9/20 Expo Park-Forbes Field Era: Maddox & Moose No-Hitters, Big Date For Friend, Pops First Hit & More...

• 1907 - In his third big league start, Nick Maddox became the first Pirate pitcher to throw a no-hitter by defeating the Brooklyn Superbas, 2-1, at Exposition Park. At the age of 20 years and ten months, Maddox was the youngest pitcher and the second rookie to throw a no-hitter. Errors by Maddox and Honus Wagner gave Brooklyn their run; Fred Clarke had both Bucco hits, but neither figured in the scoring as the Pittsburgh runs were also unearned.

Nick Maddox 1908 (photo Bain News Service/Library of Congress)

• 1924 - The Pirates edged Brooklyn‚ 5-4‚ in 11 innings at Ebbet’s Field to end Dazzy Vance's 15-game winning streak. Pie Traynor singled with two gone in the 11th‚ and Rabbit Maranville lined a ball to center that got past the Robins’ outfielder Eddie Brown, who missed at a shoestring effort to glove the ball. Pie came in with the game winner as he touched home for the third time during the game. Wilbur Cooper went the distance for the win. It wasn't quite enough for the Bucs, tho. They cut the front-running Giants' lead to 1-1/2 games, but finished three games off the pace as they followed the win with a four game losing streak, dropping an extra-inning game to the Bums and being swept in a three-game set by New York.
• 1956 - The seventh place Pirates edged Milwaukee 2-1 in 10 innings at Forbes Field. It was a classic spoiler win, as the Braves eventually lost the pennant on the last day of the season by one game to the Dodgers. Bob Friend held the Braves to four hits for the complete game victory.

Bob Friend 1956 Topps

• 1960 - Bob Friend beat the Phillies 7-1 as part of a DH sweep at Connie Mack Stadium and set a new club record for strikeouts in a season with 179 (he ended the campaign with 183). The old mark was held by RHP Claude Hendrix with 176, set in 1912. Friend tossed a complete game and fanned six.
• 1962 - Rookie Willie Stargell collected his first hit, a triple that scored Bob Skinner. Willie had happy feet; the youngster was thrown out at home trying for an inside the park HR. The Bucs rallied in the ninth to take a 4-3 win at Forbes Field against the Cincinnati Reds. Pittsburgh scored three times, thanks to a two-out boot by 3B Eddie Kasko that allowed one run to score followed by a two run, game-winning double by the Tiger, Don Hoak.
• 1966 - The Pirates turned four DP against the Giants at Candlestick Park, helping Vern Law to a 6-0 win. The first twin killing set a NL record at 199, and the Bucs ended the year with 215 double plays. Bill Mazeroski and Gene Alley both won Gold Gloves that season, with Maz participating in 161 twin killings and Alley in 128.

Maz & Alley - Hoovers because they sucked everything up (Press Photo/AP)

• 1969 - At New York's Shea Stadium, Bob Moose stopped the pennant-bound Mets 4-0 with a no-hitter, just the third in franchise history. He walked three with six whiffs. Two of the Pirates four runs scored on wild pitches by Gary Gentry as the Bucs only collected six hits themselves.