4/17 Through 1954: Openers; Russ & Eddie Join; #1 For Hank; Elmer, Sam, Deacon Gems; New Wrigley Opened; HBD Bob

• 1902 - Tommy Leach scored the game’s only run in the third inning as Deacon Phillippe won a 1-0 duel against the Cards Stan Yerkes on Opening Day at Robison Field in front of 6,000 fans. Leach singled, went to third after a Reds boot and scored when Cincy tried a tag ‘em out, throw ‘em out DP that was frustrated by the heady baserunning of Jack O’Connor, whose stop-and-go dance between bases eluded the tag. The Bucs were 103-36 that year and took the NL pennant, but there wasn’t a World Series until the following season because of animosity between the leagues. 

Wee Tommy - 1909-11 Sweet Caporal

• 1903 - RHP Bob (His first name was John, but he was called by a simplification of his middle name of Bode) Osborn was born in San Diego, Texas. Osborn was sold by the Cubs to the Pirates after a hot start in late April of 1931 as the Bucs were short on the mound with pitchers Ervin Brame, Remy Kremer and Steve Swetonic out of action. Osborn was a swingman, but the Bucs used him mainly as a short reliever. He appeared in 27 games (64-⅔ IP) during the season, starting twice, with a record of 6-1/5.01. During the off season, Osborn was part of the Bill Swift deal and never made it back to the majors again. 
• 1908 - Sam Leever tossed a three-hit, 3-0, shutout over the Cardinals at Robison Field to lead the Bucs to a series sweep. More importantly in the long run, though, was the signing of 34-year-old Honus Wagner, who had retired in March. Barney Dreyfuss made him the highest paid player in baseball (and the first to earn five figures) with a $10,000 deal after an initial $6K offer went nowhere, and The Flying Dutchman proved worth every penny. Bill James cited Wagner's 1908 campaign as the greatest single season ever for any player. Wagner hit .354 with 109 RBI in an era when half as many runs were scored as today. James wondered in his 2001 book Historical Baseball Abstract "if you had a Gold Glove shortstop like Wagner, who drove in 218 runs (109 x 2), what would he be worth?” Hans’ salary, btw, remained at $10K per year for the remainder of his career, which ended a decade later in 1917. 
• 1920 - The Bucs Elmer Ponder and the Cards Jesse Haines carried a scoreless ballgame into the 13th inning at St. Louis’ Robison Park. The Pirates finally broke the ice with three runs in the lucky 13th, driven in by Max Carey and Billy Southworth, and Ponder finished up with an eight-hit goose egg. It was his first full big league season; Ponder was an airman in WW1, became an aerial ace, was wounded and received the French Croix de la Valeur Militaire (Cross of Military Valor). He’s thought to be the first ballplayer to win a medal in the war. 
• 1923 - The Cubs opened newly remodeled Wrigley Field in front of 33,000 faithful but the Bucs took the match 3-2 on Charlie Grimm’s three-run, bases-loaded double in the fourth. The Pirates only had three hits, but Johnny Morrison made them stand up, working a complete game and giving up just a pair of unearned runs. 

Charlie Grimm - 1917 photo Detroit Public Library collection

• 1939 - The Pirates trailed 5-2 on Opening Day before scoring four times in the eighth inning and eventually taking a 7-5 decision from the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. Gus Suhr led the way offensively for the Pirates by collecting three RBI while Cy Blanton started and hung around long enough to earn the win, with the save by Mace Brown. Suhr and Pep Young each collected three hits to lead the lineup. 
• 1940 - RHP Russ Bauers signed his contract on Opening Day for an undisclosed amount, with the papers guessing it was more than Pittsburgh’s original offer but less than his ‘39 salary. Even though he had turned down the Pirates opening bid, Russ was invited to camp, allowing the Pirates to see how he looked and personally staking his value on how he performed after coming back from arm woes in 1939 and a winter car accident. He won a deal, but may have come back from his bout with injuries too soon. Bauers only worked 68 innings over the next two years with a 6.49 ERA and 43 walks, went to the minors in 1942 and then spent three years in the service. He pitched in the show just two more seasons, for 43 innings in 1946 with the Cubs and a single two-inning outing for the Browns in 1950. 
• 1945 - The Bucs came out on the short end of the stick, losing 7-6 in 11 innings on Opening Day to the Reds in a game filled with improbabilities. With the Bucs up 2-0 in the fifth and two runners aboard, baserunner Frankie Zak called time to tie his shoe, and got it from the ump. But Reds pitcher Bucky Walters had his back to the play and delivered a pitch to Jim Russell. He knocked out of the park, but it didn’t count. (He followed with an RBI knock and later scored, so no harm done). Next, Cincy’s Dain Clay drilled a grand slam that was his only HR of the year in 700 plate appearances. Finally, the win went to forty-six-year old Hod Lisenbee‚ who had been out of the majors for the past nine years, after he worked two innings of hitless relief to earn the last W of his career. The next day, Pittsburgh manager Frankie Frisch presented Zak with a pair of spikes that buckled rather than laced up. 
• 1947 - Hank Greenberg connected on his first Pirate homer as the Bucs whupped the Cubs 7-1 at Wrigley Field. Pirate starter Preacher Roe was on cruise control and didn't allow a hit until the seventh inning. Chicago starter Hank Wyse was victimized by back-to-back boots by SS Lennie Merullo in the seventh inning, allowing the Pirates to plate six unearned runs; the Bucs only had seven hits. 

Murry Dickson - 1950 Bowman

• 1951 - 25,894 hardy souls braved the snow to watch the Bucs win their home opener 5-4 over the Cards at Forbes Field. Murry Dickson pitched six innings and homered in the win. Wally Westlake also went long while Bill Werle tossed three shutout innings for the save. It also marked the first shooting of live footage for the movie tentatively titled “Angels And The Pirates” (released as “Angels In the Outfield” in October), starring Paul Douglas and Janet Leigh. 
• 1953 - The Pirates claimed 35-year-old infielder Eddie Pellegrini off waivers from the Cincinnati Reds. For a giveaway, Eddie gave the Bucs a solid 1953, batting .253 in 78 games, but faded the following season when he hit .216 in his ninth and final MLB campaign. Pellegrini went on to become the baseball coach at Boston College from 1958 to 1990 and took the Eagles to three College World Series.