5/5 Through 1964: Big Finish, Hangin' On, Dodgers Swept, Bean-ballin', Pete's Pandora Box, Game Days; 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 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. 
• 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 to cap Donovan’s busy day.

Jack Glasscock - 1895 Mayo Plug Chew

• 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. 
• 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. 

Tommy Helms - 1977 Topps

• 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 both homered and together chased home five Buccos. 
• 1960 - Things looked bleak after six innings for the Bucs at Wrigley Field with the score 7-2 Cubbies. But the Buccos put up a five spot in the seventh (Roberto Clemente’s two-run homer was the big blow) to tie it and Bill Virdon won the game with a two-out, two-on triple in the ninth as the Pirates rallied for a 9-7 win over the Cubs. The workhorses were pitchers Jim Umbricht, Fred Green and ElRoy Face, who combined to hold Chicago to one run on four hits over the final seven frames. On the attack side, the first four batters - Bob Skinner, Dick Groat, Roberto Clemente and Dick Stuart - went 10-for-20 with a homer, triple, and two doubles, scored six runs and drove in five tallies.

5/5 From 1965: Duel Dinger, Cico de Mayo, Up The Stairs, Boppin', Roberto Honked, Game Days, Bo POTM, ID Plz, Rumors, HBD Beau

• 1965 - Roberto Clemente made the front page of the Post Gazette when he told the beat gang “I wouldn’t care if they traded me. I’m unhappy here...because the team is going badly (they were 7-13) and I seem to be getting blamed for it because I’m not hitting.” The trigger for the outburst was being held out of the lineup for a game at Chicago by manager Harry Walker. Clemente had a bout of malaria in the off season and lost 20 pounds, and The Hat decided a respite would help him, with the down time giving Roberto three straight rest days because of a break in the schedule. Clemente thought he was being benched. The pair got together the next day and cleared the air during a breakfast meeting, and the time off seemed to help. Clemente was hitting .264 at the time, but after a slow week or two, he regained his strength and was batting over .300 by the end of the month, finishing the campaign with a .329 BA, tops in the league. 
• 1968 - Thanks to a three-run eighth inning, the Pirates defeated the Phils 5-2 at Connie Mack Stadium behind Luke Walker, Dave Wickersham (the winner), and Bob Moose, backed by a 12-hit attack that saw every position player but one collect a hit. Jerry May led the offense with two hits and two RBI; Roberto Clemente, Maury Wills and Manny Mota also added a pair of knocks. The game ended an unusual losing streak - Pittsburgh had dropped its first six televised games of the campaign before finally winning a broadcast contest. 
• 1972 - Dock Ellis, Rennie Stennett and Willie Stargell missed the team bus to Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. They arrived late and separate from the rest of the team, so the gate security guard asked for identification. None of the trio had any on them, but they all had their World Series rings engraved with their names and tried to use that as ID. When the guard refused to accept that as legit, Dock verbally abused the officer (“I gave him a thousand bleep-bleeps” he told the Pittsburgh Press), had a gun pulled on him (quickly holstered) to quiet him down and then was maced when the guard claimed Ellis cocked his fist at him. The guard also alleged that Ellis was drunk and had a bottle of wine with him; Dock denied that charge. They all eventually got into the clubhouse, though Dock was later hauled in front of Cincinnati Municipal Court for disturbing the peace (the charges were later dropped). GM Joe Brown said the players didn’t have team ID with them because the club had never issued any, not seeing a need for them. Needless to say, Pittsburgh quickly issued photo identification cards to all the players. To make it a perfect day, the Pirates lost the game to Cincy, 5-4, for their eighth defeat in the past 10 outings. 

Gene Clines - 1973 Topps

• 1973 - The Pittsburgh Press floated trade rumors with San Diego, who dangled C Pat Corrales and then P Steve Arlin for OF Gene Clines, but that balloon proved leaden. Corrales called it a career after hitting .208 while Arlin lasted until ‘74, posting to a 5.51 ERA while Gene hit .263 in 107 games. He remained a Buc through 1974 (he remained open to being traded as he was buried on the bench) before he was swapped to the Mets in the off season for C Duffy Dyer. 
• 1985 - The Pirates beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 3-2 at TRS by using their eyes more than their bats as Joe Orsulak and Johnny Ray drew bases-loaded walks off Tom Niedenfuer in the eighth inning to plate the tying and winning runs. Bill Madlock went 3-for-3 with a walk while Bill Almon and Orsulak had a pair of raps. Rick Rhoden got the win over Jerry Reuss after allowing two runs in eight innings with John Candelaria pitching a clean ninth for his fifth save.
• 1987 - Behind the long ball, the Bucs defeated the Padres 10-8 at Jack Murphy Stadium. The four-baggers were smacked by the usual suspects, Barry Bonds, Andy Van Slyke & RJ Reynolds, with the surprising addition of Rafael Belliard, who banged his first career big fly. Rafe had two hits and three RBI, and wouldn’t hit his second and final MLB home run until a decade later in 1997. 
• 1988 - 3B Bobby Bonilla was named the National League Player of the Month after batting .341 with seven long balls and 18 RBI as the Buccos went 16-6 during April. He was the first Pirate to take home the award in two years, since Johnny Ray in April of 1986. It was Bobby Bo’s breakout year, and he made his first All-Star team with a batting line of .274 BA/24 HR/100 RBI.

 

Beau Sulser - 2022 photo TSN/Getty

• 1994 - RHP Beau Sulser was born in Escondido, California. Beau was drafted by the Bucs in 2017 from Dartmouth in the 10th round. He got the call to the show in April, 2022, and made four appearances (0-0/3.72) before being DFA’ed and claimed by Baltimore. After six outings there, he went to Korea (1-7/5.62) in 2023, was released in mid-season and re-signed with the Pirates. He declared for free agency at the end of the year to toss for a team in China. After the 2025 season, Beau joined Tampa Bay and is working in player development. 
• 1998 - Feliz Cinco de Mayo! The Pirates defeated St. Louis 5-2 at Three Rivers Stadium as Francisco Cordova became the first Mexican-born Pirate pitcher to start a game on Cinco de Mayo for the Bucs since Vicente Padilla (who didn’t factor in the decision that day) in 1992. Francisco got the win and his Veracruz amigo Ricardo Rincón picked up a hold over the Cards. Jermaine Allensworth had a pair of hits and two RBI to go with Jose Guillen’s homer. 
• 2003 - Matt Stairs homered off Houston’s Wade Miller, launching a blast that was estimated to travel 461’ to become the longest ball hit in the history of Minute Maid Park. It was Pittsburgh’s only bright spot as the ‘Stros mauled Kris Benson on the way to an 8-1 victory. Miller carried a perfect game into the sixth until it was broken up and tossed an eight inning three-hitter for the win. 
• 2019 - Jordan Lyles and Oakland’s Frankie Montas hooked up in a great pitching duel at PNC Park. The Bucs scored in the second inning by manufacturing a run off a Josh Bell two-bagger, ground out, and Colin Moran sac fly. The Pirates missed a sixth-inning golden opportunity, blowing a first-and-third, no-out set up before the A’s then tied it in the seventh with two outs when the eight hitter doubled and former Bucco farmhand Robby Grossman singled him home. Each team’s bullpen kept the zeroes coming through the 12th inning without any major uprisings. Tyler Lyons, in the second inning of his Pittsburgh debut, walked the first two batters in the 13th; they both scored and he avoided more damage when a bases loaded, one-out shot up the middle deflected off him to Jung Ho Kang, who stepped on third and threw to first for an inning-ending DP. Fernando Rodney got the first out, then sandwiched a walk between two singles, making it 3-2 with Bucs on the corners. His next pitch was hammered by Starling Marte into the left-center field bullpen, and the Bucs walked off with a 5-3 win in a game that morphed from a pitcher’s delight to a slugfest in the blink of an eye. It was Starling’s fifth walkoff long ball, one shy of the franchise mark.

Weekly Report: See-Saw Week, Tri Back, Jared Starts Rehab, Walk-&-Run-Athon, K Streak, Ashcraft/Soto Maddux

Freaky streaky this week... 

