10/6 Through the 1940s: Series Split; Triple Chief; Wid & Harry Jump Leagues; Game Tales; HBD Gene, Tom, Eddie & Pat

• 1866 - OF Eddie Burke was born in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. Eddie played eight years in the show, spending 1890 as an outfielder for the Alleghenys where he hit .210 in 31 games. Burke last played in the majors in 1897 for the Reds and then soldiered on through the 1901 campaign in the minor leagues. He passed away at the age of 41 in 1907 in Utica, NY. 
• 1893 - OF Pat Duncan was born in Coalton, Ohio. He started his seven-year career with the Pirates in 1915, going 1-for-5. By 1920, after seasoning in the bushes and Army, he had matured into a starting outfielder for the Reds, playing for them until 1924. A strong hitter, his main claim to fame was being the first MLB player to hit a homer to clear the 12’ fence at his home yard, Cincinnati’s Redland Field (later Crosley Field). After his playing days, Duncan worked for the Ohio Highway Department and was a regular at Reds old-timer affairs. 

Harry Smith - 1903 Getty photo via Chicago History Museum 

• 1901 - UT Wid Conroy and C Harry Smith jumped from the AL to Pittsburgh. Wid, a utility player, played for a season and hit .244 for the Pirates. After the year, he hopped back to the junior circuit, joining the Yankees in 1903. Harry was part of the Pittsburgh catcher rotation for three years and hung around for another three years as a seldom used bench piece, hitting .202 as a Bucco. 
• 1903 - A crowd of 7,500 filled Exposition Park as the Pirates defeated the Boston Americans, 5-4, in the first World Series game ever played in Pittsburgh, delayed a day by rainy weather. Boston even brought 200 fans, who sat in their own section and brought along a brass band that played between innings. Deacon Phillippe was the winner for the third time, pitching this match on two days' rest. It almost caught up to him as the Americans scored three times in the ninth until Phillippe finally got pinch hitter Jack O’Brien to pop out. Tommy Leach knocked in three runs while Honus Wagner and Ginger Beaumont each collected three hits. Sadly, it would be the last game they’d win in this Series. It was a bit more fraternal back in the day - both clubs and the newspaper crowd went to the Grand Opera House that evening to see the Victor Hugo play “Notre Dame” and had a reception with the cast afterwards. The night before, both clubs attended a vaudeville show at the Avenue Theater. 
• 1908 - C Tom Padden was born in Manchester, New Hampshire. A part-time catcher for Pittsburgh, he appeared in 399 games from 1932-37 and compiled a .272 BA. He might be best known for coin rather than horsehide flinging. On February 26th, 1936, surrounded by a large crowd, he tossed a silver dollar about 475 feet over the Merrimack River and into a snow pile. He pulled the stunt to copy pitcher Walter “Big Train” Johnson, who did it a few days earlier across the Rappahannock to emulate the legendary feat of George Washington. Tom retired to Manchester, where he coached local baseball and basketball teams. 
• 1912 - Owen “Chief” Wilson hit his 36th triple of the season, establishing a MLB record. Wilson tried to stretch the triple into an inside-the-park home run, but was thrown out at the plate in a 16-6 Pirates win against Cincinnati at Redland Field. He wasn’t a gap guy; as noted by SABR’s bio of Wilson “Spacious Forbes Field may have been the best park ever for triples, and the Pirates led the NL in that category 30 of the 62 seasons they played there. Wilson did hit 24 of his 36 triples at home, but it is likely that many of these triples would have been home runs at other parks.” Sporting Life pointed out that "Few of the smashes have struck in front of fielders. They have all been over the heads or between the fields, all juicy jams." 

Chief Wilson - 1909-11 Old Mill Cigarettes

• 1927 - The Yankees’ George Pipgras quieted the Buc bats at Forbes Field as New York took a 2-0 lead in the World Series. Vic Aldridge was hooked up in a 3-2 game in the eighth when three singles, two walks (to #8 hitter Benny Bengough and then to Pipgras), a HBP and wild pitch gave the Bronx Bombers three runs on their way to a 6-2 win. Lloyd Waner scored both Buc runs, driven home by brother Paul and Clyde Barnhart. 
• 1929 - In the season finale, second place Pittsburgh beat league-leading Chicago, 8-3, at Wrigley Field. The Bucs collected 12 hits, led by Lloyd Waner’s 3-for-3 day, and Larry French earned the victory. The Pirates, with 88 wins, still finished 10-½ games behind the Cubs, but set the MLB record by banging out double-digit hits in 102 games during the season. 
• 1946 - OF Gene Clines was born in San Pablo, California. A speedy center fielder with a good glove, he was a platoon outfielder for the Bucs from 1970-74, putting up a .287 BA. He played for the 1971 World Series champs and also the division winning teams of 1972 and 1974. Clines had a long career coaching and is a front office exec in the Dodger organization.