7/24 From 1960 Through the 1970’s: Little Poison, Branch HoF; Clemente Day; Game Stories; HBD Barry & Joe

• 1964 - Barry Bonds was born in Riverside, California. The slugger, a first round pick in the 1985 draft, spent seven summers in Pittsburgh, putting up a line of .275/176/556 with two All-Star appearances before really busting out with San Francisco, where he became the all-time HR leader. Bonds ended up with seven NL-MVPs, 14 All-Star selections, and is the major’s HR leader with 762 bombs (73 in 2001) and is second only to Babe Ruth in career WAR. Of course, his standing has been forever debated by his association with BALCO and PEDs by both the fans and the Hall of Fame committee. 

Barry Bonds - 1988 Topps

• 1967 - With his induction into the Hall of Fame, Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner joined Paul as the first pair of brothers to be enshrined at Cooperstown. Little Poison played for 18 seasons, collecting 2,459 hits (.319 lifetime BA). Per the Hall of Fame: “Lloyd played 1,993 major league games, 1,803 of them with the Pirates. He was known for his good eye at the plate. Only three times in the majors did he strike out more than 15 times in a season. Waner had four 200-hit seasons and led the NL in hits in 1931 but was an all-star just once, in 1938. He had very good speed and was an excellent defensive center fielder.” Also inducted was Branch Rickey, Pirates GM during the early 50’s, who was instrumental in putting together the farm system that fed the 1960 champions.
• 1965 - C Joe Oliver was born in Memphis, Tennessee. Joe spent 13 years in the majors, mainly as a reserve catcher, with a 1999 stop in Pittsburgh where he hit .201 at age 34. He took a long blow from the show after retiring, but the bug bit again and he’s been a lower-level Red Sox manager since 2014.  
• 1969 - The Pirates beat the Padres in walkoff fashion at Forbes Field with a 4-3, 10-inning win. Carl Taylor’s double in the extra frame brought home Matty Alou with the game-winning run. Willie Stargell and Richie Hebner added solo shots as Dock Ellis went the distance for the win. 
• 1970 - 43,290 fans showed up for Roberto Clemente day at TRS. Pirate ownership buried him with gifts (cash was, at Clemente’s request, donated to charities), and he put on a show of his own, cracking a pair of hits and making a couple of diving grabs in the field during an 11-0 thumping of the Houston Astros. Danny Murtaugh pulled him in the eighth inning so he could get a final ovation on the night (he also had cut his knee making a catch); several fans had made the trip from Puerto Rico to help honor their native son. Dock Ellis tossed a four-hitter behind a 15-hit attack. 

Clemente Night clip - via SABR

• 1973 - The NL romped over the AL 7-1 at Royals Stadium in the All Star game. Dave Giusti pitched a clean seventh inning and Willie Stargell K’ed against Nolan Ryan in his only at bat. Barry Bonds was the MVP and 22 future Hall of Fame players took part in the game. 
• 1979 - A baffling fourth inning call resulted in a 34 minute rhubarb during the Pirates-Reds game at TRS. With Buc runners on first and third‚ a 3-1 pitch to Omar Moreno was called a ball‚ but Johnny Bench threw to 2B ahead of the runner from 1B‚ Lee Lacy‚ who was going on the pitch. Lacy was called out by ump Dick Stello (whose back was to the plate to make the call at second) even though the runner was entitled to the sack after the walk. After questioning the out call, Lacy left the base and was tagged out again by Dave Concepcion‚ reigniting the argument. The Bucs protested the game, but NL president Chub Feeney upheld the call and the Pirates 6-5 loss was in the books.