8/23 Through the 1970’s: Clarke Cannon; Little No-No; Roberto 5+5; Game Stories; HBD Mississippi Mudcat

• 1901 - RHP Guy “Mississippi Mudcat” Bush was born in Aberdeen, Mississippi. Guy worked in 1935-36 for Pittsburgh toward the end of his 17-year career, posting a line of 12-14-4, 4.46 in 57 outings. He started in his first season and was converted to the pen in his second; that didn’t go so well and he was released in July. He did make the record books with the Bucs, though - he served up Babe Ruth’s final two home runs at Forbes Field in 1935 with the Bambino’s last dinger being the first ever to clear the right-field roof. He got his nickname from Chicago sportswriters who liked to describe him in their stories as a homespun backwoods boy. 

Howie Camnitz - photo Pittsburgh Press 1907

• 1907 - Howie Camnitz threw a five inning no-hitter with four walks against Mike Lynch and the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds. The game was the nitecap of a doubleheader. After the first match went extra innings (the Pirates won 4-2 in 10 frames behind Sam Leever and Honus Wagner’s three hits), the teams agreed to a shortened second game. Pittsburgh won 1-0. 
• 1910 - Despite manager and LF’er Fred Clarke’s four assists from the outfield, the Bucs fell 6-2 to the Philadelphia Phillies at Forbes Field. Clarke’s four toss-outs - one at home, another at third, and two more at second - set an individual NL record. He also made a neat running catch in the eighth inning to take away extra bases from John Titus. Chief Wilson added another assist from RF, and the team's total of five for a game tied a NL mark. 
• 1959 - The Pirates swept a doubleheader from the Dodgers‚ beating Don Drysdale in both games. As a starter‚ Drysdale lost the opener 9-2, lasting 2-2/3 frames‚ then relieved in the nitecap, taking a 4-3 loss in the 10th inning. ElRoy Face won his 16th of the year without a loss in the second game, equaling Cal Hubbell's (1936) and Ewell Blackwell's (1947) record streaks. 
• 1970 - Roberto Clemente had his second straight five-hit game against Los Angeles, the first major leaguer this century to total 10 hits in consecutive games (per BR Bullpen, skipper Danny Murtaugh whistled and said: “Ten hits in two games! When I was playing, that was my quota for a month.”) Clemente banged a homer, double, three RBI and scored four runs in the 11-0 win at Dodger Stadium. Bill Mazeroski added four hits while Freddy Patek, Matty Alou and Manny Sanguillen each had three knocks. Steve Blass cruised to the victory, tossing a complete game four-hitter with eight whiffs. 

Richie Zisk - 1975 Kelloggs

• 1975 - Richie Zisk went 4-for-4 with a homer, a double and a sac fly to drive home six runs, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Pirates allowed the Giants seven unearned runs in the fifth inning to take home a gift-wrapped victory, 12-7, at TRS. With two outs and two on, Joe Morgan’s grounder ticked off Rennie Stennett’s mitt and the floodgates opened - three pitchers, three walks, two hits and a wild pitch later, the G-Men had rung up an eight spot to hang a loss on Bruce Kison. 
• 1977 - It was a back-and-forth game to the end: up by a run with Goose Gossage on the bump in the ninth, Padre Gene Tenace launched a two-out solo homer to tie the game after the Pirates had rallied for the lead in the eighth. But Al Oliver had an answer when he led off the Bucco half with a blast off Rollie Fingers to give the Pirates a 7-6 win over San Diego at TRS. Scoops and Dave Parker had a pair of hits each and Bill Robinson added a two-run long ball to give the Goose a blown save/victory. It was also announced that Willie Stargell would have surgery on his elbow and he’d be lost for the rest of the season after spending six weeks on the DL. He bounced back after the procedure, landing an All-Star berth in ‘78.