Local Heroes

OK, Will Pellas got me to thinking about just how many Western Pennsylvanians made it to the bigs and actually contributed. So GW, who obviously needs a life, spent an afternoon going through a Baseball Almanac player database to come up with a list of local guys that played in the show long enough to matter.

We made the floor nine years+ of service (mainly because a list of local players without Bobby Del Greco on it ain't worth wasting the pixels). We've shown the position, birthplace (Pittsburgh could be anyplace in Allegheny County, city or 'burbs), quick line, career span and teams.

• Hack Wilson OF (Ellwood City) .307/244/1,063 - 12 years (1923-34): Giants, Cubs, Dodgers, Phils
• John Wehner IF, OF (Carrick) .249/4/54 - 11 years (1991-2001): Pirates, Marlins
• Honus Wagner SS (Chartiers) .327/101/1,732 - 21 years (1897-1917): Louisville Colonels, Pirates
• Frank Thomas OF, 1B, 3B (Greentree) .266/286/962 - 16 years (1951-66): Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Braves, Mets, Phils, Astros
• Gene Tenace C, OF, IF (Russelton) .241/201/984 - 15 years (1969-83): A's, Padres, Cards, Pirates
• Chuck Tanner OF (New Castle) .261/21/105 - 8 years (OK, we made an exception; 1955-62): Braves, Cubs, Indians, Angels. Managerial record: 1,352–1,381 - 17 years (1970-88): White Sox, A's, Pirates, Braves
• Pecky Suder IF (Aliquippa) .249/49/541 - 13 years (1941-55): A's
• Moose Solters OF (Pittsburgh) .289/83/599 - 9 years (1934-43): Red Sox, St L Browns, Indians, White Sox
• Germany Smith IF (Pittsburgh) .244/47/797 - 15 years (1884-98): Altoona Unions, Cleveland Blues, Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers, Reds, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, St L Browns
• Frank Smith P (Pittsburgh) 139-111/2.59 ERA - 11 years (1904-15): White Sox, Red Sox, Reds, Baltimore Terrapins, Brooklyn Tip-Tops
• Joe Schultz IF, OF (Pittsburgh) .285/15/249 - 11 years (1912-25): Braves, Brooklyn Robins, Cubs, Pirates, Cards, Phils, Reds
• Paul Schaal IF (Pittsburgh) .244/57/323 - 11 years (1964-74): Angels, Royals
• Hank Sauer OF, 1B, 3B (Pittsburgh) .266/288/876 - 15 years (1941-59): Reds, Cubs, Cards, Giants
• Paul Satriano IF, C (Pittsburgh) .225/21/157 - 10 years (1961-70): Angels, Red Sox
• Jim Russell OF (Pittsburgh) .267/67/428 - 10 years (1942-51): Pirates, Braves, Dodgers
• Gary Ross P (McKeesport) 25-47/3.92 ERA - 10 years (1968-77): Cubs, Padres, Angels
• Bill Robinson OF, 1B, 3B (McKeesport) .258/166/641 - 16 years (1966-83): Braves, Yankees, Phils, Pirates
• Joe Quest IF (New Castle) .217/1/159 - 9 years (1878-86): St L Browns, Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, Alleghenies, A's
• Bob Purkey P (Pittsburgh) 129-115/3.79 ERA - 13 years (1954-66): Pirates, Reds, Cards
• Bob Priddy P (Pittsburgh) 24-38/4.00 ERA - 9 years (1962-71): Pirates, Giants, Washington Senators, White Sox, Angels, Braves
• Gary Peters P (Grove City) 124-103/3.25 ERA - 14 years (1959-72): White Sox, Red Sox
• Lance Parrish C, 1B, OF (Clairton) .252/324/1,070 - 19 years (1977-95): Tigers, Phils, Angels, Mariners, Indians, Pirates, Blue Jays
• Stan Musial OF, 1B (Donora) .331/475/1,951 -  22 years (1941-63) Cards
• Terry Mulholland P (Uniontown) 124-142/4.41 ERA - 20 years (1986-2006): Giants, Phils, Yankees, Mariners, Cubs, Braves, Pirates, Dodgers, Indians, Twins, Diamondbacks
• Mickey Morandini 2B, SS (Kittanning) .268/32/351 - 11 years (1990-2000): Phils, Cubs, Blue Jays
• Bob Moose P (Export) 76-71/3.50 ERA - 10 years (1967-76): Pirates
• Eddie Miller IF (Pittsburgh) .238/97/640 - 14 years (1936-50): Reds, Boston Bees, Braves, Phils, Cards
• Doc Medich P (Aliquippa) 124-105/3.78 ERA - 11 years (1972-82): Yankees, Pirates, A's, Mariners, Mets, Rangers, Brewers
• Bill McKechnie IF, OF (Wilkinsburg) .251/8/240 - 11 years (1907-20): Pirates, Braves, Yankees, Indianapolis Hoosiers, Newark Peppers, Giants, Reds
