7/12 Through 1984: Cobra Debut, Lucky 13, Soap Game, Happy Jack Tops Matty, Game Days, Pud Joins Allies, ASGs, HBD Gorzo, Phil, Big Country, Cobra, Johnny & Lee

1885 – The Buffalo Bisons sold RHP Pud Galvin to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $5,000. Galvin won 138 games pitching for the Alleghenys, Burghers and Pirates. From the HOF (he was inducted in 1965): “Jim ‘Pud’ Galvin was baseball's first 300-game winner. Short and stocky, The Little Steam Engine was a tireless worker with a deceptive pick-off move. Galvin pitched for 14 Major League seasons, earning 20 or more victories 10 times and twice topping the 40-win mark. When he retired in 1892, he was the all-time Major League leader in wins, innings pitched, games started, games completed and shutouts. He was nicknamed Pud because his pitching process supposedly turned opposing batters into pudding.” Galvin also went by "Gentleman Jeems” for his demeanor, and "The Little Steam Engine" because of his small but powerful build.

1894 - Lee Meadows was born in Oxford, NC. The righty spent the last seven campaigns (1923-29) of his 15-year career with the Pirates, going 88-52/3.50. He was hardly used his last two seasons (he made five appearances), but was a workhorse in his first five years, leading the NL with 20 wins in 1926 and winning 19 games twice. Meadows was part of two World Series teams, the winning 1925 club and the losing 1927 squad. He wore glasses and was dubbed “Specs.”

1902 - Jack Chesbro pitched a five-hit shutout (he led the league with eight whitewashes) and struck out 11 Giants to beat Christy Mathewson 4-0 at Exposition Park despite the Buccos losing five straight runners via basepath errors. With two outs in the third, Ginger Beaumont was on second base and was tossed out trying to advance to third on a grounder to short. In the fourth, Honus Wagner led off with a triple, but was thrown out at the plate on Kitty Bransfield's grounder to first; Bransfield was then caught trying to steal second. Claude Ritchey drew a walk and got picked off first. Jimmy Burke led off the fifth with a double and tried to stretch it into a triple, but was tagged out by Matty, covering the bag. Happy Jack’s performance made it all moot.

1919 - OF Johnny Wyrostek was born in Fairmont City, Illinois. The Bucs bought him from the St. Louis Cardinals and he spent 1942-43 as a bench player in Pittsburgh, hitting just .140 in 60 games. After a two-year break for the service, he returned to baseball and played another nine campaigns for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds, ending his career with a solid .271 BA and two All-Star outings. After he retired, he returned home to become a deputy sheriff, tradesman, and the long-time mayor of his birthplace, Fairmont City.

Larry French - 1933 Conlon/TSN

1933 - The Pirates blew an 8-0 lead in the ninth inning as the Boston Braves rallied to tie the score at Forbes Field, leading to Larry French’s “Soap Game.” Per Bob Fulton’s 1999 Pittsburgh Pirates History: “French figured he could duck out of the bullpen and hit the showers early. Little did he know as he was getting clean that the Braves had rallied to make the score 8-7. When the call came for French to pitch, he didn't even have time to rinse off. He put on his uniform and hustled out to the mound with soap trickling down his neck.” French tossed 1-2/3 IP perfectly and earned the win as the Bucs came back to take a 9-8 decision.  Arky Vaughan helped, too - he doubled, banged two triples and drove in five runs.

1935 - Dave Ricketts was born in Pottstown. He was a two-way star at Duquesne University, playing on a pair of Dukes NIT basketball teams. He spent most of his MLB career as a back-up catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, joining the Bucs in 1970. Ricketts retired after that season and coached in Pittsburgh from 1971-74 as part of the World Series team.

1938 - The Pirates won their 13th straight game over the Chicago Cubs 14-6 at Wrigley Field, led by C Al Todd, who homered and drove home five runs. With their 40th victory in their last 54 games, the Bucs were in the NL lead for the first time that season. Ed Brandt got the win and Rip Sewell notched a save. That club was in first place by two games on September 25th, then fell apart, losing six of their last seven games to finish two games off the pace.

1949 - Pittsburgh sent OF Ralph Kiner to Ebbets Field for the All-Star Game, won 11-7 by the Junior Circuit. Ralph went 1-for-5 and his one swat left the park for a two-run homer, but a Kiner fly out generated bigger news - Ted Williams fractured his elbow after crashing into the fence while grabbing one of Ralph’s screamers. Although he finished the game, the Splendid Splinter was operated on the next day and was out of action until mid-September. This All-Star Game was the first to have black ballplayers in the lineup, with Brooklyn’s Jackie Robinson starting at 2B while teammates C Roy Campanella and P Don Newcombe also appeared for the Nationals. Indians' OF’er Larry Doby played four innings for the AL’ers.

Frank Thomas - 1955 Bowman

1955 - OF Frank Thomas was the only Pirates player in the All-Star Game at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. He went 0-for-1 in a 6-5 National League overtime win. It was one of the Senior Circuit’s great rallies as they overcame a 5-0 deficit in the seventh and eighth innings, winning in the 12th frame on the Cards' (and Donora’s) Stan “The Man” Musial’s first-pitch walk-off homer.

1956 - The Bucs swept a doubleheader at Wrigley Field by 2-1 and 5-4 counts. In the opener, Ronnie Kline kept the Cubbies under control by spinning a six-hitter and was backed by Bill Virdon’s three hits. The nitecap hero was Dale Long, who chased home four runs against Chicago with a bases-loaded triple and a game-winning solo shot in the eighth, the slugger’s first long ball in over a month. It gave ElRoy Face a well-deserved win after he tossed seven innings of scoreless, five-hit ball in relief of Cholly Naranjo, who was making his first major league start.

