9/8: Williams' Streak, Stranded, Buck Leonard, Sweeps, Fred Clarke, Roberto Clemente, The Cobra, Gerrit Cole...

Williams' Streak, Stranded, Buck Leonard, Sweeps, Fred Clarke, Roberto Clemente, The Cobra, Gerrit Cole...

• 1899 - Pittsburgh's 3B Jimmy Williams‚ who earlier set a rookie record by hitting in 26 consecutive games‚ ran his new club record string to 27 games. He was stopped by Deacon Phillippe of Louisville‚ who had also ended his earlier streak, as Louisville won 5-3. Kenny Lofton (2003) and Danny O'Connell (1953) also strung together 26 game streaks for the Pirates. 
• 1905 - As written in the Pittsburg Press “(Cincinnati pitcher) Charlie Chech was touched up for fifteen safeties, including six two baggers, and allowed eight bases on balls, but still the Pirates could get but three little runs out of all that swatfest” as Pittsburgh lost 8-3 to the Reds at Exposition Park. The Bucs stranded a NL record 18 men in the loss. 
• 1907 - 1B Walter “Buck” Leonard was born in Rocky Mount, NC. He played 15 years for the Homestead Grays (1934-48), batting ahead of Josh Gibson, and the pair were often likened to Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. The Grays won nine consecutive Negro National League pennants (1937-1945) with Leonard and Gibson ("the Thunder Twins") in the middle of the order. Leonard finished his Grays’ career with a .320 BA and was selected to the HoF. In 1994, when the All-Star Game was held in Pittsburgh, the 88-year-old Leonard was named an Honorary Captain. 
• 1908 - Howie Camnitz tossed a five hitter with seven whiffs and made two first inning runs driven in by Honus Wagner stand as the Pirates swept a four game set from the St. Louis Cards 2-0 at Exposition Park.
• 1915 - Fred Clarke resigned as manager after leading the club to four pennants in 19 years, citing a desire for more family time (and probably helped by back-to-back losing seasons). He wanted to step down after the 1909 World Series campaign, but was talked out of it by owner Barney Dreyfuss. Jimmy Callahan replaced him in 1916. 
• 1937 - The Pirates swept Cincinnati at Forbes Field. Pittsburgh had to score three times in the tenth inning to pull out a 7-6 win in the opener on a Tommy Padden walk-off single. The hit was an act of atonement for Padden; he threw away a bunt in the top half to allow the Reds to score two runs. Woody Jensen had four hits to lead Pittsburgh. The Bucs took the nightcap easily by an 8-2 count. Jensen had two more knocks to support Jack Tobin’s four-hitter. 
• 1940 - The Pirates brought their sticks to Sportsman’s Park, taking a doubleheader from the Cardinals by 16-14 and 5-4 tallies. Pittsburgh banged two homers (Maurice Van Robays & Debs Garms), and triple and seven doubles (two by Frankie Gustine) to overcome Johnny Mize’s three homers to take the opener. The Pirates scored five in the shortened five inning nitecap, tallying three times in the last frame for the win. Bob Elliott and Arky Vaughan went 4-for-6 in tandem, with a double, two triples and all five RBI, driving in Garms, who went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three times before darkness ended the game. 
• 1958 - Roberto Clemente tied a modern day record held by many with three triples against Cincinnati at Forbes Field, leading the Pirates to a 4-1 win. He was stranded after the first three-bagger, thrown out at home trying for an inside-the-park HR after the second, and finally scored after the third when Dick Stuart singled him home. Curt Raydon got the win, his last in MLB, and picked up his only major league hit in 49 plate appearances. Arm troubles kept him out of the majors after an impressive 8-4/3.62 debut. 
• 1974 - Dave Parker broke up a tight game with a an eighth inning grand slam off Tom Walker as the Bucs beat the Montreal Expos 8-2 at TRS. It was the Cobra’s only at-bat; he came in as a pinch hitter for Frank Taveras. Jim Rooker tossed a six hitter for the win. 
• 1990 - RHP Gerrit Cole was born in Newport Beach, California. The UCLA grad was selected by the Pirates with the first overall selection in the 2011 MLB Draft and signed to an $8M bonus minutes before the deadline. He made his debut in the show on June 11th, 2013. 
• 2000 - Pittsburgh swept the Reds 7-3 and 3-1 to run their season-best winning streak to eight games at TRS (it ended the next day, beginning a nine-game losing streak). Todd Ritchie won the opener and Marc Wilkins, one of seven Pirate pitchers, took the nitecap victory.