After seeing all the hubbub from Bradenton about who's gonna start opening day from a rotation made up in February, I thought it was time to take a look at the pitchers who delivered at least one shining moment for the Bucs - a no hitter. This part includes the guys who tossed their way into the history books before 1970.
Today's pitchers are Nick Maddox, Cliff Chambers and Bob Moose. I had to include Harvey Haddix's gem too, although the MLB nabobs erased it from the no-hit annals.
September 20, 1907: Nick Maddox vs. the Brooklyn Superbas at Exposition Park; score 2-1. Not only was it the Pirate's first no hitter, but Maddox was a rookie. The righty made his major league debut the week before on September 13th. He is also the youngest pitcher to ever hurl a no-hitter, doing it at the age of 20 years 10 months 11 days.
Through 1907 to 1908, Maddox won 20 of his 30 starts, making him the fastest pitcher to ever reach 20 victories. This mark would be equaled by three other pitchers, but never topped. Maddox won the third game of the 1909 World Series over Detroit, but was released after the next season when he won just two games.
Maddox was in the majors for 4 seasons, all with Pittsburgh, and had a career 43-20 record and 2.29 ERA.
Nick Maddox from Wikipedia
("Nationals" doesn't refer to the team nickname, but rather the league "Pittsburg" played in.)
May 6, 1951: Cliff Chambers vs. the Boston Braves at Braves Field; score 3-0. The journeyman Chambers walked eight and threw one wild pitch, and also drove in the final run in the 8th inning. For Chambers, this would be his last victory in a Pirates uniform. The flame throwing lefty spent 6 years in the majors with three teams, compiling a 48-53 record with a 4.29 ERA.
Cliff Chambers from Baseball Almanac
May 26, 1959: Harvey Haddix vs. the Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium; score 0-1. Haddix pitched 12 perfect innings, eventually giving up one hit (a homer that was ruled a single) and losing in the 13th inning. The Sporting News ranked it one of the fifty greatest moments in baseball history. It's not actually considered a no hitter, but hey... See The Night the Kitten Roared.
Harvey Haddix from Wikipedia
September 20, 1969: Bob Moose vs. the New York Mets at Shea Stadium; score 4-0. Roberto Clemente saved the day with a leaping, one-handed grab of Wayne Garrett's line drive to the right field wall in the sixth inning & Moose took care of the rest, striking out 6 and walking 3. The team that the hard throwing Moose shut down was destiny's darlings, the Miracle Mets that bottled lightning in a jar that season.
He was 14-3 with a 2.29 ERA in 1969, working as a spot starter and out of the bullpen. Moose later moved into a full time relief role after his rib was removed in 1974 because of circulation problems. In 1976 he led the Pirates in saves with 10.
Moose died in an auto accident while on the way to his 29th birthday party in Martins Ferry, Ohio during the 1976 off season. The Pride of Export PA spent all of his 10 big league years in Pittsburgh, finishing with a 76-71 slate and 3.50 ERA.
Bob Moose from Wikipedia
Part 2 tomorrow: Dock Ellis, The Candy Man, and Francisco Cordova/Ricardo Rincon.
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