1959 - Roberto Clemente kept ElRoy Face’s 19-game win streak alive when he cracked a bases-loaded single off the right field wall in the 10th inning to rally the Bucs to a 6-5 win over the Cards at Forbes Field. Face had blown the save in the ninth frame, but settled down and was on the hill for the win. Dick Groat and Danny Kravitz carried the Pittsburgh attack with three hits.

1966 - The Nationals edged the Americans 2-1 in the All-Star game at Busch Stadium on soon-to-be Bucco Maury Will’s 10th-inning rap. OF Roberto Clemente batted 2-for-4 with a double, OF Willie Stargell went 0-for-1 and P Bob Veale sat. The game not only went into extras, but hello, St. Looie summer - it was a muggy 105 degree day with the field reaching a toasty 113 degrees.

Dave Parker - 1973 Pirates Photo Card

1973 - Dave Parker, 22, made his Bucco debut in right field, replacing Gene Clines, who had suffered torn ankle ligaments, on the roster. in a 4-0 Pirates win against the Padres at San Diego Stadium. The Cobra went 0-for-4, but Willie Stargell homered and had three RBI while Bob Robertson added a solo shot. Luke Walker went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter.

1980 - OF/1B Brad “Big Country” (6-5, 280 lbs) Eldred was born in Fort Lauderdale. The big banger (he hit 30+ dingers four times in the minors) was drafted by the Pirates in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2005, batting just .221 but with 12 homers in 190 at-bats. That was offset by 77 whiffs, and he made it back to Pirates for just a brief 2007 showing, hitting .140 in 47 PAs after missing most of 2006 due to injury. The K-rate haunted him and he got two cups-of-coffee with Colorado in 2010 and Detroit in 2012 before continuing his career in Japan where he played for Hiroshima through 2018. 

1981 - LHP Phil Dumatrait was born in Bakersfield, California. The Pirates claimed him from the Cincinnati Reds, and he worked the bump from 2008-09 here, making 11 appearances and six starts with a line of 3-6/5.50. He became a starter when Matt Morris was released, but underwent bursitis surgery (his second procedure after TJ surgery in 2004) and his shoulder never fully recovered. Phil retired in 2012 after a couple of come-back tries fell short.

1982 - LHP Tom Gorzelanny was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois. The lefty was a second round draft pick of the Pirates in 2003, and spent the first 4-1/2 years (2005-09) of his career in Pittsburgh with a 25-26/4.79 line before being traded to the Cubs. Gorzo has tossed for six teams in his career, last with the Indians in 2016. He’s now a D-Back minor league pitching coach.

7/12 From 1985: Combo No-No, Bay Day, Bonds #100, Bo Bomb, Game Days, '94 TRS, Skenes Rookie Starter & ASGs, HBD Tom & Chasen

1987 - The Bucs defeated the San Diego Padres 4-2 at Three Rivers Stadium with a combination of muscle and finesse. The muscle was provided by Bobby Bonilla’s bomb into the upper deck of TRS, the first ball launched upstairs since 1979. The blast landed in yellow-seat territory previously reached only by Willie Stargell (four times), Bob Robertson and Greg Luzinski. The moon shot off Eric Show tucked itself inside the RF foul pole and if the seats hadn’t gotten in the way would have traveled an estimated 475-500’. The finesse was provided by four DPs turned by the Pirates (offsetting three errors) and three caught stealings by Spanky LaValliere. Bobby Bo was the offensive spark plug with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI while Felix Fermin & Johnny Ray took part in three twin killings to help carry Mike Dunne to the victory.

1988 - The American League pitchers outdid their Senior Circuit counterparts to claim a 2-1 victory in the All-Star game at Riverfront Stadium. 3B Bobby Bonilla went 0-for-4 at the plate and OF Andy Van Slyke was 0-for-2. Bob Walk pitched to one batter, Carney Lansford, with two outs in the seventh inning and a runner on second, getting him to ground out.

1990 - Barry Bonds hit his 100th career home run off Andy Benes in the opening frame of a 15-inning 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres. Jeff King drilled a two-out single to right to score Dan Bilardello for the walkoff win at Three Rivers Stadium after the Friars bullpen had tossed 9-2/3 innings without giving up a run to the Pirates. Bob Patterson earned the victory after working three scoreless frames; the Bucco relief corps put up 7-1/3 zippo IP during the bullpen battle.

1990 - LHP Chasen Shreve was born in Las Vegas. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2011 in the 11th round from the College of Southern Nevada. Chase made his MLB debut in 2014 as Atlanta Brave, and since has worked for four other clubs (career 17-8-2/3.74, FIP 4.17, 10.5 K per nine IP). He inked a deal with the Pirates as an NRI in 2021 and was a late cut in camp, but was recalled from Indy in May and became a dependable middle-inning guy. Shreve signed with the NY Mets in 2022 and has bounced around the league since; he’s looking for work in 2026 after the Yankees let him go in late April.

1992 - The Reds had an early 5-0 lead at Riverfront Stadium and carried a 5-2 edge into the ninth inning. Norm Charlton was a strike away ending it, but Barry Bonds tore into a 2-2 pitch with the bases juiced, not stopping until he was perched on third base and the game was knotted. The Bucs took command in their half of the 10th after Gary Redus swatted a two-run long fly off Tim Belcher, but there was more drama to come. With an out and runners on second and third, Stan Belinda gave up a deep sac fly, scoring one run and putting the tying score on third. But he came through for his 13th save with a swinging strikeout, saving the win for Bob Patterson in a total team pitching effort. The bullpen, reinforced by Denny Neagle, served goose eggs to Cincy for 6-1/3 frames. That allowed the bats time to do their thing and take home the 7-6 win to enter the All-Star break in first place, 4-1/2 games up on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East. 

