7/1 Through the 20s: HBD Gunner, Bullet Joe Signed, On the Road We Go, Game Stories

• 1901 - The Bucs were blanked by the Phillies 1-0 at the Baker Bowl, the only time during the 139-game season when Pittsburgh was shut out, a 20th century NL record. Jack Chesbro tossed a four hitter for Pittsburgh, while the Bucs banged nine hits off Red Donahue without denting home.

Honus Wagner (Max Stein Card)

• 1903 - Honus Wagner swatted four hits for a second straight game, missing the cycle by a double (The Pittsburg Press sidebar story was “Wagner is After Batting Honors” and he did take the ‘03 NL crown with a .355 BA) as the Pirates rolled over the Brooklyn Superbas 17-8 at the Washington Grounds. The game was never in doubt as the Bucs ran up a 13-0 lead before the Brooklynites dented the scoreboard. Fred Clarke and Ginger Beaumont also had four knocks as Pittsburgh banged out 19 hits, allowing Sam Leever to cruise to victory.
• 1915 - It was feast or famine for the Fed League Pittsburgh Rebels against the Baltimore Terrapins at York Road Park. In the opener of a twin bill, they were shut out 6-0 by Jack Quinn. A little break did the Rebs bats a world of good; they took the nitecap by a 13-5 tally, becoming the first big league team to score in every inning since 1894. It was the end of a long road trip, with the Rebels winning 11-of-18 matches after dropping 7-of-10 on a western swing that opened their trek. Sadly, they were rained out in Pittsburgh upon their return and had to hop a train for four more games, splitting a set with the Chicago Whales before spending most of the summer at home, where they had 59-of-85 remaining contests booked at Exposition Park.
• 1916 - The Gunner, Bob Prince, was born in Los Angeles. He joined the club, teaming with Rosey Rowswell in 1948, and became the main announcer when Rowswell’s health began to fail. He and partner Nellie King were let go in 1975 after a long running dispute with KDKA management. The colorful and popular Prince returned to the booth in May, 1985, just weeks before he died of cancer.

• 1916 - Behind a Honus Wagner homer and Ray O’Brien’s ninth inning single, Al Mamaux’s four hitter was enough to down the Reds and Elmer Knetzer 2-1 at Redland Field. Mamaux was pretty good with the stick, too, hitting a double and triple while scoring the winning run with two down in the ninth. Hans’ fourth inning homer made him the oldest player, at 42 years and four months, to hit an inside the park four-bagger.
• 1920 - The Pirates played the Cardinals in the first game ever held at Sportsmans' Park (also the home of the AL's St. Louis Browns) after the Redbirds flew the outdated Robison Field coop. The Bucs took the debut game 6-2 in 10 innings, with Hal Carlson getting the W and Babe Adams picking up the save.
• 1926 - The Bucs broke an eight game losing streak by spanking the Cards at Forbes Field 7-3 as Kiki Cuyler and Pie Traynor each drove in three. In spite of that losing string, they claimed first place three weeks later, eventually fading to third with an 84-69 slate, five games out.

Joe Bush 1992 Conlon/TSN

• 1926 - The Pirates signed Bullet Joe Bush, recently waived by the Washington Senators. Joe had won 107 games for three clubs from 1920-25, but the 33-year-old was in the midst of an 1-8/6.69 campaign for the Sens. The Bucs got their money’s worth as Bullet Joe went 6-6/3.01 for them the rest of the year, but fell apart in ‘27 and was released in June. He would appear in just 14 more games after that and was out of league by the summer of 1928.