7/4 From 1920 Through the 1970’s: Bert One-Man Crew; Satch No-No; Moves; Game Stories; HBD Chuck, Jims & Wayne

• 1927 - The Pirates swept the World Champion Cardinals‚ 7-2 and 6-4, in a Forbes Field doubleheader. Lee Meadows took the opener behind Johnny Gooch’s bases-loaded triple. The Cards rallied to tie the second game in the top of the eighth, but Clyde Barnhart answered with a two-run double in the bottom half for the win. Carmen Hill went the distance for the W. 
• 1928 - Pirate skipper Chuck Tanner was born in New Castle. He managed the Pirates for nine years (1977–1985, 711-685 record) and won the World Series in 1979. He was also skipper of the White Sox, Athletics and Braves. Tanner was traded for Manny Sanguillen to the Pirates in 1977 by Oakland, only the second manager-for-player trade in history. He returned to the Pirates in 2007 as a special assistant to GM Neal Huntington, a spot he held until he passed away in 2011 at the age of 82. The Rotary Club of Pittsburgh hands out two awards in his name, the annual Chuck Tanner Major & Minor Baseball Managers of the Year, while the Pirates created the Chuck Tanner “We Are Family” Fund. Baseball was his life, saying “The greatest feeling in the world is to win a major-league game. The second greatest feeling is to lose a major-league game.” 

Chuck Tanner - 1983 Donruss

• 1934 - Satchel Paige of the Pittsburgh Crawfords tossed a no-hitter against the Homestead Grays at Greenlee Field on Bedford Avenue with the only runners reaching via an error and a walk. He struck out 17, establishing the all-time Negro League record and matching what was then the MLB whiff record for a single game in the 4-0 win against Frank Stewart. The Craw’s Oscar Charleston had two hits, including a triple. Josh Gibson was Paige’s catcher, the only documented time in Negro league history in which no-hitter battery mates were both members of the Hall of Fame, something which has never happened in the majors. It was part of a holiday twinbill that drew 12,000 fans. The Grays took the nightcap, 4-3, with Joe Strong getting the win over Bert Hunter. Ray Brown homered for Homestead. 
• 1947 - RHP Jim Nelson was born in Birmingham, Alabama. Jim had a brief career but his fingerprints are all over the Bucco history books. Per Wikipedia: Nelson was a 31st round pick in the 1965 draft and made a dazzling debut in 1970. He relieved against the San Francisco Giants, struck out Willie Mays, and then got Willie McCovey to bounce into a twin killing. Jim spun three perfect innings with four strikeouts and also slapped a single (he was a good hitter, batting .269). Nelson started his career with a 4-0 record (and the team won his first seven starts), a feat not equaled by a Pirates starting pitcher until Zach Duke in 2005. Nelson also was the last Pittsburgh hurler to win his first three career starts until Gerrit Cole matched the feat in 2013. More trivia: Nelson also was the starting and winning pitcher in the final game played at Forbes Field on June 28th, 1970, a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs. But the next season saw him develop serious control issues and he was shipped to the minors in mid-July. Jim refused to report (he was 2-2/2.34 with the team, but had made only 17 appearances) and it cost him as his teammates voted him a half-share of their 1971 World Series money but the FO stiffed him when handing out World Series rings. It was a sort of messy way to end a relationship, especially as he later had rotator cuff surgery and never got back to the majors. His lifetime line was 6-4/3.01 as a Buc from 1970-71. Nelson became a salesman after baseball, and used to hand out $5 bills to the homeless in his Sacramento community as Christmas gifts until he passed away at the age of 57. 
• 1947 - RHP Jim Minshall was born in Covington, Kentucky. A second round pick in the 1966 draft out of HS, he tossed six games for the 1974-75 Bucs and was 0-1, even though he never gave up an earned run. Jim was a Pirates lifer; he pitched in the organization from 1966-76, closing out his career at AAA Charleston. 
• 1948 - The Pirates took two from the Cubs by 5-1 and 6-2 scores at Forbes Field to reclaim second place in the NL, 2-1/2 games behind the front-running Boston Braves. Rip Sewell and Kirby Higbe gave up eight hits in the opener but only one run while Elmer Riddle tossed a four-hit complete game victory in the nightcap. Ralph Kiner and Stan Rojek led the way at the dish; each had five hits during the day. Ralph had a homer, a double and three RBI while The Happy Rabbit scored twice. As for the Pirates, they finished in fourth place, 8-1/2 games behind the Braves, but did end up 83-71 in a competitive campaign. 