Carlos Garcia - 1994 Select

1994 - The largest crowd in Pittsburgh baseball history, 59,568, turned out as Three Rivers Stadium played host to baseball's 65th All-Star Game. It was one of the most exciting Midsummer Classics ever held. Fred McGriff’s two-run homer tied the contest in the ninth inning, then Tony Gwynn led off the 10th frame with a single and came around to score the game-winning run on a double by Moises Alou as the NL posted an 8-7 victory to snap a six-game losing streak. 2B Carlos Garcia was the Pirates lone representative, and went 1-for-2 with a single; Jim Leyland coached third base and Rich Donnelly was the sacrificial Home Run Derby server. There were a handful of ex-Bucs on the NL roster: Barry Bonds, Doug Drabek, Danny Jackson and Moises Alou. The pre-game chores were handled by Meat Loaf, who sang the National Anthem, and Bucco legend Willie Stargell, who tossed out the ceremonial first ball to kick off the Midsummer Classic. In a nod to the home team, the Upper Deck Heroes of Baseball Game that was played the day before as an ASG adjunct featured former Pirates all over the lineup for the NL: Omar Moreno, Al Oliver, Bill Madlock, Frank Thomas, Manny Sanguillen, Rennie Stennett, Gene Alley, Jose Pagan and Dock Ellis.

1997 - Mark Smith's pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th off John Hudek capped a no-hitter by Francisco Cordova (nine innings) and Ricardo Rincon (one inning) against the Houston Astros. (Lanny Frattare’s call: "Home run! No hitter! You've got it all!") It was the first combined extra-inning no-hitter in MLB history, and the first time that Three Rivers Stadium was sold out for a regular season game other than a home opener since 1977, drawing 44,119 fans for Jackie Robinson/fireworks night. It was the first Pirates no-hit­ter since John Can­de­laria beat the Dodgers 2-0 in 1976, and kept the Bucs in a first-place tie with Houston in the NL Central.

2001 - RHP Thomas Harrington was born in Sanford, North Carolina. Drafted #36 in the 2022 draft by the Bucs out of Campbell U, he was a Top 100 (#78) MLB Pipeline Prospect and the third-rated rook in the Pirates org when called up in ‘25. His stuff isn’t considered overwhelming but efficient with a four-pitch mix and good control. Harrington was a late bubble cut in camp after showing well and he was brought up in April to make his debut and get a two-game taste of the show. His performance was mixed and he was sent back to Indy. He returned briefly before going on the IL with a groin injury in early August, and it basically cost him the rest of the campaign. Tom started 2026 at Indy with a couple of calls up.

2005 - The American League whipped the Nationals at Comerica Park 7-5 in the All-Star Game. The Pirates Jason Bay was selected as their rep, and he didn’t do much to enhance his resume. J-Bay was the only position player for either side not to get into the game, though he did get some swings in as a participant of the home run derby. He used up his 10 outs in that contest without swatting a long ball, the only player not to homer during the competition.

Jay Bay - 2008 Upper Deck

2008 - Going into the eighth inning at PNC Park, things looked dismal for the Pirates; they were down 10-4 to St. Louis. Jay Bay picked them up with a two-run dinger in the Bucco half, and in the ninth, they exploded for four runs to tie the game, generated by a three-run blast by Nate McLouth and the game-knotting run plated by Bay, who had five RBI on the night. The Cards shrugged it off and reclaimed the lead in the 10th, but Pittsburgh kept coming (they banged five homers during the match) and walked it off on pinch-hitter Jason Michael’s two-run shot. Denny Bautista, the Bucs seventh pitcher, got the win even though he gave up the fall-behind homer.

2011 - The Nationals took a 5-1 decision from the American League All-Stars at Chase Field. OF Andrew McCutchen with pitchers Joel Hanrahan and Kevin Correia were the Bucco members of the team. Cutch went 0-for-1, Hanny pitched to two batters with a strikeout and single, and KC didn’t get in the game. It was the first ASG in a National League yard to use a DH.

2013 - Pittsburgh scored twice in the first on Pedro Alvarez’s homer (he had been selected to play in the All-Star Home Run Derby as an injury replacement just days before) and then went nine more frames before posting another run, but it all worked out as the Bucs took a 3-2, 11-inning win from the New York Mets. Jordy Mercer singled home Andrew McCutchen after two outs with the winning run to give the Pirates’ sixth pitcher, Vin Mazzaro, the victory.

2014 - The Bucs blew a 4-0 lead to the Reds at GABP after Charlie Morton was touched up for a five-spot in the sixth inning, but bounced back to tie the game in the ninth on Andrew McCutchen’s solo homer before winning it in the 11th when the clutch Cutch homered again to post a 6-5 victory. Andrew had three hits, as did Jordy Mercer and Travis Snider. Six Pirates relievers shut down Cincy, with Justin Wilson the winner and Jeanmar Gomez earning his first MLB save. 

Andrew McCutchen - 2014 Topps Patch

2015 - In a see-saw game that was tied 3-3 after nine innings, the Bucs prevailed in dramatic fashion to drop the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5, in 10 innings at PNC Park on ESPN for their second straight walkoff, extra-inning victory over the Redbirds. Frankie Liriano, a .057 hitter, drove home a pair of runs, and Gregory Polanco sent home one more, countered by a Jhonny Peralta homer and a pair of manufactured scores. In the 10th frame, things turned gloomy when Randal Grichuk banged a bases-loaded double off Arquimedes Caminero, scoring two Redbirds although a third was nailed at the plate, and that Cutch-to-Jordy-to-Cervy relay & tag would prove huge. Trevor Rosenthal, who had thrown 27 pitches the day before, came on. He got two outs after Mercer’s leadoff blooper, and then the Pirates started coming on. A Starling Marte single brought in Jordy, Jung-Ho Kang followed with a knock, and Marte sprinted home on Fran Cervelli’s two-strike roller inside the first base line to even it up. A walk brought El Coffee to the dish, and he dropped the first pitch into right for both the game winner and the Pirates second walk-off win in consecutive nights over St. Louis. Caminero earned his first MLB win.

