7/7 Happenings & All Stars: Forbes Field ASG, HBD Satch, Double Duty, Billy & More...

• 1902 - P/C Theodore Roosevelt “Double Duty” Radcliffe was born in Mobile, Alabama. He stopped briefly in Pittsburgh, playing for the 1931 Homestead Grays and the 1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords. Writer Damon Runyon gave him the nickname "Double Duty" because Radcliffe performed as a catcher one game and as a pitcher the next during a 1932 Negro League World Series doubleheader between the Crawfords and the Monroe Monarchs at Yankee Stadium. Radcliffe caught for Satchel Paige for a shutout in the first game, then pitched a shutout in the second game.

Double Duty goes for the tag of Josh Gibson 1940 Negro League All-Star Game

• 1906 - Leroy “Satchel” Paige was born in Mobile, Alabama. He pitched through the thirties for the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords. At 42, Paige became the oldest rookie in major league history when he joined the Cleveland Indians in 1948, and in 1971 became the first Negro League star inducted into the Hall Of Fame.
• 1909 - IF/MGR Billy Herman was born in New Albany, Indiana. The Hall-of-Famer came to Pittsburgh in 1947 as a player/manager. Billy played a little, hitting .213, and after compiling a 61-92 record, he resigned as the manager on the last day of the season.
• 1936 - The Pirates sent 1B Gus Suhr and SS Arky Vaughan to the All-Star Game at Boston Braves Stadium. Neither got in as the NL squeaked out a 4-3 win.
• 1937 - P Cy Blanton, SS Arky Vaughan and RF Paul Waner were selected as Pittsburgh All-Stars for the game at Griffith Stadium. Vaughan went 2-for-5, Waner 0-for-5 with an RBI, and Blanton faced one batter, Joe DiMaggio, who he whiffed during the AL’s 8-3 romp.

Arky Vaughan 1937 Wheaties

• 1959 - The All-Star Game became a double feature when a new, two-game format was adopted. The first game was played at Forbes Field. The NL won 5-4 after the first pitch was tossed by VP Richard Nixon. C Smoky Burgess, P Elroy Face, SS Dick Groat and 2B Billy Mazeroski repped the Buccos. Maz went 1-for-1 with a single, Groat batted once and sacrificed, and Smoky didn’t make an appearance. The Baron of the Bullpen did, and probably wishes he hadn’t. He gave up three runs in 1-⅔ IP with three hits, two walks, and two K.
• 1964 - The NL defeated the AL at Shea Stadium in the All Star game by a 7-4 score, best remembered because of Johnny Callison’s three-run ninth inning homer. Roberto Clemente went 1-for-3 with a run, Willie Stargell 0-for-1, and Bill Mazeroski and Smoky Burgess were bench players.
• 1998 - Coors Field lived up to its hitter-friendly rep as the AL outslugged the NL 13-8 in the All Star game. C Jason Kendall was the Pirate AS and singled in his only at bat.