3/22: Dann Signed; HBD Moose, Ramon, Beast & Ike

• 1906 - OF Julius “Moose” Solters was born in Pittsburgh. He never played for the Pirates but was one of the better local ballplayers with one of baseball’s sadder stories. Moose (he was 6’1”, 190 lbs), the son of a Hungarian immigrant who worked at J&L Steel, went to Fifth Avenue HS. Solters played nine years in the AL for four clubs, slashing .289/89/559 and put up five double-digit homer seasons along with four 100+ RBI campaigns. In 1941, he was hit by a ball during pre-game fielding drills after he had turned to wave to his in-laws in the stands. Solters suffered headaches and double vision afterward, effectively ending his baseball career, and slowly began losing his vision. He returned to his native Beltzhoover and ran a bar. Solters was also a key figure, along with Frankie Gustine, in planning and fundraising for Frank Vittor’s 1955 Honus Wagner statue. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery.
• 1968 - RHP Ramon Martinez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He ended his 14-year career, primarily with the Dodgers, as a Pirate in 2001 with four largely forgettable outings before retiring. He won 135 games over that span but was bested for family honors by his little brother, Pedro.

Michael Morse 2015 Topps Update

• 1982 - 1B Michael Morse was born in Fort Lauderdale. “The Beast” (he’s 6’5”, 245 lbs) was a third round selection of the White Sox out of high school in 2000 and the Pirates picked him up in 2015 in a trade with the Dodgers. The Pirates were the 11-year vet’s seventh team, counting LA, who flipped him before he ever played a game for them. He hit .275 in 2015 and after one outing in 2016 was released in April. He’s now in the Giants system, having signed a minor league deal with the G-Men.
• 1987 - The Bucs purchased C Dann Bilardello from the Montreal Expos, and after a minor league stint at AAA Buffalo, he was sold back to Montreal in July. The Bucs then brought him back him back as a free agent signing in 1989 and he hit .225 as a bench guy. He was released after the year, signed again, and then released for good after the 1990 campaign when he hit just .054, spending both years mainly in AAA. In all, Dann played two seasons for Pittsburgh, appearing in 52 games and batting just .171.
• 1987 - 1B Ike Davis was born in Edina, Minnesota. The Bucs were hoping that Ike, who they got from the Mets in mid-April for a couple of prospects, could plug the hole at first in 2014, but 10 homers/.235 BA in 94 starts with 397 plate appearances didn’t cut it. The Pirates sold his contract to Oakland after the season and announced that Pedro Alvarez would be their first baseman in 2015.

3/22: HBD Jimmy, Moose & Michael; Bucs Buy Dann

• 1882 - RF Jimmy Sebring was born in Liberty, PA, near Willamsport. He played for Pittsburgh from 1902-04, hitting .261, and in 1903 became the first MLB player to homer in a World Series game; he hit .333 against Boston in that first WS. The talented OF’er (he was an early “can’t miss” prospect) had a rift with the team over a couple of different incidents and was traded. He then played with a series of outlaw teams, sidetracking his promising career. Sebring was on the comeback trail when he passed away from kidney disease in 1910 at the age of 27.
• 1906 - OF Julius “Moose” Solters was born in Pittsburgh. He never played for the Pirates, but was one of the better local ballplayers with one of baseball’s sadder stories. Moose (he was 6’1”, 190 lbs), the son of a Hungarian immigrant who worked at J&L Steel, went to Fifth Avenue HS. Solters played nine years in the AL for four clubs, slashing .289/89/559 and put up five double-digit homer seasons along with four 100+ RBI campaigns. In 1941, he was hit by a ball during pre-game fielding drills after he had turned to wave to his in-laws in the stands. Solters suffered headaches and double vision afterwards, effectively ending his baseball career, and slowly began losing his vision. He returned to his native Beltzhoover and ran a bar. Solters was also a key figure, along with Frankie Gustine, in planning and fundraising for Frank Vittor’s 1955 Honus Wagner statue. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery.

Moose Solter 1938 Goudey "Heads Up" series

• 1982 - 1B Michael Morse was born in Fort Lauderdale. “The Beast” (he’s 6’5”, 245 lbs) was a third round selection of the White Sox out of high school in 2000 and the Pirates picked him up in 2015 in a trade with the Dodgers. The Pirates are the 12 year vet’s seventh team, counting LA, who flipped him before he ever played a game for them.
• 1987 - The Bucs purchased C Dann Bilardello from the Montreal Expos, and after a minor league stint at AAA Buffalo, he was sold back to Montreal in July. The Bucs then brought him back him back as a free agent signing in 1989 and he hit .225 as a bench guy. He was released after the year, signed again, and then released for good after the 1990 campaign when he hit just .054, spending both years mainly in AAA. In all, Dann played two seasons for Pittsburgh, appearing in 52 games and batting just .171.

3/22: Jimmy Sebring & Moose Solters

• 1882 - RF Jimmy Sebring was born in Liberty, PA, near Willamsport. He played for Pittsburgh from 1902-04, hitting .261, and in 1903 became the first MLB player to homer in a World Series game; he hit .333 against Boston in that first WS. The talented OF’er (he was an early “can’t miss” prospect) had a rift with the team over a couple of different incidents and was traded. He then played with a series of outlaw teams, sidetracking his promising career. Sebring was on the comeback trail when he passed away from kidney disease in 1910 at the age of 27. 

Jimmy Sebring 1903 - via SABR

• 1906 - OF Julius “Moose” Solters was born in Pittsburgh. He never played for the Pirates, but was one of the better local ballplayers with one of baseball’s sadder stories. Moose (he was 6’1”, 190 lbs), the son of a Hungarian immigrant who worked at J&L, went to Fifth Avenue HS. Solters played nine years in the AL for four clubs, slashing .289/89/559, putting up five double-digit homer seasons along with four 100+ RBI campaigns. In 1941, he was hit by a ball during pre-game fielding drills after he had turned to wave to his in-laws in the stands. Solters suffered headaches and double vision afterwards, effectively ending his baseball career, while slowly losing his vision. He returned to his native Beltzhoover and ran a bar. Solters was also a key figure, along with Frankie Gustine, in planning and fundraising for Frank Vittor’s 1955 Honus Wagner statue. He passed away in 1975 and is buried in Calvary Cemetery.

Moose Solters 1934 Goudey series

Yanks Roll to 4-0 Win; Phils On Deck

 Quick recap and Jimmy Sebring...

• Pittsburgh was dropped by the Yankees yesterday 4-0 as CC Sabathia went seven frames. The Bucs helped him early, ending the first four innings on DPs, two being of the ol' strike 'em out, throw 'em out variety as the base running continues to be spotty in the preseason. Edinson Volquez had a couple of rough innings to start, then pitched three scoreless frames and finished by retiring 12 of the last 13 Bronx Bombers he faced. He kinda reminds us of James McDonald - good stuff for stretches, but bitten by a couple of costly frames where his focus isn't there.
• The Pirates face the Phils and AJ today at 1:05 PM, with Stolmy Pimentel taking the hill for Pittsburgh at McKechnie Field. Lineups later...
• In Pirate history today, RF Jimmy Sebring was born in Liberty, PA, near Willamsport. He played for Pittsburgh from 1902-04, hitting .261. In 1903, he became the first MLB player to homer in a World Series game and hit .333 against Boston in that first WS. The talented OF’er had a rift with the team over different personal incidents and was traded. He then skipped to a couple of outlaw teams, and his promising career was sidetracked. Sebring was on the comeback trail when he passed away in 1910 at the age of 27. 

 Jimmy Sebring - Fleer 2003 Fall Classic series