8/21 Happenings: HBD Chief & Murry, Dock Sounds Off, Joey Bats & Rick Reuschel Deals, JT's Extension

• 1883 - John Owen “Chief” Wilson was born at his family's ranch in Bertram, Texas. Chief, by the way, wasn’t a Native American; his moniker was given by manager Fred Clarke, who thought the clean cut Wilson looked like a "Chief of the Texas Rangers." He set the organized baseball record of 36 triples in 1912. Chief was a Pirate for six years (1908-13), driving in a league-leading 107 runs in 1911 and hitting .274 as a Bucco. He was the starting RF for the 1909 World Championship club.

Chief Wilson 1911 (photo Bain News Service/Library of Congress)

• 1916 - RHP Murry Dickson was born in Tracy, Missouri. He tossed five years (1949-53) for some sad Pirate teams, leading the league in losses in 1952-53. But he also won 34 games in 1951-52 for Buc squads that tasted victory just 106 times, so he was responsible for nearly ⅓ of the Pirate wins during that span. He was an All-Star in 1953, with a Pittsburgh final line of 66-85/3.83.
• 1971 - Dock Ellis was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Sound Off.” That’s the year Ellis told the media that NL All-Star Team manager Sparky Anderson would "never start two brothers against each other" as Vida Blue was starting for the AL. Anderson surprised Ellis (or played into his hand) by naming him the starter. Dock was the losing pitcher in the game, giving up a titanic shot to Reggie Jackson.
• 1987 - Vet Rick Reuschel was sent to the Giants for two pitchers, Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin. Reuschel had two strong years on the Bay, winning 36 games and earning an All-Star berth. Robinson lasted three years in Pittsburgh as a fairly solid reliever/spot starter while Medvin put in one season for the Bucs.
• 2008 - Jose Bautista was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a PTBNL, who ended up being C Robinzon Diaz. Bautista bloomed as a slugger in Toronto and while no one saw it coming at the time, it ended up among the worst deals in Bucco history. A side note: the Pirates were trying to pry C Brian Jeroloman loose for Jose, not Diaz. Jeroloman, a prospect that never reached MLB, did eventually end up a Bucco, tho, when he was sold to the club in 2013 just before the season started. He was traded away in May to the Nationals. The FO had its eye on Jeroloman for spell before that - they claimed him off waivers in 2011, but DFA’ed him three days later.

Jose Bautista 2008 Topps

• 2011 - The Pirates announced a six-year extension of Jose Tabata’s contract. It guaranteed him $15M and included three club option years. JT’s advisers quit, believing the terms were too team friendly; they were wrong. JT logged lots of minor league innings from 2012-15 before being traded to the LA Dodgers at the 2015 deadline; they released him in 2016.

8/21 Games: Rennie Breaks His Leg, Jerry Sets Pinch Hit Mark, Pitchers Pitching...

• 1902 - Sam Leever outdueled Christy Mathewson 2-0 in the opener of a doubleheader at Exposition Park; Leever surrendered three hits and Matty six. The NY Giant bats woke up in the second game as NY earned a split with an 8-1 victory.
• 1908 - The Pittsburg Press wrote that “Nick Maddox was pretty nearly the whole show at Exposition Park...” and it was right. Maddox tossed a seven-hit complete game, had three hits and drove in both Bucco runs in a 2-1 win over the Brooklyn Superbas.

Nick Maddox 1908 (photo Bain News Service/Library of Congress)

• 1953 - After 13 straight wins‚ the first place Dodgers finally lost‚ going down to birthday boy Murry Dickson and the last-place Pirates 7-1 at Forbes Field. Frank Thomas had a homer and four RBI in the victory.
• 1963 - Jerry Lynch set an MLB record for pinch-hit home runs when he hit his 15th to best George Crowe’s mark, a ninth-inning blast off Lindy McDaniel. He drilled a 3-1 fastball that gave the Pirates a 7-6 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Lynch retired in 1966 with 18 pinch-hit homers, the record until Cliff Johnson broke it in 1984. Matt Stairs now holds the MLB record.
• 1977 - Rennie Stennett broke his right leg sliding into second against the Giants at TRS. Stennett never recovered fully, and his best BA after the accident was just .244. To rub some salt into the wound, the Bucs lost the game 5-4. And Stennett, who was leading the league in batting, fell 12 at-bats short of qualifying for the title, though his .336 BA would have been nosed out by the eventual winner, teammate Dave Parker, who hit .338. 

Rennie Stennett 1978 Topps

8/21: Rennie Breaks Leg, Chief Wilson, Leever, Maddox, Dickson, Lynch, Reuschel, Joey Bats, JT's Deal...

Rennie Breaks Leg, Chief Wilson, Leever, Maddox, Dickson, Lynch, Reuschel, Joey Bats, JT's Deal...

• 1883 - John Owen “Chief” Wilson was born at his family's ranch in Bertram, Texas. Chief, by the way, wasn’t a native American; his moniker was given by manager Fred Clarke, who thought the clean cut Wilson looked like a "Chief of the Texas Rangers." He set the organized baseball record of 36 triples in 1912. Chief was a Pirate for six years (1908-13), driving in a league-leading 107 runs in 1911 and hitting .274 as a Bucco. He was the starting RF for the 1909 World Championship club.
• 1902 - Sam Leever outdueled Christy Mathewson 2-0 in the opener of a doubleheader at Exposition Park; Leever surrendered three hits and Matty six. The NY Giant bats woke up in the second game as NY earned a split with an 8-1 victory. 
• 1908 - The Pittsburg Press wrote that “Nick Maddox was pretty nearly the whole show at Exposition Park...” and it was right. Maddox tossed a seven hit complete game, had three hits and drove in both Bucco runs in a 2-1 win over the Brooklyn Superbas. 

