Bonds longball. Barry Jones was credited with the win and Don Robinson earned the save of a game started by Doug Drabek.

1987 - OF Terry Harper was traded to the Pirates by the Detroit Tigers for Pete Rice and Shawn Holman. Harper hit .288 for the Bucs, splitting his 36 games as the fifth outfielder between the corner outfield and pinch hitting, then took his services to Japan in 1988. RHP Holman got into five games for Motown (good ERA but 11 walks in 10 IP) while Rice, an intriguing athlete who played as an outfielder, first baseman and pitcher during his career, never cracked the show.

1988 - It took 10 innings before anyone could push a run across the dish, but the Bucs outlasted the Expos 3-0 at Stade Olympique. Doug Drabek gave up two hits over eight innings and Jeff Robinson cruised home, giving up a rap and fanning four in 1-2/3 IP for the win. In the final frame, a Montreal error and two walks set up a sac fly by Sid Bream and the coup d’ grace was applied by Mike LaValliere, who doubled in a pair; all three runs were unearned. The Bucs made it hard on themselves by stranding 12 and going 1-for-11 w/RISP.

Bob Patterson - 1990 Topps

1990 - Bob Patterson and Bruce Ruffin put on a pitching show for the 25,807 fans at TRS as they carried shutouts into the eighth, with one runner between the two teams reaching third. The Bucs brought in Scott Ruskin to work the eighth frame, and he gave up back-to-back two-out infield raps, but a K put an end to that drama. Ruffin gave up a leadoff single to Chico Lind, who advanced to second with two away. Jay Bell fell behind 1-2, then shot a ball through the left side to plate Chico. Stan Belinda made that run stand up in the ninth to ice the 1-0 victory for Ruskin after the heavy lifting had been done by Patterson. It was the second straight shutout of Philly; Rick Reed spun a four-hit 5-0 victory the night before. That outing was the first Pirates whitewash of the season and today’s blanking was the first back-to-back Bucco zippos since 1984.

1991 - The Pirates scored five times in the third inning and then hung on to defeat the Cubs at TRS in front of 41,389 fans by a final count of 7-6. Jose Lind had a three-run homer, Barry Bonds a two-run shot, and Jay Bell went 5-for-5 to prime the attack against Chicago. Bob Walk lasted long enough for the win with Bill Landrum finishing up for the save.

1996 - The Bucs beat the Montreal Expos 3-1 at Olympic Stadium as 40-year-old Danny Darwin spun seven shutout innings for the win, dropping his ERA to 2.64. That June he allowed just four runs in five starts, slashing 4-1/1.06. His reward was a trade to the Houston Astros in late July for Rich Loiselle. Danny hung ‘em up after the 1998 campaign after 21 years and 171 wins in the show and finished as a Reds pitching coach through 2019.

1997 - LHP Justin Bruihl was born in Petaluma, California. The Bucs signed the lefty after he opted out of a minor-league deal with the Reds (he was 4-0/2.31 in 19 appearances at AAA Louisville) in June, 2024. He’s put in three years of MLB time with LA and Colorado, posting a 2-2-1/4.22 career line in 72 outings, pitching most effectively as a lefty-on-lefty specialist and l joined Aroldis Chapman as lefties in the pen. The move triggered some more shufflin' to create roster spot openings - the Pirates moved LHP Ryan Borucki from the 15- to 60-day IL. RHP Quinn Priester (right lat) was placed on 15-day IL with a right lat muscle injury. He went 0-0-1/9.53 in seven outings and was optioned back to Indy on his 27th birthday. He became a FA after the season and is now with St. Louis.

Pat Meares - 1999 Upper Deck MVP

1999 - SS Pat Meares, on the DL recovering from surgery on his left hand but traveling with the team, ran in a mascot race at Milwaukee's County Stadium. Meares, dressed as a bratwurst, won the race by defeating a hot dog and a polish sausage. Two days prior, Meares had been videotaped sunbathing in the upper deck of Philadelphia's Veterans Stadium. He missed all but the first 21 games of the ‘99 season after signing a contract that carried him until 2003. He played in 2000-01 for the team, then spent the next two years on the DL; the Pirates wanted further surgery on his hand and he didn’t agree. Needless to say, the relationship became contentious, involving the union, league office and random attorneys. They eventually reached an uneasy truce that resulted in Meares being paid, but he never played another game in the majors.

2001 - On his 27th B-Day, Jason Kendall was ruled out on a bang-bang decision at first, prompting the most famous steal in Pirate history. Manager Lloyd McClendon stormed out, put on a show for the 24,120 fans at PNC Park, and finally pulled the sack off its stanchion and carried it into the dugout in protest (he’d be hit with a $1,000 fine for his antics; MLB Lineup in 2025 called it the second most memorable manager-ump meltdown ever.) As for the game, the Bucs came back to beat the Brewers 7-6 in 12 frames. They dodged a late bullet when Aramis Ramirez smacked a two-run, two-out eleventh inning homer to keep the game alive after the Brew Crew had taken the lead on back-to-back homers in their half off Mike Williams. Rob Mackowiak singled through a drawn-in infield for the game winner, plating Kevin Young, who had opened the 12th with a double and moved to third on a ground out, to seal the deal for Omar Olivares and Pittsburgh. Aramis Ramirez and Young each had three hits, three RBI and two runs scored.

