7/3 Through the 1960’s: Pops Rocket; Hugo Hired, Chief Cycle, Cover Boys; HBD Luke, Moises, Bunny & Chet

• 1892 - OF Anthony John Greszkowski (“Bunny Brief”) was born in Remus, Michigan. He ended his four-year career as a bench player for the Pirates in 1917, hitting .217. Bunny wasn’t much of a major-leaguer, but he ruled on the farm. After his show days, Brief played in the minors until 1928. Though he never hit more than two home runs in any of his big league seasons, Bunny holds the all-time record for home runs in the American Association (by then, a minor league) with 256 and his eight AA home run crowns are tied for the most ever with Ken Guettler. How did Tony Greszkowski become Bunny Brief? The Bunny part is easy; it’s a take-off of his childhood nickname of Bundy. As for the Brief, well, you can thank Ellis Island. According to Major-Smolinski’s “Favorite Baseball Nicknames,” his parents were immigrants and when they were processed by a clerk who wrestled with their long Polish name, Papa Greszkowski suggested that the registrar Americanize the name. "Just change it to something brief," he said. The official did, literally, as related by Joe Brief, a great-nephew of the ballplayer. 

Bunny as a 1915 White Sox - 1994 Conlon First Card

• 1897 - RHP Chet Nichols was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Chet, a three-sport star in high school, was a big-time prospect when the Bucs bought him from New Haven of the Eastern League, but his minor-league chops never carried over. He began his less-than-distinguished six year career (1-8/7.19) with the Bucs, tossing from 1926-27 and slashing 0-3/6.37. He spent his last three campaigns with Philadelphia, leaving the game after the 1932 season with a bum arm. Chet went on to coach at Woonsocket HS and the University of Rhode Island. 
• 1904 - RHP Luke Hamlin was born in Ferris Center, Michigan. Luke had been a 20-game winner for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939, but age caught up to him. He had become a role pitcher by the time the Pirates got him in 1942 as a 38-year-old, going 4-4/3.94 in 23 outings (14 starts). Luke was sometimes called "Hot Potato" because he liked to juggle the ball while getting ready to pitch, much like a man handling a hot potato. 
• 1910 - Owen “Chief” Wilson hit for the cycle at the Palace of the Fans in Cincinnati as the Pirates and Howie Camnitz took a 10-2 decision from the Reds. Howie was dented for 12 hits, but the Pirates answered with 14 of their own. Fred Clarke added three knocks while Hans Wagner, Tommy Leach and Bobby Byrnes had a pair. The Reds chipped in, too, committing four errors. 
• 1917 - Bohemian-born Bucco scout Hugo Bezdek was named Pirate manager, replacing the short-lived skipper Honus Wagner. He managed the Pirates through 1919, compiling a 166–187 record, while also coaching Penn State football from 1918-29 during the offseason. He was known for his rigorous, gridiron-inspired workouts and per Baseball Reference's Bullpen, he "...had a good rapport with his players, whom he relied upon to make some key decisions given his lack of baseball experience. Two of those players would go on to be among baseball's most famous managers - Casey Stengel and Billy Southworth." 
• 1926 - The Pirates scored eight times in the fourth inning and rolled over the Cards at Forbes Field 12-3. Pie Traynor had a homer and double in the big frame and drove home four runs to help Vic Aldridge cruise to a win. All nine Pirates had at least a hit and run scored; a half-dozen Buccos plated a run or more. 
• 1948 - Baseball Digest featured Ralph Kiner on its cover. The 25-year-old outfielder was on the way to his third straight home run title (he would claim seven straight NL crowns and six consecutive MLB championships) while on the road to becoming the 12th big league player/first Bucco to cross the 300 homer threshold. He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.

• 1966 - OF Moises Alou was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Alou was the second overall pick of the 1986 draft by the Pirates and a good one, although his Pirate career consisted of just five at-bats in 1990. Moise was the PTBNL in the Zane Smith deal with Montreal later that season; Smith helped the Pirates win the pennant while Alou went on to a sterling MLB career. He played for 17 seasons with a BA of .303, 2,134 hits, 332 home runs, 1,287 RBI and six All-Star berths. Alou holds the record for stringing together a 30-game hitting streak for the Mets in 2007, the longest for a 40-year-old player in MLB history. Moises, a member of the storied Alou baseball family, also got to play under his dad, Felipe, who managed from 1992-96 with the Expos. 
• 1967 - Willie Stargell’s estimated 500’ home run (it landed in the little league field behind the LC wall by the Mary Schenley fountain, both of which are still there today) helped the Pirates to a 5-2 win over Don Drysdale and the LA Dodgers at Forbes Field. Pops had two round trippers and three hits, Bill Mazeroski added a pair of knocks and three RBI and Gene Alley doubled twice. Tommie Sisk went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter. 
• 1967 - Roberto Clemente was featured as the cover story of Sports Illustrated in an article titled “The Big Hitters Are Back.” Pretty good choice - The Great One had 209 hits and a league-leading .357 BA, with 23 HR, 110 RBI, 103 RS and an OPS of .954.