Nick Maddox 1909-11 White Border series

• 1916 - RHP Murry Dickson was born in Tracy, Missouri. He tossed five years (1949-53) for some sad Pirate teams, leading the league in losses in 1952-53. But he also won 34 games in 1951-52 for Buc squads that tasted victory just 106 times, so he was responsible for nearly ⅓ of the Pirate wins during that span. He was an All Star in 1953, with a Pittsburgh final line of 66-85/3.83. 
• 1953 - After 13 straight wins‚ the first place Dodgers finally lost‚ going down to Murry Dickson and the last-place Pirates 7-1 at Forbes Field. Frank Thomas had a homer and four RBI in the victory. 
• 1963 - Jerry Lynch set a MLB record for pinch-hit home runs when he hit his 15th to best George Crowe’s mark, a ninth-inning blast off Lindy McDaniel. He drilled a 3-1 fastball that gave the Pirates a 7-6 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Lynch retired in 1966 with 18 pinch-hit homers, the record until Cliff Johnson broke it in 1984. Matt Stairs now holds the MLB record. 
• 1977 - Rennie Stennett broke his right leg sliding into second against the Giants at TRS. Stennett never recovered fully, and his best BA after the accident was just .244. To rub some salt into the wound, the Bucs lost the game 5-4. And Stennett, who was leading the league in batting, fell 12 at-bats short of qualifying for the title, though his .336 BA would have been nosed out by the eventual winner, teammate Dave Parker, who hit .338. 

Rennie Stennett 1976 Isalys Disc

• 1987 - Vet Rick Reuschel was sent to the Giants for two pitchers, Jeff Robinson and Scott Medvin. Reuschel had two strong years on the Bay, winning 36 games and earning an All-Star berth. Robinson lasted three years in Pittsburgh as a fairly solid reliever/spot starter while Medvin put in one season for the Bucs.
• 2008 - Jose Bautista was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a PTBNL, who ended up being C Robinzon Diaz. Bautista bloomed as a slugger in Toronto and while no one saw it coming at the time, it ended up among the worst deals in Bucco history. 
• 2011 - The Pirates announced a six year extension of Jose Tabata’s contract. It guaranteed him $15M and included three club option years. JT’s advisers quit, believing the terms were too team friendly; that has yet to be seen.

Jose Tabata 2012 Topps Heritage series

8/21: Lynch Sets Record, Stennett Breaks Leg, Bautista Trade, Tabata Signs Long-Term

Chief Wilson, Sam Leever, Nick Maddox, Murry Dickson, Jerry Lynch, Rennie Stennett, Jose Bautista, JT...

• 1883 - John Owen “Chief” Wilson was born at his family's ranch in Bertram, Texas. Chief, by the way, wasn’t a native American; his moniker was given by manager Fred Clarke, who thought the clean cut Wilson looked like a "Chief of the Texas Rangers." He set the organized baseball record of 36 triples in 1912. Chief was a Pirate for six years (1908-13), driving in a league-leading 107 runs in 1911 and hitting .274 as a Bucco. He was the starting RF for the 1909 World Championship club. 
• 1902 - Sam Leever outdueled Christy Mathewson 2-0 in the opener of a doubleheader at Exposition Park; Leever surrendered three hits and Matty six. The NY Giant bats woke up in the second game as NY earned a split with an 8-1 victory. 
• 1908 - The Pittsburg Press wrote that “Nick Maddox was pretty nearly the whole show at Exposition Park...” and it was right. Maddox tossed a seven hit complete game, had three hits and drove in both Bucco runs in a 2-1 win over the Brooklyn Superbas. 
• 1916 - RHP Murry Dickson was born in Tracy, Missouri. He tossed five years (1949-53) for some sad Pirate teams, leading the league in losses in 1952-53. But he also won 34 games in 1951-52 for Buc squads that won just 106 times, so he was responsible for nearly ⅓ of the Pirate wins. He was an All Star in 1953, with a Pittsburgh final line of 66-85/3.83. 
• 1953 - After 13 straight wins‚ the first place Dodgers finally lost‚ going down to Murry Dickson and the last-place Pirates 7-1 at Forbes Field. Frank Thomas had a homer and four RBI in the victory. 
• 1963 - Jerry Lynch set a MLB record for pinch-hit home runs when he hit his 15th, a ninth-inning blast off Lindy McDaniel, that gave the Pirates a 7-6 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. 
• 1977 - Rennie Stennett broke his right leg sliding into second against the Giants at TRS. Stennett never recovered fully, and his best BA after the accident was just .244. To rub some salt into the wound, the Bucs lost the game 5-4. And Stennett, who was leading the league in batting, fell 12 at-bats short of qualifying for the title, though his .336 BA would have been nosed out by the eventual winner, teammate Dave Parker, who hit .338. 
• 2008 - Jose Bautista was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for a PTBNL, who ended up being C Robinzon Diaz. Bautista bloomed as a slugger in Toronto and while no one saw it coming at the time, it ended up among the worst deals in Bucco history. 
• 2011 - The Pirates announced a six year extension of Jose Tabata’s contract. It guaranteed him $15M and included three club option years. JT’s advisers quit, believing the terms were too team friendly; that has yet to be seen.