Stan Rojek - 1949 Bowman

• 1948 - OF Wayne Nordhagen was born in Three Rivers Falls, Minnesota. Wayne put up eight years off the bench in MLB, getting into one game as a Bucco in 1982 and he did pretty well, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Nordhagen was part of a fairly byzantine set of moves. The Blue Jays sent him to Philly for Dick Davis; the Phils sent him the Pirates on the same day for Bill Robinson. Then a week or so later, the Bucs shipped him back to the Jays for Davis. 
• 1956 - After a quick start, the Pirates dropped 15-of-19 games after a doubleheader split with the Cubs and made some moves. IF’s Gene Freese & Spook Jacobs, C Danny Kravitz and P Luis Arroyo were sent to Hollywood. In their place, the Bucs called up 20-year-old 2B Bill Mazeroski and pitchers Charlie Naranjo & Fred Waters. Six of the guys involved would be fringe players for the Bucs in the overall scheme of things, but for Maz, it was the start of a Hall of Fame career. He debuted on the 7th and never tasted the minors again, playing in seven All-Star games during his 17-year run with the Pirates. 
• 1978 - The Pirates took both ends of a twinbill from the Expos at TRS by 3-1 and 4-3 scores. The first game was all Bert Blyleven - he tossed an eight inning five-hitter, allowing a run on Ellis Valentine’s dinger, and drove in all three Pirates runs with a two-out, bases-loaded double in the fifth. Dan Schatzeder was tough, too - he gave up four hits, but all of them were bunched together in the deciding fifth frame. Pittsburgh overcame an early 2-0 deficit with three homers - a two-run shot by Bill Robinson and solo drives by Willie Stargell and Omar Moreno - to allow Don Robinson to slip past Wayne Twitchell in the closing match. Kent Tekulve saved both ends of the double dipper. The wins put the Bucs within a game of .500, and they would finish the year with 88 victories, 1-1/2 games behind the Phils.

7/4 From 1980: Kendall Hurt; Million Dollar Arms; Immaculate Juan; Game Stories; HBD Jared

• 1985 - RHP Jared Hughes was born in Stamford, Connecticut. The righty is a converted starter who began working out of the Pirates pen in 2011 until moving to Milwaukee in 2017 and the Reds next season (he seems to like the division). The Cal State alum was selected in the fourth round of the MLB draft in 2006 and slashed 15-13-3/2.82 for Pittsburgh while making 313 outings, mainly as a mid-inning trouble-shooter. He’s now with the Mets. 
• 1987 - The Pirates beat the Dodgers 4-2 at TRS in a game oddly slotted for a 10:35 AM first pitch; the game landed on La-La Land media at 7:35 AM, not exactly prime prime although leaving plenty of time to picnic and get to the fireworks. Early bird Andy Van Slyke had three raps and Sid Bream two more to collect half of the Bucco’s 10 hits. Bob Kipper took the game into the seventh and got the win, with Barry Jones and Jeff Robinson wrapping it up. 

Jason Kendall - 1999 Stadium Club

• 1999 - C Jason Kendall tore up his ankle in a 4-3 loss to the Brewers at TRS. Kendall dragged a bunt in the fifth inning and hit first awkwardly‚ ripping the ankle bone from the joint. He was out for the rest of the season, and many believed he was never quite the same after the gruesome injury. Even with that severe of an injury, JK remained an ironman and caught between 118-149 games for 11 of his remaining 12 campaigns. The game itself ended up a bullpen battle with Brad Clontz dropping the decision to David Weathers. 
• 2000 - The Pirates scored seven times in the ninth, fueled by three homers, to drop the Cubs 10-4 at Wrigley Field in front of 37,043 stunned Cubbie fans. Jason Kendall, Wil Cordero and Pat Meares had the final at-bat Bucco blasts that made a winner out of Marc Wilkins. Kendall and Cordero went back-to-back off Rick Aguilera with one down to give the Bucs the lead and Meares' long ball was the cherry on top, a three-run, two-out drive off Daniel Garibay. 
• 2001 - Brian Giles and Adam Hyzdu homered twice while Aramis Ramirez added a pair of doubles, each driving in three runs, as the Bucs put on their own fireworks display in cruising to a 14-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Cinergy Field. A-Ram had four hits, Giles had three and Jack Wilson went long to boost Joe Beimel to victory. 
• 2009 - LHP Rinku Singh became the first Indian to appear in a pro baseball game in the US when he pitched the 7th inning and countryman Dinesh Patel followed in the 8th frame as the “Million Dollar Arms” made their debut for the GCL Pirates. Patel tossed a scoreless frame while Singh was touched up for a run against the Yankee rookies. Both claimed a K in the 4-2 loss. 
• 2010 - The Bucs trailed Philadelphia, 5-2, before scoring six times in the seventh inning for an 8-5 win at PNC Park. Evan Meek picked up the win on the same day he was named to the NL All-Star team. The seventh inning fireworks featured a leadoff homer by Pedro Alvarez and two-run knocks by Garrett Jones & Delwyn Young. 

Evan Meek, All Star - 2010 Upper Deck

• 2015 - Jeff Locke and Cody Anderson put on a show for the sellout crowd at PNC Park with the Bucs taking home a 1-0 decision over the Cleveland Indians. The Pirates had a runner on third with an out twice without scoring, finally plating the game’s only run in the sixth when Neil Walker’s single brought home Josh Harrison from second. Mark Melancon worked the final frame for the save. The Tribe threatened but twice - with two on and nobody out in the second, a DP defused the situation, and Melancon let a pair of runners reach after two outs in the ninth before getting a tapper to seal the deal. Locke surrendered just two hits; Anderson six. 37,927 fans not only witnessed a great pitching duel, but had plenty of time left afterward for fireworks - the game took 2:06 to play. 
• 2016 - Juan Nicasio became the third Pirate, along with Jeff Robinson and Ross Ohlendorf, to toss an immaculate inning (three strikeouts on nine pitches) while helping the Pirates to a 4-2 win over St Louis at Busch Stadium. The righty sat down Stephen Piscotty, Jhonny Peralta and Yadier Molina. Jon Niese got the win over Carlos Martinez, with a save by Neftali Feliz. Gregory Polanco was the hitting hero, banging two homers in a game for the first time and chasing home three runs.

