7/23 Through the 1940’s: Clarke Cycle; Kiner Mark; Bat-Fest; Game Stories; HBD Ginger & Mack

• 1876 - OF Ginger Beaumont was born in Rochester, Wisconsin. He played eight seasons (1899-1906) for Pittsburgh, hitting .321 with 757 runs scored and 200 stolen bases. Beaumont led the league in batting with a .357 average in 1902, and in 1903 led in at bats (613), runs (137) and hits (209) while hitting .342, helping the team to earn a spot in the first World Series.  
• 1901 - Fred Clarke hit for the cycle for the second time in his career as the Pirates whipped the Cincinnati Reds 9-2 at Exposition Park behind Jack Chesbro, who struck out 11 batters. Lefty Davis, Honus Wagner and Kitty Bransfield added three hits apiece to stoke the 16 hit Bucco barrage.

Mack Hillis - via The Oregon Journal

• 1901 - IF Malcomb “Mack” Hillis was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mack had a 12-game MLB career; 11 of those outings were with the 1928 Pirates. He went 9-for-39 with two doubles, three triples, six runs scored and seven RBI, but with Sparky Adams and Pie Traynor ahead of him, it was his last Pittsburgh and MLB campaign. Hillis started pro ball in 1922 and finally hung them up in 1934, playing mostly in the Eastern and Pacific Coast Leagues. 
• 1912 - Claude Hendrix tossed a seven-hit shutout, fanning nine, and Hans Wagner singled home Chief Wilson, aboard on a lead-off double, in the bottom of the ninth to give the Bucs a hard-earned 1-0 win over the Boston Braves at Forbes Field. Honus used a little trickery; he showed bunt, but instead hacked away. Hendrix and Braves hurler Otto Hess were in command throughout; only one runner from each squad had reached third prior to the Wilson tally. 
• 1925 - The Pirates scored twice in the ninth to defeat the St. Louis Cards 3-2 at Forbes Field and regain first place. They held the top spot for all but three days during the rest of the season and capped it with a World Series title. Jess Haines of the Redbirds and the Buccos Emil Yde “waged a brilliant slab duel” per the Pittsburgh Press. The Pirates ninth was opened by Kiki Cuyler’s triple. The Card infield played in and Pie Traynor punched a double over their heads into right. Glenn Wright lined a single to center and the Pirates had a first-place walk-off. 
• 1930 - The Pirates won the first game of a Baker Bowl twin bill against Philadelphia 2-1 as Heinie Meine slipped past Roy “Swede” Hanson, the match decided by a ninth-inning Pie Traynor homer. The second game, twice delayed by rain, went 13 innings and ended 16-15 Pittsburgh. With darkness threatening, Traynor was again the hero, blasting a three-run shot that provided just enough insurance to hold off the Phils, while going 5-for-7 in the nitecap. The second game set a couple of single game records: With eight home runs and nine doubles, the total bases mark of 83 was established. The other record was total number at bats; the two clubs combined for 117 AB's. 

Ralph Kiner - 2003 Fleer Rookie Greats

• 1947 - Ralph Kiner hit his 24th and 25th long balls of the year off the Phils’ Al Jurisich‚ breaking the club record of 23 set by Johnny Rizzo in 1938 and tied by Kiner in his rookie year of 1946. Pittsburgh beat Philly 6-2 at Forbes Field as Hank Greenberg also went yard. Tiny Bonham gave up 11 hits but only two runs in the complete-game win. Kiner ended the year with 51 homers, tops in the NL and tied with Johnny Mize for the MLB title.