 Pirates Stuff: 

• Replenishing the staff: On Tuesday, the Bucs recalled Hunter Barco from Indy and optioned Wilber Dotel back. Wilber tossed four perfect frames on Monday, but the Pirates needed a bulk man after burning through eight pitchers v the Cards. The same day, the team reinstated Braxton Ashcraft from the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List and optioned Cam Sanders to Indy. 
• Another day, another move: Veteran RHP Chris Devenski (he's a 10-year vet who worked for the Astros, Rays, Diamondbacks, Phillies, Angels and Mets with a line of 27-22-8/3.91) was called up from Indy, Hunter Barco was optioned back, and RHP Ryan Harbin was DFA'ed (Chris needed a 40-man spot). Spoiler: Harbin is injured, so the Bucs are rolling the dice that he gets through  and re-signs.

Tri is back - 2026 image/Pirates

• Jason Triolo (knee) stopped by the clubhouse Monday on his way to Altoona to begin step two of his rehab assignment. Tri went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer for the Curve on his Tuesday debut and must have looked 100%; they reinstated him on Saturday and optioned Nick Yorke to Indy. 
• Jared Jones (elbow) began his rehab at Bradenton on Wednesday. He went three perfect innings with five K, hitting 101 MPH. He's right on schedule; now he's on his way to AAA to continue his rehab, although it seems they have plans to flip him between Indy & Altoona starts. JJ is due to come off the IL on May 26th, so they have time to stretch him a bit before he returns to action.
• The Reds walked seven straight Buccos in the second inning on Saturday to tie an MLB record. The last time there were seven consecutive walks in an MLB frame, Pittsburgh was on the other side of the coin - it was Atlanta v Pittsburgh on 5/25/83 when Jim Bibby and Jim Winn did the honors in a 6-0 loss. That had only been done once before, back when the mark was set in 1909 by the White Sox.
• Bucco pitchers have struck out six or more batters in 72 straight games. That's the third-longest K streak since 1901.
• Seth Hernandez was named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending 4/26. Seth tossed five scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks with nine strikeouts. His slash entering the week is 2-0/0.53 with 32 strikeouts in 17 innings of work through four starts for Low A Bradenton.

Seth Hernandez - 2026 photo/Florida State League

• A couple of minor league guys have been put on ice - Mitch Jebb, who plays CF at Indy, broke his thumb and is expected to miss 12 weeks before being back to baseball activities and LHP Anthony Solometo, who can't put together a healthy run, is out for 12 months after labrum surgery. In better news, OF's Jhostynxon Garcia (back) and Edward Florentino (ankle) are on the mend. Garcia started a rehab stint Friday at Low-A Bradenton while Florentino finished his rehab and was sent to High-A Greensboro.

 Game Stuff: 

• The Pirates bullpen start crew was perfect into the seventh inning and had a 2-0 lead at PNC going into the ninth; Dennis Santana couldn't hold it, and the Cards final frame barrage (four hits, two homers, two walks) handed the Bucs their first back-to-back defeats this month with a 4-2 comeback rally.
• The Buc bats boomed Tuesday, with homers from Oneil Cruz, Ryan O'Hearn and Konnor Griffin, but the top-heavy but bottom-light pitching went south as the Cards ran away early and cruised to an 11-7 win at PNC.
• And a cold and drizzly night saw the fourth loss in a row, this one by a 5-4 count. 1-for-12 w/RISP, 11 stranded runners...the Pirates did everything but find a clutch hit or two. Nick Gonzales was almost a hero; his two-out, ninth inning blast was robbed. It would have been a walk off if it was a foot or two higher. 
• Paul Skenes and Isaac Mattson proved human and the Bucs dropped their fifth straight, 10-5. The Reds come to PNC next. 

Mitch Keller - 2026 image/Pirates

• A steady drizzle fell starting Friday afternoon and a rain delay pushed the start past 8 o'clock. But Kells was up to the task of stopper; he went seven strong, giving up a run, and the sticks took the pressure off in a 9-1 breakout. Henry Davis had two long balls while Marcell Ozuna & B-Rey added a bomb apiece.
• The 4PM start didn't help Carmen Mlodzinski. With two outs in the first inning, a routine fly that Oneil Cruz let drop (he & B-Rey both declined to catch it) and instead of a scoreless frame, the unplayed ball turned into a two-run double. The Bucs shrugged it off and put up an opening five-spot of their own. The next inning, Cincy walked seven straight Pirates and the Buc bats were banging (everyone had at least one RBI, which last happened in 1975, and a trio had three runs plated). It ended up 17-7 good guys, with Carmen fanning ten and Konnor Griffin posting his first big-league four-hit game.
• The Bucs ended the weekend on a sweet note, sweeping the Reds 1-0 in a game that Braxton Ashcraft and Cincy's Chase Burns left scoreless into the eighth. That's when the Pirates put up a run with two outs and the bases empty before Konnor Griffin doubled and scored on Oneil Cruz's single, beating the throw with a headfirst slide home. Gregory Soto got the win in relief, retiring the final four batters. 
• The team goes on a six-game, seven-day roadtrip to Arizona (May 5-7) and San Francisco (May 8-10) this week.

MLB Stuff:

• OF Tommy Pham, who the New York Mets DFA'ed last week after a brief call-up, went unclaimed. Rather than accept an outright assignment back to the minors, he declared for free agency.
• The Phillies walked off both ends of a rain-out doubleheader Thursday, and both wins went to RHP Chase Shugart, who worked for the Bucs last year (4-3/3.40) and was traded to the Phils during the off season.
• The Cubs ourighted Vince Velasquez back to the minors after an outing; he refused the assignment and became a FA.
• LHP Luis Peralta was waived by the Rockies and claimed by the Cards. Luis was a Bucco farmhand that was traded to the Rox for lefty reliever Jalen Beeks at the 2024 deadline.

5/4 Through the 1950s: Roman III, Lloyd Loose, Babe Bingo, Winnin' Duels, Game Days, Hans Day; HBD Ken, Smokey, Zip, Vic & Lou

• 1875 - OF Lou Gertenrich was born in Chicago. His MLB career consisted of six at-bats, half with the 1903 Pirates, where he went 0-for-3. He was somewhat of a semi-pro legend in the Windy City who played sporadically in the pros as he was a well-off businessman (his family was in the chocolates business) besides ballplayer. Lou got his day as a Bucco when the Pirates were in Chicago. Manager Fred Clarke, who was injured, had given outfielder Jimmy Sebring three days off for his wedding and being a man down, the Buccos used Gertenrich for the match. He went hitless, but did lay down a bunt and played the pasture flawlessly. Though he did stay local, he dabbled in the pro ranks off-and-on until 1913, closing his career out with the then-independent Federal League Chicago Keeleys. Afterward, he played local semi-pro ball until he passed away in 1933. 
• 1891 - 1B Vic Saier was born in Lansing, Michigan. Vic took over first base in Chicago for Frank Chance (of Tinker-to-Evans-to-Chance fame) in 1911. He had six good seasons for the Cubs before he broke his leg in 1917, missing almost all that year and then spent 1918 in a defense factory. The Bucs took a chance on him in 1919, but Saier hit only .223 in 58 games and was released, ending his MLB days. It was thought that he was unhappy that he was no longer in Chicago and it showed through his performance in Pittsburgh. 
• 1892 - OF John Edgar “Zip” Collins was born in Brooklyn. Collins started his career in Pittsburgh in 1914-15 and also played with the Boston Braves & Philadelphia Athletics during his five-year big league run. He came to Pittsburgh as a 22-year-old hotshot out of the Texas League and he hit .276 during his Pirates tenure before being sold to Boston late in the 1915 campaign. He played pro ball until 1925 and then managed in the minors until taking a variety of day jobs. Zip got his nickname because of his strong arm; he had 20 assists for the Pirates, but his 18 errors offset his rifle arm. 
• 1908 - After losing three in a row at Cincinnati’s Palace of the Fans, Vic Willis tossed a five hitter to top Billy Campbell and the Reds, 1-0. Honus Wagner tripled in the seventh and a grounder by Ed “Abby” Abbaticchio brought him home for the game’s only tally. Willis was strong all year and went on to win 23 games. 

