10/3 Through the 1960s: WS Win; Frankie Hired; Clarke Retires; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Ismael, Jack, Bob, Fats, Johnny & Cap

• 1872 - OF/player-manager Fred “Cap” Clarke was born in Winterset, Iowa. Hall-of-Famer Clarke was discovered by Barney Dreyfuss, and came to Pittsburgh with most of the Louisville team in 1900 in a ploy masterminded by Dreyfuss. He was the left fielder and manager from 1900-11, and then mostly skippered, with a couple of spot appearances, from 1912-15. His Pirate line was .299/.379/.418, he hit .300 or better 11 times, and was player/manager for four pennant winners and two World Series teams. He guided the club to 14 straight first-division finishes, 1,422 wins, and compiled a winning % of .595. Cap got his nickname in 1897 as the player/manager for Louisville back when the skipper was called captain. 
• 1890 - The Alleghenys closed their season by losing, 10-4, to the Brooklyn Bridegrooms at Washington Park. It was the franchise’s most disastrous campaign as the club won just 23 games after being decimated by defections to the Players League. The Pittsburgh Press noted that “The Alleghenies showed themselves world-beaters yesterday by more than equaling the Louisville record of games lost… the Allies (Alleghenys) lost their 113th game.” The next season, they became the Pittsburgh Nationals/Pirates, shifted North Side yards from Recreation Park to Exposition Park, and finished with a more respectable 62-73 mark. 
• 1903 - Deacon Phillippe, working on a day’s rest, allowed four hits in a 4-2 win over Boston Americans in the first World Series, giving the Pirates a 2-1 lead in games. Ed Phelps doubled twice and Claude Ritchey had a pair of hits to lead the Pirate attack. The contest was played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. It was a large and rowdy crowd of 18,801, which was the largest official gathering of the series, as uncounted fans scaled the fence while others crashed the gates for entry to the yard, swelling the number. The Boston police had its hands full keeping them off the playing field; several balls that looked playable ended up hits when they landed within reach of the overflow crowd that was standing just outside the foul lines and lining the outfield fence. 

Elmer Riddle, Bing Crosby & Johnny Riddle - 1948 photo via SABR

• 1905 - C Johnny Riddle was born in Clinton, South Carolina. In parts of seven seasons (his MLB debut was in 1930 and his last at-bat in 1948), Johnny never got into more than 25 games. His swan song was in ‘48 with Pittsburgh, where he joined his younger brother, All-Star pitcher Elmer, on the roster and hit .200 in 10 games as a player/coach. He got to catch his brother and at 42, was the oldest NL player to appear in a game that year. Johnny also was part of one of the rarely seen over-40 batteries in baseball history when at age of 42 he caught for Fritz Ostermueller, who was 40. After that campaign, Riddle worked as a coach for the Pirates (1948–50; he only coached during his last two years), Cardinals (1952–55), Braves (1956–57), Redlegs (1958) and Phillies (1959). He picked up the nickname of “Mutt” as a youth but it was never used much during his ball-playing days. 
• 1908 - The Pirates moved 1/2 game ahead of the Cubs and Giants with a 3-2 win over the Cardinals at Robison Field, the Bucs eighth straight victory. Nick Maddox tossed a five-hitter and drove in a run, with other RBIs coming from the bats of Tommy Leach and Honus Wagner, to beat Art Fromme. Their next game was against the Cubs, and local interest was so high that the Pittsburgh Press opened four phone lines and posted telegraphed bulletins at their office with the game’s blow-by-blows. Alas, the Bucs lost that game, 5-2, and finished second in one of the most fiercely fought NL pennant races. 
• 1909 - In the first MLB match of 100-or-more-win teams (Pittsburgh had 108 victories, Chicago 100), the Pirates dropped the Cubs at West Side Park by a 4-1 count. Manager Fred Clarke rested some key starters for the upcoming World Series clash with Detroit, sitting not just himself (he was a player/manager) but SS Honus Wagner and C George Gibson, too. The Bucs didn’t miss a beat even without Cap, the Flying Dutchman and Mooney as Lefty Leifield was masterful, tossing a four-hitter to tame the Cubs. It was sweet vengeance; Pittsburgh had lost the 1908 NL flag to Chicago by one game and then watched the Cubs defeat the Tigers to win the October Classic. 
• 1914 - Bob Harmon ended a disappointing season for the Bucs on a high note, tossing a two-hit, 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field in the home finale. Both Redleg runners were caught stealing by C Bob Schang, and Harmon faced the minimum 27 batters while topping King Lear. Wally Gerber’s triple in the seventh drove in the game’s only score. 

