8/4 Games: Speedo, Shutout Streak Ends, Salkeld Cycle, Gorzo Gem, KY Day, Sluggo & Roberto Clutch

• 1901 - Before Pittsburgh’s 6-3 win at Cincinnati’s League Park‚ Reds and Pirates players were clocked while running from home plate to 1B. The fastest time for the 90-foot sprint was three seconds‚ by Bucco OF Ginger Beaumont. Though Beaumont was a lefty and was known for his wheels, scouts today consider 3.9-4.0 to be elite speed. The SABR Biography Project says he was once timed at 4.4, which seems a little more like it. As for the game, the Buc attack was primed by Beaumont and Hans Wagner with three hits apiece and a Lefty Davis homer. Ed Poole, subbing for scheduled but sore-armed starter Sam Leever, went wire-to-wire for the win. 

• 1909 - The Pirates’ Vic Willis lost a 1-0 pitching duel to the Brooklyn Superba’s Harry McIntyre at Forbes Field. Willis gave up just five hits, but one was a two-out single by Tommy McMillan in the second inning that scored Whitey Alperman with the game’s only run. McIntyre was just as tough, giving up four hits and a pair of walks. Dots Miller had two of Pittsburgh’s four knocks. 
• 1931 - Heinie Meine started it and ended it. Pirate pitchers put together a streak of 45 consecutive scoreless innings, starting with Meine’s outing on July 27th and ending with Meine’s 7-1 loss to the Cards at Forbes Field after adding five more frames to the zero column. In between, Pittsburgh pitchers Larry French, Ray Kremer, Glenn Spencer and Erv Brame all tossed shutouts. 
• 1945 - C Bill Salkeld went 5-for-5 to become the first (and only) Pirates rookie to hit for the cycle and drove in five runs‚ but the Bucs fell 6-5 to the Cardinals at Forbes Field, stranding 12 runners against St. Louis. 
• 1958 - Roberto Clemente’s two-out homer in the ninth off Juan Pizarro gave the Pirates a 4-3 win over the first place Milwaukee Braves at County Stadium. Clemente had three hits and scored three times to lead the attack as Roy Face saved the game for Curt Raydon.

Don Slaught 1992 Fleer

• 1990 - The Pirates broke open a 1-1 duel in the 10th when Don Slaught doubled home Gary Redus and Chico Lind for the win at Veteran's Stadium. Bob Patterson gave up the Phils’ only run in the bottom of the ninth, but got the victory when Ted Power closed out the extra frame. Starter Neal Heaton and Stan Belinda put up the other goose eggs. 
• 1998 - Fours were wild as 1B Kevin Young went 4-for-5 with four runs scored and four RBI during a 13-5 win over the Rockies at TRS. None of the Bucs went yard, but they did bang out nine doubles off four Colorado pitchers, with Young cranking out three of them. 
• 2006 - Tom Gorzelanny went eight innings of two-hit ball and struck out seven as the Bucs beat the Cubs at Wrigley Field 6-0. Xavier Nady went 4-for-5 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs. Jose Castillo and Ronny Paulino each homered, had two knocks and chased home a pair of runs.