9/26 From the 1940’s Through the 1970’s: Shepard Axed; Scoops Smacks; Gems; Grays Open BWS; HBD Steve, Brian & Yurendell

• 1948 - The Homestead Grays won the opening game of the Negro World Series 3-2 over the Birmingham Black Barons at Blues Stadium in Kansas City. The Grays did all the scoring in the second inning, with Willie Pope banging a two-run triple and coming in on Luis Marquez’s two out single. Ted Alexander scattered eight hits for the victory. 

Steve Buechele 1992 Topps

• 1961 - IF Steve Buechele was born in Lancaster, California. He spent parts of 1991-92 with the Bucs, coming as part of one deadline deal and leaving as part of another, playing 3B and hitting .248. After 11 years in MLB, Steve is now a coach with the Texas Rangers. 
• 1962 - Earl Francis surrendered two hits in 10 frames to beat the Reds and Jim Maloney 1-0. Bob Friend pitched the 11th frame to earn his only save of the year (he came in from the pen just three times during the season), holding the fort after Bill Mazeroski and Willie Stargell doubles produced the game’s only run. 
• 1968 - LHP Brian Shouse was born in Effingham, Illinois. A 13th round 1990 draft pick of the Pirates from Bradley, he got the call in 1993 for six games and four innings. He was resilient, popping up again in 1998 with Boston before another stint in the minors that lasted until 2002 when KC gave him the ball. But he finally made it after that; he became full-time in Texas in 2003 at the age of 34 and worked through 2009. For the past couple of seasons, he’s been a pitching coach for the Rangers system.  
• 1969 - Dock Ellis spun a complete game five-hitter to tame the Cubs and 21-game winner Fergie Jenkins at Forbes Field by a 2-0 score. The runs were the result of a two-run homer by the least likely of suspects, Freddie Patek, who banged his fifth long ball in the third inning out of the eight hole with Jose Pagan aboard. The Docktor took care of the rest as Chicago never got a runner past second base. 
• 1969 - Larry Shepard was fired as manager though Pittsburgh had an 84-73 record. Coach Alex Grammas took over the club for the remaining week of the season before the Bucs returned to old faithful, Danny Murtaugh, for his third go-around as Pirates field boss. 

Larry Shepard (photo Pittsburgh Pirates)

• 1972 - Steve Blass scattered eight hits to defeat the Phils and win his 19th game by a 5-1 score at Veterans Stadium. Al Oliver and Manny Sanguillen had a pair of RBI, and Blass added a hit and drove in the other run. He missed his only chance for 20 victories in his final start against the Mets, when he couldn’t get through the first inning after taking a line drive off the elbow. 
• 1974 - Al Oliver smacked five hits, including two homers and a double, in the Pirates’ 11-5 win at New York’s Shea Stadium. Scoops scored four times and had five RBI. Willie Stargell added four RBI with a long ball of his own as the 37 year old Juan Pizzaro, making just his second start of the year, won. It was his only W of the season and was the 131st & final victory of Juan’s 18-year career. That win moved the Pirates into a first place tie with St. Louis, a race that the Pirates would take down the stretch by winning 6-of-7 in the season’s final days. 
• 1979 - IF Yurendell deCaster was born in Brievengat, Curacao. deCaster became Bucco property in 2000 when he was taken from the Twins in the minor league draft. He made it to AAA Indianapolis, spending most of 2005-07 with the Indians. He got his MLB cup of coffee in 2006, getting into three Pirates games and going 0-for-2, fanning twice. Yurendell was part of the Nats and Yankees farm system before moving on to the indie, Nicaraguan, Mexican and Netherland Leagues along with playing for three WBC Netherland teams (Curacao is part of the Netherland Antilles).