Bob Harmon - 1916 Standard Biscuit

• 1915 - The Pirates ended their season with a 5-3 win over the Reds at Redland Field. Retiring manager Fred Clarke hosted his players at a banquet after the game, celebrating not only his retirement (Jimmy Callahan took the reins in 1916), but his 43rd birthday before the team scattered during the off season. The next day, he arrived back in Pittsburgh and was given a public send off in front of 500 at the Hotel Schenley. Carnegie Steel veep HP Bope served as toastmaster of the event with team owner Barney Dreyfuss and Pittsburgh Mayor Joe Armstrong among the featured speakers at the shindig. 
• 1915 - The Federal League came down to a bang-bang finish when the Chicago Whales beat the Pittsburgh Rebels, 3-0, at Weeghman Park, the future Wrigley Field. Because of various unplayed games (Chicago finished the year with one game less than Pittsburgh and two fewer than St. Louis), the standings were in flux. The Rebels, managed by “Rebel” Oakes, were a nose ahead of the pack down the stretch but dropped a twin bill to the Windy City nine at Exposition Park the day before and needed a sweep of a doubleheader in Chicago to retake first. Pittsburgh ground out the lidlifter 5-4 in 11 innings behind Al Wickman’s three RBI to stay alive, but the Whales scored three times off Elmer Knetzel in the sixth frame (he went 5-2/3 IP as the starter; he already won the first game with three innings of shutout relief work) of the finale to claim a title-clinching 3-0 victory, with the key blow a double that Oakes came within a hair of running down, but instead had glance off his glove. The Whales won the FL by .001% over the St. Louis Terriers and .004% over the Rebels, a smoking, down-to-the-wire finish to what would be the final season for the Federal League. 
• 1917 - OF Frank “Fats” Kalin was born in Steubenville, Ohio. He had a seven-game MLB career, with three of those contests as a Pirate in 1940, going 0-for-3 with a pair of walks. Kalin was considered a prospect with the White Sox in early 1943 and broke camp with Chicago, but he never got much chance to show his stuff in the majors as he served in the military during World War 2, starting that season. He was 28 when he was discharged and spent the next four years in the Pirates system at Hollywood and Indianapolis. We’re not certain about the origin of his nickname, but he was 6’, 200 lbs...

Bob Skinner - 1959 Topps (reverse)

• 1931 - LF/1B Bob Skinner was born in La Jolla, California. The “Dog” (a Bob Prince nickname derived from Skinner’s Marine Corps - the Devil Dogs - days) played for the Bucs in 1954 and then 1956-63, hitting .280. He was the starting left fielder for the 1960 World Series champs. Skinner was the Phillies manager from 1968-69, famously resigning when Richie Allen beefed about going to an exhibition game. He coached for several clubs after that, including the Pirates from 1974-1976 and again from 1979-1985. His son Joel was drafted by the Pirates and played in the show, though not in Pittsburgh, later coaching/managing in both the majors and farm for several organizations. 
• 1936 - RHP Jack Lamabe was born in Farmingdale, New York. Jack tossed for seven big league seasons, making his debut as a Bucco in 1962, going 3-1-2/2.88 in 46 appearances. He, along with Dick Stuart, was part of the Jim Pagliaroni/Don Schwall deal with Boston the next year, before following the itinerant route of a reliever by tossing for six more teams. After he hung up the spikes, he spent a decade coaching college ball at Jacksonville and LSU. Jack’s a member of the U of Vermont (his alma mater) Athletic Hall of Fame and the Jacksonville U Athletic Hall of Fame. Lamabe also picked up an odd family tree of nicknames with the Red Sox (variously Tomato, Tomato Face, the Old Tomato, ‘Mater, or Pizza Face) begun by pitcher Dick Radatz and popularized by Bosox announcer Ned Martin, who called him “The Old Tomato.” Jack had a round, red face and loved to nosh on pizza, making the love apple monikers fitting references. 
• 1937 - The Pirates swept a closing day doubleheader from the Reds at Forbes Field‚ 4-3 and 4-0‚ extending their winning streak to 10 and running the Reds' losing run to 14. The Bucs finished 21-1 against Cincinnati, winning the last 17 decisions of the season. Ken Heintzelman tossed a six-hitter to take the opener in his MLB debut. Woody Jensen scored twice and Fred Schulte had a pair of RBI to lead the attack. The second game was called after seven innings with Jim Weaver and Mace Brown combining on a three-hitter (Weaver was excused after three innings so he could get an early jump on the off season). Bill Schuster and Gus Suhr each scored and drove in a run. 

Frankie Frisch - 1961 Fleer Hall of Fame

• 1939 - Frankie Frisch jumped from the Boston Braves’ broadcasting booth to Pittsburgh’s managing gig, signing for two years with the Pirates to replace Pie Traynor, who resigned. The Fordham Flash skippered the Bucs for seven seasons from 1940-46, compiling a 539-528 record but only finishing higher than fourth once (second place - 1944). Frisch had been the Cards field general prior to the Pittsburgh job and became the Cubs manager afterwards, then retired back to the mic. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 1947 as a player. 
• 1948 - Luke Easter's grand slam highlighted the Homestead/Washington Grays' 19-hit assault on the Birmingham Black Barons in the fourth game of the Negro World Series, played at Pelican Stadium in New Orleans. The Grays won the contest, 14-1, and shortly thereafter claimed the Championship in five games. This was the final Negro World Series‚ as the Negro National League became a casualty of MLB integration and folded its tent during the winter. 
• 1969 - Scout Ismael Cruz was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The son of old Pirates scout Pablo Cruz, he trawled Colombia for the Bucs and Reds before moving up the international scouting ladder with the Mets, Toronto and his current organization, the Dodgers.

