7/13: HBD Jeep; Hans All-Century; Bucs Sweep 60 ASG's; Todd's Near No-No; Littlefield Era Begins

• 1888 - Harry Staley and Pud Galvin of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys became the first pitchers to toss a doubleheader shutout by blanking the Boston Beaneaters 4-0 and 6-0 at Recreation Park.
• 1913 - IF Lee “Jeep” Handley was born in Clarion, Iowa. He was signed to a $20,000 bonus contract by the Pirates and played eight years (1937-46, with 1942-43 off for war duty) for the team. A slick fielder, he mostly played third, but also some middle infield, and hit .269 for Pittsburgh. A tough guy, Jeep survived a serious beaning and a car accident during his career.

Lee Handley 1993 Conlon series

• 1930 - Brooklyn’s Jumbo Elliot tossed a four hitter against the Bucs, but Larry French scattered nine knocks to earn a 1-0 win over the Dodgers at Ebbet’s Field. Charlie Engel opened the seventh with a single, went to third on a hit-and-run and scored on Paul Waner’s bouncer to second for the game’s only run.
• 1943 - The AL defeated the NL in the first night All Star game, 5-3, which was broadcast to GIs via shortwave radio from Shibe Park. Pirates' OF Vince DiMaggio shined for the Senior Circuit with a single, triple and home run while scoring twice and driving in a run. P Rip Sewell and 1B Elbie Fletcher were also on the club; Sewell pitched a perfect sixth inning and Fletcher went 0-for-2.
• 1948 - The Bucs sent 3B Frank Gustine, LF Ralph Kiner and P Elmer Riddle to Sportsman’s Park for the All-Star Game. The AL won 5-2 as Gustine and Kiner each went 0-for-1 and Riddle never got in the game. 
• 1954 - OF Frank Thomas was the Buc representative in the All Star Game at Cleveland Stadium, an 11-9 AL victory. He struck out in his only at bat.

Frank Thomas 1952 Topps series

• 1960 - P Vern Law became the second Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game‚ working two scoreless, one-hit innings in a 6-0 NL win at Yankee Stadium. He matched P Bob Friend, who won the first game two days earlier at Municipal Stadium in a 5-3 Senior Circuit victory and then sat this game out. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-3, OF Roberto Clemente drew a walk in his only at bat, SS Dick Groat went 0-for-1 and C Smoky Burgess and 2B Bill Mazeroski both went 0-for-2.
• 1965 - The NL beat the AL 6-5 at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium in the 36th All Star game. OF Willie Stargell, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, homered in the second, and recalled it as one of his most memorable long balls, not because of distance or the game situation, but because of its landing spot. He hit the ball into the bullpen area, where the band was seated, and it dropped over the fence and right into a tuba. OF Roberto Clemente went 0-for-2 and P Bob Veale didn’t get a call to work.
• 1971 - The AL jumped on top early, scoring four times off P Dock Ellis in the third inning and then held on to take a 6-4 win from the NL in the All Star game held at Tiger Stadium. It was the first AL win since the second All-Star Game of 1962, and their last until the 54th All-Star Game in 1983. The AL went 1-19 during that span, but came back with a vengeance afterward. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-2 with a solo homer, 1B Willie Stargell 0-for-2 with a run scored after a HBP and C Manny Sanguillen didn’t get into the game.

Willie Stargell (image Leroy Neiman)

• 1976 - The NL put a hurtin’ on the AL by a 7-1 count in the All Star game at Veteran’s Stadium. OF Al Oliver was the only Bucco AS and went 0-for-1.
• 1982 - The AL fell 4-1 to the NL in the All Star game at Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium) in Montreal. C Tony Pena stole a base as a pinch runner and went 0-for-1 at the dish, as did 1B Jason Thompson. Former Bucco Al Oliver, now an Expo, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and double.
• 1983 - The Bucs raced ahead of the Giants 5-0, but frittered away the lead by the ninth to fall behind 6-5 at Candlestick Park. With two down and Greg Minton on the hill, Johnny Ray bombed a tying homer to right, then the baseball gods smiled. Mike Easler hit a drive the opposite way that would have hit off the wall, but as LF Jeffrey Leonard tried for a leaping catch, the ball ticked off his glove and cleared the fence to give The Hit Man a game-winning four bagger. Kent Tekulve pitched a clean ninth to save the game for Manny Sarmiento. It gave the Pirates a three game sweep of San Francisco on their way to a 9-1 West Coast swing.

Mike Easler 1983 O-Pee-Chee series

• 1993 - The AL banged the ball all around the Camden Yards lot in a 9-3 win over the NL. OF Bobby Bonilla singled in his only at bat and 2B Jay Bell went 0-for-1.
• 1999 - The AL took a 4-1 win from the NL in the All Star game at Fenway Park. 3B Ed Sparague was the Pirate rep, and grounded out softly to third in his only at bat.
• 1999 - Honus Wagner was named a member of the All-Century team selected by fan vote and introduced at the All-Star game. Wagner came in fourth in the vote, but was included as a legend. Local players included on the ballot of the Greatest 100 Players were area Negro League standouts Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson, along with Buccos Wagner, Hank Greenberg, Pie Traynor, Barry Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Ralph Kiner, Willie Stargell and Paul Waner.
• 2001 - Dave Littlefield began his term as GM, replacing Cam Bonifay. He was noted for a stretch of losing seasons and the erosion of both the farm system and the Latino player market, although he did have some successes. He drafted Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker and hired Rene Gayo to scout the Latino baseball world. Littlefield was fired in 2007 and eventually replaced by Neal Huntington.

Dave Littlefield (image MLB.com)

• 2001 - Todd Ritchie lost a no hitter against the Royals when Luis Alicea bounced a one-out ninth inning single through the infield. In the bottom half of the ninth, Aramis Ramirez singled through a drawn-in infield to score Brian Giles for a 1-0 win at PNC Park. It was the Bucs second consecutive shutout win. Jimmy Anderson and Mike Williams had combined for a 2-0 sparkler over KC the day before, with Kevin Young’s two-run homer being the difference maker.
• 2004 - The junior circuit beat out a 9-4 win over the NL All-Stars at Minute Maid Park. SS Jack Wilson was the lone Bucco representative and went 0-for-2 at the plate.
• 2010 - The senior circuit finally solved the AL in the All Star game, taking a 3-1 win at Angels Stadium at Anaheim and snapping a 13 year losing streak. P Evan Meek was the Pirates rep and didn’t get in the game. Matt Capps, non-tendered in 2009 and then with Washington, got the win.