7/3 Through the 1960’s: Pops Rocket; Hugo Hired, Chief Cycle, Cover Boys; HBD Luke, Moises, Bunny & Chet

• 1892 - OF Anthony John Greszkowski (“Bunny Brief”) was born in Remus, Michigan. He ended his four-year career as a bench player for the Pirates in 1917, hitting .217. Bunny wasn’t much of a major-leaguer, but he ruled on the farm. After his show days, Brief played in the minors until 1928. Though he never hit more than two home runs in any of his big league seasons, Bunny holds the all-time record for home runs in the American Association (by then, a minor league) with 256 and his eight AA home run crowns are tied for the most ever with Ken Guettler. How did Tony Greszkowski become Bunny Brief? The Bunny part is easy; it’s a take-off of his childhood nickname of Bundy. As for the Brief, well, you can thank Ellis Island. According to Major-Smolinski’s “Favorite Baseball Nicknames,” his parents were immigrants and when they were processed by a clerk who wrestled with their long Polish name, Papa Greszkowski suggested that the registrar Americanize the name. "Just change it to something brief," he said. The official did, literally, as related by Joe Brief, a great-nephew of the ballplayer. 

Bunny as a 1915 White Sox - 1994 Conlon First Card

• 1897 - RHP Chet Nichols was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Chet, a three-sport star in high school, was a big-time prospect when the Bucs bought him from New Haven of the Eastern League, but his minor-league chops never carried over. He began his less-than-distinguished six year career (1-8/7.19) with the Bucs, tossing from 1926-27 and slashing 0-3/6.37. He spent his last three campaigns with Philadelphia, leaving the game after the 1932 season with a bum arm. Chet went on to coach at Woonsocket HS and the University of Rhode Island. 
• 1904 - RHP Luke Hamlin was born in Ferris Center, Michigan. Luke had been a 20-game winner for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939, but age caught up to him. He had become a role pitcher by the time the Pirates got him in 1942 as a 38-year-old, going 4-4/3.94 in 23 outings (14 starts). Luke was sometimes called "Hot Potato" because he liked to juggle the ball while getting ready to pitch, much like a man handling a hot potato. 
• 1910 - Owen “Chief” Wilson hit for the cycle at the Palace of the Fans in Cincinnati as the Pirates and Howie Camnitz took a 10-2 decision from the Reds. Howie was dented for 12 hits, but the Pirates answered with 14 of their own. Fred Clarke added three knocks while Hans Wagner, Tommy Leach and Bobby Byrnes had a pair. The Reds chipped in, too, committing four errors. 
• 1917 - Bohemian-born Bucco scout Hugo Bezdek was named Pirate manager, replacing the short-lived skipper Honus Wagner. He managed the Pirates through 1919, compiling a 166–187 record, while also coaching Penn State football from 1918-29 during the offseason. He was known for his rigorous, gridiron-inspired workouts and per Baseball Reference's Bullpen, he "...had a good rapport with his players, whom he relied upon to make some key decisions given his lack of baseball experience. Two of those players would go on to be among baseball's most famous managers - Casey Stengel and Billy Southworth." 
• 1926 - The Pirates scored eight times in the fourth inning and rolled over the Cards at Forbes Field 12-3. Pie Traynor had a homer and double in the big frame and drove home four runs to help Vic Aldridge cruise to a win. All nine Pirates had at least a hit and run scored; a half-dozen Buccos plated a run or more. 
• 1948 - Baseball Digest featured Ralph Kiner on its cover. The 25-year-old outfielder was on the way to his third straight home run title (he would claim seven straight NL crowns and six consecutive MLB championships) while on the road to becoming the 12th big league player/first Bucco to cross the 300 homer threshold. He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.

• 1966 - OF Moises Alou was born in Atlanta, Georgia. Alou was the second overall pick of the 1986 draft by the Pirates and a good one, although his Pirate career consisted of just five at-bats in 1990. Moise was the PTBNL in the Zane Smith deal with Montreal later that season; Smith helped the Pirates win the pennant while Alou went on to a sterling MLB career. He played for 17 seasons with a BA of .303, 2,134 hits, 332 home runs, 1,287 RBI and six All-Star berths. Alou holds the record for stringing together a 30-game hitting streak for the Mets in 2007, the longest for a 40-year-old player in MLB history. Moises, a member of the storied Alou baseball family, also got to play under his dad, Felipe, who managed from 1992-96 with the Expos. 
• 1967 - Willie Stargell’s estimated 500’ home run (it landed in the little league field behind the LC wall by the Mary Schenley fountain, both of which are still there today) helped the Pirates to a 5-2 win over Don Drysdale and the LA Dodgers at Forbes Field. Pops had two round trippers and three hits, Bill Mazeroski added a pair of knocks and three RBI and Gene Alley doubled twice. Tommie Sisk went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter. 
• 1967 - Roberto Clemente was featured as the cover story of Sports Illustrated in an article titled “The Big Hitters Are Back.” Pretty good choice - The Great One had 209 hits and a league-leading .357 BA, with 23 HR, 110 RBI, 103 RS and an OPS of .954.