Babe Adams - Helmar Score 5

• 1909 - The Pirates won their fourth straight game over the Cubs by beating Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown 1-0 in 11 innings at West Side Park behind Dots Miller’s RBI and Babe Adams’ shutout. It was the second time in three weeks that the Pirates defeated the hard-luck Brown by a 1-0 score in extra innings, with Howie Camnitz winning a 12-inning decision in mid-April. 
• 1913 - Pitcher Babe Adams was a one man wrecking crew at Redland Field. He threw a two-hit shutout against Cincinnati and drove home the game's sole run with the Pirates only hit, a triple, to score C Bill Kelly, who had walked ahead of Babe. The 31-year-old Adams (he pitched until he was 40) was the team ace that year, winning 21 games with a 2.15 ERA while working 313-1/3 innings. 
• 1931 - P/SS Lenora “Smokey” Mandella was born in McKeesport. She played for four different clubs in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League between 1949 and 1951. She got her break when she impressed AAGPBL scouts in a tryout at Renziehausen Park and from that beginning, Mandella went on to start her baseball career with the South Bend Blue Sox. After the league dissolved (she finished 4-8 on the hill with a .127 BA between 1950-51 w/no record of her first-year stats), Smokey stayed involved with softball in the Steel Valley, coaching for 30 years. Her nickname was due to her strong arm and smokin’ hot fastball. 
• 1933 - The Brooklyn Dodgers tossed a Honus Wagner tribute day at Ebbets Field for their legendary foe. 10,000 showed up for the affair, and the Pirates didn’t spoil the day for their first-year coach, rallying for a 2-1 win behind the pitching of Heinie Meine and Tony Piet’s three hits. It was the first time Wagner appeared in Brooklyn since his playing days ended in 1917. Hans received a proclamation at City Hall, and when the crowd outside clamored for a speech, Honus told them diplomatically that “Sometimes you got me out and sometimes you didn’t” before a motorcade parade took him to the ballyard.

Hans at Ebbets Field - 5/5/1933 Pgh Press photo

• 1938 - Lloyd Waner had himself a day as the Pirates pulled away from the Dodgers to take a 9-5 win at Forbes Field. Little Poison had four hits, including a long ball & two triples, five RBI and three runs scored to lead Pittsburgh to the win. The Pirates had 12 hits on the day; eight went for extra bases as they teed off on Brooklyn’s Luke Hamlin and then eventual loser Bill Posedel. The Buccos starter, Russ Bauers, also was hit hard, but Joe Bowman came to Bauers’ rescue, taming the Brooklyn bats by tossing five innings of one-hit relief to earn the Pirates win. 
• 1951 - Pete Castiglione tripled on the second pitch that NY hurler Sal Maglie tossed and that would be the only hit The Barber surrendered in a 5-1 Giant win at the Polo Grounds. It wasn't quite a gem, as Maglie walked five, but he had the Buccos’ number - it was his seventh straight win over Pittsburgh. 
• 1955 - Sweet redemption: After going hitless and making a ninth-inning error, Roberto Clemente climbed the wall in right to take away extra bases from George Crowe with Braves on second and third to close out a 5-4 Pirates win over Milwaukee at Forbes Field. Dale Long and Gene Freese had a pair of RBI apiece while Bob Friend, with Arriba’s help, saved the game for Max Surkont. 
• 1956 - IF Ken Oberkfell was born in Highland, Illinois. Ken played 16 years in the majors and spent the second half of 1988 and the early weeks of 1989 in Pittsburgh, where he made the transition from a 100-game-per-year player to a utility bench guy. He got into 34 games as a Pirate and hit just .181 before being sent to the Giants. After he retired, Ken coached for 14 years in the Mets system before retiring to tend to the home fires. 
• 1958 - At Seals Stadium, Roman Mejias hit three homers, the first (and only) Pirate to post a three-pack of long balls since Ralph Kiner in 1952, in the opener of a twin bill with the San Francisco Giants to lead Pittsburgh to a 6-2 win; the day was a split after losing the nightcap, 4-3. Mejias, who was a 15-homer guy in AAA ball, hit just two more long flies the rest of the season. His four RBI helped Ronnie Kline to victory, with ElRoy Face coming on in the ninth for the save.

5/4 From 1960: Willie Inked, Dewey Slam, Jose Roll, Coastin', Bombs Away, Game Days, JT - POTW, TSN/SI Bonds, RIP Ray, HBD Jason

• 1965 - For Willie Stargell and Jerry Lynch, it was homer or no count. Lynch banged a pair of early solo shots and Willie added a game-tying long ball in the sixth that was followed by a three-run bomb in the ninth as the duo powered the Pirates to a 6-3 victory against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The dynamic duo had five of the Bucs 10 hits. Al McBean got the win in relief of Joe Gibbon, although he left the bases filled with Cubbies in a nail-biting ninth inning. 
• 1967 - The Bucs ran away from the Dodgers by scoring seven runs in the seventh to take a 9-3 victory over LA at Forbes Field. They literally pounded Dodger ace Don Drysdale; Roberto Clemente drilled a liner off his hand and Donn Clendenon smacked one so hard off his ankle that it bounced to first for the putout. He had to leave after six frames, battered and bruised, and the Bucs rallied for the win the next inning against a trio of LA relievers. Bill Mazeroski had three RBI while Clemente and Maury Wills collected three hits each to help Bob Veale to the win. 
• 1973 - The Pirates had their best two-day offensive output of the year while on a west coast swing when they bashed the Padres 12-6 the day after blasting the Giants, 14-5. Today’s hero was Rennie Stennett, who belted two homers and plated six runs; Bob Robertson and Richie Hebner, batting ahead of him, set the table with three hits apiece while Dave Cash added a three-run big fly. A day earlier, Al Oliver was the man of the hour at the Bay, bashing a pair of dingers and chasing home six runs with four hits while Manny Sanguillen and Milt May added three knocks. Nellie Briles and Steve Blass took advantage of the swatting to become the respective winners. 
• 1976 - OF Jason Michaels was born in Tampa, Florida. The outfielder spent 11 seasons and over 1,000 games in the show. He played in Pittsburgh in 2008 after the Bucs had claimed him from the Cleveland Indians in May and batted .228 while getting into 102 games. Houston picked him up in the off season and he spent his final three MLB campaigns as an Astro. He coached briefly in the Washington Nationals’ system and now runs a consulting business in Tampa. 

Jason Michaels - 2009 Topps

• 1980 - The Pirates bats did the talking as they ran roughshod over the Atlanta Braves by a 13-4 tally at TRS. Willie Stargell led the onslaught with three hits, including a home run, double, and three RBI, while Phil Garner, who homered, and Ed Ott, who scored three times, also added three knocks. Dave Parker chased home three runs, Bill Madlock went long and Omar Moreno swiped three sacks to keep the parade moving. Jim Bibby wasn’t at his best, giving up eight hits and walking three, but coasted behind the booming bats to go the distance. 
• 1981 - The Pirates signed 38-year-old free agent Willie Horton after the Texas Rangers had released him at the end of camp. Over an 18-year MLB career, Horton hit 325 homers and plated 1,163 runs. He spent two seasons in AAA Portland for the Bucs, hitting .302 and .275 with 39 homers, but never got a call up to Pittsburgh with Mike Easler and Lee Lacy blocking him. Willie then played briefly in the Mexican League in 1983 and retired, seven hits shy of 2,000. 
• 1982 - 1B Jason Thompson was named the National League & Sports Illustrated Player of the Week. He was 11-for-27 with five homers and 12 RBI in seven games, with a 11-game hitting streak going on. He stayed hot; JT would take the award again the following week. 1982 was his only Pirates All-Star campaign as he finished the season with a line of .284/31 HR/101 RBI. 
• 1992 - The Bucs scored 11 runs in the sixth inning after trailing 5-1 to whip the Reds at TRS by a 12-5 count. Don Slaught, Jose Lind and Cecil Espy all had a pair of raps in the frame. Andy Van Slyke led the hit parade with four knocks; Jeff King added three. It was the first time since 1942 against the Cards that the Pirates had scored 11 runs in an inning, the franchise record. Zane Smith gave up five runs in five innings; Dennis Lamp, who got the win, Bob Patterson and Stan Belinda had to finish up. The Pirates started the season on a dead sprint to go 14-3, and the win launched them on a 5-wins-in-6-games streak, starting them on their way to a 96-win division title that they won over the Nats by nine games. 
• 1992 - Barry Bonds hit the daily double, being featured on the cover of both The Sporting News (“You Thought What?”) and Sports Illustrated (“Bonds Away.”). He was a fitting selection - Bonds slashed .311/34/103 and won the MVP in his last Pirates campaign. He would be the last Pirate to grace SI’s cover until 2013, when Jason Grilli won the honor during his All-Star campaign. 