• Sudden Sam McDowell P (Pittsburgh) 141-134/3.17 ERA - 15 years (1961-75): Indians, Yankees, Giants, Pirates
• Tom McCreery IF, OF (Beaver) .290/26/386 - 9 years (1895 - 1903): Louisville Colonels, Giants, Pirates, Brooklyn Superbas, Boston Beaneaters
• Al Mamaux P (Pittsburgh) 79-67/2.90 ERA - 12 years (1913-24): Pirates, Brooklyn Robins, Yankees
• Ken Macha 3B (Monroeville) .258/1/35 - 8 years (another managerial exception; 1974-81): Pirates, Expos, Blue Jays Managerial record 525-447 - 6 years (2003-10): A's, Brewers 
• Bobby Lowe IF, OF (Pittsburgh) .273/71/984 - 18 years (1890-1907): Boston Beaneaters, Cubs, Pirates, Tigers
• Curt Leskanic P (Homestead) 50-34/4.36 ERA - 11 years (1993-2004): Rockies, Braves, Royals, Red Sox
• Otto Knabe IF, OF (Carrick, before it was annexed) .247/8/365 - 11 years (1905-16): Pirates, Phils, Baltimore Terrapins, Cubs
• Ronnie Kline P (Callery) 114-144/3.75 ERA - 17 years (1952-1970) Pirates, Washington Senators, Tigers, Twins, Giants, Braves, Cards, Red Sox, Angels
• Frank Killen P (Pittsburgh) 164-131/3.78 ERA - 10 years (1891-1900): Brewers, Pirates, Washington Senators, Boston Beaneaters, Chicago Orphans
• Dutch Kemmerer P (Pittsburgh) 43-59/4.46 ERA - 10 years (1954-63): Red Sox, Washington Senators, White Sox, Houston Colt .45's
• Art Howe IF (Shaler) .260/43/293 - 11 years (1974-85): Pirates, Astros, Cards
• Harry Gumbert P (Elizabeth) 143-113/3.68 ERA - 15 years (1935-50): Giants, Cards, Reds, Pirates
• Ad Gumbert P, OF (Pittsburgh) 123-102/4.27 ERA, .273/15/124 - 9 years (1888-96): Chicago White Stockings, Chicago Colts, Pirates, Brooklyn Bridegrooms, Phils
• Dick Groat IF (Wilkinsburg) .286/39/707 - 14 years (1952-67): Pirates, Cards, Phils, Giants
• Ken Griffey Sr OF, 1B (Donora) .296/152/859 - 19 years (1973-91): Reds, Yankees, Braves, Mariners
• Ken Griffey Jr OF (Donora) .284/630/1,836 - 22 years (1989-2010): Mariners, Reds, White Sox
• Tito Francona OF, 1B (Aliquippa) .272/125/656 - 15 years (1956-70): Orioles, White Sox, Tigers, Indians, Cards, Phils, Braves, A's, Brewers
• Terry Francona 1B, OF (raised in New Brighton; born in Aberdeen SD) .274/16/143 - 10 years (1981-90): Expos, Cubs, Reds, Indians, Brewers. Managerial record: 695-506 (twelve years +; he's still active) Philis, Red Sox.
• Klondike Douglass IF, OF (Boston) .274/10/275 - 9 years (1896-1904): St L Browns, Phils
• Bill Doak P (Pittsburgh) 169-157/2.98 ERA - 16 years (1912-29): Reds, Cards, Brooklyn Robins
• Bobby Del Greco OF (Pittsburgh) .229/42/169 - 9 years (1952-65): Pirates, Cards, Cubs, Yankees, Phils, A's
• Charlie Deal IF (Wilkinsburg) .257/11/318 - 10 years (1912-21): Tigers, Braves, St L Terriers, St L Browns, Cubs
• Matt Clement P (McCandless) 87-86/4.47 ERA - 9 years (1998-2006): Padres, Marlins, Cubs, Red Sox
• Jack Clark OF 1B (New Brighton) .267/340/1,180 - 18 years (1975-92): Giants, Cards, Yankees, Padres, Red Sox
• John Burkett P (New Brighton) 166-136/4.31 ERA - 15 years (1987-2003): Giants, Marlins, Rangers, Braves, Red Sox 
• Charlie Bennett IF, OF, C (New Castle) .256/55/533 - 15 years (1878-93): Milwaukee Cream City, Worchester Ruby Legs, Detroit Wolverines, Boston Beaneaters
• Buddy Bell IF, OF (Pittsburgh) .279/201/1,106 - 18 years (1972-89): Indians, Rangers, Reds, Astros
• Joe Beggs P (Rankin) 48-35/2.96 ERA - 9 years (1938-48): Yankees, Reds, Giants
• Glenn Beckert IF (Pittsburgh) .283/22/360 - 11 years (1965-75): Cubs, Padres
• Bill Bayne P (Pittsburgh) 31-32/4.84 ERA - 9 years (1919-30): Browns, Indians, Red Sox
• Bob Bailor IF, OF (Connellsville) .264/9/222 - 11 years (1975-85) Orioles, Blue Jays, Mets, Dodgers
• Dick Allen IF, OF (Wampum) .292/351/1,119 - 15 years (1963-77): Phils, Cards, Dodgers, White Sox, A's
• Ed Abbaticchio IF (Latrobe) .254/11/354 - 9 years (1897-1910): Phils, Boston Beaneaters, Pirates, Boston Doves