7/3 From 1970: Bo Both; Locke-d In; Drew's Day; HBD Edinson & Tuck

• 1970 - The Bucs bashed six homers to outlast the Cubs 16-14 at Wrigley Field. Roberto Clemente and Gene Alley each had a pair of bombs and four RBI each, while Al Oliver and Bill Mazeroski also went yard. The two clubs banged out 40 hits and went through a dozen pitchers before Dave Giusti struck out Ron Santo to end it with the tying runs aboard for Chicago. Needless to say, the wind was blowing out in Chicago at 15 MPH. The Cubs added a pair of long flies and five doubles during the souvenir hunters happy hour. 

• 1972 - Steve Blass was featured as the cover story of Sports Illustrated in an article titled “League Leader.” Steverino had a great season, making the All-Star team and going 19-8 with a 2.49 ERA, but would be struck down by the "Blass disease" the following year. 
• 1983 - RHP Edinson Volquez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Eddie had a rebound season with the Buccos in 2014, going 13-7/3.04 after signing a one year/$5M contract. As a free agent after the season, he landed a two-year deal with the Royals worth $20M, then moved to the Marlins and currently is with the Rangers on a minor-league deal after TJ surgery. 
• 1987 - Bobby Bonilla became the first Pirate to homer from both sides of the plate in a 6-0 win against Los Angeles at TRS, collecting five RBI. Rick Reuschel tossed a five-hit shutout for the victory. 24-year-old Bobby Bo was a year away from making the first of four straight All-Star outings for the Pirates. 
• 1996 - SS Cole Tucker was born in Phoenix, Arizona. A first round pick in 2014 from Mountain Pointe HS ($1.8M bonus), he rose steadily through the ranks when he was beckoned to the big team in late April of 2019 after starting SS Eric Gonzalez broke his collarbone. He was rushed to the bigs; his glove was ready, but he only had 13 AAA games before reaching the majors, and it showed at the dish. However, he did homer in his first MLB game, banging a two-run homer that proved the game-winner. He was sent back to Indy after an extended look in Pittsburgh, batting .211 after 159 PA’s, to sharpen his eye. Tuck is in the 40-man field at PNC Park right now, working toward an MLB roster spot after a solid spring camp. 
• 2012 - Journeyman Drew Sutton was the hero of the day. He hit a walk-off homer, his first long ball since 2010 and one of his three knocks on the day, off Wesley Wright’s hung slider to give the Bucs an 8-7 win over the Astros at PNC Park. Pittsburgh battled back from a sixth inning 6-2 deficit against their favorite whipping boys to take a late lead and earn the win for Joel Hanrahan, who had blown the save in the ninth when he gave up a two-out double to Jason Castro. The victory moved the Pirates into a tie for first in the NL Central. As for Drew, he went 3-for-4 and lifted his BA to .360. 

Jeff Locke - 2012 Topps Chrome

• 2013 - Jeff Locke won his eighth straight decision by a 6-5 score over the Phils at PNC Park. Andrew McCutchen went 3-for-3 with two walks while Pedro Alvarez hit a three-run homer in support. Locke put together his winning run over 16 starts (the Pirates were 1-7 in the games he started w/o a decision) and lowered his ERA from 4.09 to 2.12 during that time before losing his next outing to Oakland 2-1.

7/2 Through the 1940’s: Po' Phils; Game Stories; HBD Fred & Ed

• 1859 - OF Ed Beecher was born in Guilford, Connecticut. Ed began his short but active MLB career with the Alleghenys in 1887, batting .210. He played for four years with four teams - Pittsburgh, the Washington Statesmen (twice), Buffalo Bisons and Philadelphia Athletics - in three different leagues, the American Association, National League, and the Players Association. He got into 283 games as a career reserve with a lifetime .269 BA. 

Ed Beecher - 1887 Buchner Gold Coin

• 1864 - C and utilityman Fred Carroll was born in Sacramento, California. In his seven years (1885-91) with Pittsburgh teams, he played for the Alleghenys, the outlaw Burghers and the Pirates, hitting .284 over his career. A bit quirky, at the beginning of the 1887 season Carroll buried his pet monkey, which had served as an unofficial team mascot for the squad, under home plate at Recreation Park in a pre-game ceremony. 
• 1889 - The Pittsburgh Press front page headline read “Poor Phillies” as Pittsburgh took their fifth straight win from their cross-state rivals by a 10-5 score. The Alleghenys scored nine times in the last two innings on six hits (five singles and a double), abetted by two walks, two “muffs” and two “wild throws,” per the Press. Fred Carroll and Jocko Fields had three hits each and Harry Staley got the win in front of 1,500 fans at Exposition Park. 
• 1925 - The Bucs edged the Cards 2-1 at Forbes Field as Tom Sheehan outpitched Dolf Luque. Kiki Cuyler tripled home Max Carey and then was brought home by Clyde Barnhart in the sixth for the Pirate scores. It marked the last stand of a NL-record 150-game scoring streak by the Pirates that began on July 4th, 1924 when the Reds Pete Donahue shut them out the next day 8-0. 
• 1927 - Pittsburgh scored twice in the seventh, eighth, and ninth innings to beat the Reds, 7-6, at Forbes Field after trailing 6-1. The clinching blow was Clyde Barnhart’s two-run homer to left field in the ninth off Art Nehf. Mike Cvengros tossed six shutout innings of relief and was rewarded with the win. 