2004 - Randall Simon’s home run in the ninth frame was all the offense the Pirates could muster but proved enough as they edged the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 at Great American Ball Park. Ollie Perez gave up three hits while posting 13 whiffs over seven frames but wasn’t part of the decision - Mark Corey got the win and Jose Mesa earned his 17th save. Simon and Jose Castillo each had a pair of hits.

2005 - The Pirates turned six double plays and beat the Cardinals in St. Louis in 10 innings, 5-4. The six twin killings were a club record and each was scored differently (2-4; 5-4-3; 9-4; 4-6-3; 5-2-3; and 6-4-3). Jason Bay hit a three-run HR in the third and a game-tying blast in the top of the ninth. Jose Castillo’s solo shot in the 10th iced the victory. Starter Ollie Perez broke his toe when he kicked a laundry cart in the clubhouse, frustrated that he had been pulled in the seventh inning. More frustratingly, he wouldn’t pitch again until September.

Ollie Perez - 2005 Upper Deck Future Stars

2013 - The Pirates won their sixth straight game (they were in the midst of a nine-game winning streak) on the road by a 4-2 count over the Seattle Mariners. The contest went to the wire, with Jordy Mercer’s two-out, two-run single giving Vin Mazzaro the win, nailed down by a Mark Melancon save. The Bucs tied St. Louis for the lead in the National League Central with the victory, a spot they’d hold for the next 10 days and off-and-on through mid-September before ending the year with 94 wins, three games behind the Redbirds, and earning a wild card spot.

2014 - Gregory Polanco went 2-for-3 with a walk and stolen base, hit his first PNC Park homer and posted four RBI to lead the Pirates to a 5-2 win over the New York Mets, with Pedro Alvarez adding three hits to the pot. Vance Worley worked seven innings to earn the win, Mark Melancon claimed the save and Tony Watson provided the bridge between the pair.

2016 - Andrew McCutchen homered twice to spark the Pirates to a 6-1 win against the Dodgers at PNC Park. McCutchen hit his two taters off Dodgers starter Kenta Maeda, driving in four runs and breaking up a 1-1 duel with a three-run blast in the sixth. Jordy Mercer finished off the frame with a two-run, two-out blast off ex-Buc Joe Blanton to carry Jeff Locke to the win.

6/25 Through the 1950s: Ralph 8-RBIs, Dino Hot, Yde Swings, Streakin', Game Days, RIP Jake, HBD Alejandro, John, Ralph & Billy

1895 - 2B Billy Webb was born in Chicago. His show time consisted of five big league games for the 1917 Pirates, going 3-for-15 as a 22-year-old. His late season Bucco try out had its ups-and-downs. Webb was 0-fer in his first four games, but in his last go, he went 3-for-4 with a run scored as the Bucs beat Boston 2–0 at Forbes Field. Webb did have a long minor league career, playing 14 seasons and he went on to become a baseball lifer. He managed in the minors, then coached third base for the Chicago White Sox for five years before becoming their farm director, a position he held until a fatal heart attack at the age of 47. 

1902 - LHP Ralph Erickson (yep, his middle name was Lief) was born in DuBois, Iowa. He went to Idaho State and toiled in the Class C Idaho-Utah League before the Bucs brought him to Pittsburgh in September, 1929. He lasted until mid-summer of 1930, getting into eight games with a 1-0/8.40 slash. Ralph was a workhorse starter on the farm after that trial run and pitched through the 1934 season. He then went to Arizona and got a day job working in the mining industry, which apparently agreed with him - he was MLB’s oldest living player until he passed away in 2002 at the ripe old age of 100. Erickson did have his moment in the sun: He tossed a no-hitter in 1931 while pitching for Shreveport Sports of the Texas League. He spun his gem against the Houston Buffaloes, beating their ace, none other than Dizzy Dean, 2-0. 

1903 - Ed Doheny surrendered just four singles as the Pirates won at Philadelphia 4-3 in 10 innings to run their winning streak to 15 games. Hans Wagner had three hits while Ginger Beaumont and Fred Clarke each had a pair; Doheney helped his own cause by scoring twice. The string was snapped later in the day as the Phils took the nitecap of the Baker Bowl twin bill by a 5-1 tally to stymy the Bucco run at an National League-record 17 straight wins. Though the Pirates had cooled off, Beaumont stayed hot with two more raps in the second game.

1912 - The Pirates swept a twin bill from the St. Louis Cardinals by 10-4 and 19-3 scores, banging out 35 hits over the course of the afternoon at Robinson Field. Max Carey (who had six hits during the affair) and Chief Wilson hit grand slams (Wilson’s was thought to be the longest ball ever hit at Robison, clearing the park), while rookie Stump Edington came close, being thrown out at home after clearing the bases with a triple. The Bucs put up a 10-spot in the seventh inning of the nitecap. Claude Hendrix and King Cole were the Steel City’s well-supported winning pitchers. The Pittsburgh Press wrote “The Pirates slugged their way to a double victory… There appeared to be absolutely no style of pitching that the Corsairs could not solve.”

Marty O'Toole - 1913 Voskamp Coffee

1913 - What had been a pitching duel through nine innings turned into a laugher in the 10th when the Pirates erupted for eight runs against three St. Louis Cardinal relievers to take home a 9-1 win at Robison Field. The Bucs had five hitters with two knocks (and all in a row, batting 7-8-9-1-2 in the order), including pitcher Marty O’Toole, who scattered eight hits for the complete game win. The eight-run margin is the largest extra inning score spread in Pirates history.