10/3 From 1970: Robbie Bangs 3; Lamont Hired; Willie, Arriba, Danny, Jerry Finales; Playoff Ball; Shufflin'; Game Tales; HBD Kevin, Goose; Alex, Wil & Manny

• 1970 - Dock Ellis and Gary Nolan bent but refused to break at TRS until the Reds put up three runs in the 10th inning to take a 3-0, opening NLCS victory from the Pirates. Tony Perez’s double brought in the first score and the insurance runs were chased home on Lee May’s two-out two-bagger. Pittsburgh stranded nine runners, but only one Bucco reached third, and that was with two outs. Matty Alou had a tough day trying to navigate the base paths as he was picked off in the first inning and then caught stealing in the ninth, rung up as the third out for both frames. 
• 1970 - OF Manny Martinez was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. He spent three seasons with four MLB teams, making a stop in Pittsburgh in 1998, batting .250 in 73 games. He was claimed by Montreal off waivers the following year. He then began his odyssey, playing AAA ball, followed by an indie league stint and trips to Korea, Mexico and the Dominican Leagues. Manny hung up the spikes in 2008 at age 37 after 19 seasons in pro ball. He went into coaching with the Mets organization afterward, and is now managing their Dominican Summer League club. 
• 1971 - 1B Bob Robertson hit three home runs, the first time ever done in a playoff game (he’s still tied for the most dingers in a postseason game), and added a double in a 9-4 NLCS win over the San Francisco Giants at Candlestick Park. He went 4-for-5 with five RBI and four runs scored to give Dock Ellis all the run support he’d need, although The Docktor lasted only five innings (his sore elbow made him a playoff nonentity). The Pirates launched a 15-hit barrage with Roberto Clemente and Dave Cash adding three knocks to square the set at a game each. 

Wil Cordero - 2000 Upper Deck MVP

• 1971 - OF Wil Cordero was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Cordero put in 14 big-league years, spending part of 2000 as a Bucco. He signed as a free agent, hit .282 w/16 HR and then was flipped at the deadline to the Cleveland Indians for OF Alex Ramirez and IF Enrique Wilson. 
• 1972 - Roberto Clemente made a ninth inning appearance in his 2,433rd game for the Bucs, tying Honus Wagner for the most regular season games played by a Pirate as Pittsburgh beat St. Louis, 6-2, at TRS in the season finale (Roberto played 26 additional games in the postseason, including five in '72; Hans only got into 15 playoff games). The Bucs had the game in hand thanks to a pair of two-run, two-RBI performances by Richie Hebner, who homered, and Al Oliver, with a double, to back the twirling of Bob Moose, Steve Blass and Ramon Hernandez. 
• 1974 - OF Alex Ramirez was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He came to Pittsburgh in a deadline deal with the Indians for Wil Cordero in 2000 and that was the end of his three-year MLB career. He hit .209 and took his game to Japan. He played in the Nippon League through the 2013 season, becoming the first non-Japanese player to collect 2,000 hits, and he’s coaching/managing there now. 
• 1976 - The Pirates shut out the St. Louis Cardinals by identical 1-0 scores in a season-ending doubleheader at TRS that also marked the final contests (and Buc career wins #1,114 & 1,115) with Danny Murtaugh at the helm. Jim Rooker threw a seven-hitter in the opener and Jerry Reuss followed with a five-hitter in the nitecap to top John Denny & Pete Falcone, who both also went the distance. The Bucs' run in the opener came in on Dave Parker’s grounder with Omar Moreno on third in the sixth. The second game’s lone tally was more dramatic, with Tony Armas two-out, ninth-inning single scoring Miguel Dilone, who had walked and stole second. The Pirates wouldn’t win back-to-back 1-0 games again until September, 2014, when they blanked the Brewers and then the Braves. The sweep gave them 92 victories for the season, good enough for second place, nine games behind the Phils. The next twin bill the Bucs won by shutout wasn’t until May 29th, 2021 at PNC Park when they whitewashed the Rockies in a pair of seven-inning games. 

Danny Murtaugh - 1975 SSPC

• 1979 - Pittsburgh won the second game of the NLCS, 3-2, over the Reds in 10 innings at Riverfront Stadium. The Bucs nursed a 2-1 lead into the ninth, built on Tim Foli and Bill Madlock RBI. But back-to-back one-out doubles by Hector Cruz and Dave Collins off Kent Tekulve tied the match. The Pirates top of the order came right back. A leadoff single by Omar Moreno, a bunt by Foli and a game-winning knock by Dave Parker sent Doug Bair to defeat. Don Robinson got the win in relief of Teke as the Pirates went up 2-0 in the best-of-five series. 
• 1982 - In his last game, Willie Stargell was penciled in to lead off at TRS by manager Chuck Tanner. Captain Willie singled off the glove of Expos’ pitcher Steve Rogers and was pulled by Tanner, who wanted Pops to end his career with a knock and an ovation; he got both his wishes. It was Pops’ first start since August 9th; he collected fewer than 100 PAs during the season and hit just .233 with three homers during his final MLB lap. The Bucs lost to Montreal, 6-1, and the team ended the year with 84 wins, good for fourth place. 
• 1988 - IF Phil “Goose” Gosselin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania. The Bucs sent minor league RHP Frank Duncan to Arizona for utilityman Gosselin, who was hoped to take the place of Sean Rodriguez off the bench in 2017, but spent most of his time at Indianapolis. In 28 Pirates games, he played 1B-2B-3B, but hit just .150, then was released in August and claimed by the Rangers. Goose spent 2022 with the Angels and Braves, and is now a free agent. 
• 1988 - Syd Thrift was busy on his final full shift as GM (he was fired the next day). The Bucs signed C Junior Ortiz to a 2-year, $475K contract. They also picked up LHP Bill Krueger from the LA Dodgers for minor league RHP Jim Neidlinger and inked minor league FA RHPs Dave Johnson and Bob Patterson. Ortiz caught about half the Pirates games in ‘89, then was traded to the Twins. Krueger was a late camp cut, Johnson was shortly released and Patterson missed most of the year with a bum arm, finally earning a full-time MLB gig with the Bucs in 1990. 