Mike Cvengros - 1927 photo/tnfotos (filter ColouriseSG)

• 1949 - The Cubs and particularly Andy Pafko had a bad day at Wrigley Field, losing 8-3. Pafko hit into a bases loaded triple play in the third inning. He was called out in the dugout after Pete Castiglione at third knocked down his liner (actually, it popped out of his mitt), tagged the runner at third, then stepped on the base for the force. In the confusion, he then threw the ball to home, and the catcher went to first for the force on Pafko, who thought his drive had been caught cleanly and was wandering his way to the bench. Even the umps had to step back to review the whole thing (“A crazy quilt affair that had to be unraveled by Umpire-in-Chief Lou Jorda,” per the Pittsburgh Press), but it stood. Ralph Kiner hit his 20th homer as Tiny Bonham picked up the win.

7/2 From 1950 Through the 1980’s: Pinch Hit Parade; Thomas POTM; Game Stories; HBD Sean, Nyjer & Tony

• 1953 - OF Tony Armas was born in Puerto Piritu, Venezuela. The Pirates signed Armas in 1971 just before his 18th birthday and he spent six seasons in the minors before he got a September call-up in 1976, appearing in four games and going 2-for-6. He was traded in the off-season as part of the huge Phil Garner deal and developed into one of the AL’s top sluggers, leading the league in HRs twice and RBIs once playing for Oakland, Boston and California. He played for 13 seasons in the junior circuit, hitting 22+ dingers for six straight years and earning two All-Star slots. After Tony retired, he continued his career in Venezuela and continued to rake; he now coaches in the Venezuelan League. Tony is a member of the Venezuelan and Caribbean Baseball Halls of Fame. His son, Tony Armas Jr., pitched for 10 years in the majors, making a stop at Pittsburgh in 2007. 

Tony Armas - 1977 Topps Rookie

• 1958 - 3B Frank Thomas was named the NL Player of the Month for June. The 29-year-old had already been named to his third All-Star team and hit .275 with seven homers and 29 RBI during June. This was the first year for the award; Willie Mays had won the honor in April and Stan Musial in May. Oddly, neither one got a vote in June. 
• 1961 - In the eighth inning, pinch hitters Johnny Logan, Rocky Nelson and Smoky Burgess banged out consecutive hits, a Pirate record, to prime a four-run rally that led to a 7-6 win over the Giants at Forbes Field in the opener of a twin bill. Hal Smith added three RBI. The Bucs swept easily, rolling 9-0 in the nitecap behind Bobby Shantz’s five-hitter and three RBI each from Roberto Clemente with a bases-clearing triple and Don Hoak. The Pirates overcame a pair of pretty fair pitchers - Mike McCormack was the starter for the lidlifter and Juan Marichal in the closing match. 
• 1968 - The Mets scored a first-inning run off Al McBean, and that would be it as the Bucs eked out a 2-1 decision at Shea Stadium. Pittsburgh knotted the score in the sixth when Willie Stargell opened with a double off Dick Selma and plated on a Billy Maz knock, then got the game-winner thanks to a ninth-inning Met miscue. With two outs and Donn Clendenon on second, Manny Mota rolled one to short; Bud Harrelson booted the ball and Clendenon came home. ElRoy Face came in to work a 1-2-3 ninth to save the Pirates’ win, the Bucs fifth straight. McBean got the victory, tossing five-hit ball with seven strikeouts. 
• 1974 - 1B Sean Casey was born in Willingboro Township, New Jersey and raised in Upper St. Clair. Casey played 12 years in the show and made a stop in Pittsburgh in 2006, batting .296 and lasting until the deadline when the Pirate wheelers-and-dealers moved him to Detroit. Sean is known as “The Mayor” because of his affability - no runner at first or fan he’s run across has ever been given the silent treatment by Casey - and the time he’s dedicated to community causes. He now is with the MLB Network and is busy on the speaker’s circuit. 
• 1976 - Bill Robinson’s pinch-hit homer game in the 10th inning gave the Pirates a 10-9 win over Philadelphia, copacetically on the first ever Fireworks Night at TRS. The Zambelli’s didn’t provide the only boomers. Robinson’s blast was one of three home runs for the Bucs as Willie Stargell connected for a homer in the first inning and Richie Hebner went deep in the eighth. The Bucs almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, blowing an early 6-0 lead before long-balling their way to the win. 

Nyjer Morgan - 2009 Topps

• 1980 - OF Nyjer Morgan was born in San Francisco. He hit .286 from 2007-09 for the Bucs and then became part of the Joel Hanrahan deal with Washington. “Tony Plush” (his alter ego’s self-given “gentleman’s name”) made the transition from junior hockey to the MLB. He played for the Pirates, Nats, Brewers and Indians in the MLB, along with stops in Korea, Japan and Mexico.

7/2 From 1990: Bay, Sluggo Chase 'Em Home; Fraze on Fire; Game Stories

• 1990 - The San Diego Padres took a 3-0 lead in the first inning but never scored again as the Pirates came back for a 4-3, 14-inning win at Jack Murphy Stadium. Jay Bell broke a 3-3 tie when he chased home Jose Lind with the winning run, his second RBI of the contest. Andy Van Slyke’s two-run homer in the sixth was the Buccos big blow. Bob Patterson earned the win in relief after tossing three scoreless frames. 