Some pretty nice players made their debut in the world within a stone's throw of the Point. Stan "The Man" Musial, Junior, Honus Wagner, Hack Wilson, Dick Groat, Richie Allen, Jack Clark, Ken Griffey Sr, Glenn Beckert, Bob Purkey, Sudden Sam McDowell, Bobby Lowe, Lance Parrish, Doc Medich, Hank Sauer, Frank Thomas, Buddy Bell, Gary Peters, Bill Doak, Mickey Morandini, Frank Smith, Gene Tenace...all top shelf ballplayers.

The groundbreakers were Joe Quest and Charlie Bennett, who both started playing pro ball in 1878 and were from New Castle. Hall-of-Famers from here are Honus Wagner, Hack Wilson and Stan Musial; Junior will join them as soon as he's eligible, we assume.

Hey, we don't produce ballplayers like the sunshine states. But we don't do too bad considering there's 30 sunny days all year and the high school season is usually less than a couple of dozen games.  And we're looking forward to putting Neil Walker's name on the list in 2017!

(Let us know if we missed anyone; our eyes did get a little bloodshot after awhile. And no, we didn't forget St. Mary's Joe Beimel; we just didn't extend into the Johnstown-Altoona or Erie/northern tier regions, and those areas have some big-leaguers to claim. We also didn't get into Negro League players - FYI: Josh Gibson wasn't born in Pittsburgh but in Georgia, although the Steel City became his home - or managers/front office guys like Cum Posey, owner of the Homestead Grays and Hall-of-Famer because we couldn't find a good reference base. Maybe we'll stretch out the list sometime in the future if there's some interest.)