4/7 Through the 1970’s: Reuss-for-Rhoden; #40 Retired; Hebner Switches #'s; Cover Boy Cobra

• 1970 - After eight consecutive Opening Day defeats, the Mets finally won a lidlifter by beating the Pirates 5-3 at Forbes Field. It took 11 innings, but Ron Taylor, with a Tug McGraw save, beat Chuck Hartenstein. New York became the first team to have won a World Series (1969) before winning a season opener.

Rich before the switch - 1972 Topps

• 1972 - Richie Hebner wore #3 for the first time (it was during a workout during the 1972 player’s strike) instead of his usual #20 out of deference to 3B Pie Traynor, who had passed away three weeks earlier. Although Traynor had told Hebner that he wanted him to keep his old number throughout his career, Richie said that “I just couldn’t do that after Mr. Traynor died.” He was the last to wear it as the number was retired on April 18th during the home opener. Hebner wore #3 through 1976 before leaving for Philly, and was issued #10 when he returned to the Buccos in 1982.
• 1977 - Danny Murtaugh’s number 40 was retired on Opening Day in front of 35,186 fans at TRS the year following his death. He won a pair of World Series and was twice Manager of the Year. Known for his dry wit, The Whistling Irishman attributed his success to “brilliant managerial thinking and dumb Irish luck.” The game wasn’t much of a testimonial, though, as the Bucs lost 12-6 to the Cards in the last time St. Louis played a home opener in Pittsburgh until 2016. It was also the home debut of Chuck Tanner, who watched Jerry Reuss, Larry Demery and Terry Forster serve BP. The bats weren’t bad, though, as Duffy Dyer homered while Rennie Stennett and Dave Parker each banged out three hits. The season wasn’t a wash, either, as the Pirates finished second in the NL East with a record of 96–66.
• 1978 - The Candy Man tossed a seven-hit shutout to thwart Rick Reuschel and the Cubs 1-0 in the Pirates home opener at TRS. Bill Robinson was the hero; his hard slide into second after a Willie Stargell grounder broke up a potential inning-ending DP and allowed Frank Taveras to score the game’s only run. The Bucs collected just three hits in front of the 39,082 fans who got home happy and quickly; the game took one hour and 52 minutes to complete.
• 1979 - The Pirates traded LHP Jerry Reuss to the Los Angeles Dodgers for RHP Rick Rhoden. Both sides got dependable starters out of the deal, as Rhoden won 79 games for Pittsburgh between 1980-86 (he was injured in 1979) and Reuss notched 84 victories in LA from 1979-85. Rick made one All-Star club with Pittsburgh and won three Silver Sluggers; he hit .251 as a Bucco and banged five long balls.

• 1979 - Dave Parker shared the cover of The Sporting News in its “Baseball Is Back” issue with the Padres’ Gaylord Perry, Boston’s Jim Rice and the Yankee’s Ron Guidry. It sure was for the Cobra,who hit .310 w/25 HR, was an All Star, Golden Glove awardee and World Series champion.