Don Slaught - 1993 Donruss

• 1993 - Don Slaught had himself a day with two homers and seven RBI as he led the Pirates to a 10-9 win in the lidlifter of a twinbill with Cincinnati at Riverfront Stadium. Orlando Merced banged out four hits, scoring three times and plating a pair. Dave Otto got the win after relieving Zane Smith; Blas Minor earned a hold and Stan Belinda got the save. It was the first doubleheader for the Bucs since September of 1991; 1992 was the first season in the 20th century that the Buccaneers didn’t play two. The second game saw the Red bats continue to smoke in a 9-1 decision over the Pirates. 
• 2002 - The Pirates were run over by the Brewers at PNC Park by a 12-6 count, but did their share to help break the MLB record for homers hit in a day when 53 batters blasted 62 long balls. The Bucs hit four - Kevin Young, Jack Wilson, Abraham Nunez and Adam Hyzdu all went long in the loss. For Wilson, Nunez and Hyzdu, it was their first home run of the season. 
• 2004 - Jason Bay drove in eight runs for the second time in his career with a homer and three doubles as the Bucs mashed the Brewers 13-2 in the nitecap of a twi-lite DH sweep at PNC Park. He fell one short of Johnny Rizzo’s single-game RBI mark of nine for the franchise, set in 1939. Josh Fogg worked into the seventh to record the win. Pittsburgh took the opener 8-1 behind Ollie Perez, who punched out 11 in seven frames, supported by CF Tony Alvarez, who homered and doubled to chase home four runs. 
• 2012 - The middle of the Pirate order was on fire against the Astros at PNC Park, leading the way to an 11-2 win. Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Neil Walker and Casey McGehee went 12-for-20 with five doubles, two homers, nine runs scored and 10 RBI. James McDonald got the win with help from Jared Hughes. 

Fraze - 2019 Topps on Demand

• 2019 - Adam Frazier had himself a night at PNC Park. Reinserted back into the leadoff spot after being dropped to the 7-8 spots in the order, he followed a 5-for-6 game with a 4-for-4 night, hitting a three-run homer and scoring three times to lead the Bucs to a 5-1 win over the Cubs. The game was just three innings old when a two-hour rain delay hit; both teams had to switch starters after the down time. The Pirates used six pitchers to get through the game, with Clay Holmes getting the win, his second career MLB victory. As for Fraze, he became the first Buc to bang out seven straight hits since Freddy Sanchez in 2009 and the first to have back-to-back four-or-more-hits games since Neil Walker in 2015. He also jumped his BA from .254 before the two games to .276 after the hit barrage.

7/1 Through the 1910’s: Lone Zippo; Hot Hans; Marv Mamaux; Game Stories; HBD Gunner, Al, Dutch & Red

• 1891 - OF Fritz “Dutch” Sheeren was born in Kokomo, Indiana. Fritz’s family moved into the Pittsburgh area when he was young and opened a saloon; from those beginnings Sheeren went on to Lafayette College and a brief MLB career with the Pirates from 1914-15, hitting .265 in 15 games. He played through the 1916 season in the minors before getting on with his life’s work. It appeared he did remain a home boy; he died in Kittanning and is buried in Marienville outside the Allegheny National Forest. 
• 1901 - The Bucs were blanked by the Phillies 1-0 at the Baker Bowl, the only time during the 139-game season when Pittsburgh was shut out, a 20th century NL record. Jack Chesbro tossed a four-hitter for Pittsburgh, while the Bucs banged nine hits off Red Donahue but couldn’t dent home. 

Jack Chesbro - 2011 Upper Deck Goodwin Champions

• 1903 - Honus Wagner swatted four hits for a second straight game, missing the cycle by a double (The Pittsburgh Press sidebar story was “Wagner is After Batting Honors” and he did take the ‘03 NL crown with a .355 BA) as the Pirates rolled over the Brooklyn Superbas 17-8 at the Washington Grounds. The game was never in doubt as the Bucs ran up a 13-0 lead before the Brooklynites got on the scoreboard. Fred Clarke and Ginger Beaumont also had four knocks as Pittsburgh banged out 19 hits, allowing Sam Leever to cruise to victory. 
• 1911 - The Pirates lost a hard-fought 3-2 decision to the Cardinals, largely because they lost a fight with the umpire. The rhubarbs began with a tag play at second that the Pirates figured they had made; the ump begged to differ. Infielder Bill McKechnie slammed his glove in disgust and was banished; a new rule made that action an automatic ejection. Manager Fred Clarke put in his two cents worth later about St. Louis doctoring the ball and was given the thumb too. Dots Miller was also given the heave-ho for tossing his mitt. As a result, Hans Wagner ended up playing three positions as the Pirates tried to cobble together a lineup (Clarke was a player/manager, so the Pirates had three starters kicked out, and benches were short in that era). There had been a bottle-throwing incident the day before, and Clarke told the Press that he believed that had influenced the umpires, who didn’t want to risk running a gauntlet of missiles launched from the Robison Field stands again. 
• 1913 - RHP Frank “Red” Barrett was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Frank worked during the war years of 1944-46 and tried to make a comeback in 1950 with the Pirates, going 1-2/4.15 in five outings after being purchased from New Orleans. Red had a long professional career, lasting from 1935-50, and afterward he was a minor league player/manager through 1953. He then moved back home and opened Red Barrett’s Drive In, a gas station/diner, in Leesburg, Florida, near Orlando. 
• 1915 - It was a mixed bag for the Fed League Pittsburgh Rebels against the Baltimore Terrapins at York Road Park. In the opener of a twin bill, the Pittsburgh Feds were shut out 6-0 by Jack Quinn. A little break between games did the Rebs bats a world of good; they took the nitecap by a 13-5 tally, becoming the first big league team to score in every inning since 1894. It was the end of a long road trip, with the Rebels winning 11-of-18 matches after dropping 7-of-10 on a western swing (in that era, the far west was St. Louis, KC and Chicago) that opened their trek. Sadly, they were rained out in Pittsburgh upon their return and had to hop a train for four more games, splitting a set with the Chicago Whales before spending most of the summer at home, where they had 59-of-85 remaining contests booked at Exposition Park. 
• 1916 - The Gunner, Bob Prince, was born in Los Angeles. Prince was an army brat and was always on the move; he graduated from Pittsburgh’s Schenley HS and went to Pitt, where he lettered in swimming. After gigs with WJAS and KDKA, he teamed with Rosey Rowswell in 1948 as a Bucco broadcaster, and became the main announcer in 1955 when Rowswell passed away. He and partner Nellie King were let go in 1975 after a long running dispute with KDKA management. The colorful and popular Prince returned to the booth in May, 1985, just weeks before he died of cancer. 

