6/8 Through the 1950’s: Williams 26-Gamer; Six Shutouts; 10-In-A-Row; Game Stories; HBD Caveman, George & Silent Roy

• 1899 - 3B Jimmy Williams extended his hitting streak to 26 games in an 11-5 loss to Baltimore. It would end the following contest against Louisville’s Deacon Phillippe, who would join Pittsburgh the next season. Williams went on to hit .354 that campaign and put together a team-record 27-game streak in August/September.

Jimmy Williams - 1899 team photo snip

• 1903 - Sam Leever shut down the Phillies 2-0 at Exposition Park to bring the Pirate shutout streak to six games. The Phils lost the battle the next day, too, 7-3, but snapped the scoreless run when they scored in the fourth off rookie Kaiser Wilhelm.
• 1911 - RHP “Silent Roy” Partlow was born in Washington, Georgia. He tossed for the Homestead Grays from 1938-39/1941-44/1949 (he missed 1940 when he jumped to Veracruz in the Mexican League and then left to serve in WW2 after the ‘44 season). Roy twirled a no-hitter in 1942 and was no slouch with the stick, batting .266 as a Gray. Like many Negro League players, Roy pitched everywhere - he was in the minor leagues with the Dodgers as one of the early black pioneers (he was the third black player signed by Branch Rickey), worked in Mexico, Puerto Rico, & Cuba and for three other Negro league clubs during his career. He got his nickname because of his “reticent manner.”
• 1929 - Burleigh Grimes won his 10th straight decision by a 9-2 count against Brooklyn at Forbes Field. Just to kill time, he also picked up a couple of saves during the streak, which began with his first start of the year on April 16th. Grimes scattered nine hits and even had a pair of RBI. George Grantham led the attack with a homer and three runs pushed home. 
• 1935 - LHP George Brunet was born in Houghton, Michigan. Lefty spent chunks of 15 seasons in the show, with his best years as an Angel, and made a stop in Pittsburgh in 1970, near the end of his road. He got into a dozen games, one as a starter, and posted a 1-1/2.70 line as a 35-year-old. The Pirates had traded with the Senators for him on August 31st, so despite good work he was ineligible for the postseason. During the winter, the club shipped him to the Cards, along with Matty Alou, for Nelson Briles and Vic Davalillo. 1971 was his last MLB gig as he was released by the Redbirds in May, but he found a second home in Mexico, pitching there until he was 54 and serving as a baseball instructor and ambassador after retiring.
• 1944 - At Forbes Field‚ the Cubs plated three runs on a very wild pitch by Art "Cookie" Cuccurullo (there was 75’ between the plate and the railing) to prime an eight-run second inning and eventual 10-6 Chicago win. 

Bob Friend - 1956 Topps

• 1956 - It took 11 innings, but the Bucs dropped the Cards, 2-0, behind Bob Friend’s six-hitter. He went the distance to win his league-high 10th game, fanning nine and walking four. He outlasted old Bucco Murry Dickson at Busch Stadium, getting the runs on singles by the Pirates two big guns, Dale Long and Frank Thomas. With the win, the Pirates moved into second place, ahead of St. Louis.
• 1957 - RHP Don “The Caveman” Robinson was born in Ashland, Kentucky. He spent 10 of his 15 years in the show with Pittsburgh, first as a reliever and then as a starter, going 65-69-43 with a 3.85 ERA. A three-time Silver Slugger awardee, his batting line was .265/6/45 as a Buc. As for the Caveman moniker, no one is really sure; he wasn't particularly hirsute for the era. He already had it as a 21 year old rookie; we’re guessing his 6’4”, 230 pound build had something to do with it.