1918 - 1B Jake Beckley passed away in Kansas City. He spent 20 years in MLB, and during his first nine campaigns (1888-96), he wore Pittsburgh colors as an Allegheny, Burgher and Pirate. He hit over .300 for six of those nine seasons. During his six-team career, he batted .308 with a .361 OBP, scored 1,600 runs and chased home 1,575 teammates.

1924 - Pitcher Emil Yde's bases-loaded double tied the score in the ninth inning and in the 14th, the Pittsburgh southpaw's two-run triple beat the Cubs at Forbes Field, 8-7. In addition to the two hits and five RBI, do-it-all Yde hurled 10-1/3 innings of one-run ball in relief to earn the win.

1943 - RHP John Gelnar was born in Granite, Oklahoma. The Bucs signed Gelnar out of Oklahoma in 1963; a year later he got a cup of coffee with the Pirates, working nine innings and giving up five runs. He got into 10 games in 1967, going 0-1/8.05, with most of his time spent with AAA Columbus. In 1969-70, after a couple of address changes, John pitched fairly well for the Seattle Pilots and then the Milwaukee Brewers. He got off to a rough start with the Brew Crew in ‘71, was sent down to AAA and then retired at the end of the 1972 campaign. 

1944 - The Cards edged the Bucs 2-1 in the opener of a twinbill as Red Munger outpitched Rip Sewell. The second ended in a controversial 5-5 tie, called after nine innings because of the state’s Blue Law. Pittsburgh tied the game in the ninth on a pinch hit long ball by Virgil “Spud” Davis that went through the screen in front of the RF stands. Cards manager Billy Southworth protested, claiming that the ground rules were that a fair ball stuck in the screen was a double and the same reasoning should apply. Ump Beans Reardon didn’t buy the argument and ruled that since it didn’t hang up but went through the fence, it was a homer.

Dino Restelli - 1949 Find-a-Grave

1949 - The Bucs hit five home runs (Ralph Kiner twice, Wally Westlake, Ed Stevens & Dino Restelli) but the Brooklyn Dodgers banged out four of their own to leave Pittsburgh eating their dust at Forbes Field by winning a 17-10 slugfest. Rookie Restelli set a hot-start record as his four-bagger was the seventh in his first ten major league games. Dino’s pace fell off considerably; he would only hit six more bombs in his abbreviated big league career.

1950 - Ralph Kiner had a massive day at the plate as he led the Pirates to a 16-11 win at Brooklyn by hitting for the cycle, the only one of his legendary career. He went 5-for-6 with two homers, scored four times and drove in eight runs at Ebbets Field. Stan Rojek added four hits against the Dodgers, Gus Bell had three and Ted Beard homered. Cliff Chambers got the win in relief of Vern Law though both were tagged.

1959 - RHP Alejandro Pena was born in Cambiaso, Dominican Republic. After helping whip the Pirates in the playoffs as a Brave in 1991, the Pirates signed him as a free agent after the 1992 season for $1.35M. He promptly sat out the year with elbow surgery and came back in 1994, going 3-2-7/5.02 and was released in June. The 15-year vet had a twisty road to join the Pirates - he was mentioned, along with Kevin Mitchell and a PTBNL, to be part of a 1992 preseason deal for Barry Bonds with Atlanta. The swap was agreed to in principle by GM Ted Simmons but nixed by Jimmy Leyland, who went over Simmons’ head to plead his case with team President Carl Barger. So the club, which apparently thought highly of Pena, later signed him as a free agent even after he sat out the 1992 postseason with tendonitis. They should have listened to Leyland.

1959 - There was a lot of pitching going on at Seals Stadium in San Francisco. Harvey Haddix gave up one run on four hits with eight K in nine frames while his counterpart, Stu Miller, gave up a single tally on five hits through 11 innings. Roman Mejias finally won it for the Bucs with a two-run shot in the 12th, but not without a struggle. ElRoy Face was working his third round, and loaded the bases with two down. He went 2-0 to Eddie Bressoud, whose homer was the only mark against the Kitten, then got him to tap back to the hill for a 3-1 win, the Baron’s 12th victory. Dick Stuart’s sac fly drove in Bill Virdon with the Pirates first run.

6/25 From 1970: 5-HRs, Cutch Clutch, Bucs #9000, Duelin', Starg Shot, Game Days, Back Rooms, HBD Bobby, Paul & A-Ram

1971 - Willie Stargell hit the longest home run in Veterans Stadium history against Jim Bunning during a 14-4 win over the Phils. The spot where the ball landed in section 601 was highlighted with a yellow star with a black "S" inside a white circle until Stargell's 2001 death, when the white circle was painted black. The star remained in place until the stadium's 2004 razing. Teammate Richie Hebner quipped "I went up there after he hit that home run and I looked down. It looked like a $20 cab ride from there to home plate." 

