8/14 Through the 30s: HBD Alex & Dale, Wee Tommy, Comebacks, Gems, Big Sticks

• 1856 - 1B Alex McKinnon was born in Boston. He played briefly for the Alleghenys in 1887, which acquired him in an off season deal from Salem. Pittsburgh looked like it had a steal when he hit .340 in 48 games, but at age 30 he contracted typhoid fever and passed away three weeks after being diagnosed with the disease. Pittsburgh wore black crepe on their uniforms for the rest of the season in his honor. 

Alex McKinnon 1887 Goodwin Old Judge

• 1902 - The Pirates beat Boston 6-1 at the South End Grounds as both Tommy Leach and Claude Ritchey went 4-for-5 to back Jesse Tannehill. Leach had a monster day with two homers and a double, three runs, and three RBI. Wee Tommy led the NL with homers that season with six, all inside-the-park four-baggers. 
• 1912 - The Pirates scored an unearned run in the 10th to beat Grover Cleveland Alexander and the Phils‚ 2-1. It was Pete's first loss to Pittsburgh, although Pittsburgh did OK against him with a 30-35 record against the Hall-of-Famer. The Pirates took the opener of the doubleheader at Forbes Field by a 3-2 score. 
• 1913 - Honus Wagner homered, tripled, and had another home run bid taken away thanks to a great catch by Casey Stengel as the Bucs romped 13-8 over the Brooklyn Superbas at Ebbets Field. The Pirates banged out 19 hits, led by Max Carey with four knocks and Dots Miller & Mike Mitchell with three each. 

Stuffy McGinnis (photo Conlon Collection)

• 1925 - Stuffy McGinnis, Clyde Barnhart, and Pie Traynor combined to drive in 10 runs in the Bucs 14-6 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field. McGinnis and Max Carey scored seven times from the top of the order as Stuffy went 3-for-4 with a triple, four RBI, and three runs to help Lee Meadows cruise to victory. 
• 1929 - The Bucs Jesse Petty outgunned Boston’s Percy Jones to take a 1-0 victory at Braves’ Field. The Pirate run came in the fourth when a pair of walks followed by a bunt and an intentional pass set up Sparky Adams, whose sac fly would plate the only score of the day. Both pitchers went the distance, with Petty giving up five singles and Jones just three. 
• 1930 - 1B Dale Coogan was born in Los Angeles. Signed by the Buccos out of high school, Dale spent 1950 in the show at the age of 20. Alas, the 53 games were his only MLB time (he hit .240). After plying his trade in the minors through 1958, he retired and turned his doctorate from Southern Cal into a career in secondary education, starting out as a teacher and ending up a superintendent. 
• 1937 - The Pirates scored five times in the ninth inning to take a 6-5 victory from the St. Louis Cardinals at Sportsman’s Park. The Bucs used five singles and two walks to fuel their rally after being held to two hits by Ray Harrell over the first eight frames. Player-manager Pie Traynor played his final game as a Pirate, coming in as a pinch runner in the ninth and scoring the winning run on a Paul Waner knock. Jim Weaver got the win and Jim Tobin the save as Pittsburgh snapped a six game Redbird winning string.