6/15 From 1960 Through the 1970’s: Logan, O'Dell Trades & A No Deal; Rainout Under the Roof; Trading Grannies; Roberto Robbery

• 1961 - Pittsburgh traded OF Gino Cimoli to the Milwaukee Braves for IF Johnny Logan. Cimoli was a bench player for the Braves, then went on to start for KC in 1962-63. Logan’s All-Star days were behind him and he spent his final three seasons with the Bucs as a reserve infielder batting .249. 

Johnny Logan - 1962 Topps

• 1962 - Hank Aaron hit a grand slam in the seventh and Roberto Clemente answered with a grand salami of his own an inning later as a furious Pirates rally was just enough to overcome the Milwaukee Braves 9-8 at Forbes Field. The Braves held an 8-2 lead going into the eighth. Arriba’s slam made a game of it, then with two outs, five straight Bucco hitters reached with Bill Virdon’s single tying the game and Dick Groat’s knock chasing home the game winner. Seven Pirates starters had hits and scored/ drove in runs (or both). Jack Lamabe got the win for tossing a scoreless eighth and ElRoy Face earned the save. 
• 1966 - The Atlanta Braves traded LHP Billy O'Dell to the Pirates for RHP Don Schwall in a twilight time deal. 33-year-old Digger O’Dell was effective in ‘66, making 37 appearances with a 2.78 ERA, but he faltered during the next season, his last in the majors. Schwall, 30, went 3-3 in eight starts for Atlanta, and pitched one game in 1967 before his career ended. 
• 1971 - The Bucs scored twice in the ninth to beat Houston 3-0 at the Astrodome behind Steve Blass’ six hitter. But Roberto Clemente’s catch was the highlight reel. Ahead 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth with one on and one out, Clemente first robbed Cesar Cedeno with a sliding, shoestring catch. The next grab off Bob Watson was even better when he leaped and pulled in his liner from over the wall with his back to the plate, crashing into the fence at full throttle. He landed dazed; CF Al Oliver had to take the ball from him. Per BR Bullpen, UPI’s Darrell Mack caught Watson’s reaction: "I never saw one like that...he hit it (the wall) wide open. He never slowed up. I don’t see how he could keep the ball in his glove. The thing that makes him so great is that he does it all in a jam. He’s one of the best clutch players in the game.” The fans in Houston gave him two ovations; one after the catch and once again in the ninth when he batted. As for the game, Al Oliver’s seventh inning homer broke up a scoreless duel between Blass and Larry Dierker; Richie Hebner and Manny Sanguillen knocked home the insurance markers. 
• 1976 - The Bucs were in effect rained out of a game at the Houston Astrodome. Though the field was fine and the teams took their pre-game warmups, flooding after 10” of rain prevented the umps from reaching the yard. Both teams’ players and Houstons’ staffers shared their clubhouse buffet on the field, with several brunchers wearing flip-flops. A smattering of fans - about 20 - made it to the game, and they were treated to a cafeteria brunch for their loyalty. It was the only time in Houston and MLB history that a game under a dome was called off because of bad weather. The only other previous cancellation at the dome was for Dr. King's death, and other roofed places have banged games because of a building malfunction, but never for rain. 

Dale was an untouchable back in the day - 1977 Topps

• 1977 - After a bitter front office/media feud, the Mets sent Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman and Pat Zachry. It was rumored that the Pirates were interested in dealing for Tom Terrific, but New York’s FO asked for a package featuring Bruce Kison with prospects including 20-year-old Dale Berra, who was a first-round draft pick in 1975. Pittsburgh wouldn’t part with Berra and the Mets walked away. Buster spent nine years as a Pirate, slashing 81-63-6/3.49. Dale joined Pittsburgh late that season and spent eight years (the last three as a starter) as a Bucco (.238 BA) before moving to the other Big Apple nine, the Yankees, in 1984 as part of the Tim Foli/Steve Kemp deal. Seaver’s dominant days were mostly behind him, but he still had a decade and 113 wins left in his tank.