10/12 From 1960: '79, '60 Series Losses; '71 Series Win; '91, '90 Playoff Losses; Wood-Pizarro; Jim, Larry Sign; Hispanic ASG; HBD JT & Casey

• 1960 - Whitey Ford again owned the Bucs in the World Series, tossing a seven-hitter as New York blanked Pittsburgh 12-0 at Forbes Field to stave off elimination and force a seventh game. Bobby Richardson tripled twice and had three RBI as the Bronx Bombers amassed 17 hits against Bob Friend and a beleaguered bullpen. Roberto Clemente and Hal Smith had a pair of hits each for the Pirates, who added to their misery by bouncing into three double plays. 
• 1963 - The final baseball game at the Polo Grounds (it was demolished the next year after Shea Stadium opened) was the Hispanic American All-Star game, the first and only one held in MLB history (it was originally planned to be an annual affair). The starters were Juan Marichal and Pedro Ramos while the roster of Latino stars included Pirates Roberto Clemente (who also served as the National League manager), Manny Mota, who delivered a clutch two-run pinch-hit single, and Alvin McBean, who was credited with the win, in a 5-2 NL victory. The game drew 14,235 fans who were entertained by Tito Puente, Tito Rodríguez and singer La Lupe before the game. 

Manny Mota - 1964 Topps

• 1966 - The Pirates traded out-of-options RHP Wilbur Wood to the White Sox for cash and a PTBNL (Juan Pizarro). Chicago converted him to a straight knuckleball guy and he responded by becoming a rubber-armed reliever before being flipped to a 300-inning-per-year starter later in his career. The Bucs were rumored to have been offered a Wood-for-Hoyt Wilhelm deal earlier, but that was nixed with one reason being that the Pirates lacked a knuckleball receiver with any experience, which helped grease the skids for Wood. That allowed Wilhelm to tutor Wood when he arrived in Chi-town. 
• 1971 - The Bucs broke open a duel between Mike Cuellar and Steve Blass by scoring three times in the seventh on the way to a 5-1 World Series win at TRS in front of 50,403 fans. Bob Robertson blasted the deciding three-run homer after he missed a bunt sign (Roberto Clemente was aboard and tried to call time when he saw Big Red had missed the sign, but Cuellar was already into his motion so his effort was ignored). Steve Blass was sitting next to Danny Murtaugh in the dugout at the time, and told the skipper: "If you fine him (Robertson, for missing the bunt sign), I'll pay." Murtaugh didn't. Blass’ three-hit gem left Pittsburgh with a pulse, down two games to one in the Fall Classic. 
• 1979 - The Pirates brought the World Series back to TRS and 50,848 fans with Danny Murtaugh’s widow Katie tossing out the first pitch, but they were run off the field, 8-4, by Baltimore, which lit up John Candelaria with a five-run fourth inning. The Birds were led by Kiko Garcia, who drove in four runs with four hits. For the Bucs, Willie Stargell had a pair of raps and scored twice while Phil Garner chipped in with two RBI and Omar Moreno added a pair of doubles. It was too little, too late against Scott McGregor as the Orioles went up two games to one. 

Casey McGehee - 2012 Topps

• 1982 - 1B/3B Casey McGehee was born in Santa Cruz, California. Casey played eight years in the majors, making a Pittsburgh stop in 2012. The Pirates got him from the Brewers before the campaign for Jose Veras; after hitting .230 w/eight HR, the Bucs moved him at the deadline to the Yankees for Chad Qualls. Casey played for the Tigers some in 2016 and spent 2017-18 in Japan.
• 1990 - Danny Jackson, Norm Charlton and Randy Myers combined on a one-hitter as Cincinnati beat the Pirates 2-1 to win the NLCS in six games. 1B Carmelo Martinez had the only Bucco hit, a double that scored Barry Bonds (aboard on a walk) as Zane Smith took the loss at Riverfront Stadium. Jim Leyland started a back-end reliever, Ted Power, in order to keep the Reds from using their favored platoon lineup (he followed him with LHP Smith in the third) and it almost worked. The game clincher was an over-the-fence catch by RF Glenn Braggs, robbing Carmelo Martínez of a two-run homer with an out in the ninth, to preserve the win in dramatic fashion. The Reds carried their momentum forward to sweep the Oakland Athletics in the World Series. 
• 1990 - The Bucs began working on 1991 right after the NLCS loss to the Reds when GM Larry Doughty, on thin ice after a late-season roster screw-up (he lost Wes Chamberlin and another prospect via a waiver snafu), and manager Leyland both agreed to new two-year contracts. Doughty, whose agreement was to expire on October 31st, wanted a three-year deal but accepted a two-year extension plus an option year, guaranteeing his services through the 1992 season. Leyland's current contract was extended in a deal thought to be worth $500,000 per year. The Pirates' manager since 1986, Leyland was locked in through 1993. 

Jim Leyland - 1990 Topps

• 1991 - Utility man JT Riddle was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. The Pirates signed the utilityman to a one-year, $850K MLB contract as a free agent. He had hit .229 over three years (2017-19) for the Miami Marlins and was out of options, so it was a make-or-break camp for him. JT began the year on the IL and was recalled to the MLB roster in early August. He was released after the season with a BA of .149. He’s now playing in the New York Mets organization. 
• 1991 - The Braves returned to Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium and pasted the Pirates, 10-3, to take a 2-1 lead in the NLCS. Pittsburgh collected 10 hits but stranded 11 runners as John Smoltz easily topped John Smiley. Jay Bell and Orlando Merced homered for Pittsburgh, but their firepower wasn’t enough to overcome a four-run first frame by the Bravos and a three-run pinch hit homer by Sid Bream in the eighth inning. Smoltz's next trip to the hill was when he shut out the Bucs in the seventh game.