4/17 From 1940 Through The 1950’s: Roberto Takes His Bow; Braves After Clemente; Russ Signs; Eddie Claimed; Hank Hammers First; Openers

• 1940 - RHP Russ Bauers signed his contract on Opening Day for an undisclosed amount, with the papers guessing it was more than Pittsburgh’s original offer but less than his ‘39 salary. Even though he had turned down the Pirates opening bid, Russ was invited to camp, allowing the Pirates to see how he looked and personally staking his value on how he performed after coming back from arm woes in 1939 and a winter car accident. He won a deal, but may have come back from his bout with injuries too soon. Bauers only worked 68 innings over the next two years with a 6.49 ERA and 43 walks, went to the minors in 1942 and then spent three years in the service. He pitched in the show just two more seasons, for 43 innings in 1946 with the Cubs and a single two-inning outing for the Browns in 1950. 

Frankie Zak - photo via Find-A-Grave

• 1945 - The Bucs came out on the short end of the stick, losing 7-6 in 11 innings on Opening Day to the Reds in a game filled with improbabilities. With the Bucs up 2-0 in the fifth and two runners aboard, baserunner Frankie Zak called time to tie his shoe, and got it from the ump. But Reds pitcher Bucky Walters had his back to the play and delivered a pitch to Jim Russell. He knocked out of the park, but it didn’t count. (He followed with an RBI knock and later scored, so no harm done). Next, Cincy’s Dain Clay drilled a grand slam that was his only HR of the year in 700 plate appearances. Finally, the win went to forty-six-year old Hod Lisenbee‚ who had been out of the majors for the past nine years, after he worked two innings of hitless relief to earn the last W of his career. The next day, Pittsburgh manager Frankie Frisch presented Zak with a pair of spikes that buckled rather than laced up. 
• 1947 - Hank Greenberg connected on his first Pirate homer as the Bucs whupped the Cubs 7-1 at Wrigley Field. Pirate starter Preacher Roe was on cruise control and didn't allow a hit until the seventh inning. Chicago starter Hank Wyse was victimized by back-to-back boots by SS Lennie Merullo in the seventh inning, allowing the Pirates to plate six unearned runs; the Bucs only had seven hits. 
• 1951 - 25,894 hardy souls braved the snow to watch the Bucs win their home opener 5-4 over the Cards at Forbes Field. Murry Dickson pitched six innings and homered in the win. Wally Westlake also went long while Bill Werle tossed three shutout innings for the save. It also marked the first shooting of live footage for the movie tentatively titled “Angels And The Pirates” (released as “Angels In the Outfield” in October), starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh. 
• 1953 - The Pirates claimed 35-year-old infielder Eddie Pellegrini off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. For a giveaway, Eddie gave the Bucs a solid 1953, batting .253 in 78 games, but faded the following season when he hit .216 in his ninth and final MLB campaign. Pellegrini went on to become the baseball coach at Boston College from 1958 to 1990 and took the Eagles to three College World Series. 
• 1955 - Roberto Clemente, a 20-year-old rookie from Carolina, Puerto Rico, made his MLB debut in right field at Forbes Field during a double header. In his first at bat, Clemente singled off the Brooklyn Dodgers’ Johnny Podres, the first step on his journey to 3000 career hits. Roberto collected two more hits in the nightcap, but the Bucs lost both ends of the twinbill, 10-3 and 3-2. It was phase one, with guys like Roberto, Dick Groat, Bob Friend, Vern Law and ElRoy Face on the roster, to be joined the following season by Bill Mazeroski, Bill Virdon and Bob Skinner as the 1960 core began to form. 

Young Roberto was a popular commodity - 1958 Topps Classic

• 1958 - Les Biederman, the Pirates beat guy for the Pittsburgh Press, wrote that the Braves were renewing their push to pry Roberto Clemente away from the Bucs. They made an offer in the spring that GM Joe L. Brown thought was lowball, and the new lure of RHP Bob Buhl (an 18-game winner in 1957 who had several good seasons left), a reliever and a bench piece didn’t change Brown’s mind. As Biederman noted, somewhat prophetically “He’s (Clemente) on the doorstep of greatness now and there’s no telling how high he can go.” The Pirates tried the old switch-and-bait with Roman Mejias instead of Roberto, but the Bravos didn't bite.