4/15 From 1930 Through the 1960’s: Hammerin' Hank Debuts; DP Day; Game Stories; HBD Jeromy & Mike

• 1930 - The Bucs took the season opener from Cincinnati 7-6 at Redland Field in front of 30,112 fans. North Side’s Steve Swetonic tossed 5-1/3 innings of one-run ball in relief of Ray Kremer for the win. Paul Waner went 4-for-4 while Dick Bartell and Rollie Hemsley homered. 
• 1947 - In his Pirate debut, Hank Greenberg’s sixth-inning double chased home Billy Cox to give the Bucs' a 1-0 victory over the Cubs and Hank Borowy. Rip Sewell got the win by scattering five hits at Wrigley Field. The slugger was brought in from the Tigers after a contract impasse and Greenberg wasted no time cashing in for Pittsburgh. 

Hank Greenberg 1947 Playboy Press

• 1952 - Pittsburgh became the first team required to wear helmets both at bat and in the field. Branch Rickey mandated their use, and though his intentions were no doubt noble, he did happen to have an ownership interest in the company that made the hats. Though first used in 1907, they didn’t begin to appear regularly until the forties and weren't required to be worn by baseball until 1971. 
• 1958 - The Pirates beat the Braves 4-3 in 14-inning contest, tying the longest opening day game ever played in the NL, a record they would tie again in 1969. Bill Virdon chased home Hank Foiles with the game winner at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. Ron Blackburn got the win and Curt Raydon picked up the save. Roberto Clemente, Dick Groat and Bob Skinner each had three hits; Bill Virdon and RC Stevens chipped in a pair, too, as the Bucs made it tough on themselves by stranding 13 runners. 
• 1960 - OF/1B Mike Diaz was born in San Francisco. He played in Pittsburgh from 1986-88, hitting .250 with 28 HR in 524 AB. Diaz earned the nickname “Rambo” while with the Bucs because of his resemblance to Sly Stallone, and the club even promoted a fairly famous poster of him under that nom de guerre. He had a second career in Japan lasting for four seasons beginning in 1989. 
• 1961 - The Dodgers and Pirates tied a MLB record by turning nine DPs (Los Angeles 5‚ Pittsburgh 4) in a 4-1 Buc win at Memorial Coliseum. It was only the second time (July 3rd‚ 1929, Cubs-Reds) that nine DPs have been turned in a nine-inning NL game; eight were the result of grounders. Bob Friend was the recipient of the twin killings. Bill Virdon smacked two homers and Don Hoak banged a bases-loaded, two-out double to provide the points. 

Bob Friend 1961 Topps

• 1966 - Bob Gibson and the Redbird bats dominated the Bucs in a 9-2 win at Forbes Field. It was the 18th straight for the Cards in Pittsburgh, tying the major league record set by the Dodgers against the Phillies in 1945-46 for consecutive road wins against one club. But the worm finally turned as the Pirates took the series by winning the next two games of the set. 
• 1969 - RF Jeromy Burnitz was born in Westminster Hills, California. After back-to-back solid seasons, the Pirates signed the 37-year-old, 13-year veteran to a $6M FA deal for 2006. He hit .230 with 16 HR and Pittsburgh bought out the second, team option year of his deal for $700K. Jeromy retired before the 2007 season opened, unable to catch on with anyone else.