10-3-1990 Pgh Press/Bob Hertzel

• 1990 - The Bucs’ Jerry Reuss gave up one earned run but was credited with a no decision in a 6-3 loss to the Mets. It was the 41-year-old lefty’s last MLB appearance after announcing his retirement, with Jim Leyland honoring Reuss’ career with a final outing (his only start of the season). Reuss joined the four decade club (1969-90) and finished with 220 wins without a 20-win season, a stat shared only with Milt Pappas and Frank Tanana among 200-game winners. 
• 1993 - IF/OF Kevin Kramer was born in Turlock, California. He was the Bucs second round draft selection in 2011 out of UCLA. After hitting .297 at Altoona in 2017 and .311 at Indianapolis in 2018, he was added to the 40-man roster and called up to the big club, hitting just .135. He didn’t do much better in 2019 with a BA of .167; both were 20-game auditions in September. After a good spring camp, Kramer lost the 2020 campaign to hip surgery. The Pirates traded him to Milwaukee and he was released in 2021. He then retired to run a solar power firm. 
• 1996 - The Pirates named Gene Lamont, who had served as the Chicago White Sox field boss from 1992-95, to replace Jim Leyland as skipper. He led the club from 1997-2000, putting up a 295-352 record, then coached for the Red Sox, Astros and Tigers. He’s currently a Special Assistant in Kansas City. 
• 2010 - The Pirates finished the season with a 17-64 (.210) record on the road after suffering a 5-2 loss to the Florida Marlins at Sun Life Stadium, with the defeat going to Brian Burres. The Bucs' away-from-home record equaled the MLB low water mark set by the 1963 Mets. 

Pedro Alvarez - 2013 Topps Gold

• 2013 - AJ Burnett was chased in a seven-run third inning that saw 11 Cardinals go to bat as St. Louis ran away with the opener of the NLDS at Busch Stadium by a 9-1 score. Adam Wainwright went seven innings and struck out nine for the Redbirds. The Pirates only mustered four hits, two by Andrew McCutchen, with Pedro Alvarez’s homer providing the lone Bucco tally. 
• 2019 - Following Clint Hurdle’s dismissal, the Pirates fired bench coach Tom Prince, 55, who had spent 26 years with the organization as a player, manager & coach, and pitching coach Ray Searage, 64, who had joined the team in 2010 and lasted throughout the Hurdle era. They were the two longest tenured coaches and it was thought that their removal was a conscious effort by the FO to break with the old ways and inject more forward-thinking, data-driven methodology into the clubhouse culture. The staff members retained by Derek Shelton after the final tune was played were hitting coach Rick Eckstein, third base/infield coach Joey Cora, assistant pitching coach Justin Meccage, who became the team’s bullpen coach, and Heberto Andrade, assistant bullpen and pitching coach. 
• 2022 - The Pirates opened their final home set of the year, hosting the Cards at PNC Park, and walked off with the win - literally. An Albert Pujols homer (#703) gave the Redbirds a 2-0 lead in the sixth. Pittsburgh bounced back; in the Bucs half, Jason Delay and Bryan Reynolds doubled to cut the margin in half, then Jack Suwinski tied it in the eighth with a solo blast. The first three batters drew free passes against St. Louis’ Giovanny Gallegos in the bottom of the ninth, and reliever Jo Jo Romero was waved in, just to walk Oneil Cruz on four pitches to force in Ke’Bryan Hayes for the most literal walk off ever, well, walked off. The Bucs fifth pitcher, Yohan Ramirez, took the win with a 1-2-3 ninth, fanning two. Mitch Keller started and lasted six innings to end the night with a 3.91 ERA, a two-run+ improvement over 2021’s 6.17 mark. Oddly enough, he finished with a worse won-loss record (5-12) during this campaign than he did the year before (5-11).

10/2 Through the 1970s: WS & Playoffs; Matty Title; Mooney Mark; Tri-Bill; Pirate Parade; FF Mark; Game Tales; HBD Bob, Maury, Rex, Eddie, Ernie & Scott