1972 - The Bucs 9-2 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field may have looked like a blowout win at first blush, but it was nail biter into the eighth, with Chicago holding a 2-1 edge with two away before Manny Sanguillen opened the floodgates by banging his first grand slam homer. Pittsburgh added four more in the ninth, small-balling it with three singles, a walk, and an opportune Cubbie boot. Dock Ellis took the win with help from Ramon Hernandez and Dave Giusti. Every Pirates starter other than the Docktor had a hit while Roberto Clemente scored three runs from the three hole. To keep that three vibe going, Pittsburgh also swept the three-game set with the triumph and built a three-game lead over the Mets.

1978 - 3B Aramis Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The Pirates signed him in 1994 as a 16-year old and he debuted in 1998 before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2003 in one of Pittsburgh’s more brutal contract dumps of the Dave Littlefield era. On July 23rd, 2015, he was traded back to Pittsburgh exactly 12 years after they first traded him away and helped the Pirates in their wildcard run by hitting six homers and selflessly playing first base as needed for the first time in his 18-year career. He retired in November as a member of the team that first signed him two decades earlier, around stints with the Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers, and as a three-time All-Star who hit .286 and swatted 386 homers during his career.

1982 - LHP Paul Maholm was born in Greenwood, Mississippi. Maholm was the first round pick (#8 overall) of the 2003 draft and debuted in 2005. He worked for the Bucs through 2011, slashing 53-73/4.36, then was released, with the Cubs picking him up. He played for them, the Braves and Dodgers through 2014 when a shoulder injury ended his pitching days.

Bobby LaFromboise - photo MLB.com

1986 - LHP Bobby LaFromboise was born in Downey, California. He had two brief MLB stops, working for the Angels and then getting into 17 games for the Pirates in 2014-15 as a depth reliever/LOOGY, with no decisions but a fine ERA of 1.54. Still, he was waived and though he signed with a couple of teams on a look-see basis, the Bucs were his last MLB gig.

1992 - The Pirates, per the media rumor columns, were thought to be discussing a deal with San Diego, with the key pieces being 2B Jose Lind of Pittsburgh and LHP Bruce Hurst of the Padres. Nothing came of it, which was a good thing for the Bucs - Hurst had rotator cuff surgery at the end of the year, and only had 13 starts remaining in his career before he retired in 1994. Chico didn’t impress, either - he hit .235 and in November was shipped to KC for pitchers Dennis Moeller and Joel Johnston. Other possible Pirate targets mentioned by the press were OF Alex Cole of the Indians (which became reality in July when he was plucked from the Tribe for a minor league player), 44-year-old White Sox RHP Charlie Hough, who TSN reported was having his tires kicked by the Bucco brass, and Giant’s OF Kevin Bass, who went to the Mets in August.

1995 - There was plenty of good pitching in the Bucs 1-0 win (their first 1-0 victory since 1993) over Montreal at Stade Olympique, with the Pirates twirlers making a two-out unearned run scored in the opening frame hold up. Esteban Loaiza tossed seven innings of five-hit ball, then Jason Christiansen and Dan Miceli put it to bed. Jay Bell was the only Bucco batter with a clue at the dish, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and scoring the game’s only run. Carlos Garcia extended his hitting streak to 19 games; it would reach 21 before he was finally stopped (and he started an eight-game streak the next day). Leather-wise, Kevin Young had a record-tying day at the hot corner with 11 assists. The recently converted 1B (he had 30 MLB appearances at third in his first three campaigns) handled bunts, dribblers, and started a key around-the-horn DP in the fourth inning after the first two Expos had reached base, the only real jam Loaiza faced that day.

2002 - The Pirates won their 9,000th game with a 4-1 victory against the Montreal Expos at PNC Park, joining the Giants, Yankees, and Dodgers in that accomplishment. Kris Benson got the win while Kevin Young went 4-for-4 on the day to provide the lumber. For Benson, it was his first victory since 2000; he missed 2001 because of elbow surgery and was 0-4 entering the game.

Kris Benson - 2002 Upper Deck Top 40 Rotation

2003 - The Pirates broke a 3-3 tie by scoring three times in the ninth, then barely held on to claim a 6-5 win over Montreal at Olympic Stadium. The Bucs took the late three-run lead on a Kenny Lofton sac fly and back-to-back two-out singles by Jason Kendall and Jeff Reboulet. It was just enough for Mike Williams, who gave up a two-run homer to Ron Calloway and had Expo runners leading off first and second before getting the last two outs.

2008 - In the battle of the Bulldogs, LHP Justin Wilson held Georgia scoreless for seven innings and got the win as Fresno State won its first College World Series by a 6-1 score. Wilson was named to the All-Tournament team and became the Bucs fifth-round pick in the draft, pitching for the big club from 2012-14 before beginning a trek around the league.

2009 - After falling behind the Indians 2-0 at PNC Park, the Bucs chipped away, winning 3-2 on a walkoff bloop single in the ninth by Andrew McCutchen that scored Jack Wilson. Cutch was clutch; he scored the first run of the comeback in the sixth and drove in the tying run an inning later by drawing a bases-loaded walk on a 3-2 count off Cliff Lee.

2013 - The Bucs banged five homers for the first time since 2009 and rolled to a 9-4 win over the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. Starling Marte led the Pirates' with a pair of home runs, his first career multi-homer game, and a triple. Russell Martin, Brandon Inge and Gaby Sanchez also homered. The Pirates went long three times in the second inning off Joe Saunders; Inge and Marte went back-to-back. Jeff Locke coasted to the win and in the process became the first Pittsburgh lefty to win seven in a row since John Smiley in 1991.