• 2005 - Jose Mesa set a record by earning his 10th save in a 6-4 win over the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park; it was the longest streak of saving every team win (the Pirates were 10-16 after the victory) to start a season. Pittsburgh fell behind 3-0, and it took them the whole game to get the lead back; they scored three times in the ninth thanks to Jason Bay and Daryl Ward homers to take a 6-3 lead. Jose was tapped for a run on a double that eventually came around, but it was a good enough performance to close out a win for Salomon Torres, who came on in relief of Mark Redman. Rob Mackowiak had three hits while Bay and David Ross each added a pair. The streak ended the next day when the Pirates beat Arizona 6-2 without Mesa’s intervention. 
• 2011 - Ryan Doumit blasted a third-inning grand slam as the Bucs put up six runs in the frame (all six were unearned; the Friars booted back-to-back balls to start the inning) on the way to a 7-4 win against San Diego at Petco Park. The other run was manufactured via two walks and a stolen base, with Neil Walker scoring when the Friars couldn’t turn a DP. Kevin Correia got the dub with help from Chris Resop, Daniel McCutchen and Jose Veras, who covered the final three frames. 
• 2021 - Jim Leyland’s pitching coach from 1987-1996, Ray Miller, passed away at the age of 76. He was noted for his straightforward pitching philosophy of “Work fast, throw strikes, change speeds,” and he helped develop 1990 Cy Young winner Doug Drabek among others during Leyland’s glory seasons. Miller was a manager for the Minnesota Twins between 1985-1986 and led the Baltimore Orioles in 1998-99; he also served as Earl Weaver’s pitching guru. Ray, btw, never made it to the show as a pitcher himself, spinning minor league ball for a decade and topping out at AAA before turning to coaching in 1974. 
• 2023 - The red hot Pirates were brought to earth after a three-game sweep by Tampa Bay, losing 4-1, 7-1 and 3-2. They did show some life today, scoring twice in the ninth and getting the tying run to second before the air left the balloon. The club also got some tough news as RHP Vince Velasquez (4-3/3.06) was pulled after three innings with elbow pain after his 19-inning scoreless streak was snapped in the second. He worked once more three weeks later before being lost for the year to UCL surgery. They had one bright spot with a red circle outing when Colin Holderman joined Juan Nicasio, Ross Ohlendorf and Jeff Robinson as a member of the Pirates Immaculate Inning club, striking out Taylor Walls, Luke Raley and Christian Bethancourt on nine pitches in the seventh frame.

5/3 Through 1964: Bill-Red, Al-Kirby, Rufflin' Feathers, Grays Open, Ray's Run Ends, Whackin' Waner, Hans Hot, Homer-Gate, Game Days; HBD Chris, Dutch & Bing

• 1882 - 2B George Strief hit a solo homer to lead off the top of the third inning against the Red Stockings during a 7-3 loss at the Bank Street Grounds in Cincinnati. It was the Alleghenys second game as a member of the then-major league American Association and Strief’s homer was the first in franchise history (caveat: the Pirates don’t officially begin its history until 1887 when the Alleghenys joined the National League, putting the club’s first five years in baseball limbo). Strief would hit five long balls, two while with Pittsburgh, in his five-year, seven-team career (he played for four different squads in 1884 in three different big leagues - the AA, Union Association and NL). 
• 1899 - OF Jack McCarthy hit a ball that went through an open gate in the Exposition Park outfield wall, and a hometown fan shut it before Louisville’s fielder could get there to give McCarthy a gift three-run homer in Pittsburgh’s 7-6 win against the Louisville Colonels. The league frowned on the helping hand and ordered a replay of the game, though it was never made up - both clubs were middle-of-the-pack finishers and the game had no influence on the standings. 
• 1903 - Longtime Pirate co-owner and big league crooner Harry “Bing” Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington. He became a minority owner during the John Galbreath era; he and Galbreath knew one another from the horsey circuit. Crosby, who held his stake from 1946-77, taped the Pirates 1960 Game Seven win against the Yankees off TV for the only nine-inning video of the classic (he was too nervous to watch in person) and also helped in the signing of Bucco great Vern Law out of high school. Bing had a long-time love of baseball, playing in high school and for a year at Gonzaga University before show biz beckoned. 
• 1909 - The Bucs whipped Chicago 9-2 at the West Side Grounds. Honus Wagner went 5-for-6 during the game, scoring three times and stealing three bases to help earn Vic Willis the victory. He was repeating what he did the day before, also going 5-for-6 in a 6-0 victory over the Cubs. The Pittsburgh Press wrote “Hans Wagner was the shining star of the game. The other Pirates followed and the slaughtery of the Cubs is something awful to record.” Chicago was strong, winning 104 games and finishing second in the National League, 6-1/2 games off the Pirate pace. 

Hans - 1909 American Caramel

• 1923 - Scout Elmer “Dutch” Gray was born in Dormont. He attended South Hills HS and after an Army stint played five years of minor league ball. Gray then went into scouting, first with the St. Louis Browns/Baltimore Orioles and then with the Cincinnati Reds (1967-1984). He inked Ken Griffey Sr., giving Griffey's brother $25 for equipment for Ken; Griffey would later say he signed for $15, as his brother made off with a ten spot. Elmer then joined the Pirates as scouting director, a role he held from 1984-1989 when he became director of operations. He remained with the Pirates in different roles through 2012. As scouting director for Pittsburgh, he helped draft Barry Bonds, Tim Wakefield, Jeff King, Moises Alou, Orlando Merced and Stan Belinda per BR Bullpen. 
• 1927 - Paul Waner went 3-for-4 with a triple, walk, three runs scored and four RBI as the Pirates outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals 11-10 at Forbes Field. Earl Smith had three hits, including two homers, to add three RBI to the pot and Glenn Wright also had three knocks and plated three times to give Ray Kremer, the Pirates fourth pitcher, the win. After the game, the festivities continued with a testimonial dinner for manager Bill McKechnie at the William Penn Hotel. The speakers for the event ran the gamut: John K. Tener (Governor of Pennsylvania and former NL president), Branch Rickey (then a Redbirds exec), and Samuel E. Watters (secretary of the Pirates) were at the head table. 
• 1928 - Ray Kremer lost his first home start of the season to the Boston Braves at Forbes Field in 11 innings, 5-4. The loss ended the MLB record streak of 22 straight home victories by the righty dating back to 1926. Kremer played for the Pirates for a decade, winning 143 games with a 3.76 ERA for two World Series clubs and claiming 15 victories or more for eight straight seasons 
• 1938 - C Chris Cannizzaro was born in Oakland, California. The good glove reserve backstop played 13 years in the majors, including a 1968 stop in Pittsburgh after a trade with Detroit. He started 18 games here and hit .241 before he was sent to SD in the off season with Tommie Sisk for Ron Davis and Bobby Klaus. In 1975, he served as player-coach for the Hawaii Islanders and a year later hung up his mitt as he was hired as the bullpen coach by the Braves, lasting until October, 1978. Cannizzaro then signed with the California Angels as a coach and for three seasons, he managed in the California League before retiring to his San Diego home in 1981. From there, he was active in local charity events and helped coach at the high school/college level. 

