3/9 Through the 1930’s: Dreyfuss Dealing; HBD Arky, Billy, Ron, Jake, Tom & Joe

• 1872 - IF Tom Delahanty was born in Cleveland, Ohio. During his brief 19-game, three-year career, he made a quick one-game stop in Pittsburgh in 1896, going one-for-three and scoring. He finished the year with Toronto of the Eastern League, getting into one last MLB game with Louisville in ‘97. One of five Delahanty brothers who played in the majors, Tom spent the rest of his career bouncing around the minors through 1906, retiring eventually to Florida to run a general store and moonlight as a fishing guide. 
• 1893 - RF Billy Southworth was born in Harvard, Nebraska. He was a Buc from 1918-20, hitting .294, and then was traded as part of the package for Rabbit Maranville. Southworth reached the Hall of Fame thanks mainly to his managing chops; he won two World Series with the Cardinals. 

Joe Dawson - 1/11/1931 Pittsburgh Press

• 1897 - RHP Ralph Fenton “Joe” Dawson was born in Bow, Washington. After a brief taste of the show with the Indians in 1924, he pitched for the Bucs from 1927-29, mostly from the pen, and went 11-17-3 with a 4.15 ERA. Joe tossed a scoreless frame in the 1927 World Series and hit pretty well for a hurler with a .257 Pirates BA. He became a Texan after he hung ‘em up in 1932 following a stint with the Kansas City Blues of the American Association, passing away in Longview at the age of 80. 
• 1900 - The Allegheny’s claimed Jack Chesbro, George Fox, Art Madison and John O'Brien from the Louisville Colonels. The four had been traded to the American Association team the month before for a dozen players, including Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Tommy Leach and Deacon Phillippe. At the time, Barney Dreyfuss owned the Colonels, who were due to be eliminated from the NL, and had a 50% silent interest in the Alleghenys back when multi-ownership of franchises was allowed. So he came up with this scheme to in effect combine franchises. Chesbro had four good years with the Bucs and then a strong career with the Yankees, winning 41 games for them in 1904; the other three didn’t make it to Opening Day. 
• 1912 - Hall-of-Fame SS Floyd “Arky” (for his birth state) Vaughan was born in Clifty, Arkansas. Vaughan compiled a .318 BA during a 14-year career with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1932-41) and Brooklyn Dodgers. He was named to nine All-Star teams during that span. Arky hit at least .300 in all 10 of his seasons with the Pirates, walked 937 times during his career while striking out just 276 times and in 1941, he became the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star game. Arky was elected to the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1985. 
• 1932 - RHP Ronnie Kline was born in Callery, Butler County. He spent eight of his 17 big league years (1952, 55-59, 68-69) hurling for the Bucs, going 66-91-14/3.77 for Pittsburgh as a starter, swingman and reliever as his career went on. Called the “Callery Hummer,” he became the mayor of Callery after he left the slab. He remained there until he passed away at the age of 70. 

Jake Martin - 1956 Topps

• 1932 - RHP Paul “Jake” Martin was born in Brownstown, near Charleroi. The 6’5”, 235 pounder was a Mon Valley League legend and signed a two-year “bonus baby” deal with the Bucs in 1955 on the advice of former Pirates hurler Ron Necciai, a Monongahela HS grad and Mon Valley neighbor. Jake threw hard but was wild and his ride with the Pirates lasted for just seven appearances. He posted an 0-1 record with seven strikeouts, 17 walks and a 14.14 earned run average. He never had a chance to rebound; he injured his arm in August, was shut down and then sent to Cuba for winter league work. Somewhere during that span he tore the ligament in his elbow, ending his career. But Jake had no regrets. After he was long retired, he told writer Len Fiorito of Oldtyme Baseball that "I was with the team long enough to get on a baseball card and people still send me the card to sign."