8/31 Through the 1970s: Baron's Last Buc Outing; Pie Night; Doves No Hawks; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Morris, Ramone, Ray, William, Wally, Syd, Monte, Red & Duke

• 1866 - C Charley “Duke”/“Duke of Marlborough” Farrell was born in Oakdale, Massachusetts. Farrell was a big (6’-1”, 208 lbs.), switch-hitting catcher who could fill in at other spots and batted .275 in 18 big league seasons. He stopped at Pittsburgh in 1890, playing three spots (C, 1B, OF) and batting .290. He went to Boston, then returned here in 1892 but had a fairly miserable time, batting just .215 and never feeling quite at home in the clubhouse or city. He was traded in the offseason for pitcher Lefty Killen. He earned the nickname Duke of Marlborough early in his career; he was a snazzy dresser who was raised in Marlborough. 
• 1868 - RHP Phillip “Red” Ehret was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He played for Pittsburgh from 1892-94 and put up a 53-59/3.79 line in 109 starts and 15 relief appearances. Red also played some outfield and got 438 PA in that span (mostly as a pitcher), batting .201 (hey, at least he was on the right side of the Mario Mendoza line, right?) And yes, he was a redhead. 
• 1869 - SS Monte Cross was born in Philadelphia. Monte spent 15 years in the show and was known as a good glove man. Monte launched his career in Pittsburgh in 1894-95, batting .273 and becoming a starter for the first time in ‘95. He spent his last 10 seasons at home with the Phillies and the Athletics. When his MLB career ended in 1907, Monte hung on for a while, playing minor league/semi-pro ball, then umpiring and managing, most notably for several seasons with the U of Maine Black Bears, before joining the real world as a salesman. He passed away in his hometown at age 64. 
• 1883 - C Syd Smith was born in Smithfield, South Carolina. He spent parts of five seasons in the show, with the last two in Pittsburgh from 1914-15, getting into six games and going 3-for-12. He then managed the Pirates’ Caddo Lake Gassers, a Texas League team in a gas/oil boomtown. Before baseball, he also was the head coach at the Citadel in 1905 - for the football team. 

Syd Smith (w/Atlanta Crackers) - 1911 Piedmont

• 1888 - OF Wally Rehg was born in Summerfield, Illinois. He began his seven-year MLB career with the Pirates in 1912, going 0-for-9 in eight games. He did better with the Red Sox and later with the Braves as a bench outfielder. Known for his brash mouth, he greeted Hans Wagner in Pittsburgh by calling him “Grandpa.” He played in the minors until 1930, got a couple of movie cameos, and made cinema his second career, albeit as an Paramount Studio electrician. 
• 1897 - RHP William Bell was born in Galveston. Bell started his career with an eight-year run with the KC Monarchs, spent part of 1932 with Homestead Grays and tossed for the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932-35 when the club won two Negro NL titles. He was nearing the end of his 12-year career at that point, leaving the Craws for Newark where he got into just 15 games over two seasons. From there, he managed the Eagles for three years. The righty was known for finishing what he started; one stat study has him completing 75% of the games he started, and he could also help himself at the dish. He hit .235 during his career and played some outfield. Bell passed away in 1969 in El Campo, Texas, and the townsfolk named a park after him in memoriam. 
• 1907 - C Ray Berres was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was a Bucco back-up from 1937-40, a good glove guy that hit .225. After his playing days, he was the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox from 1949-66, then again from mid-season of 1968 through 1969, primarily under manager Al Lopez. He and Lopez had an interesting history together. Berres served as Lopez’s back-up early in his career and then was later traded to the Pirates straight-up for him. 
• 1909 - The Pirates extended their winning streak over the Boston Doves to 18 straight games with a 7-2 victory at South End Grounds. Honus Wagner led the way with a pair of doubles, a single, stolen base, a run scored and three Buccos driven home. Vic Willis went the distance for his 19th victory. The streak ended the next day in Boston when Cliff Curtis fired a five-hit shutout to edge Babe Adams, 1-0. Pittsburgh went 20-1 against Boston that year. 

Ramon Hernandez - 1974 Topps

• 1940 - LHP Ramon Hernandez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico. The reliever tossed six years (1971-76) in Pittsburgh, going 23-12-39/2.51 after being signed by Howie Haak, and was a bullpen member of the Bucco division champs of 1972, 1974 and 1975 (he was a September call-up for the 1971 team). In a nine-season career, Hernandez’s line was 23–15-46/3.03. 
• 1960 - LHP Morris Madden was born in Lauren, South Carolina. He tossed 14 of his 16 big league outings (three starts) for the Pirates in 1988-89 with a 2-2/5.03 line and was released after the ‘89 campaign. He had a long minor league career, spanning 1979-90 and collected 1,100 strikeouts over that stretch. Morris now coaches the Carolina Metros, an umbrella organization for youth traveling teams with a strong mentoring component. 
• 1968 - Steve Blass got the first out against the Atlanta Braves‚ and then moved to LF. ElRoy Face, 40, was in the process of being sold to the Tigers for an estimated $100K (actually, it was a done deal, but Detroit wouldn’t have an open roster spot until September 1st), and the club sent him in for one last appearance (legend has it he was asked whether he wanted to start or relieve, and opted to make his last outing from the pen). He retired Felix Millan on one pitch, a grounder to short, to tie Walter Johnson's MLB record of 802 pitching appearances with one club. Then manager Larry Shepherd came out for Roy to get his recognition, Blass returned, and the Pirates won, 8-0, at Forbes Field. 
• 1971 - The Pirates overcame a 5-0 deficit to beat the Phillies, 7-5, on Pie Traynor Night at TRS with 16,179 in the stands. The bats woke up, and chipped away to make it 5-3 going into the seventh when Danny Murtaugh broke out a trio of pinch hitters, and all three came through in spades. Bill Mazeroski singled for the pitcher, Gene Clines delivered a double with one gone to plate a pair and Manny Sanguillen put the Pirates over the top with a two-out, two-run single. The real credit belonged to relievers Bob Veale, Bruce Kison (the winner) and Bob Miller (he got the save), who together worked 6-2/3 frames, giving up just one run.