• 1869 - RHP Scott Stratton was born in Campbellsburg, Kentucky. Stratton worked eight years in the show, spending two games with the 1891 Pirates between stints with the Louisville Colonels. He went 0-2/2.45 in two starts for Pittsburgh. He did have a pair of 20-win seasons in the American Association and played in the bushes until the age of 30, having transitioned to the outfield - he ended his minor league days with a .329 BA. Scott was known as the Taylorsville Wonder, dubbed for the town he was raised in. He retired to Louisville and worked a variety of jobs. 
• 1877 - The London Tecumsehs defeated the Pittsburgh Alleghenys in the International Association’s championship, winning the deciding third game by a 5-2 score. The match was played at Tecumseh Field (now Labatt Memorial Park) in Ontario as Fred Goldsmith of London, one of the original curve ball artists, squared off against the Alleghenys’ Pud Galvin, who won 365 big league games on his road to the Hall of Fame. No particulars can be found, but much controversy was generated over the match as the Alleghenys refused to accept the result of the game, accusing the Tecumsehs of using one of their players as an umpire. The IA was founded in Pittsburgh in February and was considered the first minor league, although many argue that its play was on a par with the major league clubs of the era. Both teams would last one more season before folding, but the Alleghenys came back in 1881 to play in the American Association and then become the genesis of the Pirates franchise when they joined the National League in 1887. 
• 1877 - OF Ernie Diehl was born in Cincinnati. Ernie was a wealthy lad (his dad owned a distillery) and a toolsy ballplayer who starred in local semi-pro ball. The Pirates picked him up for a match in 1903 and a 12-game stretch in 1904, both times as an injury replacement, and Ernie went 7-for-40 (.175). Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss offered him a full contract for both years, but Diehl refused and played the games without a deal, returning to his local team and business interests after the Bucs were back to full strength. He was thought to have been offered and refused a player’s contract by various teams for 10 straight years, though he played briefly for Boston for a couple of seasons and had short stints with Toledo & Louisville in the American Association. He remained a businessman, was a standout in amateur sports (he was also an excellent tennis player) and dabbled in local politics. The whiskey business was sold in 1918 and Ernie moved to Miami, where he lived until passing away in 1958. 

Ernie Diehl (Boston Doves) - Helmar T206

• 1891 - OF “Honest Eddie” Murphy was born in Hancock, New York. Eddie spent 11 years in the show, mostly as a bench guy, and played his final season as a Pirate in 1926, batting .118 in 16 games at age 35. He joined Pittsburgh after five years of solid minor-league play, called up in August when the Bucs were battling for a flag, but he injured his knee and didn’t have much impact. The Pirates finished 4-1/2 games behind the Cards, although they would come back to take the 1927 NL flag. Eddie played two more minor league years before retiring. His nickname came about because he was a player for infamous 1919 Black Sox squad, but the tiniest splatter of scandal couldn’t be tied to him; his reputation was so spotless that he became known as Honest Eddie. 
• 1901 - Pittsburgh railroaders held a parade complete with a band and marched from town to Exposition Park in the North Side to celebrate the final home game of the season for the pennant-winning Buccos. A horse-drawn carriage delivered a $500 loving cup that was presented to manager Fred Clarke, owner Barney Dreyfuss and club president Harry Pulliam for leading the team to its championship season, and each player was given a decorated badge with his likeness on it. After some chest-thumping speechifying, the Bucs went on to take an 8-4 win over Boston behind Sam Leever. The next evening, the Alvin Theater invited the team to take in the show as the Pirates were the toast of the town. Pittsburgh finished at 90-49, 7-1/2 games ahead of Philadelphia. 
• 1903 - Bill Dinneen struck out 11 and pitched a complete game three-hitter for the Boston Americans as they defeated the Bucs, 3-0, at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds in the second game of the first World Series. Patsy Dougherty homered off both starter Sam Leever, who left with an injury (he returned for the sixth game, but wasn’t effective), and Bucky Veil to carry the offense. 

Howie Camnitz - 1909 American Tobacco

• 1908 - Pittsburgh took over the NL lead by a gnat’s eyelash after sweeping St. Louis at Robison Field. Lefty Leifield won the opener, 7-4, as Fred Clarke and Alan Storke each had three hits to pace the attack. Howie Camnitz took the nitecap, 2-1, tossing a seven-hitter with seven K, backed by homers off the bats of Honus Wagner and George Gibson. Two percentage points separated New York, Chicago, and Pittsburgh going into the final week of the season; the Cubs won by a game over the Buccos and G-Men in one of baseball’s great to-the-wire races. 
• 1909 - Pirates backstop George Gibson set the then-record of catching in 134 consecutive games in a 3-1 loss to the Cubs, breaking the previous mark set by the Washington Senators’ Deacon McGuire in 1895. He set another MLB record for games played in a season by a catcher with 150, which had also been held by McGuire. His 150 games caught record stood until 1920 when Ray Schalk caught 151 games. And while he was at it, he led all NL catchers in fielding percentage and caught stealing, both in number of runners and percentage, in 1909. “Mooney” topped off the year by helping the Bucs to take the pennant and World Series. 
• 1911 - Scout Rex Bowen was born in Shiloh, New Jersey. After a minor league career as a player, Bowen bird-dogged for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1943-50, the Pirates from 1950-1967, spending the last 12 years as the club’s scouting director, and as his last act joined the Reds front office from 1967-90. He signed Bill Mazeroski (who ended up marrying Rex’s secretary, Milene), Dick Groat, Bruce Dal Canton, Gene Freese, Gene Michaels and George Freese among others. In 2000, Baseball America named him one of the top ten scouts of the 20th Century. 
• 1914 - Phil Douglas of Cincinnati gave up just one hit, a single to Honus Wagner, but three walks - one with the bases loaded - and two errors in the ninth turned the tide as the Reds lost, 2-1, to George McQuillan and the Pirates at Forbes Field. It was the third game of his career where Hans had the only Pittsburgh hit. With a game to go, Ralph Davis of the Pittsburgh Press described the last series as “...closing out the most disastrous season the Pirates have known since Fred Clarke became their chieftain.” The Bucs finished 69-85, in seventh place and 25-1/2 games behind the Boston Braves. 