Josh Gibson - Helmar Art Stamps

• 1942 - Josh Gibson started the season off with a bang when his three-run homer in the eighth inning provided just enough oomph to push the Homestead Grays to a 3-2 win over the Newark Eagles at Ruppert Stadium before a record Opening Day crowd of 18,000 fans. Ray Brown did his part, too, going the distance while spinning a four-hitter. The Grays won the ‘42 Negro National League flag by nine games, but were swept in the World Series by the KC Monarchs. 
• 1947 - The Pirates traded OF Al Gionfriddo plus $100,000 to Dodgers for pitchers Kirby Higbe, Cal McLish, Hank Behrman, Dixie Howell and IF Gene Mauch. Gionfriddo was best remembered for his 1947 World Series grab of a Joe DiMaggio blast for Brooklyn and Red Barber’s call that he was going “back back back back back” for the catch, which Chris Berman of ESPN later adopted as his home run call. Some analysts believe that Branch Rickey, then the Dodgers’ GM, made the deal to send a message to the Brooklyn players about his support for Jackie Robinson by shipping some gripers to Pittsburgh, though he may have also just been housecleaning. Whatever the thinking, none of the players other than Higbe had much impact with the Pirates. 
• 1952 - The Pirates sent LHP Bill Werle to St. Louis for three-time All Star RHP Red Munger. At 33, Munger was nearing the end of the road after nine seasons. He went 0-3/7.18 in four starts (five outings), was sent to the minors for three seasons, and in 1956 returned for a last hurrah, going 3-4-1/4.04 out of the pen and as a spot starter. Werle became a full-time reliever and made 38 appearances for the Cards and BoSox, ending his big league days after the 1954 campaign. But it didn’t end his pitching career - he spent 1955-63 earning a paycheck in the PCL. 
• 1953 - Johnny Lindell, a pitcher turned outfielder turned pitcher, earned the Pirates fifth straight win by beating the Cards, 6-2. Lindell notched his first victory since 1942 when he was a Yankee reliever before he converted to the OF in 1943. In 1950, he became a bush league knuckleballer and returned to the majors in 1953 at the age of 36 as a pitcher. His knuckler was a wild child, and he led the NL in walks and wild pitches that season. Although used mainly by the Bucs as a pitcher (Lindell worked 175 IP), he also batted .286 and pinch hit 34 times, once tying a game with a three-run, ninth-inning homer. 

Hank Foiles - 1959 Topps

• 1959 - The Pirates split a twinbill with the Cardinals at Forbes Field in front of 20,860 fans. The Bucs won the opener 4-3 in 10 innings behind ElRoy Face and a little help from Redbird outfielder Gino Cimoli, who let Bill Mazeroski’s soft liner drop with the bases loaded and two outs, when, as Pittsburgh Press beat man Les Biederman wrote, he “did everything but catch it.” The nightcap featured an unassisted DP by catcher Hank Foiles - he caught a strikeout and tried to throw out a Cardinal runner on the move, but batter Bill White double swung the bat and his recoil hit the ball he missed the first time, earning an interference call as well. The real action began when player/manager Solly Hemus, who had been nicked by Pittsburgh pitcher Bennie Daniels in the first and then exchanged some words, was brushed back again in the sixth. He and Daniels charged each other and several tussles broke out - Danny Murtaugh v Hemus and Redbird pitcher Larry Jackson v Buc coach Len Levy were the main bouts during the shoving match royale. It also rained during the second game, causing a suspension in the seventh with the score knotted at 1-1. The Cards took over during the June 2nd completion date, winning 3-1 before claiming the regularly scheduled match, 3-0. 
• 1959 - Pirates coach Jimmy Dykes, who joined Danny Murtaugh’s staff at the start of the season, had a short stay; he was hired away on this day to become the manager of the Detroit Tigers. Jimmy had been a skipper before and would be a skipper again after Motown - in 21 seasons, he guided six MLB teams to 1,406 victories, although like Gene Mauch, he never did win a flag. 
• 1964 - Bob Veale was chased after getting just four outs and falling behind the Cards at Busch Stadium by a 6-1 count. But the top five of the Bucco order - Gene Alley, Dick Schofield, Bill Virdon, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell - went 9-for-19 with nine runs scored and seven RBI (five from Pops; he and Alley homered) to power the club to a 12-8 win. Not to be outdone, the bottom of the lineup, Billy Mazeroski and Jim Pagliaroni, added five hits and chased home four runs. Don Schwall staggered through 4-2/3 innings, allowing 10 runners but only two runs, for the win before ElRoy Face served three zeroes for the save.

5/3 From 1965: Carmelo-Cole, 17 K, Brian Bops, Zane Zips, Al Ablaze, Game Days, Bo POTM, Gunner Back; HBD Austin & Ivan

• 1968 - 1B Ivan Cruz was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. He yo-yo’ed for four seasons in the show, getting 21 at-bats with the Bucs between 1999-2000 with a .238 BA while spending most of his time at AAA Nashville. After his Bucco days, he played a bit for the St. Louis Cardinals, continuing on in the Mexican and Japanese leagues until he retired at 35 after the 2003 season. 
• 1973 - The Pirates trounced the San Francisco Giants 14-5 at Candlestick Park. The G-Men were generous to a fault, allowing six unearned runs and missing a couple of other catchable balls. Al Oliver (who was 1-for-20 coming into the contest) had a day, homering twice and plating six runs while slowpoke Milt May added to the festivities with a three-run inside-the-park-homer. Nellie Briles staggered to a complete game victory even though he was touched up for 11 hits. The clubhouse was not all fun and games afterwards - manager Bill Virdon had a spat with Richie Hebner over dogging a play in the field that carried over into a post-game locked door discussion; when it was done, Virdon told the media he didn’t want to talk about it and The Gravedigger fired a stool at the wall after he left The Quail’s office. Gene Clines, the Pirates fourth outfielder, chimed in with a beef about lack of game time (he played behind Oliver, Willie Stargell, Roberto Clemente and Richie Zisk during his Pirates tenure and saw roughly 300 AB/season). Dave Cash was also in a bit of a funk, but his blues tune was triggered by committing three errors at second during the day. 
• 1985 - The Gunner, Bob Prince, returned to the booth after a 10-year absence following his dismissal by KDKA. Prince got a standing ovation from the crowd, and after he took over the mic in the fourth frame, the Pirates erupted for nine runs, earning him another O after the inning as the Bucs dropped LA, 16-2. It was a sadly short comeback as The Gunner died of cancer on June 10th. 

Gunner Returns - 1985 photo Darrell Sapp/Post-Gazette

• 1986 - A skunk wandered onto the field at San Diego in the seventh inning at Jack Murphy Stadium and held up the Padres-Pirates game for several minutes. It was thought that a family of polecats lived under the stadium, feeding on peanuts and other fan debris; apparently that was one rumor that proved true. It was the Bucs who stunk out the joint early on, but they scored three times in the eighth and added the game winner in the ninth to skunk the Padres, 7-6. 
• 1988 - The Bucs got bombed at Dodger Stadium, 14-6. The game started off well, with the Pirates putting up a three-spot in the first frame, but LA answered with four tallies in their half and it quickly went downhill from there as Pittsburgh committed four errors and gave up nine unearned runs. But the last two innings belonged to bench heroes John Cangelosi and Dave Hostletler. Cangy took the hill, becoming the first position player to pitch for the Bucs since Mario Mendoza in 1977, and Dave put on the tools of ignorance for the final two frames. They may have appeared to be an odd couple as a battery - both were making their debut at their new positions, and Hostetler (6’4”) towered over Cangelosi (5’7”), but it worked as John spun two scoreless innings, giving up one hit. 
• 1990 - Bobby Bonilla was announced as the April National League Player of the Month. Bobby Bo hit .279 with seven homers, 21 RBI, 17 runs scored and 49 total bases, all but the BA leading the league for the opening month. It was back-to-back honors for Bo, who also won the September 1989 honor to go along with two other PoM awards that he earned in 1988. 