2016 - It was home run or no-count Saturday night for the Bucs. Andrew McCutchen banged a solo shot and a three-run dinger while Jordy Mercer chipped in with a two-run pop as the Pirates whipped the LA Dodgers 6-1 at PNC Park. Jeff Locke went seven innings for the victory.

6/24 Through the 1950s: Arky Cycle, Duel Undone, Hot Hans, Basebrawls, Game Days, Brick Buc, HBD Ken, Rollie, Kirtley & Jake

1867 - OF Jake Stenzel was born in Cincinnati. He patrolled center field for five years (1892-96) while with Pittsburgh. Jake was a strong guy with the stick, putting up a line of .360/.429/.528 in his Allegheny years, adding 188 stolen bases. He was a monster in 1894, hitting .352 (oddly, his lowest one-season average while a North Sider) with 150 runs and 121 RBI, banging 13 HR, 20 triples, and 39 doubles while swiping 61 sacks. Stenzel scored 100+ runs in his final three seasons here. Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects<, Stenzel is the only player in baseball history to produce a .350 BA, 80 RBI, 100 runs & 50 SB line in a season four times (Honus Wagner only did it twice) and is the franchise leader in BA and OBP.

1896 - RHP Kirtley Baker was born in Covington, Kentucky. He started his baseball odyssey with the Alleghenys in 1890 as a 21-year-old, going 3-19/5.60 in 25 outings with one outing as a pinch runner (he stole a base). Over the course of the next 10 years, he would pitch for the Baltimore Orioles and Washington Senators between stops of a nine-team journey through the minors,  hanging up the spikes following the 1900 campaign.

1902 - The Bucs whipped the Orphans 7-2 at the West Side Grounds in a game that was highlighted by a brawl between Chicago’s Joe Tinker and the Pirates Wid Conroy. Steamed that Conroy had held him (literally) at second in the previous game, Tinker launched a punch at Conroy, who promptly retaliated before ump Hank O’Day could restore order. Conroy ended up with a 20 day suspension while instigator Tinker was given a three day slap on the wrist. Pure baseball was at a minimum as the Pittsburgh Press described the game action as providing “an oversupply of bungling” and added that “neither team did sufficient good playing to deserve a victory.” Chicago morphed into the Cubs during this season because of the youthfulness of their roster. They had gone as the Orphans since 1898, when their longtime manager Pop (aka Cap) Anson was fired; the media called them the "Orphans" because they had lost their Pop.

1907 - C Ralston “Rollie” Hemsley was born in Syracuse, Ohio. Rollie spent the first four years (1928-31) of his 19-year, eight-club MLB stay with Pittsburgh, starting the last two and putting up a .264 BA. After being traded, he went on to have five All-Star years with three different clubs. After retiring, he was a coach for the Philadelphia Athletics and Washington Senators while also managing in the minors. He was selected Minor League Manager of the Year by The Sporting News in 1950 while serving as pilot of the Columbus Red Birds.

Rollie Hemsley - undated Retro Images Collection

1908 - Per the Pittsburgh Press: “The bright...star of the game was ‘Honus’ Wagner who clouted the bulb for a home run, a double, a single, scored two runs...and made a bold steal of home…” as the Pirates beat the Reds 5-3 at Exposition Park. The Bucs scored three times in the eighth to turn the game their way with Hans driving in the lead run and stealing home for an insurance marker, getting the jump when the Cincy catcher tried to catch the runner at first, Ed Abbaticchio, napping with a snap throw behind him. Abby was wide awake, though, and got back safely as Honus took advantage of the play to sneak home. Vic Willis got the win with Nick Maddux tossing the final frame for the save.

1910 - The Pittsburgh Press described it as “...a contest marked by free and easy hitting by both sides, sensational fielding and mediocre pitching...” as the Pirates defeated the Cubs at Forbes Field by a 6-5 tally. Honus Wagner was the spark plug, banging out three hits and sending four runners home; he delivered the game-winning blow, a three-run, bases-loaded double in the seventh that “did the cleanup act.” Howie Camnitz was the “mediocre” hurler, giving up five runs in four innings before Deacon Phillippe came in and spun shutout ball for five frames while giving up three hits. Redbird Solly Hofman had the day off; he became the first NL first baseman to play an entire game without registering a putout.

1917 - LHP Al “Lefty” Gerheauser was born in St. Louis. Lefty tossed during 1945-46 for the Bucs as a swingman, going 7-12 with a 3.93 ERA. He came to the Pirates from the Philadelphia  Phils in exchange for Vince DiMaggio. Lefty spent six years hurling in the show with another 13 seasons in the minors before hanging ‘em up for good. He got on with his life in Joplin, Missouri, and stoked his baseball jones by coaching at the Mickey Owens Baseball School. 

1924 - Cincinnati’s Eppa Rixey retired the first 23 Bucco batters that he faced and had a 1-0 lead in a duel with Ray Kremer. But the Pirates scratched out a run in eighth and added three more in the ninth, with the big blow a two-run single by Kiki Cuyler, to claim a 4-3 win at Redlands Field. The Reds almost came all the way back, scoring twice in their half of the ninth, with Edd Roush, representing the tying run, cut down at the plate on a strong relay by SS Glenn Wright. Pittsburgh was outhit 13-6 in the contest, with no walks or errors by Cincy to help grease the basepaths, but posted four of the raps in the ninth for the victory.