George McQuillan - 1915 Cracker Jack

• 1920 - After a pair of rainouts, the Pirates and Reds played the last MLB tripleheader at Forbes Field. The Bucs wanted to get in the games to keep alive its slim hopes for a third place finish (and post-season bonus). It didn’t happen as the Reds took 2-of-3 to clinch the third spot. Cincy won the first two games, 13-4 and 7-3, before losing the third game, 6-0, to Johnny Morrison, a six-inning affair shortened due to darkness. Buc rookie 3B Clyde Barnhart became the only player in big league history to have hits in three games in one day, as he had two knocks in game one, and one each in the other two games. Peter Harrison earned his check, too; he was the home plate umpire for all three games. Starting at noon, the three games took exactly five hours to play. The Pittsburgh franchise also played the first MLB tripleheader, being swept in 1890 by Boston, so the circle was unbroken. And it was baseball’s first true three-in-one date as the other two triple headers played were actually morning games followed by an afternoon twin bill, with separate admission fees for the contests. 
• 1932 - IF Maury Wills was born in Washington, DC. His glory years were with the Dodgers, though he played for Pittsburgh for two seasons from 1967-68 as a third baseman who hit .290 with 81 steals. The Pirates sent him to Montreal, and in 1969 he returned to LA, where he had spent the first eight years of his career and would spend his final four campaigns. Wills was one of the great base stealers of his era, amassing 564 swiped sacks in his 14 years, and even had a Pittsburgh club called “The Stolen Base.” Maury coached in several one-off leagues and did some broadcasting. His stint as skipper of the Seattle Mariners in 1981 was pretty much a fiasco and he was fired after a 26-56 slate. He had a bumpy life after baseball, but made it to the age of 89 before passing away in 2022. 
• 1946 - Bob Robertson was born in Mt. Savage, Maryland. A member of the 1971 WS champs, Big Red hit four home runs in the 1971 NLCS against the Giants (three in one game) and added two more in the Fall Classic against the Orioles. In the years 1970-71, he bombed 53 HR, but never realized his potential as a Pirate. In nine Pittsburgh seasons, he hit .245 with 106 long balls, which was enough for Bob Prince to nickname him “The Mount Savage Strong Man.” 

Bob Robertson - 1971 Pirates Picture Pak

• 1960 - The Pirates closed out the regular season with a 9-5 win over the Milwaukee Braves at Forbes Field. It was a good year - 34,578 fans showed up to top off a record gate of 1,705,828, the Bucs’ 95-59 record earned them the NL pennant, and Dick Groat came back to win the NL batting crown with a .324 BA after recovering from a broken wrist, the first Pirate to wear the crown since Deb Garms in 1940. And it got better - Groat was voted the National League MVP and Pittsburgh won the World Series from the New York Yankees. 
• 1964 - Pirates scout Herb Raybourne signed 20-year-old catcher Manny Sanguillen out of Panama for a $500 bonus. He hit .299 over 13 seasons, won two World Series rings, played on six pennant winners, and was named to three All-Star teams. Sangy is still around with a BBQ shop at PNC Park, where the popular Pirate-for-life slings sandwiches and holds court with the faithful. 
• 1966 - Matty Alou finished the season with a .342 BA to win the NL batting title. He went 4-for-6 against the Giants at Forbes Field during a 7-3 Bucco loss. But there was no team crown this year - the Pirates posted 92 wins and the Giants had 93, but LA took the pennant with 95 victories. 
• 1969 - The batting title went down to the final swing; Pete Rose bunted for a single at Atlanta in his last at-bat while Roberto Clemente went 3-for-4 in a 8-2 win against the Expos, giving Rose a final .348 to .345 edge. If Clemente, who grounded out in his last dibs, had singled, his BA would have been .347; if Rose’s bunt had failed, his average would have been .346.

10/2 From 1970: Cobra, Mad Dog Crowns; '74 Clincher; Playoff Contests; Lamont Goes; Zisk Signs; Teke, Goose At Work; Pirates Deal; 2M At TRS; Game Tales; HBD Marino & Victor

