6/10 From 1960: Kline-Gibbon Deal; Jeff Robinson Claimed; Satch HoF; Big Days For Dewey, Mo; Game Tales; RIP Gunner; HBD Pokey

• 1969 - The Bucs traded RHP Ron Kline, 37, to the Giants in return for LHP Joe Gibbon, who was 34. Kline had spent his first six years in Pittsburgh and returned for 1968-69, slashing 66-91-14/3.77 as a multi-role twirler for the Buccos. Gibbon had a similar resume; his first six seasons were spent as a Pirate followed by a second stint in 1969-70; his local line was 44-46-18/3.61. 

Satch - 1936 photo via Leon Day Foundation

• 1971 - The Baseball Hall of Fame's new Special Committee on the Negro Leagues formally selected Satchel Paige for induction on August 9th. Paige made stops with the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords during his storied career that carried him through the Negro Leagues, Central America, the Caribbean and finally the MLB. 
• 1973 - IF Calvin "Pokey" Reese was born in Columbia, SC. A first round pick of the Reds in 1991 out of high school, he played second for the Bucs in 2003-04, hitting .254 but losing most of the second season to injury. His nickname didn't have anything to do with his pace (he stole 144 bases in his career), but there are two tales: Reese was born with a hernia (it wasn’t repaired until he was six) that caused his navel to poke out, so his grandma called young Calvin "Pokey." The second story has it that Reese got his moniker because he was a chubby baby and his grandmother called him Porky, which came out “Pokey” with her southern drawl. Either way, Grams hung the Pokey tag on him. 
• 1977 - It took 11 innings, but the Bucs defeated the San Diego Padres 10-7 at TRS. Willie Stargell hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the 11th inning to score Dave Parker and Al Oliver for the walk-off win. That was Pop’s only hit of the night. Bill Robinson had three knocks and three RBI while Rich “Goose” Gossage got the win for the Pirates. He came on during the eighth inning and pitched four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and striking out four batters. 
• 1985 - The Gunner, Bob Prince, died of pneumonia and cancer at the age of 68. The long time Pirate broadcaster last called a game May 20, when a rain delay sent him to the hospital and he never recovered, lapsing into a coma. He served a 28-year stint as the voice of the Pirates on KDKA known for his “Gunnerisms” and hometown boosterism. Prince was posthumously awarded the Ford C. Frick Award by the Baseball Hall of Fame for broadcasters in 1986. 

The Gunner - IC ad card

• 1992 - RHP Jeff Robinson was selected off waivers by the Bucs from the Rangers. He was the second Jeff Robinson to join the Leyland-era Pirates; the original came from the Giants and tossed from 1987-89 with the middle name of Daniel; today’s pickup went by Jeffrey Mark. He replaced an ineffective Dennis Lamp in the bullpen, but only lasted until July 25th, when he was released after posting a Pittsburgh line of 3-1/4.46; it was the 30-year-old’s last MLB stop. 
• 2000 - The Royals edged the Pirates 2-1 in 12 innings. But don’t blame 2B Warren Morris; he went 5-for-6. The Bucs banged out 13 hits, but they were all singles and they stranded 13 runners. Pittsburgh didn’t score until there were two outs in the ninth to prolong the drama at Kauffman Stadium. That run was plated after a two-out single by Kevin Young, who stole second and touched home on Adrian Brown’s knock. 
• 2001 - The Bucs were 3-of-21 on the road and looked like they were going to take another one on the chin when they entered the eighth down 8-4 to the Twins at Hubert Humphrey Metrodome. They showed some fight, loading the bases to start the frame, but only cashed in once after Pat Meares’ bullet to third became the second out instead of the game-tying shot. But they kept comin’ - three hits, sandwiched between a pair of walks, gave Pittsburgh an 11-8 edge, keyed by Brian Giles two-out, two-run triple. Mike Williams tossed a zero in the Twinkies half and struck out the side in the ninth as the Pirates finally took home a road win. They worked hard for the victory; Jason Schmidt didn’t make it through the second inning and left the game behind by an 8-1 count, but stellar work by Dave Williams, Scott Sauerbeck and the soon-to-be-traded Williams (they gave up five hits in 7-1/3 IP with eight whiffs) kept Minnesota at bay. 
• 2008 - Ryan Doumit had a big day, going 4-for-4 with two homers and two doubles, but Washington came out on top by playing late longball at TRS to claim an 8-7 win. Paul Maholm gave up four Nat homers - three in the seventh inning alone - and Matt Capps blew his first save when he served up a two-out, two-run, first-pitch homer to Lastings Milledge in the ninth. It was a brutal defeat; the Bucs had just put up a pair in the eighth to regain the lead before Milledge’s game-winner. 

Dewey was hot for naught - 2008 Upper Deck Documentary

• 2015 - The Bucs shut out the Brewers at PNC Park by a 2-0 score. The runs resulted from a Starling Marte knock and Pedro Alvarez blast that traveled 438’ and cleared the RF stands. But the story of the night was Charlie Morton, who went 7-⅓ IP, giving up three hits, three walks and K’ing six. Charlie set a couple of personal bests during the night. He won five in a row for the first time in his career and started a season off 4-0 for the first time, too.