8/26 Through the 1920’s: Big Poison Streaks; Trip-Triples; Lard Ball; Flies Forbidden; HBD Sparky & Frank

• 1888 - LHP Frank Allen was born in Newbern, Alabama. Allen spent six years twirling big league ball; the Federal League Pittsburgh Rebels picked him up at the end of the 1914 campaign from the Brooklyn Robins, then rode him the following year when he slashed 23-13/2.51 after 37 starts and 283-1/3 IP. Allen authored the FL’s first no-hitter as a Reb against the St. Louis Terriers, winning 2-0 at Handlan’s Park in the Gateway City on 4/24/1915. He tossed for two more MLB seasons afterward with the NL Boston Braves. Allen’s minor league history is hit-and-miss as far as documentation, but he started out in 1909 for Mobile of the Southern Association in 1909 as a 20-year old and hung ‘em up after tossing for Gadsen of the Georgia-Alabama League in 1928 as a 39-year old (and going 12-6/2.46). 

Mike Smith (photo via Uniondale Cemetery)

• 1892 - The Bucs mauled the Philadelphia Phils 11-3 at Exposition Park. Elmer “Mike” Smith, Doggie Miller and Jake Beckley led the way with a pair of hits each. Smith, usually an OF’er, was the pitcher (he appeared in 17 games, starting 13), and per the Pittsburgh Press, the “(Phils Ed) Delahanty found a package of lard in center field and the Phillies tried to work up a story that the ball had been greased...” The Pirates pleaded innocent, and the game stood. 
• 1894 - 2B Earl “Sparky” Adams was born in Zerbe, Pennsylvania. He played in Pittsburgh in 1928-29, filling in around the infield as needed and even taking some innings in the pasture while hitting .272 in 209 games. He was well thought of; he came from the Cubs in a trade for Kiki Cuyler. His Pirates time was in the middle of his 13-year career; he went on to have several good campaigns with the Gashouse Gang in St. Louis until a bad knee finally forced his retirement after the 1934 season. He got his nickname because he was a little bundle (5’4-1/2”) of energy on the field. 
• 1910 - It was a great day for outfielders to work on their tans at Forbes Field. Babe Adams, who took the hill in spite of a stomach bug, tossed a six-hitter to top Carrick native Elmer Knetzer (who came home in 1914-15 to pitch for the Pittsburgh Rebels) and Brooklyn 4-2. The Dodger and Pirate outfielders combined for one putout and one assist all afternoon (Pittsburgh’s Chief Wilson gloved a fly to right and the Dodgers’ LF Zack Wheat threw out Bobby Byrnes trying to stretch a double into a triple) to set the MLB record for the least pasture action for two teams in a game. 

Babe Adams 1910 (photo Bain/Library of Congress)

• 1912 - In a doubleheader split against Boston at Forbes Field, Chief Wilson collected three triples during the two contests, and would bang another three-bagger the next day. Chief had a three-game triple streak earlier in the year, with a five-game string put together in mid-June. He finished the year with 36 triples, which is still the league standard. Pittsburgh won the opener 5-4 and dropped the evening game 8-4. 
• 1926 - Paul Waner went 6-for-6 with two doubles and a triple as the Pirates beat the New York Giants 15-7 at Forbes Field. Pie Traynor and George Grantham each had three hits; Traynor and Johnny Rawlings added three RBI apiece. Big Poison used six different bats to collect his hits. Per Dom Forker’s “Baseball Brain Teasers” that was because Waner had been moved up to the second spot in the lineup rather than his customary three-hole slot. Apparently he didn’t check the scorecard and was caught by surprise when he was called to the plate, so he grabbed the first stick he could reach from the bat rack. He banged out a hit, so he went with random bats the rest of the game, each producing a knock. He tried it again in the following contest, went 1-for-3, and returned to his regular twig. 
• 1927 - Boston defeated the Pirates‚ 6-4 at Braves Field. Paul Waner‚ who went 4-for-4 the day before‚ started off with three more consecutive hits off two Brave pitchers before ending his streak at seven.