Bobby Bo - 1990 Starline

• 1991 - The Pirates defeated the Astros 1-0 in a one hour, 45 minute contest at TRS, the NL's shortest nine inning game since 1981. Zane Smith threw a complete game four-hitter while Pete Harnisch went the distance, giving up only two knocks, the crucial bop being Orlando Merced’s first MLB homer in the third inning. Zane put down 12-of-13 Astros he faced from the sixth inning on while tossing 92 pitches; Harnisch threw 89 pitches and retired the final 17 Buccos. 
• 1991 - Pittsburgh traded 1B Carmelo Martinez to Kansas City for RHP Victor Cole. Jim Leyland platooned Orlando Merced and Gary Redus at first, making Martinez a third wheel. Carmelo, 30, finished his MLB career as a Red, which picked him up in July from KC. He hit .234 for the three teams combined in his last MLB hurrah and then played in Japan, Mexico and the minors through 1995. Cole, 23, got into eight games for the Buccaneers in 1992 in his only big league stint and spent the rest of his pro career with five organizations in the minors and a season in Taiwan. 
• 1995 - OF Austin Meadows was born in Grayson, Georgia. He was selected in the first round (ninth overall) by the Pirates in 2013, foregoing Clemson for a $3,029,600 signing bonus. He bubbled among the Top 100 Prospects, but had several injuries that delayed his journey to the majors. He got his call in May of 2018 when Starling Marte was placed on the DL and was then shipped to Tampa Bay later in the year as part of the Chris Archer deal. He blossomed into an All-Star in 2019 with 33 homers at age 24, but had trouble replicating the following campaign. He moved on to the Detroit Tigers in '22, then spent most of the '23 season on the IL while battling anxiety. He's now a free agent. 
• 1998 - Turner Ward literally crashed through the right field wall at Three Rivers Stadium while running down Mike Piazza’s long fly in a 10-5 loss to the Dodgers. And yes, he hung onto the ball in a play that is still considered one of the great all-time MLB catches and an ESPN go-to clip, though he had to leave the game with bruises and some fiberglass splinters. The kid was a gamer; he crashed through the wall while LA was ahead, 9-0. Oddly enough, he was the second player to flatten the wall on this day. Dodger backup outfielder Trenidad Hubbard was shagging flies before the game, backed up to the wall to snag one, and the fence gave in, leaving him flat on his back. 

Turner Ward - 5/4/1998 photo/MLB.com

• 1999 - The Bucs scored four times in the ninth on homers by Warren Morris & Brian Giles, polished off by a two-out, walkoff single by Brant Brown to stun the Giants 9-8 at TRS. Giles had three hits (two left the yard) and five RBI while Jason Kendall went 5-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Rich Loiselle went three innings for the win after Marc Wilkins put up a pair of goose eggs in relief of Chris Peters. The Giants Jeff Kent countered, going 5-for-5 for the cycle with five RBI. 
• 2012 - The Pirates set a club mark by striking out 17 batters in nine innings during their 6-3 win over the Cards at Busch Stadium. Erik Bedard did the heavy lifting, whiffing 11 in five frames and setting a franchise record with seven consecutive K’s. Four Pirate relievers added six more sit downs in the final four innings, with Jason Grilli and Joel Hanrahan each notching a pair of punch outs. 
• 2014 - Despite making four errors and falling behind 5-0, the Pirates scored six times against the Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh and eighth innings to come all the way back for an 8-6 victory at PNC Park. Jordy Mercer’s double on an 0-2 pitch tied the game with two outs in the seventh inning and Neil Walker’s two-bagger off the top of the center field wall in the eighth frame chased home the game winners. Mark Melancon picked up the save of Bryan Morris’ win. 
• 2015 - The Bucs ended one of the most frustrating series in their history by losing their third straight extra-inning, walkoff contest to the Cardinals by a 3-2 score following a pair of 2-1 losses. The Bucs had the lead in the 12th thanks to Pedro Alvarez’s homer, but Radhames Liz gave up a tally in the St. Louis half and then a homer to Kolten Wong in the 14th to absorb the defeat. The Pirates scored just four runs in 35 innings against the Redbirds, stranding 37 runners while going 2-for-25 with RISP. The Cardinals swept a three-game series with all the victories coming in extra innings for the first time in franchise history and became the first team to do that deed since June of 1925, when the Cincinnati Reds broomed the Boston Braves thrice in overtime.

5/2 Through the 1940s: Twin Zippos, Start With 7, Big Bill Shows, Small Ball, 1st HR, One-Man Show, Game Days; HBD Hawk, George & Freddy

• 1877 - The Alleghenys beat the Boston Red Caps, the eventual International Association champs (the IA was arguably the first minor league ever formed) 1-0 behind do-it-all Pud Galvin. He tossed a one-hitter and bombed a homer thought to be the first ball to clear the fence at North Side’s Union Park. These Alleghenys, who began as a local independent nine, folded after the 1878 campaign, and were unrelated except by name to the 1882 club that eventually became the Pirates. 
• 1882 - The second coming of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association played their first MLB game (The AA was an alternative major league in the early days; the club would join the NL five years later) against Cincinnati at the Bank Street Grounds. The Alleghenys whipped the eventual AA champ Red Stockings by a 10-9 count, led by Charlie Morton and Jim Keenan combining to bang out seven hits. The Alleghenys’ Jack Leary and Reds’ Will White both went the distance. For Leary, who was a jack-of-all-trades (he only pitched three times in his 60 games with the Alleghenys while batting .286), it was his sole Pittsburgh win (1-0/6.75) before he moved on to Baltimore later in the season. OF Ed Swartwood, for the record, was the first batter in Allie history. Many consider this the first MLB game in Bucco franchise history except for the Pirates, which officially date its beginning to the team’s 1887 entry into the National League. 
• 1887 - Fred Carroll of the Alleghenys hit the franchise’s first National League homer (it was their second Senior Circuit game) off Detroit Wolverine pitcher Lady Baldwin as part of his cycle (also a Pirates first) at North Side’s Recreation Park in an 8-3 win. Motown had won 31 straight exhibition games plus three regular season games, and rallied after the loss to take the next two games. 

Fred Carroll - 1887 Buchner Gold Coin

• 1902 - RHP Freddy Sale was born in Chester, South Carolina. His MLB career consisted of an inning’s work in 1924 for the Pirates, giving up two hits but putting a zero on the scoreboard. He was a star at South Carolina, but got on with his life’s work without much further delay, leaving the game at age 23 after spending 1925 with Wilson in the Class B Virginia League. 
• 1908 - “Take Me Out to the Ball Game,” was copyrighted/published by Von Tilzer’s York Music Company. Jack Norworth wrote the lyrics and Albert Von Tilzer composed the music. It took a while to catch on in ballyards, first gaining popularity as a Tin Pan Alley vaudeville tune. It’s thought that the first time it was played at a ballpark was in 1934, at a high-school game in Los Angeles, and then later that year during the fourth game of the 1934 World Series. Norworth's original lyrics, written on an envelope and covered with notes, are exhibited in Cooperstown. 
• 1909 - Talk about small ball! Honus Wagner stole second, third and home (it was said that he touched the plate before Cub pitcher Ed Reulbach even released the ball) while his teammates swiped three more bases, drew two walks, suffered a plunked batter, were gifted two errors, and actually banged two hits in a five-run first frame that carried the Bucs' 6-0 victory in the opener of a twin bill. They also won the second game 5-2 against the Cubs at the West Side Grounds. For the Flying Dutchman, the base-stealing triple-larceny was the fourth and final time he pulled off the feat; it still stands as the MLB record. He swiped 723 sacks during his career and led the league in larceny five times. 
• 1909 - 1B George Giles was born in Junction City, Kansas. George was a well-traveled Negro League player who was considered an excellent fielder, fleet in the field and on the bases (he was thought by some to be the equal of Cool Papa Bell on the base paths), and a solid contact hitter with a lifetime .315 BA. He had a 1932 stint with the Homestead Grays (.338) and a 1938 stop with the Pittsburgh Crawfords (.302). GG retired and eventually ran a motel/bar in Manhattan, Kansas. His son George Jr. played in the minors and grandson Brian Giles was an infielder who played for the New York Mets, Seattle Mariners and Chicago White Sox. 