2016 - Both Bucco reps got in the Midsummer Classic, a 4-2 American League victory at Petco Field in San Diego. Mark “The Shark” Melancon, in his third ASG, gave up a walk and then closed out his inning with a grounder while Starling Marte went 1-for-1 with a two-out pinch-hit single to right and then played an inning in center field. In an oddity, the Senior Circuit was the visiting team because three straight games had gone to NL fields. This was also the last game that would decide home field advantage for the World Series, a rule which had been in effect since 2003. Future home field advantage would be earned by the team with the best regular season record, as it had been before the All-Star sweetener.

2024 - Paul Skenes joined a select group when he was selected to the All-Star game as a rookie. The air got rarer when NL manager Torey Lovullo selected him OTD as the Senior Circuit’s starting pitcher at Globe Life. Paul joined just five other MLB rookie ASG starters - Hideo Nomo (1995), Fernando Valenzuela (1981), Mark “The Bird” Fidrych (1976), Dave Stenhouse (1962) and later, Bucco bro Paul Skenes (2024). He did pretty well, too, walking one and getting three infield outs while working a scoreless frame. Bryan Reynolds joined him on the squad.

July 12, 2025 - Paul Skenes was named the NL's starter for the ASG. He hooked up against the Tigers Tarik Skubal. Paul was the first pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic in his first two MLB campaigns; the other players in that club are Joe DiMaggio, Ichiro Suzuki, Rod Carew, and Frank Robinson. Skenes put up a 1-2-3 frame with a pair of K.

7/11 Through the 1970s: Starg HR King, Stu Slam, Lefty Hurt, Game Days, Forbes Field '44, Friend Win, Roberto Roars & ASGs, HBD Javier, Otter, Skeets, Harry & Pop

1865 - C William “Pop” Shriver was born in Brooklyn. He was a part-time catcher for the 1898-1900 Bucs, hitting .265 toward the end of a 16-year career. He played one more year for St. Louis, then hung them up after 1901. He’s part of early baseball’s folklore when in 1894 he was alleged to have caught a ball tossed from the top of the Washington Monument, over 500’ high, by Clark Griffith, who at the time was a pitcher and Pop’s teammate on the Chicago Colts. The usual tale is that he missed the first ball Clark dropped from the memorial, but snagged the second arc, although some say that the ornery ball popped out of his mitt.

1884 - OF Harry Wolter was born in Monterey, California. The seven-year MLB vet started out in 1907 and played for four teams, including Pittsburgh. The Bucs bought his contract from the Cincinnati Reds and he got one outing for the Bucs as a pitcher (he was converted to an outfielder and sometimes 1B in 1910) and worked two innings, giving up a run before being sold to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Santa Clara alum played pro ball from 1905-20, taking his final bow as a player/manager in 1927. Following his playing career, he coached baseball at Stanford University for 26 years (1916, from 1923-1943, and one more time from 1946-49) and also coached the 1936 US Olympic team.

1902 - “Pittsburg won from New York yesterday but at a terrible price. Lefty Davis caught his foot in second base and fell with a fractured leg,” was the lead. Davis had stolen the bag and bounced up to head to third when the throw got away, but stumbled over the sack, breaking his ankle, passing out in pain and then being carried to the clubhouse. The 27-year-old outfielder never quite recovered; Davis was a .287 hitter with 45 steals in 171 big league games up to that point, but missed the rest of the campaign and finished his remaining 177 games batting .234 with 20 thefts. The Pirates won the ballgame at the Polo Grounds, 6-3, as five Bucs banged out a pair of hits in support of Deacon Phillippe, who went the distance for the victory.

1908 - Per the Pittsburgh Press Ralph Davis: "In a game filled with pretty fielding plays and delightful batting rallies..." Vic Willis tossed a complete-game one-hitter in a 6-2 win over the Giants at Exposition Park. Mike Donlin's triple was the only New York knock. Roy Thomas had three hits for the Bucs (two were triples) and Hans Wagner added a pair of knocks.

Vic Willis - Helmar T3

1921 - RHP Hal “Skeets” Gregg was born in Anaheim, California. He worked for three years (1948-50) for the Bucs after a five-year run in Brooklyn. Skeets tossed mostly from the pen and went 3-6-1/4.85 as a Pirate when he was on the downside of his career, suffering arm and back woes. Quick factoid: Gregg was noted for his fastball, which he honed as a child by rifling oranges at various targets on his parent's grove. While it strengthened his arm, it didn’t do much for his accuracy - his final MLB line showed five walks/nine innings to just four whiffs.

1925 - The Bucs jumped ahead early but managed to blow a five-run lead to the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field by giving up a six-spot in the eighth inning. Back-to-back triples by Clyde Barnhart and Pie Traynor in the top of the ninth regained the momentum and pushed the Pirates to a 7-6 victory, a nailbiter that was finally sealed by a running grab of a shot to deep center by Max Carey with the tying run on base. Lee Meadows went the distance for the win.

1938 - The Pirates were in a feisty mood as they visited Wrigley Field. First, coach Jewel Ens got tossed in the top of the seventh inning, then C Al Todd joined him in the shower during the Chicago half of the frame. Ens was upset over an out call at home on Johnny Rizzo while Todd continued chatting to the man in blue about the same decision when he went behind the dish. Al didn’t go quietly; he had to be separated from the ump, George Barr, and fired some bats from the dugout as he departed. Both Ens and Todd were fined $50 for yapping. But the Bucs battled back in the ninth, scoring three times to rally for their 12th straight win (the streak reached 13 games before it was snapped) by a 5-3 tally over the Cubs, with the big blow being a two-run knock by pitcher Jim Tobin. He got the win in relief of Bill Swift, while Mace Brown earned the save. 

1939 - The Pirates sent SS Arky Vaughan to the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, but the AL took the game, 3-1. To keep things honest, the umpires swapped spots in the middle of the fifth inning – Cal Hubbard of the AL left home, replaced by the NL’s George Magerkurth, and the other two men in blue also traded bases.

