5/20 From 1950 Through the 1970’s: Pops Moon Shot; Full House; Give-Away Day; Simmons Slips Away; Game Stories

• 1950 - An ugly brooming: The Bucs were no-hit for 9-2/3 frames by the Dodgers’ Ralph Branca‚ Jack Banta‚ and Dan Bankhead at Ebbets Field to lose the back end of a twin bill 4-3 in 11 innings. They dropped the opener to Brooklyn 3-2 when Gil Hodges pounded a two-out, two-run double in the eighth of Mel Queen; both runs were unearned. 

Dale Long was heating up... - 1990 Pacific Legends

• 1956 - The Pirates drew their biggest crowd in five years (32‚326) and celebrated with a DH sweep over the first-place Milwaukee Braves‚ 6-5 and 5-0, at Forbes Field. Dale Long homered in each game and drove in seven runs; he was three games into his eight-game homer streak. Bob Friend won the opener and Ron Kline tossed a six-hitter for the victory in the nitecap. 
• 1960 - The Pirates stretched their NL lead to 1-1/2 games by edging the Giants‚ 5-4‚ on Roberto Clemente's single in the 12th inning. Clemente had three hits to raise his average to .378. Willie McCovey's homer in the ninth tied it for San Francisco‚ and a score in the 12th put them ahead. Don Hoak's single and a run-scoring double by Dick Groat set the stage for Clemente’s game winner at Forbes Field. 
• 1960 - The Pirates were still looking for pitching but lost out on free agent LHP Curt Simmons, who had been cut loose by the Phils. He signed with the Cards, who offered him a major league contract, spurning the Bucs offer of a minor league deal. The 12-year vet still had eight seasons left in the tank and went 59-42/3.10 from 1960-64, starting 136 games and tossing 982 IP. 
• 1962 - The seven and eight hitters for Pittsburgh, Don Hoak and Bill Mazeroski, went 4-for-7 with a walk, double, triple and homer, four runs scored and five RBI to carry the Bucs and Vern Law past the Reds 8-2 at Forbes Field. 
• 1970 - Pittsburgh beat the Phils, 3-2, in 14 innings at Forbes Field. Roberto Clemente's third-inning triple, a 440-footer off the left-centerfield light tower, plated Freddie Patek. In the eighth, John Briggs dropped an Al Oliver fly, allowing Matty Alou to score the tying run. Alou later scored the game-winner courtesy of two consecutive wild pitches by Dick Selma. After a two-out knock, Matty moved up 90’ on the first wayward toss and then scored when the next took a wild bounce off the cement beneath the backstop screen, giving Alou time to scoot home from second. Bob Veale started, followed by five innings of stalwart, two-hit relief from Dave Giusti before Bruce Dal Canton finished off the last two frames for the win. 

Matty Alou - 1970 Topps

• 1978 - Batting against Wayne Twitchell of the Montreal Expos, Willie Stargell hit the only fair ball ever to reach the upper deck of Olympic Stadium. The red seat where the ball landed, 535’ away, was painted yellow to mark the spot (and tho baseball has long left, the seat memorial yet remains). The Bucs won 6-0 as Bert Blyleven tossed a three-hitter with eight strikeouts, amply supported by Pops’ five RBI.