6/18 Through The 1940s: Conn Twin Bill; Swingin' Smitty; HoF Opener; HBD Ron, Chippy, Newt, Pepper & Ben

• 1888 - SS Marty “Pepper” Berghammer was born in Elliot (now a Pittsburgh neighborhood). Marty had a couple of years with the Reds before joining the Pittsburgh Rebels in 1915 and batting .243 (although 83 walks and 12 plunks brought his OBP to a commendable .371). He went to St. Paul later in the season and played a decade for them, finishing out his baseball days in 1929 after a run as a minor league manager. He stayed local and was buried in Elliot’s St. Martin’s Cemetery. 
• 1893 - 1B/C Ben Shaw was born in La Center, Kentucky. Ben’s MLB career was a short sip of sarsaparilla, lasting for four months and 23 games with the Pirates from 1917-18 while batting .184. Not much is known of him after that other than he managed some in the late 20s-early 30’s in the low levels of the farm. 

Chippy Britt - photo Phil Dixon collection

• 1890 - RHP George “Chippy” Britt (aka Brittain & Britton) was born in Macon, Georgia. He pitched for the Homestead Grays from 1926-33 and again in 1940 earning one all-star appearance; the stats on his career are wildly incomplete. He played with 16 teams from 1917 to 1945 and manned every position on days that he wasn’t on the hill. His nickname was well-deserved. Per Baseball Reference “He was known as one of black baseball's ‘four big bad men’ along with Jud Wilson, Oscar Charleston and Vic Harris, and someone once said ‘he could whip the whole ballclub.’ In Mexico City, he once was declared ‘Public Enemy Number One’ when he challenged some armed revolutionaries in the crowd.” (A gentler alternate version claims he got his nickname because he called everyone Chippy). When Britt retired, he took a job as a nightclub doorman. 
• 1896 - 1B Newt Halliday was born in Chicago. Newt’s MLB days consisted of one Bucco outing in 1916 as a 20-year-old when he got a couple of innings in at first after Honus Wagner tweaked his leg mid-game, handling four chances flawlessly, and batting once (he K’ed). We’re glad Newt got his major league moment; he joined the Navy next year during WW1 and contracted tuberculosis while in training camp. He died at the age of 21, one of eight big leaguers to perish because of the war. 
• 1927 - Continuing a feud that dated back to Pirate C Earl Smith's days with the Braves‚ Smith dropped Boston manager Dave Bancroft with a right to the kisser after they jawed in the seventh inning. Bancroft was carried off the field, and Smith drew a $500 fine and a 30-day suspension. The Pirates won 7-4 at Forbes Field. Smith went 1-for-2 before being ejected, with Ray Kremer taking home the victory, with Johnny Gooch as his replacement battery mate. 
• 1932 - Minor league legend RHP Ron Necciai was born in Gallatin, Fayette County. In 1952, Necciai struck out 27 batters while throwing a 7-0 no-hitter for the Bristol Twins and followed that with a two-hit, 24 K performance. The Bucs called him up later from Class A, but the 20 year old Necciai posted just a 1-6 record with 31 strikeouts and a 7.08 ERA in 54-2/3 IP from August 10th to September 28th, 1952, the span of his entire MLB career. He went into the service in 1953, and chronic ulcers and a torn rotator cuff ended his career before it could begin. 
• 1941 - Local boxer Billy Conn fought Joe Louis at New York City's Polo Grounds in a legendary slugfest for the heavyweight championship. The Pirates and the New York Giants, playing at Forbes Field, were called into their dugouts while the 24,738 fans in attendance listened to the radio broadcast of the 56-minute bout. The game resumed after the fisticuffs, went 11 innings and was called with the score tied 2-2 at 1:10 AM. It was decided on August 3rd, rescheduled as part of a twin bill that NY swept, so it didn’t end up a very good night for Pittsburgh fans. 

Billy Conn & the Bucs both had a bad day - photo 1938 Teeny Harris

• 1948 - The Pirates spoiled Robin Roberts five-hit debut‚ beating the Phils' rookie 2-0 at Shibe Park behind Elmer Riddle’s five hitter. Wally Westlake homered and Frankie Gustine singled home Ed Fitz Gerald for the Bucco runs. But Roberts was in the show to stay. He lasted 19 years, won 286 games (40 against the Pirates) and entered the Hall of Fame.