Hans and Rip at the 1944 ASG - 7/11/1944 AP/photo<

1944 - The Pirates hosted their first All-Star Game at Forbes Field, the 12th Midsummer Classic, the first night ASG hosted by the NL. The NL won, 7-1, as Phil Cavarretta of the Cubs set an ASG record by reaching base five straight times on a triple, single, and three walks. Rip Sewell worked three innings, giving up a walk and whiffing a pair. 3B Bob Elliott went 0-for-3, while OF Vince DiMaggio played in the field but didn’t bat. SS Frank Zak, an emergency replacement who didn’t get named to the squad in time to make the program, didn’t get into the game at all.

1950 - It was back-and-forth baseball at Chicago’s Comiskey Park during the All-Star Game. The National League tied the match, 3-3, in the ninth dramatically on lone Pirates rep Ralph Kiner’s homer (he also had a double, going 2-for-6) before Red Schoendienst's long ball in the 14th inning won it for the Nationals. As noted by BR Bullpen, it was a game of firsts - the first extra-inning All-Star Game, the first time the NL won at an AL park, and the first All-Star Game ever shown on national television (Jack Brickhouse announced the game on NBC).

1951 - C Ed Ott was born in Muncy, PA, near Williamsport. He caught righty but hit lefty, putting him in a platoon role for Pittsburgh for seven seasons (1974-80), batting .259. He was effective in the 1979 World Series; in three starts, he hit .333 with three RBI in a dozen at-bats. “Otter” managed Pirates farm teams in 1985-86, was a skipper in the indie leagues for three seasons, and then coached for the Houston Astros under former Pirates teammate Art Howe from 1989-93. He later returned to coaching at the indie level, finally retiring in 2014.

1958 - 25-year-old Dick Stuart belted a grand slam in his second MLB game to lead the Bucs to a 7-2 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, giving Ron Kline, who tossed a six-hitter, all the runs he needed. Frank Thomas also went deep for the Bucs. Big Stu had made his MLB bow the day before; he belted a two-run long fly in the ninth inning of his debut in a losing cause.

Bob Friend - Helmar: This Great Game

1960 - One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend over three innings led the Nationals to a 5-3 win over the Americans at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in the first of two All-Star Games. Friend was credited with the victory, making him the winner of two of the NL's last three All-Star contests (he also earned a dub in 1956). This dub was saved by teammate Vern Law, who got the last two outs following a scoreless stint by ElRoy Face. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-4 with a run scored, RBI and stolen base while 2B Bill Mazeroski went 1-for-2 with an RBI and HBP. OF Roberto Clemente and C Smoky Burgess both were 0-for-1, and SS Dick Groat got in as a defensive sub. For Clemente, it was his AS debut, and his out was a loud one that Jim Lemon ran down at the wall.

1961 - In the All-Star game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, OF Roberto Clemente had a coming out party. The Great One tripled and scored the game's first run, drove in another with a sac fly, chased Mickey Mantle to the centerfield fence to corral his next blast, and capped the day when he delivered a walk-off single off knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm in a 5-4, 10-inning NL win. Danny Murtaugh was the skipper of the Nationals; 1B Dick Stuart belted a pinch-hit double, C Smoky Burgess went 1-for-4 and reliever Roy Face was a spectator who never got the call from the bullpen. The game cemented Candlestick’s rep as a wind tunnel; Stu Miller was blown off the mound and charged with a balk when a sea breeze sent him sailing in mid-delivery.

1963 - In a 3-0 win over the Colt .45s at Forbes Field, Roberto Clemente’s bullet chased Jim Wynn from the infield to a career in the pasture. As the 21-year-old Toy Cannon, who was a rookie playing SS (it was his second MLB game), told Baseball Digest “Clemente hit a screaming line drive, and I got my glove up just as the ball hit the left field wall. After that, I told the coaches and manager to get me out of the infield.” Wynn was eventually granted his wish and played 1,810 games in the OF after 21 appearances auditioning at short during his rookie campaign. Roberto’s wicked double was cashed in by Donn Clendenon in the eighth inning and was the game’s winning run; Don Cardwell went all the way for the win, giving up just two singles to the ‘Stros.

1967 - The National League won another All-Star pitching battle against the Junior Circuit, taking a 2-1 decision at Anaheim Stadium in 15 innings with Tony Perez’s homer the difference. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-6, and the starting middle infield of 2B Bill Mazeroski and SS Gene Alley went a combined 0-for-9 at the plate, although Maz did lay down a successful bunt. The rosters were loaded for this match; 22 players and coaches on the Midsummer Classic rosters ended up in the Hall of Fame. The 15 innings was the longest Midsummer Classic match played, later tied by the 2008 contest. 

Willie Stargell - 1973 Topps Pin-Ups

1973 - Willie Stargell cracked the 302nd home run of his career to pass Ralph Kiner as the all-time Pirate HR leader in a 10-2 victory over the Padres at San Diego Stadium. Bob Robertson, Al Oliver and Dal Maxvill each had three hits while Nellie Briles went the distance, tossing a solid seven-hitter with seven punchouts. Willie would pile on to his franchise-leading number of dingers, retiring after the 1982 campaign with 475 bombs to leave Mr. Swat in the rear view mirror.

1977 - LHP Javier Lopez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lopez signed as a free agent with the Pirates in 2010 for $775K after having a horrible year with the Bosox. The 32-year-old LOOGY rebounded nicely with a slash of 2-2/2.79 and was moved at the deadline to the San Francisco Giants for RHP Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker. Javy spent seven seasons with the G-Men, working off the bump during four playoff runs and two World Series, before retiring in 2017.

1978 - The Senior Circuit took a 7-3 win from the AL in the All-Star game held at San Diego Stadium. 1B Willie Stargell was the only Pirate and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. Three ex-Bucco hands were on the American’s starting lineup card - 3B Don Money, SS Freddie Patek and OF Richie Zisk, with SS Craig Reynolds on the bench and RHP Goose Gossage in the pen.

