- 1974 - RHP Dave Giusti signed a one-year deal worth $100K after coming off an All-Star, 9-2-20/2.37, campaign. The 34-year-old closer inked his deal the same day that his eventual heir, Kent Tekulve, signed on the dotted line for what would be his first MLB campaign.
- 1974 - OF James "Cool Papa" Bell was named to the Hall of Fame by the Special Committee on the Negro Leagues. He played for both the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords and was inducted on August 12th. Cool Papa joined the Homestead Grays in 1943, and they won league championships in Bell's first two seasons. They were foiled going for the trifecta, losing in the 1945 World Series to the Cleveland Buckeyes. Per Biography.com, he got his moniker when he began as a pitcher for the St. Louis Stars in the Negro National League. He was dubbed “Cool” by his teammates after he struck out the legendary Oscar Charleston; Bell's manager added the “Papa.”
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| Cool Papa - 2004 Topps Tribute |
- 1987 - RHP Curtis Partch was born in Merced, California. Curtis tossed for the Reds for parts of two campaigns and the Pirates signed him to a minor league, bullpen depth deal in 2016. He was a strikeout-per-inning guy at Indianapolis, but when called up in June, he gave up three runs in ⅔ IP and was released. He played indie league ball in 2017 and is currently a free agent.
- 1988 - OF Andy Van Slyke agreed to an $825,000 contract with bonuses that could bring it to $900,000, keeping him as the highest paid player on the roster. AVS got almost all he requested for in arb ($850K), with the difference between his ask and the Pirates counter just $100K. Van Slyke had a line of .293/21 HR/82 RBI and 34 stolen bases, and he’d have another very good season with the bat in 1988. He really broke out, earning spots for the first time on the All Star, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger squads.
- 1996 - LHP Denny Neagle signed a two-year contract extension after coming off an All-Star season in 1995 (13-8/3.43, 205 IP). He gave up his first free agency season in ‘97 for the security of $5.9M over the next two campaigns. The cash-strapped Pirates then traded him to Atlanta in August, where he worked in three postseasons and earned another All-Star berth.
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| Nellie Briles - 1971 Pirates Picture Pac |
- 2005 - Former Buc hurler and Pirate alumni leader Nellie Briles died from a heart attack while golfing in Orlando, Florida, at an Alumni Association outing at age 61. He tossed from 1971-73 for the Bucs, winning game five of the ‘71 series by twirling a two-hit shutout, and in that brief time laid down roots in Pittsburgh, living his post-career days in Greensburg. The Bucs hired him as part of their corporate staff in 1986 after he put in a broadcasting stint, mainly involved in alumni affairs. “He wasn’t a homegrown Pirate but became part of the Pirate fabric,” said teammate Steve Blass, “...and he was tireless whenever he represented the Pittsburgh Pirates.” He was buried at St. Clair Cemetery in Westmoreland County.
- 2013 - The Bucs signed 36-year-old IF Brandon Inge to a one-year/$1.25M free agent contract. 50 games and a .181 BA later, he was released on August 1st, ending his 13-year MLB career. He now lives on a 400-acre farm in his hometown of Lynchburg with his family.
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