• 1971 - The SF Giants scored four runs in the fifth inning off Steve Blass via two-out homers by Tito Fuentes and Willie McCovey, and the outburst was just enough to drop the Pirates, 5-4, in the opening game of the NLCS at Candlestick Park. Dave Cash scored twice and had an RBI while Al Oliver drove home a pair of runs in the loss. It was the Pirates sixth straight loss in the City by the Bay. 
• 1971 - LF Willie Stargell was the leading vote-getter and C Manny Sanguillen was the top dog behind the dish per the News Enterprise Association poll for the best performers in the majors as selected by the MLB players themselves. Pops was picked as an outfielder (he wouldn’t see much action at 1B until the following year) while Sangy easily outpolled previous winner Johnny Bench. Roberto Clemente was a second teamer as Tony Oliva dropped Arriba and the Orioles’ Frank Robinson to runner-up status in right field. Also on the second squad was Dave Giusti, who led the league with 30 saves but finished behind the Giants’ Jerry Johnson in the relief pitcher category. 
• 1974 - Bob Smizik’s Pittsburgh Press game story was headlined “Pirates Blunder Into Division Title” and it was right on. The Pirates rallied from a 4-0 hole against the Cubs at TRS to get within a run in the ninth. With two gone and Manny Sanguillen on third, pinch hitter Bob Robertson K’ed on a Rick Reuschel curve. The ball got away from Steve Swisher, and his throw to first hit chug-a-lugging Robby on the back and caromed into right, allowing Robby to safely reach base and The Roadrunner to score. The Bucs won it in the next inning when Al Oliver tripled and scored on Sangy’s swinging bunt up the third base line. A Pirates loss would have given the St. Louis Cardinals, with a rainout to make up, a chance to tie Pittsburgh for the lead. The fans didn’t act in championship fashion, tossing bottles at the Cub outfielders, who had to wear batting helmets in the field. Plate ump Shag Crawford told Smizik after the game that “It was the worst I’ve ever seen a big league crowd. I finally gave some thought to forfeiting in the ninth, but (manager Danny) Murtaugh really helped out...” when he went on the field and scolded the crowd into a semblance of civility. 

Richie Zisk - 1975 Kellogg 3-D

• 1975 - Richie Zisk ended what was then the longest holdout in Pirates history when he inked a $65,000 deal after playing the season without signing a contract. He and Joe Brown couldn’t agree on salary at the start of the year and the Pirates renewed his contract. Zisk was reportedly looking to double his ‘74 salary of $35,000, but wasn’t interested in taking his case to arbitration or joining the crowd testing the reserve clause. Just before the playoffs against the Reds began, he and Brown finally reached an agreement (he had been paid at a rate of $55,000 during the year, presumably the figure the Buccos had offered earlier). The impasse didn’t affect his plate performance; he hit .290 with 20 homers during the regular season and then went 5-for-10 in the NLCS. 
• 1976 - RHP Victor Santos was born in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic. Victor, although he had five years in the league, made it to the Pirates via the Rule 5 draft from KC and spent 2006 as a Bucco, slashing 5-9/5.70 in 25 games (19 starts). He took the mound for one more year in the show, then spent most of his time in the Latin leagues, toeing the rubber for the last time in 2012. In his retirement, he became an instructor at Roberto Clemente's Baseball Academy. 
• 1977 - Kent Tekulve and Rich Gossage each appeared in their 72nd games to break the existing club record for most appearances during a 3-2 Bucco victory over the Cubs in the second game of a twin bill at TRS. Goose got the win after Teke blew the save. Dave Parker clinched his first batting title, finishing with a .338 average after going 1-for-4 in the opener, a 5-1 Bucco win. For the Pirates, it was a red hot finish as they won 12-of-13 games to end the season, finishing second to the Phils with 96 wins. Teke would shatter the record in 1979 by appearing in 94 outings, a mark tied by Salomon Torres in 2006.
• 1979 - In the opening game of the NLCS at Riverfront Stadium, Willie Stargell ended a tight pitching battle started by John Candelaria and Tom Seaver by bombing a three-run homer in the 11th inning off Tom Hume to give the Pirates a 5-2 victory over the Reds. Grant Jackson got the win with a Don Robinson save. The Bucs drew first blood in the third by a 2-0 count on a Phil Garner homer, Omar Moreno triple and Tim Foli sac fly. The Reds tied the count an inning later on George Foster’s two-run shot. 

Willie Stargell - 2020 Topps Allen & Ginter Longball Lore

• 1981 - RHP Marino Salas was born in Hato Mayor del Rey, Dominican Republic. He was traded to the Pirates as part of the Salomon Torres deal with the Brewers. He began 2008 en fuego, going 2-0-2/0.77 in 14 appearances at AAA Indy and was recalled by the Pirates in May. It didn’t translate as he slashed 1-0/8.47 in 13 outings. Salas ended his career by pitching in the Italian League. 
• 1981 - The Pirates were out of the race with the Cards on life support, and both teams put on a clinic on why non-playoff October baseball is often less than compelling. Playing in 30 degree weather with a swirling wind before the smallest TRS crowd to date (2,348), the Bucs took an 8-7 win from St. Louis. The Pirates jumped ahead early, 7-2, thanks to four RBI from Jason Thompson, but allowed five straight unearned runs on four errors (it was the second straight start that Paschal Perez was burdened by five gift runs). Rod Scurry was tagged for two ninth-inning tallies to knot the score before Mike Easler walked it off by doubling home Omar Moreno to earn a win for Kent Tekulve. The Redbirds contributed three boots of their own, the two staffs issued 11 walks, and the contest was so poorly played that the Pirates invited everyone back to attend the next game gratis. Not many took up the offer; there were only 3,600 witnesses the next night. 
• 1983 - Bill Madlock, finishing out the season gimpy with a calf injury, sat out the Bucs last game but managed to hang on to the batting title, finishing the year at .323 to edge out the Cards’ Lonnie Smith, who ended the campaign at .321. Though it was the lowest BA to win a NL title since 1919, it was quite a feather in Mad Dog’s cap as he became just the eighth MLB player with four or more batting crowns since 1900 and the first in the senior circuit to earn a quartet since Roberto Clemente in 1967. Bill also became the first hitter to win two titles for two teams. 