7/11 From 1980: Steve-Danny, Super Skenes, 4 For Mo, King Thief, Game Days, Bo Signed, Bond Rumors, PNC '06 & ASGs, '01 Draft, HBD John

1981 - 18-year-old Bobby Bonilla was signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent after a Pirate City tryout set up by scouting director and later GM Syd Thrift. He spent five years on the farm before being lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft after the 1985 season. The Pirates got him back quickly in a July trade for pitcher Jose DeLeon and Bobby Bo remained a Bucco until he joined the NY Mets in 1992 after inking a five year/$29M contract that made him the highest paid player for a bit and dwarfed Pittsburgh’s reported four year/$16.5M offer.

1983 - The Pirates dropped the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, at Candlestick Park. Don Robinson, dodging early bullets, broke out a newly developed slider in the fourth and left with the game tied, 2-2, after seven frames. Dave Parker had three hits while Mike Easler’s ninth-inning homer (he also had three hits, w/two runs scored and two RBI) won it for Manny Sarmiento, with Rod Scurry notching the save. The victory launched the Pirates on an eight-game winning streak and an 18-of-22 run as they moved from fourth place, 4-1/2 games off the pace, to a 1-1/2 games lead. But they faded and went 30-29 during the dog days, losing five of the last seven contests, to finish second, six games behind Philadelphia.

1989 - The Americans rolled on with a 5-3 win in the All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium. OF Bobby Bonilla went 2-for-2 as a late inning DH in the first ASG that allowed a designated hitter. President Ronald Reagan joined Vin Scully for an inning in the broadcast booth. Mike Schmidt of the Phillies, who had retired from baseball on May 29th at age 39, was elected by the fans as the starting 3B for the National League team. Schmidt opted not to play, but he did join in the game's opening ceremony in his Philadelphia uniform as a final fare-thee-well.

1992 - The Pirates traded 3B Steve Buechele, made expendable by Jeff King, to the Chicago Cubs for LHP Danny Jackson as a stretch run acquisition. Jackson went 4-4/3.36 in 15 starts. He lost his only playoff start, and then was lost to the Miami Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft. Buechele played until 1995. King held the hot corner in Pittsburgh for eight years. In a sidebar, the Pirates 1991 Minor League POTY, Kevin Young, was called up briefly. Thought of as the 3B of the future, he was shifted to first to accommodate both him and King.

Danny Jackson - 1993 Select

1992 - RHP John Barbato was born in Miami. The Pirates sent a minor leaguer to the Yankees for Barbato, and as a depth option who started out at Indianapolis, he still made 24 appearances for the Pirates in 2017, with a 1-1/4.05 line. He was waived and claimed by Detroit. He’s since tossed in Japan and after a coaching stint in the indie leagues, he’s attempting a Mexican league comeback.

1992 - Another Bonds rumor: The New York Times reported a failed three-way deal among the Pirates, Mets, and Yankees speculatively involving Howard Johnson, Vince Coleman, Roberto Kelly and featured piece Barry Bonds. As told, it was the Big Apple for Bonds, the Mets got Kelly and the Bucs received HoJo and Coleman. Barry was also eyed in other unconsummated deals with at least the Phils and Braves as he approached free agency, but Jimmy Leyland didn’t want to let him go. BB didn’t re-sign and when he hit the market in December, he turned down the Yankees offer because he wanted a year more than they would give, and he signed with the San Francisco Giants.

1993 - Pittsburgh eked out a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in front of 22,7222 fans at TRS despite being the Keystone Kops of bunting. In a battle between Steve Cooke and Jose Rijo, it came down to the bullpens in the ninth. Blas Minor put up a zippo for the Bucs while Dave Clark started it up for the hometown with a single to open their half of the frame. Jeff King was given the bunt sign; he couldn’t lay one down but did single after two strikes. Al Martin got the same sign; he tried to move them up three times before K’ing when his sac try rolled foul. Tom Foley was told to hack away, and he ended up bleeding a swinging bunt single. That loaded the bases; Rob Dibble took over to face Don Slaught. He neither bunted nor swatted, but became the hero when he drew a walk for the walk-off win. Despite an inability to perform an old school skill like the bunt, it was a “turn back the clock” game - the teams dressed in 1925 throwback unis, the lineups were announced via a megaphone, the scoreboard was hand operated, the outfield walls were covered with old-timey ads and the vid screen showed silent movie-style clips.

1995 - The NL nosed out the AL All-Stars, 3-2, at the Ballpark in Arlington. Pitcher Denny Neagle repped the Bucs and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. The Americans out-hit the NL 8-to-3, but all three Senior Circuit raps were shots that left the park.

Jeff King - 1996 Collectors Choice

1996 - The Pirates defeated the Reds, 5-3, at TRS, highlighted by a steal of home by an unlikely suspect, Jeff King. Jay Bell was at bat and King said “I was hoping and praying Jay would see me coming. I wondered if I should yell when I get about halfway?” But no worries. Bell told the Post Gazette “You can’t miss those big feet lumbering down the line.” Smiley, who features a slow delivery, tossed the pitch high and a sliding King got under the tag. Al Martin and Orlando Merced had three hits, with Orlando adding a homer. Denny Neagle got the win - he had been traded for Smiley by the Twins in 1992 - and Dan Plesac earned a save.

1999 - Rookie 2B Warren Morris had his first career four-hit game (all singles) while driving in four runs and scoring once in a 10-2 over the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. Brian Giles and Kevin Young added three hits as the Bucs tallied 17 raps; Giles also homered. Todd Ritchie tossed for seven innings with Jason Christiansen and Brad Clontz mopping up.