Fred Brickell - 1927 Conlon Collection/Detroit Public Library

1926 - The Pirates bought 19-year-old OF Fred “Brick” Brickell from Wichita of the Western League for $15,000. He stayed with the Pirates for five years, off-and-on. Fred had speed, a good glove, and a pretty good Pittsburgh BA of .312 w/a 94 OPS+, but tried to break into an outfield that consisted of three Hall of Famers, the Waner Brothers and Kiki Cuyler. When Kiki left the team, Fred lost out in a battle with Adam Comorosky for that third spot. He was traded to Philly in a waiver deal for Denny Sothern in 1930 and played there through the 1933 campaign. Brick is a member of the Kansas Baseball Hall of Fame.

1933 - Arky Vaughan hit for the cycle against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. He went 5-for-5 with five RBI and three runs scored in a 15-3 Bucco victory. He was (and still is) the youngest MLB player to hit for the cycle, at 21 years, 3 months of age. He had lots of help on this day as Pie Traynor had four hits, Gus Suhr three, and Adam Comorosky added a homer and double. Bill Swift cruised by hurling a complete game, six-hit victory.

1934 - The battle between Philadelphia’s Dick Bartell and Bucco Arky Vaughan, who replaced him at shortstop in Pittsburgh, continued to be waged at Forbes Field. Bartell held a grudge from the prior series when he was beaned by a Vaughan DP relay. After he popped out (both Dick and Arky had 0-fer days) he exchanged pleasantries with Vaughan, including a bit of fist shaking. As a reward for his antics, Bartell was low bridged the next time up by eventual game winner Waite Hoyt. Not only were the Pirates riled at “Sir Richard,” but so were the fans. After the game, Bartell went into the seats after a heckler. Volney Walsh, Pittsburgh Press beat writer, wrote “He was stopped in this effort by the club trainer, who grabbed little Dick by the belt and hauled him away…” The Pirates won, 11-5, behind Gus Suhr’s three hits and a Paul Waner homer.

1951 - 3B Ken Reitz was born in San Francisco. He ended his 11-year MLB career on a quiet note with the Pirates in 1982, going 0-for-10 with four whiffs. Ken had been a Cardinal mainstay at the hot corner for eight years, earning an All-Star spot, Golden Glove and the nickname “Zamboni” for his ability to scoop up grounders before bowing out with the Bucs.

6/24 From 1960: Top Guns, Clint's #1000, NYY's Visit, Jim's #700, Hit Man Slam, 3 For Willie, Game Days, TSN Baron, Nicky G Signs

1963 - The Baron of the Bullpen, ElRoy Face, was the featured cover story of Sports Illustrated as a tease to the article “The Forkball and Roy Face,” which touted him as “Baseball’s Best Reliever.” The timing was a bit off - he cobbled together a workmanlike 3-9-16/3.23 line that season after a strong 1962 campaign where he slashed 8-7-28/1.88.

1965 - Willie Stargell’s first career three-homer game (he had four lifetime) and six RBI sparked the Bucs to a 13-3 romp over first-place Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium. Pops also lined a shot off the outfield railing for a double, just a gnat’s eyelash from his fourth long fly. Roberto Clemente posted three knocks as Bob Bailey and Jim Pagliaroni also added swats, while Don Cardwell tossed a four-hitter to whip Don Drysdale, who won 23 games in ‘65. 

1977 - The Expos’ Wayne Twitchell was sitting on a no-hitter and 5-0 lead going into the eighth inning at TRS in front of 27,650 glum Pirates faithful, but escaped with neither as the Bucs came alive to rally for a 10-inning 6-5 win. An infield hit and Al Oliver homer halved the score, Fernando Gonzalez’s single chased home another run, and with two on and two gone, Montreal’s Joe Kerrigan issued back-to-back walks to cut the lead to a single tally. In the ninth frame, Bobby Tolan’s rap tied it as Bruce Kison, running for Willie Stargell, touched home. Pittsburgh kept the pressure on in the 10th. Phil Garner opened with a double off Kerrigan and after an intentional walk, Bill Robinson, whose infield single in the eighth opened the floodgates, dropped a ball into right to win it. Goose Gossage, the fourth Bucco twirler, got the win after Grant Jackson and Larry Demery hatched goose eggs following Jim Rooker’s early departure from the hill. 

1978 - What started out as a pitcher’s duel ended up a 12-inning see-saw affair, but John Milner’s grand slam was enough for the Bucs to claim a 7-4 victory at Shea Stadium. Jim Bibby and Craig Swan left a 2-2 game to the bullpens after holding steadfast until the final frame. Milner hit his granny against the team that he had played with for six seasons after taking a pitch that almost caught him in the chicklets. The high and tight message didn’t bother him, he said, but tipped him that the Mets wanted to work him inside, and hunting that zone, he went yard on a low, tight heater on the next pitch. Ed Whitson inherited a big lead - Omar Moreno had singled in a run before Milner’s blast - but left after giving up a run in the New York half. Dave Hamilton entered and surrendered another score, getting the last out with the bases filled with Mets. Milner and Moreno were big time - John had four hits while Omar had a game-saving catch to go with eight other grabs in center, and stole three bases. More drama was about to take place as a death threat was phoned in saying that Chuck Tanner “would not leave the stadium alive,” and after the game, he got a police escort. Tanner said he attributed the threat to the closeness of the game. In fact, it was the eighth time the two clubs had met in ‘78, with five of the games going into extra innings.

