8/8 Through the 1930s: Hit-Hit-Hurrah; Brain Trips; Hans Swipes 'Em All; Rooftop Radio; Game Stories; HBD Billy & Elzie

• 1865 - RHP Billy Gumbert was born on Frankstown Avenue in Pittsburgh’s East End. He played for the Alleghenys in 1890 and the Pirates in 1892, with a pitching line of 7-8/3.93 and a .200 BA (he also played a little OF and 1B). Per John Dreker of Pittsburgh Baseball History, Billy was only available for home games because he owned & operated a business in Pittsburgh, so he worked “as needed” without a contract - he got a $15 game fee. His brother, Ad Gumbert, was also a major leaguer twirler and pitched for the Bucs from 1893-94.

Denny Lyons - photo via New York Public Library

• 1893 - Pittsburgh swept a DH from the Chicago Colts 17-10 and 9-8 at Exposition Park. George Van Haltren, Denny Lyons and Joe Sugden (2B & 3B) each had three hits in the opener to give Ad Gumbert the win. In the nitecap, the Colts scored three times in the ninth to go up by four; the Pirates answered with a five spot, keyed by Lyons, who tripled with the bases loaded to tie the game and then scored the winning run. Lyons had six hits on the day. Red Ehret, who went the distance, got the victory. The fans were into the comeback victory; per the Pittsburgh Press “Not at Exposition Park this year has there been such a scone of excitement and enthusiasm...Lyon’s hit (the ninth inning triple in the second game) caused the wildest scene ever seen here for many a day. There were nearly 6,000 people and they all stood up and yelled themselves hoarse. Hats were flying in all directions.” The crowd had been stirred up by Colt manager Cap Anson, who after Chicago took the lead “...indulge(d) in some very jeering talk” per the Press, and then got to enjoy eating his own words as a post-game snack.
• 1902 - Honus Wagner became the first Pirate to steal second, third and home, against the Boston Beaneaters in an 8-6 loss at the South End Grounds. He did it four times during his career. Other Pirates to swipe a three-pack were Max Carey (2), Kiki Cuyler and Bobby Byrne. August 8, 1903 - RHP Elzie Clise Dudley was born in Graham, North Carolina. He tossed for five years in the majors, putting up a line of 17-33-2/5.03, with his last MLB outing (and only appearance) with the Pirates in 1933, when he gave up five runs on six hits and a walk in ⅓ IP against Boston. He’s noted for two things: As a Pirate, his 135.00 ERA and 21.000 WHIP are franchise records (not in a good way). A better standard was set as a Brooklyn Robin in 1929, when Dudley became the second player (and the first pitcher) to hit a homer on the first pitch thrown to him. 
• 1905 - Second baseman Dave Brain, who hit three triples in a game for St. Louis against the Pirates earlier in the season, repeated the performance against Boston after being traded to Pittsburgh, becoming the only player to triple-triple twice in one season. Pittsburgh defeated the Beaneaters 5-4 in 10 innings at Exposition Park, with Mike Lynch getting the win in relief of Sam Leever. Brain, who went 4-for-5, had the game winning knock, a single to score Tommy Leach. Davy had quite the day; the Pittsburgh Gazette wrote “Not only did Brain bat well, but he fielded in fine style, and some of the plays made by him were decidedly sensational.” 1905 was his only year with Pittsburgh; he hit .257 as a 3B/SS before being flipped to Boston as part of the Vic Willis trade. 
• 1922 - The Pirates lined, drilled, dribbled and blooped a major league record 46 hits during a doubleheader sweep against the Phillies at Shibe Park. Bucco SS Rabbit Maranville made a record 13 plate appearances during the day. The team had 27 knocks, a franchise record, in their 19-8 rout in the opener. Reb Russell went 5-for-5 with a homer, two doubles, five runs and seven RBI while Cotton Tierney had four hits, scored five runs and drove in five. Tierney went 4-for-5 in the nitecap with four RBI and Russell doubled three times as the Bucs banged out 19 hits in a 7-3 brooming. Tierney and Russell each recorded eight hits during the twin bill. 

Rabbit Maranville - 1922 photo George Rinhart/Corbis/Getty

• 1938 - A federal court ruled that KQV Radio could not broadcast games without the permission of the Pirates, who had sold game rights to KDKA/WWSW. The sly KQV broadcasters perched on Oakland rooftops, using that as their play-by-play roost and thus pirating the Pirates contests. The decision etched in stone that the controlling rights of game coverage belonged to the teams, a huge part of the clubs’ ka-ching today.