- 1893 - IF and exec Joe “Germany” Schultz Sr. was born in Pittsburgh. He spent one year (1916) of his 11 year MLB career at home, hitting .260. After retiring and managing in the Cards minor league system, Schultz became the farm system director of the Pirates in 1939. Sadly, in 1941, while on his way to one of the Pittsburgh farm clubs, he suddenly passed away at the young age of 47. His legacy carried on, as his son Joe Jr. was a reserve catcher for Pittsburgh during Germany’s director stint, from 1939-41.
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| Jimmy Williams 1900 team photo |
- 1899 - The Pirates swept a pair from Philadelphia‚ winning both games on ninth inning blasts by rookies. After the Phils scored five in the ninth in the opener‚ Jimmy Williams hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame to win‚ 9-8. In the nitecap‚ Ginger Beaumont tripled with the bases loaded to cap a 5-4 victory.
- 1901 - The Pirates scored in every inning while defeating the Reds 11-2 at Exposition Park. Jesse Tannehill tossed a seven hitter for the win. Ginger Beaumont had four hits and Claude Ritchey tripled twice as the Bucs banged out 14 hits, four for triples. The Pittsburg Press opined that “The Reds as they are now made up should not be able to win from the Pirates in a hundred years.”
- 1911 - The Pirates pounded the Brooklyn Superbras 8-2 at Forbes Field behind the hot-hitting "Chief" Owen Wilson who went 4-for-4 with three triples. Ralph Davis of the Pittsburg Press wrote that “...Wilson came through the contest without a blot on his batting escutcheon. The Chief also played a grand fielding game and was in the battle up to his neck in all departments.” Babe Adams went the distance for the win, helping himself with three hits including a triple of his own.
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| Chief Wilson 1911 Piedmont |
- 1927 - OF/1B Preston Ward was born in Columbia, Missouri. Ward came to Pittsburgh as part of the Kiner deal, and was a back-up/platoon guy from 1953-56, hitting .240 in 305 games. He spent nine years in MLB, mostly serving as a reserve for five teams.
- 1931 - The Brooklyn Dodgers banged out 21 hits during the game (Babe Herman hit for the cycle) and scored three times in the ninth, but reliever Larry French put down the rally as the Bucs hung on for an 8-7 win at Forbes Field. The Pirates had 13 knocks, seven for extra bases, and jumped out to an early 8-1 lead behind Pie Traynor’s three RBI, Eddie Phillips’ homer and Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner’s three hits/three runs scored.
- 1956 - Honored at a Pittsburgh Chamber of Commerce luncheon before the game, Roberto Clemente proved his plaudits were well deserved by leading the Bucs to a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. Roberto drove in four RBI on three shots to left center: a sacrifice fly, a triple off the wall, and a homer into Schenley Plaza. Ron Kline got the win with help from Howie Pollet.
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| Barry Bonds 1995 Zenith |
- 1964 - Barry Bonds was born in Riverside, California. The slugger, a first round pick in the 1985 draft, spent seven summers in Pittsburgh, putting up a line of .275/176/556 with two All-Star appearances before really busting out with San Francisco, where he became the all-time HR leader. Bonds ended up with seven NL-MVPs, 14 All-Star selections, and is the major’s HR leader with 762 bombs (73 in 2001) and is second only to Babe Ruth in career WAR. Of course, his standing is forever tarred by his association with BALCO and PEDs with both the fans and the Hall of Fame committee.
- 1965 - C Joe Oliver was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Joe spent 13 years in the majors, mainly as a reserve catcher, with a 1999 stop in Pittsburgh where he hit .201 at age 34. He took a long blow from the show after retiring, but the bug bit again and he’s been a lower-level Red Sox manager since 2014.
- 1969 - The Pirates beat the Padres in walkoff fashion at Forbes Field with a 4-3, 10-inning win. Carl Taylor’s double in the extra frame brought home Matty Alou with the game-winning run. Willie Stargell and Richie Hebner added solo shots as Dock Ellis went the distance for the win.
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