Bob Walk - 1988 Donruss

1988 - Bob Walk gave up a leadoff homer to Hubie Brooks in the ninth inning at Montreal’s Stade Olympique, the first long ball surrendered by Walkie in 117-1/3 IP, a streak that began in September of 1987 (the string had also started versus the Expos after Tim Raines homered at TRS). It cost him a win as the blast cut the Bucco lead to 3-2 and brought on Jim Gott, who gave up the tying run. But all’s well that ends well, and Andy Van Slyke’s 10th inning triple scored Barry Bonds and then was cashed in via a Darnell Coles sac fly to rally for a 5-3 victory. Barry Jones worked a 1-2-3 frame to give Gott the win to go along with the blown save. It was a very good year for Walk. He slashed 12-10/2.71 and was named to his only All Star team.

1994 - Jim Leyland won his 700th MLB game, riding a pair of homers from Dave Clark to a 9-4 victory over the Mets at Shea Stadium. Clark banged a three-run shot in the first inning off Doc Gooden to give Denny Neagle plenty of elbow room. Dave was in the midst of a red-hot streak: he ended up with a .457 BA (.512 OBP) with five homers and 17 RBI during a 13-game June stretch. The Pirates were also on fire, going 13-4 from June 8-26, but still finished eight games under .500 during a season that ended on August 11th, the last day before the strike of 1994-95.

2001 - A Sunday crowd of 36,826 jammed PNC Park and broke the million-fan mark after the ballyard’s 33rd game, the quickest pace to reach that figure in franchise history. However, it was the Same Ol’ Bucs, who went down 11-4 to the Expos. The loss left Pittsburgh at 25-47 and in the Central Division basement, where they would finish the year.

2008 - For the first time since Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, the New York Yankees visited Pittsburgh. Bill Mazeroski threw out the first pitch at PNC Park, and it was deja vu all over again as the Bucs broke out the bats to win, 12-5. Freddy Sanchez had three hits and three runs scored while Ryan Doumit and Adam LaRoche also had three knocks with a pair of RBI each. The Bucs were the last MLB team to earn a regular season win against the Yankees. Also true to form, they were clobbered 10-0 by the Bronx Bombers the following day.

Clint Hurdle - 2016 Topps Allen & Ginter

2016 - Clint Hurdle won his 1,000th victory as a skipper as the Bucs beat the Dodgers, 8-6, at PNC Park. Jameson Taillon started the game, and it took six Pirates twirlers to nail it down. Neftali Feliz earned the win while Mark Melancon converted his 17th straight save opportunity to close it. Matt Joyce went 3-for-4 with a homer, double, & two RBI while Starling Marte had a pair of hits and Jung-Ho Kang went deep. It was also a red letter day for Adam Frazier, who made his big league debut and singled off LA reliever JP Howell for his first MLB hit.

2017 - The Bucs used a wild streak to ice a 7-3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Ahead 5-1 in the sixth inning thanks to a homer & three RBI from Jordy Mercer and a solo shot by Josh Harrison, the Pirates had a runner on second with two outs. Eight hitter Chris Stewart was intentionally walked and pitcher Gerrit Cole was unintentionally lost on a 3-2 pitch from Lance Lynn. John Brebbia relieved and plunked Adam Frazier in the foot on an 0-2 pitch to force home one tally and the Fat Lady began to warble after J-Hay was smacked above the hip to plate another Bucco runner. Wade LeBlanc gave up a pair of scores in the ninth frame to prolong matters, but he, Tony Watson and Jhan Marinez brought the win home for Cole, who tossed a six-inning five-hitter.

2020 - The Pirates signed first round draft pick (#7 overall) SS Nick Gonzales, 21, of New Mexico State, where he worked his way from walk-on to first rounder. After passing his physical the day before, he received a bonus of $5,432,400, slot value for his draft spot. Gonzales hit .399 for NMS and was shifted from short to second base; hand and heel injuries held him back in the minors, but he made a June, 2023, MLB debut and is now the Buccos starting hot corner guy.

2021 - The Pirates broke a five-game losing streak against the Cards 8-2 at Busch Stadium. St. Louis had no answer for the top three in the lineup - Adam Frazier, Ke'Bryan Hayes and Bryan Reynolds - who went 8-for-12 with two home runs, five RBIs, six runs and three walks. Winner Chad Kuhl tossed six innings of one-run, three-hit ball before a trio of relievers finished it off.

6/23 Through the 1960s: "The Worse...", Duel, Futile 4 Hours, Casey At Bat, Gilbert Bros, Game Days, Roberts-Jacobs, HBD Curly & Bill

1877 - Before there were the Bucs there was Pud and the Alleghenys: Jim “Pud” Galvin of the Alleghenys shut out Chicago 6-0 on three hits in International League play. The IL was considered a minor league, and only lasted one more season. The Alleghenys became a major league club in 1882 when they joined the American Association. Gentleman Jeems spent eight years in Pittsburgh, climbing the bump for the Alleghenys, Burghers and Pirates.

