9/6 Through the 1930’s: Cooper Debut; Sweeps; Bat Binge; HBD Tommy, Vince, Johnny, Billy & Jack

• 1892 - 2B Billy Gleason was born in Chicago. He played sparingly in the majors, spending two of his three years with Pittsburgh (1916-17) and batting .159 in 26 games before being traded to minor league Chattanooga. Billy was a career farm hand, beginning in the bushes in 1913 as an 18-year-old and still playing as late as 1934 with only one season (1918 - we assume he was in the service) off. 

Ginger Beaumont (photo via Racine Heritage Museum)

• 1901 - The Pirates swept a DH from the NY Giants 15-2 and 13-4 to win their ninth and tenth straight games (they played four twin bills in five days and swept all four). The Bucs pounded out 22 hits in the opener, led by Ginger Beaumont’s 5-for-6 day, with a homer and 2B to grease the wheels for Sam Leever’s win. The Pirates rapped out 14 more hits in the nitecap, with Tommy Leach going 3-for-3 with a 2B. George Merritt got the win. It was the third straight double dipper they took from the Giants in three days, outscoring NY 80-23. The sweep was part of a 26-of-30 game roll as the Pirates boogied their way to the NL title, entering September with a 2-½ game lead and pulling away from the pack by 7-½ games at seasons end. 
• 1903 - IF Tommy Thevenow was born in Madison, Indiana. He played five years for the Pirates from 1931 until 1935, and came back to spend his last big league season, 1938, as a Bucco. Tommy batted .251 with 201 RBI for Pittsburgh as a good glove, so-so bat SS/3B. Tommy retired to his hometown after that campaign and ran a grocery store until he passed away at age 53. 
• 1910 - RHP Johnny Lanning was born in Asheville, NC. He tossed for the Pirates from 1940 until 1943, went in the service and returned for the 1945-46 seasons, finishing with a Pittsburgh line 33-29/3.44. Lanning wasn’t a flame thrower; his best pitches were variations of the curve, one hard, the other soft. Lanning came from a family of tobacco farmers and was known as “Tobacco Chewin’ Johnny” and “Johnny Tabaccy.” 

Johnny Lanning 1940 (photo via NCS Baseball)

• 1912 - OF Vince DiMaggio was born in Martinez, California. He played center field for Pittsburgh from 1940-44 and hit .255 as a Bucco. He was named to the All-Star Game in 1943 and 1944, and in the 1944 game, he hit a home run, triple and single in three at-bats. Vince and his sibs Joe and Dom are the only brother trio to become All-Stars. 
• 1912 - In his major league debut, Wilbur Cooper shut out the St Louis Cardinals 8-0 at Robison Field. He gave up nine scattered hits with a walk and three K, the first of 216 wins for Cooper. Chief Wilson had three hits and scored twice to lead a balanced, 13 hit attack. 
• 1921 - 1B Jack Phillips was born in Clarence, New York. Jack put nine years in the show and spent from 1949-52 with Pittsburgh, hitting .264. Following his playing days, Phillips managed in the minors from 1960-64. Jack then became baseball coach, among other athletic department duties, for 24 years at his alma mater, Clarkson College of Technology, retiring after the 1988 spring season. The college honored Phillips by re-naming its baseball facility "Jack Phillips Stadium at Snell Field" in 2008. 
• 1924 - Pittsburgh took two from the St. Louis Cards by 5-1 and 12-5 scores at Forbes Field behind the pitching of Emil Yde and Jeff Pfeffer. Kiki Cuyler provided the firepower with a homer and three RBI in the opener. Cuyler had another homer and three more runs batted in in the nitecap, Pie Traynor tripled and had three RBI, Rabbit Maranville homered with two runs batted in and Glen Wright drove in two more tallies and had a double. Max Carey scored once in the first game and three times in the second to touch home for his 15th straight game, a franchise record. He tallied 21 runs during the span, which began 8/23. 

Kiki Cuyler 1925 (Bain/Library of Congress)

• 1935 - Brooklyn took its lumps at Forbes Field as the Pirates pounded out a 13-6 win, whacking 21 hits and scoring in every inning against the Dodgers. Woody Jensen led the parade with four hits; Tommy Thevenow, Arky Vaughan and Paul Waner each added three while Bud Hafey homered. Cy Blanton earned his 17th win.