9/5 Through the 1950’s: Hopp Sold; Hans Night; Game Stories; HBD Maz & Lefty

• 1883 - LHP Paul “Lefty” Leifield was born in Trenton, Illinois. From 1906 to 1911, Leifield was part of the Pirate starting rotation, winning 15 or more games each season. In 1909, he went 19-8 as Pittsburgh won the NL pennant. He was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1912. Lefty was a Bucco for eight years from 1905-12, and his Pirate line was 109-84/2.38. In 1918, Leifield became a player-coach for the St. Louis Browns, turning full-time by 1920. Lefty helped lead the 1922 Browns squad to the best season in team history with 93 wins (still a game shy of the Yankees who won the flag). He also coached for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox. 

Erv Brame 1928 - photo Conlon Collection/Getty

• 1929 - Pittsburgh banged out a homer, two doubles and four three-baggers in a 10-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Redland Field. Lloyd Waner went 3-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI. His partner in crime was winning pitcher Erv Brame, who not only went the distance but also batted 3-for-4 with a homer, double, two runs and two RBI. 
• 1936 - Bill Mazeroski was born in Wheeling, WV. The Hall-of-Fame second baseman was one of the defensive wizards of his time and will be remembered forever in Pittsburgh baseball lore for his walk-off homer in the 1960 World Series. Maz has two high school fields named in his honor, belongs to several HoF’s, had his number retired, has a statue & street at PNC Park and still goes to Pirates camp every spring as an instructor and keeper of the flame. 
• 1950 - The Bronx Bombers bought 1B Johnny Hopp‚ who was second in the NL in hitting with a .340 mark‚ from the Pirates for an undisclosed amount of cash. Hopp was at the end of his career, and after 1950 he played as a bench piece through the 1952 season. 
• 1945 - The Bucs held a Honus Wagner night at Forbes Field. The Gunner MC’ed the pre-game ceremony which included old teammates, his Carnegie Elks buddies and an appearance by Al Schacht, the “Clown Prince of Baseball.” They could have used Hans in the lineup, even if he was 71-years-old, losing to the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-3 in 10 innings in front of 19,504 faithful. 

Hans Wagner - 1946 Sports Exchange

• 1958 - Bill Virdon hit a leadoff 10th-inning walk-off homer to give Pittsburgh a 1-0 win over Milwaukee in a classic pitching duel between the Braves Carlton Willey and George “Red” Witt, who tossed a five-hitter, at Forbes Field.