2000 - The American League All-Stars defeated the Senior Circuit’s best, 6-3, at Turner Field. Pirates C Jason Kendall and OF Brian Giles both went 0-for-2 during the contest. Florida fans could be excused for turning their nose at the game. It was originally slated for Pro Player Stadium (built in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium), but NL President Len Coleman reversed the decision and gave it to Atlanta, citing it as a newer park (Turner Field was converted from an Olympic venue to baseball in 1997). The truth was baseball officials were too uncertain of the future of the Marlin franchise as owner Wayne Huizenga had the team up for sale while with the other hand pushing hard for a new ballyard. 

 

2006 - The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park. The Midsummer Classic marked the fifth time that Pittsburgh hosted the ASG, becoming the first franchise to put on the game in three different ballyards — Forbes Field (1944 & 1959), Three Rivers Stadium (1974 & 1994), and PNC Park (2006). Chuck Tanner threw out the first pitch, but it didn’t help the home boys: the AL’s 3-2 win kept the junior circuit unbeaten in the contest since 1997. OF Jason Bay went 1-for-3 and 2B Freddy Sanchez went 0-for-2. Vera Clemente was escorted onto the field by Bill Mazeroski to accept the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award on behalf of Roberto between innings while the crowd roared; a video montage of The Great One was shown and AL manager Ozzie Guillen was moved to tears during the ceremony. In another thoughtful gesture, NL manager Phil Garner selected Tanner as an honorary coach for the game.

2015 - It was a game that the Bucs and Cardinals squeezed for every drop of drama at PNC Park in front of 37,318, shown nationally on Fox Sports. The two best teams in baseball by record, Pittsburgh won a 6-5, 14-inning walk-off victory in a contest that lasted into the next day. The Cards’ Mark Reynolds drew first blood when he homered after striking out - he swung at and missed strike three, but plate ump Vic Carapazza miscalled it a foul. Reynolds went “whew” and belted the reprieve pitch into the LF stands. The Redbirds were up 3-0 before AJ Burnett, the Pirate starter, hit his first homer in a decade. The Pirates tied it in the eighth, fell behind in the 10th, tied it in the bottom half on a Jung-Ho Kang triple and Chris Stewart knock, and fell behind again in the 14th only to win it when Neil Walker singled and Andrew McCutchen homered into the batter’s eye, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. Vance Worley got the win (Vanimal was one of 15 pitchers that the two teams sent to the hill), and the overtime victory cut the St. Louis’ lead in the NL Central to 3-1/2 games; it had been a cavernous nine-game gap on June 28th.

2017 - The first ASG at Marlins Park ended up in a pitching battle with the Americans taking its fifth straight win by a 2-1 score. It took 10 innings and was decided on Robinson Cano’s homer off Wade Davis. Josh Harrison, the Pirates only rep, came in as a sub at second base (he played five innings) and fanned twice. Though the Junior Circuit was on a roll, the All-Star series was dead even after 88 outings with a 43-43-2 record and each league scoring 361 runs.

2021 - The Bucs fell behind, 5-0, in the first frame at Citi Field, but Chase De Jong recovered his mojo, some stellar relieving followed and long balls by Rodolfo Castro (he banged a pair) & Michael Perez, cut the lead to a run by the ninth. With Kevin Newman on third, John Nogowski's two-out, first-pitch single tied it up and knocks by Ben Gamel and Wilmer Difo chased Nogo home for the 6-5 win. The game was closed out by Richard Rodriguez, who saved David Bednar’s win. Castro became the first Pirate to swat three homers as his first three MLB hits.

2021 - There was some draft news, too: the Pirates, with the top pick of the 2021 draft, selected Louisville C Henry Davis (signed for $6.5M; slot $8,415,300), considered by many to be the best available college bat of the draft. He was the first catcher selected in the first round by the Bucs since Reese McGuire in 2013. On the following day, they selected North Carolina commit LHP Anthony Solometo of Bishop Eustace Prep (NJ) in the second round (37th pick; signed for $2.8M, $1,999,3000 slot), touted to be the best HS lefty available. CF Lonnie White Jr., (signed for $1.5M, slot $1,050,300), a two-sport star & Penn State commit from Malvern Prep (PA), was selected in the "B" Comp round (64th pick). North Oconee HS, (GA) RHP/SS Bubba Chander went in the third round (72nd pick; signed for $3M, slot $870K). He was a Clemson commit as a QB. The Pirates drafted four of Baseball America's top 32 prospects and got them all signed. They also added OF Braylan Bishop in the 14th round, an Arkansas commit and Top 100 draft prospect (signed for $268,700; slot $125K) and fourth round prep RHP Owen Kellington of Vermont signed with a day to go for $600K (slot value was $571,400). The Pirates inked 19 of their 21 picks and spent their entire draft bonus pool allotment, plus the 5% overage, with $16M invested in the draft.

Henry Davis - 2021 Pirates

2023 - Mitch Keller worked the second inning of the 93rd All-Star game, using just 11 pitches. He gave up a solo shot to Yandy Diaz and fanned Adolis Garcia. The other Bucco rep, David Bodnar (Derek Shelton was a coach), warmed up but wasn't called, though an ex-Buc was the man of the hour and MVP. Rockies C Elias Díaz, a first-time All-Star at age 32, took the O's Félix Bautista deep with a runner aboard in the top of the eighth to put the Senior Circuit in the lead for an eventual 3-2 win at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, the NL’s first Midsummer Classic victory since 2012. As an opening act, Vlad Guerrero Jr. won the Home Run Derby, outslugging Randy Arozarena by a 25-23 tally. He joined his dad, Vlad Sr., as the only father-son duo to take the title.

2024 - Paul Skenes continued to turn heads when he spun seven no-hit innings against Milwaukee, and he needed to be that good (one walk, one bopped batter, 11 fans) to take a 1-0 win at American Family Field. Yasmani Gandal doubled home Jack Suwinski from first in the seventh inning for the game’s only tally. Skenes used just six pitches to get through the seventh, but after 99 tosses, Derek Shelton ended his day. Shelty almost rued that decision, but Colin Holderman struck out William Contreras with the bases loaded to end the eight and Aroldis Chapman worked a calm ninth for the save. For Skenes, it was his second flirtation with a no-no; he went six innings against the Cubs in May before being yanked because of the pitch count.

