7/11 Events & All-Stars: HBD Pop, Skeets & Otter, Forbes Field & PNC ASG, Rip, Ralph, Roberto & Bob Shine, More...

• 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.

Pop Schriver (photo by Muller via Detroit Public Library)

• 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 with a 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 orange grove.
• 1939 - The Pirates sent SS Arky Vaughan to the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and run scored, but the AL took the game 3-1.
• 1944 - The Pirates hosted their first All-Star Game at Forbes Field, the 12th Midsummer Classic and the first night game in All-Star history. 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 0-3, while OF Vince DiMaggio played in the field but didn’t bat. P Frank Zak didn’t get into the game.

Rip Sewell 1979 Diamond Greats

• 1950 - OF Ralph Kiner was the Pirate representative for the All Star Game at Comiskey Park. He went 2-for-6 with a home run and double as the senior circuit took a 4-3 victory.
• 1951 - Ed Ott was born in Muncy, PA, just east of Williamsport. He caught righty but hit lefty, putting him in a platoon role for Pittsburgh for seven seasons (1974-80), hitting .259. He was effective in the 1979 World Series; in three starts, he hit .333 with three RBI in just 12 at-bats.
• 1960 - One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend over three innings led the NL to a 5-3 win over the AL at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in the first of two All-Star Games. Friend was credited with two of the NL's last three All-Star wins, with this one saved by teammate Vern Law, who got the last two outs. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-4 with a run, RBI and stolen base while 2B Bill Mazeroski went 1-for-2 with a 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.

Bob Friend 1960 Topps

• 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 NL; 1B Dick Stuart belted a pinch hit double, C Smoky Burgess went 1-for-4 and reliever Roy Face 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 buffeted him in mid-delivery.
• 1967 - The NL won another All Star pitching battle against the AL, taking a 2-1 decision at Anaheim Stadium in fifteen 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.
• 1978 - The NL 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 on the team and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter.
• 1989 - The AL 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.

Bobby Bo 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings

• 1995 - The NL nosed out the AL All Stars 3-2 at the Ballpark in Arlington. P Denny Neagle repped the Bucs, and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one.
• 2000 - The AL All Stars defeated the NL’s best 6-3 at Turner Field. C Jason Kendall and OF Brian Giles both went 0-for-2 during the contest.
• 2006 - The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park. The 2006 Mid Summer Classic marked the fifth time that Pittsburgh hosted the All Star game, becoming the first franchise to host the game in three different yards — Forbes Field (1944 & 1959), Three Rivers Stadium (1974 & 1994), and PNC Park (2006). 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.