The Prez - 5/3/1910 Press photo/Munson

• 1910 - During a Pittsburgh visit, baseball fan President William Taft took time to attend the Pirates 5-2 win over the Cubs. The team set a then-attendance record of 20,265 at Forbes Field due mainly to Big Bill's appearance, but the Pittsburgh Press headline was “Taft Was Cheered, But Thunderous Applause Greeted Honus Wagner.” Hans had just one hit though he did score twice. The victory went to Babe Adams, who was relieved by Lefty Leifield in the seventh inning. 
• 1925 - The Pirates scored seven times in the first frame and plated 14 runs through the third inning as they romped over the Cincinnati Reds 18-3 at Forbes Field. Clyde Barnhart, Pie Traynor, and Earl Smith combined to drive in 10 runs while the top of the order (Max Carey, Kiki Cuyler, and Eddie Moore) scored nine times. Every starter scored and 8-of-9 posted at least one RBI. Lee Meadows cruised, tossing a five-hitter for the victory and swatting a two-run homer. 
• 1941 - RHP Clay “Hawk” Carroll was born in Clanton, Alabama. He ended his 15-year MLB career with two 1978 Pirates outings, giving up a run in four innings at age 37 after spending most of the season at AAA Columbus. He was released after the year and retired in 1979. His heyday was with the Cincinnati Reds, where he was named Fireman of the Year in 1972 with a couple of All-Star appearances. His nickname was a nod to his competitive nature on the field. 
• 1943 - Behind hurlers Wally Hebert and Bob Klinger, the Pirates claimed a twinbill from the Cubs by 3-0 and 1-0 tallies at Forbes Field. Jim Russell was the hero of the opener; his triple drove in a run and he scored a batter later while Hebert’s six-hitter tamed the Bruins. In the second game‚ Cubs hurlers Dick Barrett and Lon Warneke combined on a one-hit loss: Vince DiMaggio's double in the fourth was the only Bucco knock. The Pirate run was unearned as Elbie Fletcher, who had walked, plated on the two-bagger when the relay to second went astray. Klinger twirled a four-hit gem of his own.

5/2 From 1950: Cruz'ing, Key Gold, Ty/Hyde, Zach & Denny's 1st's, Rallies, Frank Rolls 7, Trip Trips, Game Days; HBD Neftali & Jose

• 1953 - OF Carlos Bernier hit three consecutive triples to tie a mark held by several players (four Pirates have done the deed) in a 12-4 win over the Redlegs at Forbes Field. Bernier added a single and a stolen base to the day’s stat line. In a stretch of 11 at bats, Carlos banged four triples, two doubles, and two singles. It was a great but misleading start to his only MLB season; he finished the year hitting .213. Carlos played through 1965, mostly in the Pacific Coast League. 
• 1954 - The Bucs and Chicago Cubs split a twin bill at Wrigley as Pittsburgh lost the opener 5-3 and won the nitecap 18-10. Frank Thomas had seven straight hits on the afternoon. Bob Friend, winner of the second game, drove in three runs to win his first contest of the year and set a backhand standard: Not until Vida Blue in 1979 had anyone else allowed 10 runs in a game and still won. 
• 1954 - A sputtering drive to raise funds for a Hans Wagner statue received a shot in the arm when Beechview declared “Honus Wagner Day,” featuring a game between its American Legion club and the “Old Timers” at Alton Field with the proceeds donated to the statue fund. The effort renewed interest for the Honus memorial, and on April 30th, 1955, the Frank Vittor bronze was unveiled outside Forbes Field, made the move to TRS and is now displayed at PNC Park. 
• 1956 - Lee Walls went 5-for-5 in a losing effort against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. The Pirates fell by a 10-9 count in 10 innings despite Wall’s three doubles, three RBI and three runs scored. Roberto Clemente added two hits and Frank Thomas homered in the overtime loss. 
• 1985 - RHP Jose Ascanio was born in Maracay, Venezuela. He joined the Bucco system in 2009 as part of the Tom Gorzelanny/Mike Grabow deal with the Cubs and tossed that year and in 2011 for the Buccos, slashing 0-1/7.00. He was considered a potential closer, but spent all of 2010 and much of 2011 on the DL due to shoulder surgery. He never returned to the majors, but spent several years afterward playing in the Mexican and Venezuelan Leagues. 

Jose Ascanio - 2010 photo Marc Serota/Getty

• 1987 - Bob Walk tossed six innings of three-hit ball as the Pirates squeaked by the Giants 1-0 at Three Rivers Stadium. Logan Easley, winner John Smiley and Don Robinson with the save carried Walkie’s torch to finish up the shutout. Sid Bream scored the winner in the eighth when his two-out grounder was booted, followed by back-to-back knocks from Jim Morrison and RJ Reynolds. 
• 1988 - RHP Neftali Feliz was born in Azua, Dominican Republic. The Pirates picked him up in 2016 as a $3.9M FA, and he got into 62 games, compiling a line of 4-2-2/3.52, with 29 holds and 61 K in 53-2/3 IP. The vet signed with Milwaukee in 2017, his fourth team in the past three campaigns, after beginning his career in Texas where he spent six seasons before becoming a bullpen drifter. After a three-year minor league stint, he worked for the Phils and Dodgers in ‘21; Neffi has been tossing in the Dominican and the Mexican Leagues since then and is now a FA.
• 1992 - LHP Denny Neagle won his first MLB game with a 6-0 victory over the Houston Astros at the Astrodome, holding the ‘Stros to two hits over six frames before handing off the ball to Dennis Lamp and Roger Mason, who kept the zeros coming. Barry Bonds gave him all the help he needed, doubling home a run in the first frame and then belting a three-run homer in the seventh, both with two away. Andy Van Slyke added two hits, two runs and an RBI to the total. 
• 2006 - Zach Duke tossed a five-hitter to earn his first MLB complete game and shutout in the Pirates' 8-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Freddy Sanchez had three hits with three RBI and two runs scored while Jeromy Burnitz banged a two-run shot to lead the attack. 
• 2012 - AJ Burnett gave up 12 runs in 2-2/3 innings as the Cardinals clocked the Pirates 12-3 at Busch Stadium. AJ had shut them out two weeks earlier 2-0 at PNC Park. He allowed the most runs by a Pirate hurler in 80 years and surrendered more earned runs in under three innings since earned runs became an official stat in 1913. "I stunk," Burnett told the AP. "There is nothing more I can say.” AJ put the outing in his rear view mirror, finishing the year with 31 starting assignments and 200 innings pitched while posting 16-10/3.51 slash despite this blip. 

AJ Burnett - 2012 Topps Update

• 2014 - The Bucs rallied from a 5-3 deficit to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-5 at PNC Park on the strength of a pair of ninth-inning home runs. Pedro Alvarez slammed a two-run shot to tie the game and Starling Marte walked it off with a two-out, two-strike solo bomb into left center to give Mark Melancon the win. The Shark was the third reliever behind starter Gerrit Cole. 
• 2016 - In one of the great Jekyll-and-Hyde outings, Tyler Glasnow tossed 36 pitches in the first inning, giving up three walks, two hits (one a moon shot by Joey Votto), two stolen bases, and three runs, then flipped the switch, tossing five shutout frames while surrendering two hits, a walk, and whiffing five on 69 pitches to earn his first MLB win over the Reds at Great American Ball Park, 12-3. Josh Harrison, a Cincy native, hit his third homer in two nights at GABP, a three-run dinger that capped a six-run fourth inning and gave Pittsburgh a 7-3 lead. The Pirates added five more runs in the seventh as they banged out 10 hits and drew eight walks to run away from the Reds. 
• 2023 - SIS Baseball, the gang that hands out the year-end Fielding Bible awards, named Pirates 3B Ke'Bryan Hayes Hayes as their MLB Defensive Player of the Month. He led all third sackers with six Defensive Runs Saved in April; no one else had more than three. They also noted that Key has compiled 50 Runs Saved since his debut in 2020, the most of any hot corner man in MLB. Hayes won the honor in 2021; Nolan Arenado took it again in 2022 for the fifth time. The honor found its wa to Steeltown in 2023 when Hayes was named the winner of the Fielding Bible Award for third basemen and also chosen as FB’s Defensive Player-of-the-Year. 
• 2025 - Oneil Cruz swiped his 33rd straight base, the longest streak in Pirates history since 1951 (the year CS became an official MLB stat), passing Tony Womack's streak of 32 in 1997. The Pirates all-time record is 37 consecutive steals by Max Carey in 1922-23. Cruz scored twice but the Bucs, off to a 12-21 start to the campaign, were dropped by San Diego at PNC Park by a 9-4 tally.

