5/5 Through the 1950s: Bean Ball; Gems & Game Tales; RIP Denny; HBD Tommy, Jose, Eude & Wattie

• 1858 - Pirates field general Bill “Wattie” Watkins was born in Brantford, Ontario. In 1898, Watkins was hired as the manager of the Buccos and finished in eighth (out of twelve teams) with a 72–76 record. Watkins returned for the 1899 NL battles but resigned in May after the team began the season with a 7-15 record. He was known as a strict disciplinarian in an era of free spirits. Wattie wisdom: Bill was also among the first skippers to give signs to hitters from the bench. 
• 1883 - OF Gene “Eude” Curtis was born in Bethany, West Virginia. His MLB resume consists of a 1903 stop with the Pirates, and the Western League call-up tore it up for five games, going 8-for-19 (.421) with a walk, three RBI and two runs scored. The 6’3” speedster from WVU went on to a seven-year career in the minors, playing for 13 different teams and was a farm coach from 1911-12. 

Pete Browning - Mears Hologram/TSN

• 1891 - Talk about your bad inning at Chicago’s West Side Grounds: LF Pete Browning bunted into a triple play in the top of the sixth frame and then booted a ball to allow the game’s only run to score in the bottom half as Pittsburgh lost to the Chicago Colts, 1-0. Ed Stein, who tossed a two-hitter, took the decision over Pud Galvin, who surrendered six knocks. As the Pittsburgh Press wryly noted of the Pirate hitters: “Sluggers who don’t slug...will rarely win victories.” 
• 1894 - Beanballs go back a long way. Per the Pittsburgh Press: “In the fifth (St. Louis P Pink) Hawley acted as though he were trying to hit (Pirates SS Jack) Glasscock with a pitched ball. Two (pitches) came dangerously close to Jack’s chin and when the third went under his head the shortstop said ‘I’ll throw my bat if you do that again.’ Hawley put the fourth in the same spot and to the surprise of everyone Glasscock sailed his stick toward the pitcher’s box. Hawley got out of the way but did not run when Glasscock rushed up. The men did not come together, however, as (Pirates Captain Patsy) Donovan promptly parted them and restored order. Glasscock was fined $10 for the act.” The article went on to add that “The governor was not asked to order out the militia, but Umpire McQuaid could not have preserved order at Exposition Park had it not been for the timely assistance of Captain Donovan.” The game was as exciting as the sideshow. It was tied, 5-5, in the ninth when Donovan made a diving catch in right to close the frame and save a run, then the Pirates won it in their half when Glasscock’s two-out knock scored Patsy from second. Gotta love karma! 
• 1900 - Executive Denny McKnight passed away in Pittsburgh at age 52 and was buried in Allegheny Cemetery. He owned the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, the predecessors of the Pirates, and helped form the American Association, a major league, serving as the AA’s president until 1886. He was ousted after a rhubarb regarding the contract of Sam Barkley; some say that incident played a role in the Alleghenys jumping to the National League in 1887 with McKnight retaining ownership interests until 1890 when he returned to the business world after William Kerr & Phil Auten became co-owners. 

Denny McKnight - 1909 photo Baseball Hall of Fame

• 1929 - The Boston Braves played their first Sunday home game in history. Apparently they still considered it a day of rest as they lost to Pirates, 7-2, before 35,000 fans. Pittsburgh moundsman Burleigh Grimes aided his own cause by starting a third-inning triple play. Five Bucs had a pair of knocks each, and the Waner brothers, Paul and Lloyd, each tripled at Braves Field. 
• 1935 - Pirate infielder Jose Pagan was born in Barceloneta, Puerto Rico. After spending seven years with the San Francisco Giants, the infielder played in Pittsburgh for the next eight seasons (1965-72). He was used in every position but pitcher and center field during his time here and hit .263 as the Bucs general factotum. Pagan played four games in the 1971 World Series and doubled home Willie Stargell with the eventual winning run in the eighth inning of Game Seven. Pagán became a Pirates coach for five seasons, from 1974-78. 
• 1941 - IF Tommy Helms was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. Helms spent 1976 and a bit of 1977 in Pittsburgh (.242 BA as a utilityman) as part of his 14-year MLB resume. The Pirates got him from Houston for Art Howe, sold him to Oakland a year later, got him back four months after that in the Phil Garner mega deal, then released him in June. He finished the 1977 campaign with the Boston Red Sox to conclude his major league stay. He coached and managed for the Cincinnati Reds briefly, leaving the organization after bumping heads with owner Marge Schott. 

Bill Salkeld - 1945-47 TSN Archives

• 1946 - The Bucs took two from the first place Brooklyn Dodgers, 5-4, in 11 innings and 4-3 in a six-inning game shortened by the Sunday curfew. The game drew an overflow crowd of 37,953 as the Pirates whittled da Bums lead to two games. The SRO folk were on the field behind ropes, and the teams combined for nine ground rule doubles that ended up in the sea of unseated fans at Forbes Field. Jack Hallett won the opener and Preacher Roe took the nightcap. Roe’s relief outing with runners on the corners and two down was as perfect as you could get - with the Buc 3B playing even with the runner, C Bill Salkeld suspected a squeeze bunt. He called for a pitchout, and guessed right - the runner was steaming home and was tagged out easily. Roe got a one-pitch win when Frankie Gustine’s two-out double in the Pirates half scored Frankie Zak. Billy Cox had the hot stick, with four hits, including a pair of two baggers, and three RBI during the afternoon. 
• 1958 - The Bucs were up by 10 runs entering the final frame, but barely hung on for an 11-10 win over the Giants when pinch hitter Don Taussig popped out with the bases loaded to end the game at San Francisco's Seals Stadium. The Giants sent a record six pinch hitters to the plate in the frame, and three scored. Don Gross, the fourth pitcher of the inning, got the save for Vern Law. RC Stevens and Frank Thomas homered and combined for five RBI.