6/20 From 1920 Through the 1970’s: Baker Manages; Carey Cycle; Waner Streaks; 9-In-A-Row; Game Stories; HBD Rob, Scooter & Gary

• 1925 - Max Carey became the first switch hitter to hit for the cycle during the Pirates 21-5 victory over the Brooklyn Robins at Forbes Field. Carey went 4-for-6 with four RBI and two runs, and shared the spotlight with a pair of teammates. Glenn Wright, who was a single shy of the cycle, drove in five runs and scored three times. Kiki Cuyler carried the biggest stick of the day, hitting two homers, one a grand slam, plus a triple with six RBI and five runs scored. As Lew Wollen of the Pittsburgh Press noted, the Pirates "...were doing such splendid work with the willow." Babe Adams went the distance for the win. And the Buc bats weren’t done - they lit up the scoreboard for 24 more runs in the next game against St Louis. 

Clem Koshorek - 1953 Topps

• 1925 - IF Clement “Scooter” Koshorek was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. Scooter played pretty regularly in 1952, batting .261, but in 1953 got into Opening Day as a pinch hitter for the sum of his MLB career after losing a competition for the SS spot to Dick Groat. Clem was 5’4”; hence his nickname. 
• 1927 - Paul Waner kept his 23-game hitting streak alive, but his string of 14 contests with an extra-base rap came to an end as the Bucs dropped the Cubs 4-0 at Forbes Field. A scoreless duel between Lee Meadows and Chicago’s Hal Carlson ended in the sixth when Johnny Gooch banged a three-run homer; Meadows went the distance and finished with a four-hitter. Big Poison’s 23-gamer ended the next day against Dolph Luque of the Reds in a 10-inning loss. 
• 1934 - Newly named player/manager Pie Traynor, replacing George Gibson, gave his charges a short pep talk (“Hustle”) and then let his stick provide the leadership. Pie banged out three doubles & a single, then scored the winning run in the ninth inning in a 6-5 win over the Boston Braves at Forbes Field, ending a five-game skid. Arky Vaughan went 4-for-4 to help Traynor in the transition. Leon Chagnon, in relief of Red Lucas, was the winner. 
• 1948 - Ralph Kiner homered twice in a 7-5 win over the Phillies at Shibe Park. It capped a remarkable streak of Sunday homers; he went eight consecutive Sundays with long balls during May and June, finishing the year with 17 round trippers in 38 Sunday games. Hal Gregg almost blew a 6-0 lead, but hung on with help from Kirby Higbe, Elmer Singleton and Mel Queen. The Phils helped the Pirates attack as much as Kiner by committing five errors. It was game two of a twinbill; the Pirates were spanked 9-0 in the opener by Dutch Leonard, breaking a six-game winning streak. 
• 1961 - OF Gary Varsho was born in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He played three years for the Bucs, in 1991-92 and 1994 with a .251 BA as a pinch-hitter and extra outfielder, appearing in the 1991 and 1992 NLCS. He was the Pirates bench coach during manager John Russell’s regime, serving from late 2007 until August, 2010 and returned to the club in 2016 as a scout. 
• 1961 - Gene Baker was released from the active roster, and shortly became the first African-American manager of an MLB-affiliated teaml when the Pirates named him skipper of their Batavia Pirates farm club in the Class D New York-Penn League. A couple of seasons later, he became a Bucco coach (Gene’s credited with being the first black manager in MLB when he took over for ejected manager Danny Murtaugh on September 21st, 1963), and later finished his off-field career as a midwest Pirates scout. Baker was an eight-year MLB vet as an infielder after starting out with the KC Monarchs, and he spent 1957-58 & 1960-61 with Pittsburgh. 

Gene Baker - Batavia manager 1961 TSN collection

• 1968 - The Pirates extended their winning streak to nine games with a 7-3 win over the Dodgers at Forbes Field in the opener of a twin bill. Steve Blass went the distance, carried by Donn Clendenon, who scored three times, and Billy Mazeroski, who chased home three runs. But the magic disappeared in the nightcap, with LA taking a 3-2, 10-inning decision. Rookie Ron Fairey hit his first MLB homer off ElRoy Face with two outs for the game winner. Maury Wills and Gene Alley set the table with five hits in the 1-2 spot, but the rest of the Bucs could only come up with three more raps. 
• 1971 - Richie Hebner homered, doubled and had four RBI while Pops Stargell added a homer in a 7-1 win over Montreal at TRS in the opener of a twin bill. Steve Blass went the distance for the victory. Stargell hit a grand slam (one of four in the majors on this day) and Al Oliver went 4-for-4 to lead the Pirates to a 7-3 sweep over the Expos in the second game with Nellie Briles earning the W. 
• 1976 - Rob Mackowiak was born in Oak Lawn, Illinois. A 53rd round draft pick in 1996, he played five years (2001-05) for the Pirates, hitting .259. 2004 was his most memorable season, when he had a career high of 17 home runs and 75 RBI. He had a career day on May 28th during a DH against the Cubs at PNC Park, hitting a walk-off grand slam in the first game and a game-tying 9th inning home run in the second game, on the same day that his son was born. Rob later played for the White Sox, Padres and several AAA clubs, finishing his career in 2010 playing indie ball.