5/1 Through 1964: Streaking, Stu Shot, Dale Dealt, Petit's Dub, Slam Duet, Hart 1-Hitter, Game Days; HBD Jose, Ray, Johnny, Heinie, Bill K, George, Bill W & Tom

• 1859 - IF Tom Forster was born in New York City. He played four big league seasons for three teams, including a stop with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in 1884, where he hit .222. Tom had a 10-year pro career, playing his last campaign in 1891 for Hartford of the Atlantic Association at age 31. 
• 1860 - SS Bill White was born in Bridgeport, Ohio. He played five years in the big leagues for four different clubs, spending 1884 with the Alleghenys as a bench infielder and hitting .227. He played until 1889 with a reputation as a good gloveman. Bill’s last minor league season was 1894, and he later managed the Wheeling minor league clubs on three different occasions. 
• 1885 - RHP George McQuillan was born in Brooklyn. He was a decent pitcher for low-scoring teams (10 MLB years with four clubs), going 29-33-6 from 1913-15 with a 3.06 ERA for the Pirates. In 1907 he set one of the longest-lived records in MLB history when he pitched 25 innings for the Philadelphia A’s before giving up his first earned run. The mark stood for 101 years before being broken by Oakland Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler, who extended the record to 39-1/3 IP. 
• 1886 - C Bill Kelly was born in Baltimore. He came to the Pirates from minor league St. Paul in 1911, becoming their third catcher and serving as the personal caddy for Marty O’Toole. He played here through 1913, hitting .293 with 20 RBI’s in 102 games; he was known as a good hit, bad glove backstop. 

Bill Hart (Little Rock) - 1909/11 Sweet Caporal

• 1895 - Bill Hart hurled a one-hitter in a 4-1 victory over Cincinnati at Exposition Park. CF Jake Stenzel and C Joe Sugden each had a pair of knocks to lead the Pirates while SS Monte Cross made several nice running catches of short outfield flares. C Joe Sugden and CF Casey Stengel both outhit the Reds with a pair of knocks each, with Stengel driving in three runs and scoring twice. As the Pittsburgh Press noted of the Cincy club: “One hit will not win many games.” 
• 1896 - RHP Heinie Meine was born in St. Louis. The twirler spent six seasons with Pittsburgh (1929-1934), going 66-50 with a 3.95 ERA. Between 1931-33 he was a workhorse, throwing 663-2/3 frames in 96 games, going 46-30. In 1931, he led the NL in wins (19), innings pitched (284), and was fourth in ERA (2.98). He was a popular guy, known as "The Count of Luxemburg" because he ran a hometown speakeasy/tavern in the Luxembourg section of St. Louis. The watering hole in fact, was his ticket to the show. A successful pitcher in the minors, he failed a couple of big league tryouts and retired from the slab to behind the bar. Of course, baseball was a hot topic when Heine was pouring the suds, and his customers dared him to put up or shut up on the premise that he was an MLB-caliber pitcher. He finally took them up on the challenge, caught on with AA Kansas City in ’28 and next season, at 33 years old, proved himself in Pittsburgh. 
• 1917 - 2B Giovanni “Johnny” Berardino was born in Los Angeles. He made stops with the Bucs in 1950 and 1952 (.187 BA in 59 games), but his claim to fame wasn’t at the ballyard but in the back lots as he went on to become a TV soap opera star playing the role of Dr. Steve Hardy of General Hospital. 
• 1933 - The Pirates banged a pair of grand slams to back Bill Swift’s nine-hit, complete game shutout pitching and throttled the Philadelphia Phils 10-0 at the Baker Bowl. Arky Vaughan hit an inside-the-park grannie when his ball caromed wildly off the scoreboard in the third frame, then the Bucs iced the game with a five spot in the seventh, primarily fueled by Earl Grace’s grand slam over the right field wall. Vaughan and Grace became the first pair of Pirates to hit grand salamis in the same game, with Bill Madlock & Richie Hebner matching their feat in 1982. 

Pete Reiser - 1951 Bowman

• 1951 - Ex-Dodger Pete Reiser went 3-for-4 with two doubles (he also reached on an error & was walked) and Ralph Kiner added a double & homer as the Pirates beat Brooklyn 6-2 at Ebbets Field. Cliff Chambers gave up six hits, walked five, hit a batter and tossed a wild pitch but still went the distance to even his slate at 2-2 as Da Bums stranded 10 runners. The Pirates were just as wasteful on the bases - they went 3-for-16 w/RISP, hit into four DPs and had a runner picked off. 
• 1953 - The Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-3 at Forbes Field for their third win in a row, their longest streak since August, 1951. 22-year-old bonus baby Paul Pettit was the winner in his first MLB start. It was his only big league win, as he never recovered from arm injuries suffered the previous year on the farm, and spent most of his remaining career as a minor league outfielder. Pete Castiglione had a big day to help back Pettit with three hits, including two homers. 
• 1955 - Pirate pitching coach Ray Searage was born in Freeport, NY. The West Liberty State grad coached for the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2003-04, the Hickory Crawdads in 2005, the Altoona Curve in 2006-07 and the Indianapolis Indians in 2008-09. In 2010, he replaced Joe Kerrigan during John Russell’s final season and remained through 2019 during Clint Hurdle’s tenure. He was a reliever in his seven-year MLB career, spinning the cowhide for four different clubs, and coached for the Miami Marlins & St. Louis Cards before joining the Pirates. 
• 1957 - The Cubs sent 1B Dee Fondy and 2B Gene Baker to the Bucs for 1B Dale Long and OF Lee Walls. Fondy hit .313 and Baker .266 as Bucs while Walls and Long combined for 44 Chicago HRs in 1958. Fondy’s last season was ‘58 while Baker lasted through 1961, but as a bench piece, he only collected 119 plate appearances after starting in ‘57. Long played through 1963, but ‘58 would be his last 20-homer campaign. Walls became an All-Star with 24 bombs in ‘58, and that campaign was the last season that he posted double-digit dingers. He played 10 seasons, his last being 1964, for five clubs. 

Frank Thomas - 1958 Topps

• 1958 - Frank Thomas banged a pair of homers in the Pirates 8-3 win over the Dodgers at the Los Angeles Coliseum. It was the Bucs sixth straight win, including three-in-a-row in LA, with Thomas tagging four dingers in the three games before the Bucs were dropped the next day. The biggest blow was delivered by winning pitcher Vern Law, who smacked a three-run homer to pull away from the Dodgers. 
• 1959 - Dick Stuart hit one of the longest shots ever launched at Forbes Field, carrying well over the scoreboard and landing in the Schenley Plaza parking lot as he caught all of an 0-2 curve off Jim Brosnan. Alas, the almost-500’ two-run, two-out drive in the ninth only made it close as the Bucs went down to the Cards 7-6. Big Stu had three hits, including a double, in the loss. 
• 1960 - The Pirates won their ninth straight game, their longest victory string since 1945, by defeating the Cincinnati Reds by a 13-2 count at Crosley Field. Roberto Clemente had a grand slam and Maz added a three-run shot to back Vern Law’s mound work. The streak would end the next day against the St. Louis Cards and ex-Bucco Ronnie Kline by a 4-3 count at Busch Stadium. 
• 1964 - Jose Lind was born in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico. In six seasons with the Pirates (1987-92), the 2B hit .255 and appeared in three NLCS bouts. Chico was considered a top flight defender and won a Gold Glove in 1992. A coke addiction drove him out of the game and into several clashes with the law, but Chico came clean and now even participates in the Bucco fantasy camps.