5/20 Through the 1940’s: Two Baggers x 4; Lob Ball; Small Ball, Big Ball & Game Stories; HBD George, Horace & Moon

• 1856 - Horace Phillips was born in Salem, Ohio. He was an early manager of the Alleghenys from 1884-89, and led them to their first winning season ever in 1885. His best finish was second the following year, when his team went 80-57. He shepherded the club from the American Association into the NL in 1887. Phillips was yellow rag fodder during the era for various financial peccadilloes, and the effect showed. After he quit managing, Phillips spent the rest of his years in various insane asylums. 

Joe Harris - 1927 photo George Rinhart/Detroit Public Library (filter Colourise SG)

• 1891 - 1B Joe “Moon” Harris was born in Coulter (now part of South Versailles Township). Harris was a war hero, and recovered from serious injuries (in fact, his war record won him reinstatement to the majors after he had been suspended for playing with an indie team) to play MLB ball for five teams over 14 seasons, including the Pirates in 1927-28. He hit .329 in 145 games as a Buc and was part of the 1927 WS club. A local kid, Joe got his start playing for the McKeesport Tubers, and when he retired, he ran a pool hall/bowling alley in Renton. He went by the nicknames of “Coulter Joe” and “Moon,” one for his birthplace and the other a moniker he apparently picked up in the service. 
• 1896 - Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects “This Date In Pirate History,” Pittsburgh played Brooklyn at Expo Park. The Bucs fell behind 6-0 after three innings when it began to rain and manager Connie Mack told his team to go easy in the field, hoping that the game would drag on and be called. Pirate pitchers started lobbing the ball over the plate, although Brooklyn caught on quickly enough and tried to make outs to make sure the game reached five innings. It was never called as the weather cleared up, leaving the Pirates in a 17-0 hole after five innings. When they realized the game was going to be official they began to play hard again. The Bridesgrooms pitcher, Bert Abbey, was told not to strain his arm and began lobbing the ball too, allowing the Pirates to score six runs in the last two innings for a 25-6 final. 
• 1900 - IF George Grantham was born in Galena, Kansas. He played seven years (1925-31) for the Bucs, hitting .315 with a .410 OBP; he never fell below .300 in any of his Bucco campaigns. Grantham played for the 1925 and 1927 World Series clubs, hitting .364 against the Yankees in the 1927 match-up. His biggest season was 1930, when he hit .324 with 18 homers, 99 RBI and 120 runs. In 1951, Grantham was honored at an Old Timers Day at Forbes Field when the city of Pittsburgh named a North Side street in his honor (it ran across Lacock and was lost when I-279 was built). 
• 1932 - Paul Waner tied the MLB record with four doubles in five at bats during the Pirates 5-0 win over the Cards at Sportsman’s Park. Big Poison set an NL record that season with 62 two-baggers. Larry French fired a two-hitter for the win. 

Paul Waner, doubles king - 1932 US Caramel

• 1947 - Talk about your small ball! The Bucs beat Milwaukee 4-3 at Forbes Field as the teams combined for 22 hits, and every one was a single. Hank Greenberg knocked home the winning run in the 10th, making Tiny Bonham a winner. The teams added nine walks, too, and stranded 20 runners between them. 
• 1948 - The Bucs bombed Boston 13-0 behind a big eight-run fourth frame primed by a Ralph Kiner homer and double, while Elmer Riddle tossed a four hitter at Braves Stadium. Six Bucs had multiple hits, five had multiple RBI (led by Kiner’s three), and eight different players scored.