2/5: Steady Freddy, Dale Sign; Simmons Hired; Jay Bay All-Canada; Leyland Field; Dapper Buccos; RIP Barney; HBD Javier, Tiger, Jack, Lick & Charlie

• 1852 - 1B Charlie Hautz was born in St. Louis. Charlie got his start in 1875 with his hometown Red Stockings when he hit .301 in 19 games. Then he took a circular route back to the show, flipping between umpiring (for three seasons) and minor league gigs until the Alleghenys gave him another shot a decade later at age 32 in 1884. He hit .208 in a seven-game audition, playing mostly first and a little center, and that was the last entry on his big league resume. Hautz returned to St. Louis and went on to a series of blue collar jobs. 

Lick Carlisle - photo via Baseball Hall of Fame

• 1910 - Matthew “Lick” Carlisle was born in Wenonah, Alabama. After playing SS for Montgomery, New Orleans, Birmingham and Memphis, Lick joined the Homestead Grays in 1935. A very good gloveman and dangerous base stealer, he mainly started and batted second for the Grays through 1943, then closed out his career as a bench player, retiring after the 1946 campaign following a tour in the Navy. He remained in Pittsburgh until he passed away in 1972.
• 1925 - OF Jack Maguire was born in St. Louis. His early career started late when he was in the service from 1943-45, but he returned to the Giants system and in 1950 made his big league debut. Unfortunately for him, the G-Men had another young OF’er coming up who bumped Maguire out of his slot: Willie Mays, who not only took his position but his number 24. He was waived in May of 1951, then claimed by the Pirates, who kept him for a month as mainly a bench guy (he went one-for-five in nine games) and released him again, this time to the St. Louis Browns where he finished out a hectic year. He was sent to the minors in 1952 and he retired after the year, tired of the travel and ready for some family time. He did drop one of the great baseball nicknames on an American Legion teammate of his after joining him & a pal at the movies. On the screen was a travelogue of India that showed its mystics, and one of the swamis reminded Jack of his bud sitting beside him, Lawrence, whom he dubbed “Yogi” Berra. 
• 1928 - 3B Don Hoak was born in the Potter County town of Roulette. The Tiger played four years for the Pirates (1959-62), hitting .281 and earning two All-Star outings after coming over as part of the 1959 Frank Thomas deal with the Reds. Hoak was renowned for his scrappy play on the diamond, earning the Gunner-given nickname of “Tiger” by living up to his resume as an ex-boxer and Marine. After his playing days ended, Hoak was a Pirates' broadcaster for two years and managed a couple of seasons in the Pirate farm system; he was one of the final candidates for the 1970 skipper’s position that went to Danny Murtaugh. 

Don Hoak - 1961 photo/Jay Publishing Company

• 1932 - Longtime owner and one of baseball’s early pathfinders, Barney Dreyfuss, died at 66, leaving Pirate ownership to his widow Florence and his son-in-law Bill Benswanger. Not only was he influential in developing Pittsburgh sports, building a solid franchise and a signature park, but he was also a sturdy rudder for baseball as it sailed some stormy seas in its early decades. In Dan Bonk’s Story of Forbes Field, it was noted that “Between 1895 and 1932, Dreyfuss was in the middle of every important decision facing professional baseball including syndication, contraction, league conflicts, the Federal League, schedules, and of course, the scandal arising out of the 1919 World Series.” 
• 1956 - 1B Dale Long, 30, signed his contract for $13,500 after hitting .291 w/16 homers in his first full-time season. The amount was well worth it - he made his only All-Star appearance in ‘56 while belting 27 homers, driving in 91 runs, and putting his name in the record books by hitting eight home runs in eight straight games, a record since tied but yet to be topped. 
• 1961 - The Dapper Dan added to Dick Groat’s 1960 gift bag of awards by naming him, along with Arnold Palmer, as Sportsman of the Year, replacing the ‘59 awardee, teammate Elroy Face. Also being recognized at the Hilton Hotel Ballroom were owners John Galbreath and Tom Johnson, along with GM Joe Brown, for their contributions to the City's sports scene through the years. And not to pile on, but Danny Murtaugh was recognized as the Manager of the Year while Face, Bill Mazeroski, Hal Smith, Vern Law, Don Hoak, Bill Virdon, Bob Friend, Vinegar Bend Mizell and Rocky Nelson had to clear more space in their trophy cases for various DD honors bestowed on them. 
• 1972 - The annual Dapper Dan award dinner looked like a Pirates party. Danny Murtaugh, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell were the tri-winners of the Sportsman of the Year honor, and half the Pirates roster showed up for the affair. Other local notables recognized were Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, Satch Paige, Dick Groat, Frank Thomas, John & Dan Galbreath and Joe Brown. 

Javier Martinez - 1998 Fleer Tradition

• 1977 - RHP Javier Martinez was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Martinez was a third-round pick of the Cubs in 1994 who was claimed as a Rule 5 player in 1997 by the A’s; the Pirates bought him from Oakland and he lasted through the campaign, going 0-1/4.83 in 37 games. After two years in the minors, he couldn’t work his way back to the show and was released by Pittsburgh. His career in the states ended after the 2005 season which he spent tossing for an indie club. 
• 1992 - The Pirates hired Ted Simmons as General Manager, replacing Larry Doughty. He served in that position for only a year, retiring after suffering a heart attack in June 1993. He was under a lot of job-related stress, as ownership wanted to trim payroll, resulting in an antsy locker room as players such as Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla and Doug Drabek were lost to greener pastures. Cam Bonifay, the Assistant GM and former Scouting Director, replaced Simmons. 
• 1993 - The baseball diamond at Perrysville (OH) HS was renamed Jim Leyland Field. Leyland, a 1962 grad of PHS, said “I really thought you had to be dead before they did anything like this.” He did muse that “I’ll bet a lot of my old teachers are rolling in their graves...” 
• 2008 - 2B “Steady” Freddy Sanchez inked a two-year/$11M contract with an option for $8M in 2010. He lasted half way through it before being traded at the 2009 deadline to the Giants for RHP Tim Alderson. Sanchez played only one full season for the G-Men, the 2010 World Series campaign, as knee and shoulder injuries eroded his career. Alderson never cashed in as a Pirate prospect and has been out of baseball since the 2016 campaign, which was spent tossing indie ball. 

Jason Bay - 2006 SPx-tra

• 2019 - OF Jason Bay was named to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. A native of Trail, British Columbia, Bay was the 2004 NL Rookie of the Year and was selected to three All Star games during his 11-year career, spent playing with the Pirates, Padres, Red Sox, Mets and Mariners. He became the fourth Bucco - Matt Stairs, Rocky Nelson and George “Mooney” Gibson are the others - to enter the Ontario Hall, with his induction on June 15th.