Al Mamaux - 1915 photo Paul Thompson (filter Colourised SG)

• 1916 - Behind a Honus Wagner homer and Ray O’Brien’s ninth-inning single, Al Mamaux’s four-hitter was enough to down the Reds and Elmer Knetzer 2-1 at Redland Field. Mamaux was pretty good with the stick, too, hitting a double and triple while scoring the winning run with two down in the ninth. Hans’ fourth-inning homer made him the oldest player, at 42 years and four months, to hit an inside the park four-bagger. 
• 1918 - RHP Al Tate was born in Coleman, Oklahoma. Al was a minor league hurler who lost three years to WW2 and returned to baseball in 1946. The Pirates inked him then and sent him to the minors; he got two Bucco appearances (one start) and went 0-1/5.00 in his only MLB duty. He spent 1947 as a Pirates farmhand at Albany, played one more year in the Pacific Coast League and retired.

7/1 From 1920 Through the 1970’s: Bullet Joe Inked; Sportsman Opens; Woodie 1-Hitter; Clemente in Command; Comebacks; Game Stories

• 1920 - The Pirates played St. Louis in the first game the Cards played at Sportsman’s Park (also the home of the AL's St. Louis Browns; the Cards rented it off them) after the Redbirds flew the outdated Robison Field coop, which was built in 1893. The Bucs took the debut game 6-2 in 10 innings, with Hal Carlson getting the W and Babe Adams picking up the save. The Pirates 10th had a little of everything - a walk, steal, error, two singles, a pair of doubles - and the little things added up to a big inning to send 20,000 plus St. Louis fans home disappointed. 

Hal Carlson - 1921 photo George Rinhart/Getty (filter ColouriseSG)

• 1926 - The Bucs broke an eight-game losing streak by spanking the Cards at Forbes Field 7-3 as Kiki Cuyler and Pie Traynor each drove in three runs. Don Songer got the victory with Babe Adams picking up a save. In spite of that losing string, they claimed first place three weeks later before eventually fading to third with an 84-69 slate, five games out. 
• 1926 - The Pirates signed Bullet Joe Bush, recently waived by the Washington Senators. Joe had won 107 games for three clubs from 1920-25, but the 33-year-old was in the midst of an 1-8/6.69 campaign for the Sens. The Bucs got their money’s worth as Bullet Joe went 6-6/3.01 for them the rest of the year, but fell apart in ‘27 and was released in June. He would appear in just 14 more games after that and was out of the league by the summer of 1928. 
• 1940 - The Pirates scored once in the ninth to tie the game and added another in the 10th to nose past the Chicago Cubs 4-3 at Wrigley Field. Vince DiMaggio was the hitting star, going 3-for-5 with a homer, double, two RBI and two runs scored. Mace Brown, the third Buc hurler, got the win in relief after pitching scoreless ninth and 10th frames. 
• 1960 - Speed kills, and the Bucs proved it to LA at Forbes Field when they raced to a 4-3, 10-inning victory in front of 27,312 fans. In the extra frame, Joe Christopher was on second with two outs and the Pirates down 3-2. Roberto Clemente rolled one to SS Maury Wills and it hung up in his webbing for just a tick, but that was enough to allow the Great One to beat the throw by a whisker. Meanwhile, Christopher kept flying around the bases and slid in just ahead of Gil Hodges' toss to home to tie the game. C Johnny Roseboro jawed at ump Al Barlick, but the man in blue stuck to his call that Roseboro had missed the tag. Dick Stuart then blooped a single into short right and Frank Howard was a bit leisurely getting to the Texas Leaguer. Roberto, like Joe before him, had the pedal to the metal and the surprised Howard, seeing Clemente dashing plateward, gunned his throw up the third base line allowing Arriba to score standing up. In the clubhouse, Clemente said “My foot was sore...I didn’t want to play any more and I tried to end the game.” Mission accomplished, Roberto. Gino Cimoli drove home two runs in regulation while Fred Green earned the win in relief of Vern Law. 
• 1966 - Rookie Woodie Fryman one-hit the Mets at Shea Stadium on the way to a 12-0 win. Fryman faced the minimum 27 batters and came within a gnat’s eyelash of perfection. Ron Hunt, who led off the game with a single, was caught stealing by C Jim Pagliaroni and Fryman mowed down the next 26 NY hitters. Jose Pagan chipped in with three runs scored, four RBI and one of the Pirates’ four homers. 