1890 - 2B Harry and SS John Gilbert became the first brothers to play together for a major league Pittsburgh club when they manned the middle at the Philadelphia Baseball Grounds against the Phillies. The Alleghenys split the twin bill, with Harry going 2-for-8 and John 0-for-8, and they turned a DP in each game. The doubleheader was the only time either one of the Pottstown brothers played at the MLB level. They were the first of several brother duos that played for the Buccaneers - Harry & Howie Camnitz (1909), Carson & Lyle Bigbee (1921), Johnny & Phil Morrison (1921), Lloyd & Paul Waner (1927-40), Gene & George Freese (1951), twins Eddie & Johnny O'Brien (1953-58) and Adam & Andy LaRoche (2008) followed the Gilberts.

1900 - RHP Bill Harris was born in Wylie, Texas. He tossed for the Bucs from 1931-34, slashing 16-15-7/3.45. Harris was a baseball lifer - he had seven years in the show, and earned 257 minor league wins between 1921-45, including two no-hitters. He later managed in the minors for the Giants and then scouted for them, the Senators and Yankees.

1916 - RHP Ken “Curly” Jungels was born in Aurora, Kansas. Curly pitched five MLB seasons, mostly for Cleveland, though not very often nor well. He made five outings and was 0-0/6.89 for the Pirates in 1941 while his overall career consisted of 25 games, with a line of 1-0/6.80. After his Pittsburgh campaign, Curly joined the Army during WW2 and never returned to a big league ballfield, retiring after two minor league campaigns in 1946-47.

Casey Stengel - 1919 Hand Cut

1919 - The Bucs won their fifth game in a row 3-2 over the Saint Louis Cardinals at Robison Park. Casey Stengel was the man of the hour, hitting a two-run homer in the sixth and then making a game-saving catch to back Frank Miller’s complete game effort. The Pirates cut the Reds NL lead to two games with the win, but finished fourth with a 71-68 record, miles behind Cincinnati, which posted 96 victories. The Redlegs won the World Series, but that result is often forgotten thanks to the “Black Sox” scandal of their Chicago opponents.

1930 - Bucco pitchers Heinie Meine and Leon Chagnon gave up 12 straight hits in the sixth inning during a lopsided loss to the Brooklyn Robins at Forbes Field, tying the record for most consecutive hits allowed (Brooklyn banged out 28 knocks in all) in a game. Pittsburgh Press writer Ed Balinger led off the game story with a terse recap that told the tale: “...the slugging Robins...lambasted the lame and groggy Pirates to the agonizing tune of 19-6.”

1944 - The weather and local curfew combined to nullify four hours and 14 innings of baseball as the Pirates-Cards game at Forbes Field was called at 1 AM with the score knotted at 5-5. The two teams used 39 players (10 pitchers) and combined for 10 runs and 30 hits, wasting a big effort by Bucco OF Jim Russell, who went 5-for-7. 12,086 paid and 277 free military fans were on hand at the start of the marathon, which went on for 4:02 before ump Beans Reardon called it a night. It was a miracle they got that much play in - the contest was delayed by rain twice, the batting cage (which was on wheels) was blown from the plate and crashed into the grandstands before the game and a lethal tornado touched down in nearby McKeesport and continued down through Waynesburg and the Mon Valley into West Virginia, killing 90 and injuring over 600. 

1953 - The Pirates defeated Hall-of-Fame pitcher Warren Spahn and the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium, 1-0. Spahn, who would be named The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year after the season (23-7/2.10 ERA), struck out 12 batters and surrendered just two hits. Preston Ward and Johnny Lindell drew back-back free passes with one away in the eighth, and the walks bit Spahn when Carlos Bernier’s two-out single scored Ward. RHP Bob Hall tossed a six-hit shutout to win the duel, the last of the three wins he posted during his final MLB year.

Bob Hall - photo via Out of the Ballpark

1954 - The Bucs broke St. Louis’ Harvey Haddix’s string of 37 straight shutout innings when Preston Ward drove home Dick Cole in the sixth inning, but were still left in the dust at Forbes Field by the Cardinals, 7-1. Pittsburgh kept an eye on The Kitten over the years and in 1959 reeled him. Harvey spent five years as a Bucco, went 2-0 in the 1960 World Series, and later put in eight seasons as a minor league manager/big league coach for the Pirates.

1956 - Pittsburgh dealt 2B Curt Roberts and lefty reliever Jack McMahan to the Kansas City Athletics in exchange for 2B Spook Jacobs. Jacobs was given a brief opportunity to start, couldn’t hit worth a lick, and was shipped to the minors. He never returned to the show; it didn’t help his cause that Bill Mazeroski was his competition. Roberts was also sent straight to the minors, and he likewise never made it back to the show. McMahan got into 23 games for the A’s before joining his other trade mates in being sent down to the farm for good. 

1961 - The Pirates raced out to a 9-0 lead and were up 11-2 after seven innings at Forbes Field, but ended up losing 12-11 in regulation to the Philadelphia Phils in one of the Bucs most forgettable finishes. Joe Gibbon, the starter, had his arm tighten up, so Clem Labine and ElRoy Face took over in the eighth, giving up four runs but still holding an 11-6 edge. Earl Francis took over in the ninth, and the Bucs committed four errors behind him, with the winning run scoring after LF Bob Skinner lost his footing fielding a single. All Danny Murtaugh could mutter was “This is the worst defeat I’ve had since I’ve been the Pirates manager.”