- 1883 - According to Charlton’s Baseball Chronology, after the Eclipse-Pittsburgh game at Exposition Park (won by Louisville 8-2), Allegheny OFs Billy Taylor and Mike Mansell‚ along with 2B George Creamer, were each fined $100 and suspended indefinitely for drunkenness.
- 1908 - Hall of Fame catcher Al Lopez was born in Tampa. He caught seven years (1940-46) for the Pirates, hitting .254 with a rep as one of finest defensive catchers in baseball, earning a 1941 All-Star berth. After his playing days, Lopez had success as a manager of the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox.
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| Al Lopez 1942 Play Ball |
- 1913 - The Pirates traded P Howie Camnitz and 3B Bobby Byrne to the Philadelphia Phillies for third baseman Albert “Cozy” Dolan and cash. Camnitz and Byrne were at the end of their effective careers (Bryne had a strong 1914 before fading), and Dolan was traded at the end of the year, so though a couple of big names were involved, it ended up a minor deal. Cozy was banned from baseball in 1924 as a coach after being involved with a bribe offer during a heated pennant race. He didn’t get his nickname by being cozy with the bookies, though, but rather from a baseball predecessor, Patrick “Cozy” Dolan. Fortunately for scorekeepers, there was a five-year break between Patrick’s last game and Albert’s MLB debut.
- 1946 - The Pirates voted against recognizing the American Baseball Guild as their bargaining agent by a 15-3 count with 10 abstentions‚ effectively killing the union. They then blanked the Brooklyn Dodgers 10-0 at Forbes Field behind Nick Strincevich’s four-hitter.
- 1980 - Omar Moreno stole his 70th base of the year in a 5-1 loss at the Astrodome‚ becoming the first player in the 20th century with three consecutive 70-steal seasons. The Antelope swiped 71 in 1978‚ 77 in 1979‚ and finished 1980 with a career-high 96 successful larcenies.
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| Omar Moreno 1981 Topps/Coca-Cola |
- 1981 - Pittsburgh traded John Milner to the Expos for Willie Montanez in a flip of reserve first basemen. Neither did much for their new teams, and Montanez was released after the 1982 season so the Pirates could bring Milner back.
I remember Montanez for some productive years when he was with the Padres, and also for his amusing habit of flipping his bat in disgust, then catching it and getting ready for the next swing, whenever he would swing and miss.
ReplyDeleteGood memory, Will. I'll always remember Willie as a Phil myself; he could rake as a pup, had some pop too. His glove and stick were usually pretty decent during his career. Too bad the Bucs got him at the end of his days rather than when he was a starter.
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