Roberto Clemente - Topps Project 2020/Naturel 

• 1972 - Roberto Clemente’s seventh-inning homer helped the Bucs rally to take a 2-1 lead over the Cubs at TRS. After the Cubbies answered with a pair of their own to regain their edge 3-2, Clemente homered again in the ninth with Milt May aboard for a walk-off 4-3 win. Both homers came off Fergie Jenkins, who lost to Dave Giusti in relief of Bob Moose. 
• 1978 - It was a pitcher’s duel between Jim Rooker and the Mets’ Kevin Kobel at TRS. With the score 0-0 in the bottom of the eighth, Skip Lockwood took the ball for NY. An infield knock by Manny Sanguillen and two-out walk to Duffy Dyer set up Willie Stargell, who lined a single over second to chase home the Road Runner with the game winner. Rooker got the win and Kent Tekulve came in for the save. The two combined for a four-hitter to post the 1-0 victory.

7/1 From 1980: Mercy Merced; Young Guns; Romps, Rallies & Game Stories

• 1990 - LHP John Smiley came off the DL after breaking his hand in mid-May and was still rusty, giving up five runs in four innings against the Giants at Candlestick Park, but his teammates picked him up with homers from Barry Bonds, Jeff King, Sid Bream and Jay Bell (three of the blasts were two-run shots) as Pittsburgh rode the longball barrage to a 9-5 win and stayed a game up in the NL East standings. It was the first time the Pirates had gone long four times in a game since April. 

Zane Smith - 1992 Leaf

• 1992 - Zane Smith tossed a five-hit, complete-game gem in a 1-0 victory over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. It was their second straight shutout of the Redbirds, the only time during the campaign that Bucco hurlers would put up consecutive zeros. Gary Varsho’s single in the fourth plated Andy Van Slyke, who had opened the frame with a double, for the game’s only tally. St. Louis’ Mark Clark was the tough-luck loser, giving up four knocks in eight frames. Back in the day when “pace of game” wasn’t a thing, the contest took just two hours and four minutes from opening pitch to the final out. 
• 1996 - Do-it-all Orlando: During a 4-1 win over Chicago at TRS, RF Orlando Merced pulled off an unassisted DP, catching Mark Grace's liner and then beating Scott Bullett to 1B. He also started another DP, gloving a short pop and catching Doug Glanville off second with his throw to Jay Bell. Merced added a pair of hits, two RBI and a run scored to help Danny Darwin pick up the win. 
• 2006 - The Pirates and sponsoring PNC Bank took trinkets to a new level with the “Young Guns - Doumit, Duke and Duffy” (Ryan Doumit, Zach Duke, and Chris Duffy) triple bobblehead giveaway. 37,111 fans flooded PNC Park (playing the Detroit Tigers, whose fans travel well, on a Saturday night helped the draw, too) to get theirs as the Bucs won 9-2. Jose Bautista and Sean Casey each had three hits and Matt Capps got the win in relief of Tom Gorzelanny. One bummer: manager Jim Tracy must have missed the memo as none of the “Young Guns” played. 
• 2014 - Down 2-0 in the ninth and held to just two hits over eight innings by Arizona’s Wade Miley, the Bucs made up for lost time in the ninth at PNC Park. Neil Walker opened with a single to center, then pinch hitter Gregory Polanco dumped a knock to left. With an out, Starling Marte chased a pair of sliders away, then reliever Addison Reed hung one over the plate and Marte bombed it for a two-run double off the center field wall. He scooted to third when SS Nick Ahmed's throw to the plate got away, then Andrew McCutchen was walked intentionally. Ike Davis hit for Gaby Sanchez and dropped a broken bat jam shot into right to plate Marte as the Bucs rallied to take an improbable 3-2 victory. Ernesto Frieri picked up his first win as a Bucco after tossing a scoreless ninth, with his bacon being saved by Josh Harrison, who threw out a runner at home from short right field. 
• 2015 - The Pirates flexed their muscles against the Tigers at Comerica Field in a 9-3 win. The Buccos banged out 21 hits, their most since 2004, and drilled four homers. Two were by Neil Walker, and three were hit in one frame by Walker, Starling Marte and Pedro Alvarez. Every Pirate starter had a knock and seven had multi-hit nights against Detroit, led by The Pittsburgh Kid and Marte with four each while Gregory Polanco added three more. AJ Burnett coasted to his seventh victory. 

Captain Redbeard had a big day - 2019 Topps Archive

• 2019 - The Pirates put on a fireworks show a couple of days early by bashing the Chicago Cubs 18-5 at PNC Park. Josh Bell, recently announced as a Home Run Derby contestant at the ASG, vouched for the decision by banging three homers, the first Bucco lefty since Wille Stargell against the Bravos in 1971 to loft three big flies, to bring his mid-season total to 25 dingers. He also added a personal best seven RBI. Adam Frazier had five hits, including four doubles, to tie an MLB record held by several; he’s the only Pirates player beside Paul Waner to accomplish that feat. Also drilling the ball all over the yard was Colin Moran, who also had five hits, including a pair of two-baggers. The Pirates collected 23 hits, the most ever by them against the Cubs, to allow Trevor Williams to claim a win on a day when he didn’t have his best stuff. It helped that the Bucs set season-high marks in runs (18), hits (23), doubles (seven) and homers (five).