6/19 From 1950 Through 1975: Groat Debut; Game Stories; HBD Fernando, Danny, Doug & Butch

• 1950 - IF Fernando Gonzalez was born in Arecibo, Puerto Rico. Fernando had a couple of stints with the Bucs, beginning his career with cups of coffee in 1972-73 and contributing as a role player in 1977-78 before being waived to the Padres. He hit .257 as a Pirate and played all the infield spots except first base and manned both corner outfield spots. He finished his career in 2004 playing in the Mexican League. After his playing days were over, Gonzalez coached in the Yankees system and later was the field general for a team in Italy. Now he manages a traveling Puerto Rican youth squad. 

Fernando Gonzalez 1974 Topps

• 1952 - Bonus baby Dick Groat made his big league debut in an 8-1 Pirates victory over the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. Groat went 2-for-4 with two RBI just three days after signing his first contract out of Duke. Veteran hurler Murry Dickson had a little bit to do with the win, too, as he tossed a complete game five-hitter and added three knocks, scoring three times. 
• 1954 - IF Johnnie LeMaster was born in Portsmouth, Ohio. He played 12 years of MLB ball, and the Pirates were one of three teams he was on in 1985 (oddly, all three - the Pirates, Giants and Indians - finished last in their division). The good-glove utility guy hit .155, and made it back to the show briefly in 1987 with Oakland before his career closed. He retired to Painesville, Kentucky, where he was raised, and worked for Ashland Oil while coaching youth at various levels and serving as an elder/bible study leader for his church. 
• 1958 - OF Wallace “Butch” Davis was born in Williamston, North Carolina. He got eight years and 166 games in the bigs. He sipped some coffee with the Pirates in 1987; in seven games he went 1-for-7 with three whiffs while spending most of his time at AAA Vancouver. He played 13 years in the minors with a couple of campaigns in Venezuela. When he hung up the spikes, he was a long-time Orioles minor league hitting coach and manager before spending three years as a Twins first base coach. He also lives on in cinematic history: he made a cameo appearance in the movie Bull Durham.   
• 1968 - The Pirates ran their winning streak to eight games with a 2-1 victory over the LA Dodgers at Forbes Field. Bob Veale gave up a first inning run, then settled in to toss a complete game six-hitter with eight strikeouts, helped along by three DPs. The Trolley Dodgers boosted the Bucs to the win with a couple of miscues. A passed ball with Maury Wills at second set up the first run on a Willie Stargell sac fly and the game-winner came when Gene Alley walked in the seventh, stole second and went to third when Bill Singer misfired on an attempted pickoff, scoring on Jerry May's two-out single. Singer was a tough nut to crack for the Pirates; he fanned 10 despite the loss. The Pirates split a twinbill with LA the next day, taking the opener and dropping the nightcap to end their joy ride at nine games.

RBI Clemente - 1972 Upper Deck

• 1972 - Roberto Clemente’s two-run homer off Mike Strahler in the eighth inning of a 13-3 romp over the Dodgers at TRS moved him into second on the Pirates franchise list for RBI with 1,274, just past Pie Traynor. He would finish his career with 1,305 runs batted in, now third on the all-time Pirate roster behind Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell. The Great One finished with three hits as did Al Oliver w/a homer; Vic Davalillo led the parade with four raps. Dock Ellis was rattled for 11 hits, bur lasted until the eighth when Bob Miller came in to bring it home. 
• 1974 - IF Doug Mientkiewicz was born in Toledo, Ohio. Doug had a 12-year MLB career and spent 2008 in Pittsburgh playing 1B, 3B and RF while batting .277. He retired the following year after playing for the Dodgers and coached briefly for them in the minors. He now works in the Twins organization.