7/10 Through the 1960s: Grays Raided, Bombers, 15-Hit Shutout, Game Days, ASGs, Roberto - 3 Hits & Friend Win, Division Era, HBD Gene & Link

1865 - IF Bobby “Link” Lowe was born in Pittsburgh and raised in the New Castle area. He played in the show for 18 years with a .273 lifetime BA and was the first to hit four homers in a game, but Link was barely a blip on the home team’s radar - he got into one game as a pinch hitter and K’ed in 1904 before being sold to Detroit. The 38-year-old Link was near the end by that time, and although he played through 1907 with the Tigers, he only managed a .206 average during that span. He retired to coach in the minors and college ranks, later adding scouting to his resume. His nickname was a nod to the Great Emancipator; Lowe was born a few weeks after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and was given the middle name Lincoln in Abe’s honor. 

1901 - The Boston Beaneaters collected 15 hits in 12 innings against Pittsburgh but failed to score in a 1-0 loss at Exposition Field, setting a record for most hits with no runs. The Pirates got four hits off Bill Dineen, who lost to Jack Chesbro to cap a four-game sweep of the Bostonians. Pittsburgh won thanks to a couple of Beaneater boo-boos. Honus Wagner reached second on an error, went to third on a bunt single and scored when Dineen’s pickoff flip to first went awry.

1908 - At Exposition Park, the Bucs overcame a 4-0 New York Giants lead to win 7-6 on Tommy Leach’s ninth inning walkoff homer to center. Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke and Chief Wilson had triples for the Pirates while Sam Leever picked up a save of Lefty Leifield’s victory.

1929 - The Pirates mashed the Philadelphia Phillies 15-9 at the Baker Bowl. Pittsburgh hit five homers and the Phils banged four. The teams flexed their muscles with regularity; there were homers hit in eight of the nine innings. George Grantham had a pair of long balls for the Bucs and drove in five runs, with Pie Traynor, Lloyd Waner and pitcher Fred Fussell adding solo shots.

Pie Traynor - 1934 Batter Up

1934 - 3B Pie Traynor, SS Arky Vaughan and RF Paul “Big Poison” Waner represented the Bucs in the second All-Star game held at the Polo Grounds. Traynor went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and stolen base (he became the first and only player to swipe home in an ASG on the back end of a double steal with NL teammate Mel Ott), while Waner and Vaughan both went 0-for-2 in the National League’s 9-7 victory. It was the famous Carl Hubbard game - he struck out five future Hall of Famers in a row, fanning Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons & Joe Cronin.

1940 - SS Gene Alley was born in Richmond, Virginia. He played his entire 11-year career (1963–73) with the Pirates. A modest hitter overall - his BA was .254 - he won a pair of Gold Gloves, was twice selected an All-Star, and set the MLB DP record for middle infielders with Bill Mazeroski in 1966 with 161. Shoulder and knee problems slowed and ultimately ended his career.

1943 - Pittsburgh surrendered a franchise record for most runs given up in the modern era when the Brooklyn Dodgers spanked them 23-6 at Forbes Field. As for motivation, the Dodgers only had two players willing to suit up before the game after Leo Durocher suspended pitcher Bobo Newsome. Da Bums, led by ex-Buc Arky Vaughan, were ready to walk out in support of Newsome until Dodger GM Branch Rickey stepped in and calmed the seas, leaving Brooklyn to take out its frustrations on the Buccos. Vaughan despised Leo The Lip so much that he sat out the next three seasons working at his ranch and didn’t return to Brooklyn until after Durocher left (via suspension).

1943 - Homestead Grays co-owner (and numbers king) Rufus "Sonnyman" Jackson was briefly jailed after a confrontation at Forbes Field with a Mexican baseball agent - actually, the Mexican diplomatic consul AJ Guina - trying to raid his roster. As quoted by Mark Ribowsky in A Complete History of the Negro Leagues, Jackson said “I don’t care if they send Pancho Villa, they’re not getting my ballplayers.” Sonnyman eventually fended off the overtures and kept his players. He ran the team himself after team co-owner Cum Posey's death in 1946, winning the last pennant in Negro National League history in 1948.

Hal McRae - 6/22/1988 Post Gazette story/Paul Meyer

1945 - Hal McRae was born in Avon Park, Florida. The All-Star LF/DH never played for the Pirates during his 19-season career that started with the Reds but was most spent in Kansas City, but was a Pittsburgh hitting coach from 1988-89 on his road to a six-year managerial career at KC and Tampa Bay.

1951 - Exploding for a record four homers, the National League trounced the American League 8-3 at the All-Star Game at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Pirate OF Ralph Kiner lived up to his “Mr. Swat” image, connecting on a long ball for the third year in a row, a MLB All-Star record.

1956 - RHP Bob Friend and 1B Dale Long were the Pirate All-Stars at Griffith Stadium for the National League’s 7-3 victory. Starter Friend got the win thanks to triple threes - 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 K (Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Harry “Suitcase” Simpson) - and without much help from Long, who struck out twice in two at-bats. The first-time All-Star Friend (he ended up in three ASGs) spent the last six innings on the bench as a fanboy, shooting a home movie of the day.

1962 - Led by OF Roberto Clemente’s three hits, the National League beat the American League 3-1 in the first of season’s two All-Star games, this one held at Washington’s DC Stadium. SS Dick Groat went 1-for-3, scored and turned a DP while 2B Bill Mazeroski was 0-for-2.

1968 - The NL announced that it would split into two divisions next season. The Eastern Division would consist of Chicago, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. It was the beginning of the Divisional Era, where the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series to determine the World Series opponents.