- 1868 - IF King Solomon "Sol" White was born in Bellaire, Ohio. Known as an educated and gentlemanly guy, his multi-faceted career in black baseball was launched in Pittsburgh. Per BR Bullpen: White began his career in 1887 with the Pittsburgh Keystones of the National Colored League. After the league folded, White played Wheeling, the New York Big Gorhams, the Cuban Giants, the Page Fence Giants, the Cuban X-Giants and the Chicago Columbia Giants. In 1902, White and white sportswriter H. Walter Schlichter founded the Philadelphia Giants. For the next eight years White co-owned, managed and played for his team, one of the era's best. After leaving the Giants, White managed the Brooklyn Royal Giants and the New York Lincoln Giants. Following a period of semi-retirement, he led the Columbus Buckeyes, the Cleveland Browns and the Newark Stars. The Wilberforce grad later became a sportswriter, penned the first definitive history of early black baseball in 1907, and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.
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| Sol White (1884 Wilberforce team photo) |
- 1904 - LHP Willie Foster was born in Lorman, Mississippi. One of the top southpaws of his era (and perhaps any other), he pitched for the Homestead Grays in 1932 (8-1, 2.08) and the Pittsburgh Crawfords (1-2) in 1936 on his way to the Hall of Fame. Willie later became an associate dean and coached at Alcorn State, where the Foster Baseball Field at McGowan Stadium, home for Braves baseball, is named in his honor.
- 1928 - The Pirates set a record, later tied, by having seven batters collect three hits or more in a game when they beat the Phillies 15-4 at the Baker Bowl. Ray Kremer, the Bucco pitcher, led the parade with four knocks. Pittsburgh had 25 hits, with every starting player chipping in.
- 1939 - The Baseball Hall of Fame opened to the public in the greatest gathering of old-timey baseball starpower ever assembled. The Hall named its first five inductees in 1936 (Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Honus Wagner, and Christy Mathewson) and others voted in (Grover Alexander, Eddie Collins, Nap Lajoie, Connie Mack, George Sisler, Tris Speaker & more) prior to the building’s dedication. Hans, in the first HOF vote, tied for second with the Babe. They were outpolled only by the Georgia Peach, Cobb.
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| The Flying Dutchman and his HOF buds (1939 photo Associated Press) |
- 1956 - Roberto Clemente's fifth inning, two-out, two-run homer into Crosley Field's right-centerfield bleachers gave Pittsburgh a 4-3 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. An out earlier, pinch hitter Jack Shepherd launched a two run shot that cut Cincy’s lead to one after the Reds had scored three times in the first off Bob Friend. Roy face pitched 4-1/3 shutout innings of relief for the win. The victory put the Pirates ½ game ahead of the Reds in the standings.
- 1959 - In the start after his 12 perfect innings against the Braves, the Pirates held Harvey Haddix Night at Forbes Field. The Cardinals Don Blasingame, the leadoff hitter, singled on the third pitch, but The Kitten rolled to a 3-0, complete game shutout of St. Louis in front of 28,644 fans.
- 1969 - SS Freddie Patek’s boot led to two unearned runs in a three-run third for Houston, but Roberto Clemente’s game-tying two-run shot in the sixth and pinch hitter Carl Taylor’s two-out single in the ninth that scored Manny Sanguillen gave the Bucs a 4-3 win. Jim Bunning went the distance for the W at the Astrodome.
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| Clutch Carl 1969 Topps |
- 1970 - During the first game of a twin bill at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, Dock Ellis walked eight batters but no-hit the Padres, 2-0, to become the fourth Pirate pitcher to accomplish the feat. He later famously claimed he was high on LSD while pitching that day. Pops Stargell provided the muscle with a pair of solo shots. SD took the nitecap 5-2.
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