5/7 Through the 1960s: Little Poison Dealt; Clarke Cycle; Early Contract Clash; Triple Dip; Suhr-ly; Bucs/Grays; Red Letter Homers; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Dave

• 1883 - Henry Oberbeck made his debut with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association. It was a brief visit as he went two-for-nine with a double and a run scored in two games before he ended up with St. Louis, where he lasted until late June. But he did become one of the earliest guys to validate a players contract. The Browns cut him loose, and he took them to court, seeking the full $785 owed him under his deal. The jury found in his favor (although he only got $431.12; they apparently pro-rated the amount due) and it withstood an appeal. And Chris was a player that could use the money - his 60-game career was over after 1884 and a .176 lifetime BA; he also pitched in a pinch with an 0-5/5.30 slash. He retired and worked for the Post Office until his death in 1921. 
• 1903 - For the second time in his career‚ Fred Clarke hit for the cycle and added a walk, sacrifice and stolen base, but the effort came up short as the Reds beat the Pirates 10-8 at the Palace of the Fans. The Pirates lost Honus Wagner to a temper tantrum after a collision at 2B with Reds IF Jack Morrissey. Hans threatened to punch Morrissey, umpire Bug Holliday restrained him, and the pair then rolled around in the dirt for a bit. The Flying Dutchman was ejected and suspended for three games. 

Dave Barbee - 1932 photo/The Sporting News

• 1905 - OF Dave Barbee was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. After a 1926 job with the A’s, Barbee spent the next several years in the high minors. He smacked 41 homers in 1930 and in the following campaign hit .332 w/47 home runs. In 1932, Dave got the call to join Pittsburgh, selected by the Bucs in the Rule C draft for minor-league players (a precursor of the Rule 5 draft). He was the Pirates' starting left fielder by May but lost the job in August. In 97 Bucco games, he batted .257 with five home runs. Barbee went back to the minors and retired in 1938. 
• 1916 - Max Carey homered off Cubs rookie Jimmy Lavender in the fourth to give the Pirates a 1-0 win. The Cubs lost 10 decisions by a 1-0 score that year, tying the MLB record. Erv Kantlehner tossed a three-hitter to top Lavender’s five-hit effort at Weeghman Park. 
• 1922 - Buc rookie RF Walter Mueller hit a HR (spoiler alert: it was an inside-the-park shot) on the first pitch of his career off none other than the Cubs’ Hall-of-Famer Grover Alexander, the first major leaguer to accomplish the feat. The Bucs won 11-5 at Wrigley Field with Mueller collecting five RBI to help Hal Carlson to the win and helping launch the Buccos on a 12-of-14 game winning stretch. In four big league seasons, Mueller hit one more HR; it also was an inside-the-park shot against the Cubbies. 
• 1925 - SS Glenn Wright snagged the Cards’ Jim Bottomley's ninth-inning line drive, doubled up Jimmy Cooney at second, and tagged Rogers Hornsby coming from first to complete the only unassisted triple play in franchise history. It didn’t help; the Bucs lost to St. Louis 10-9 at Forbes Field after taking a 9-4 lead into the eighth inning and then allowing the Redbirds to score six times. Eddie Moore had three Bucco hits, as did Al Niehaus, but it wasn’t enough as Emil Yde, Babe Adams, and Johnny Morrison were battered in that fateful eighth.

Glenn Wright - 1925 National Photo Co/Library of Congress

• 1930 - Gus Suhr went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, two walks, three runs scored, and five RBI as the Bucs blasted the NY Giants 16-8 at Forbes Field. Steve Swetonic pitched 4-1/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win in relief of Erv Brame. The first five Pirates in the batting order collected 12 hits, four walks, scored 12 times and drove in nine tallies. 
• 1932 - In an unusual twin bill at Forbes Field, the Pirates and Phillies played the opener and the Negro League Homestead Grays hosted the Cleveland Browns in the nightcap. The Bucs lost 5-3 despite rookie Dave Barbee’s pair of triples. The Grays walloped the Browns 21-3; eight of the nine Homestead starters had multiple hits. 
• 1941 - Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner was traded to the Boston Braves for pitcher Nick Strincevich, where he rejoined his brother Paul who had been released in the off-season. Afterward, he bumped around the NL, playing for four teams over four years before re-signing with Pittsburgh as an insurance policy in 1944. He retired after 1945, with 17 years and .319 BA as a Bucco on his way to the Hall of Fame. 
• 1944 - The Bucs beat the Cubs at Wrigley 3-2‚ Chicago's 12th loss in a row‚ to spoil Charlie Grimm's return as Cubs manager. The Pirates scored twice in the ninth to tie it off Hank Wyse and won it in the 11th frame for Xavier Rescigno, who relieved Preacher Roe. Pittsburgh took the opener 6-5, and that one took 14 frames after the Cubs put up a pair to tie the game in the ninth.

Xavier Rescigno - undated photo RD Maloney/Associated Press

• 1958 - Bob Skinner‚ Ted Kluszewski (who hit another in the seventh) and Frank Thomas hit HRs in the fifth inning (Thomas also had a pair during the game) against the Giants at Seals Stadium‚ but it wasn’t enough firepower as SF won 8-6. 
• 1965 - The Pirates scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Reds, 5-4, at Forbes Field. Manny Mota delivered a two-out, walk off single that brought home Gene Freese to complete the comeback. Tommie Sisk picked up the win in relief of starter Bob Friend.