- 1950 - The Bucs beat the Cards 7-6 at Forbes Field. The Pirates rallied in the ninth when down 6-3, pinch-hitter Jack Phillips' long fly ball just eluded Stan Musial’s leap, grazing off his glove at the 376’ mark and landing in the bullpen for a walk-off grand slam, his first ever. It was also the first time in major league history that a pinch-hit grand slam erased a three-run deficit to end a game; that wouldn’t be done again until 2010. Ralph Kiner and Stan Rojek also homered for Pittsburgh.
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| Mr All Star - Topps 1952 |
- 1952 - For the fourth straight year, OF Ralph Kiner was the sole Pirate rep for the All Star Game. The NL won 3-2 in a rain-shortened, five-inning game at Shibe Park. Kiner was scheduled to enter the game in the seventh and didn’t get to play.
- 1958 - The Pirates sent a full contingent of P Bob Friend, 2B Bill Mazeroski, OF Bob Skinner and 3B Frank Thomas to the All Star Game at Memorial Stadium, a 4-3 AL win. Bob Friend took the loss, giving up two runs in 2-1/3 innings, with the last score unearned thanks to a boot by teammate Thomas. Skinner went 1-for-3 with an RBI, Thomas 1-for-3 and Maz 0-for-4.
- 1964 - LHP Bob Kipper was born in Aurora, Illinois. The lefty tossed for seven seasons (1985-91) for the Bucs. He spent his first three years as a starter and then was converted to the pen. Kipper went 24-33-11/4.34 with the Pirates, appearing 195 times in his last four seasons and was part of Jim Leyland’s 1991 NLCS club. After retirement, he began coaching for indie teams and in 1999 joined the Red Sox organization, working his way from minor league pitching coach to Boston’s bench.
- 1967 - Bob Veale was featured as the cover story of The Sporting News in an article titled “Bread and Butter Buccaneer.” He went 16-8/3.64 and worked 203 IP, a down year for him as nagging injuries began to take their toll on the big lefty.
- 1969 - Roberto Clemente homered over the 436’ mark in center at Forbes Field, his third hit of the day, in an 8-1 win over the Expos. Montreal was held to three hits by Steve Blass, while Roberto and Freddie Patek had three hits each for the Pirates.
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| Rosario Rodriguez - 1992 Fleer |
- 1969 - LHP Rosario Rodriguez was born in Los Mochis, Mexico. He spent parts of three seasons in the majors, the first two with the Reds, and of his 34 appearances, 15 were with the Pirates in 1991 with a line of 1-1-6/4.11. He had an outing during the 1991 NLCS against the Braves, allowing three runs in one inning, and that was his last MLB call. He opened for AAA Buffalo in 1992 but made just four appearances as he spent three stints on the DL with shoulder issues. His year was shut down in June, and the bum wing ended his career at age 23.
- 1973 - The Pirates bought SS Dal Maxville from Oakland with the intention of making him their starting shortstop. “We didn’t get him for his bat” said manager Bill Virdon. “We felt we needed to stabilize our infield.” Good glove or no, Dal hit just .189 for the Pirates in ‘73 and then was released in April of 1974 after going 4-for-22 (.182). 1975 was his last MLB campaign.
- 1977 - The Bucs and Phils had a pair of bench-clearing dances after Mike Schmidt and Willie Stargell were beaned. Per Chuck Tanner, after Kison hit Schmidt in the back, Mike said, while heading to first, “Next time that happens I’ll come and get you.” Kison replied “Why wait til next time?” They didn’t; Schmidt missed with a roundhouse, then Kison landed a couple of jabs before Ed Ott finished it by tackling Schmidt and keeping him pinned to the ground until peace was restored. Pops confrontation was better policed; the umps got between him and Tug McGraw before any fists flew. Pittsburgh won the slugfest that counted, 8-7, overcoming a 7-3, eighth inning deficit at TRS. The victory was anti-climatic; after tying the game in the eighth, the Pirates won when pinch hitter Jim Fregosi drew a bases-loaded, ninth inning walk off Warren Brusstar to earn a hard fought victory for Pittsburgh and Goose Gossage.
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