Bill Madlock - 1983 Topps/Drakes

• 1985 - The Galbreath family and Warner Communications agreed in principle to sell the Pirates to the Pittsburgh Associates, a group of 10 primarily corporate and institutional investors that kept the team afloat and in Pittsburgh, for $21.8M (the deal was finalized in March, 1986). As part of the agreement, Malcolm “Mac” Prine was named president of the Pirates during the transition and takeover. Mac was the CEO of Ryan Homes, which was part of the PA, the first private-public ownership group in pro sports. He brought in Jim Leyland as manager and Syd Thrift as GM; ironically, a power struggle with Thrift led to Prine’s resignation two years later. Mac was replaced by Carl Barger, who had sharper elbows and forced Thrift to walk the plank a year later. 
• 1990 - The Pirates drew 50,028 fans to Three Rivers Stadium to watch the Bucs batter the Mets, 9-4, and went over the 2M mark in attendance for the first time in history. Pittsburgh was warming up for their playoff series against the Reds and banged Dwight “Doc” Gooden around, finishing the day with 12 hits in a balanced attack that Bill Landrum rode to victory. Although the 2,049,908 total attendance figure would be edged out the next year, the game average of 25,308 fans would remain the TRS high water mark. 
• 2000 - Gene Lamont was let go as the Pirates manager. The former White Sox skipper had replaced Jim Leyland in 1997 and led the Bucs to a second place finish, but overall his Pittsburgh record was 295-352 (.456). It wasn’t a surprise dismissal; Kevin McClatchy told Lamont that he wouldn’t be back in mid-September. His hitting coach, Lloyd McClendon, was hired to take his spot three weeks later. Lamont returned to coaching with the Red Sox, Astros, and Tigers; he’s now a special assistant in Kansas City. 
• 2001 - Aramis Ramirez had three hits and chased home a pair of runs in the Pirates 10-1 romp over the Mets at Shea Stadium. That gave A-Ram 111 RBI on the season (he finished with 112), the most by a Pirates third sacker since 1930, when Pie Traynor plated 119 runners. Craig Wilson also was huge with a homer among his three hits and four RBI. Bronson Arroyo held up his end, tossing a five-hit complete game for a nice highlight to an otherwise dismal, 100-loss season. 

A-Ram - 2001 Fleer Tradition

• 2005 - Zach Duke, with help from Mike Gonzalez and Salomon Torres, stopped the Milwaukee Brewers, 3-1, at PNC Park. The Brewers finished at 81-81, and the loss prevented them from their first winning season since 1992, although it did end a long consecutive losing season streak. The Bucco tallies came on a two-run Nate McLouth homer and a solo shot by Craig Wilson. The Brew Crew won 83 games in 2007 to get over the hump; it would take Pittsburgh until 2013 to do the same. 
• 2021 - The Bucs looked like they were staggering to another defeat, down 5-0 to the Reds at PNC Park before a fireworks crowd of 20,000+. But they put together a six-spot in the fifth, keyed by two-run extra-base raps by Wilmer Difo and Michael Chavis, then added on to take home an 8-6 win. Bryan Reynolds had four hits, falling a homer shy of the cycle, while Ben Gamel added three more knocks to lead a 16-hit attack. It was the MLB debut of uber-prospect Oneil Cruz, who had two hits, a run, an RBI and the hardest hit recorded by a Bucco in the Statcast era of 118.2 MPH. Nick Mears faced two batters in the sixth, giving up a game-tying double before posting the third out but still was credited with the win. Chris Stratton worked a 1-2-3 ninth to earn the save. 
• 2022 - It took a decade, but the Pirates finally hung a loss on the Cardinals Adam Wainwright, who hadn’t been defeated by Pittsburgh since June 29th, 2012. The Bucs defeated Waino at Busch Stadium by a 7-5 count on a day he, Yadi Molina and Albert Pujols were all pulled in the fifth inning to be honored during their last regular season home game together. Ben Gamel had a three-run homer, Bryan Reynolds swatted a solo shot, Miguel Andujar added a pair of RBI and Oneil Cruz had two hits and scored twice. Six Buccaneer hurlers ran through the raindrops to close it out, with Chase De Jong getting the win and David Bednar, the save.

Notes: Wait 'Til Next Year; Final Player Shuffles; Pirates & Minor League Snips; MLB News, RIP Tim & Brooks

The last mile...

Notes:

• Pittsburgh's final week of the '23 season began with a three-game set at Philly. In the opener, Mitch Keller went six frames and edged AL Burnett for the most franchise K's in a single season by a RHP with 210 (AJ had 209 in 2013), but the Phils still went on to claim a playoff spot with a 10-inning, 3-2, victory. In the second game, Johan Oviedo blew a 5-0 lead and the Bucs dropped a 7-6 decision. The pitching finally chipped in and the Pirates took the third match, 3-2. Miami came to town for the final set, and they were bustin' for a playoff spot. The Bucs did what they do against good teams - they blew a late three-run lead to lose the kickoff, 4-3. In Game #2, they stranded a dozen runners (2-for-14 w/RISP) and lost, 7-3, as the Fish clinched a playoff spot. For the last game of the year, Fan Appreciation Day, they sat Ke'Bryan Hayes, Bryan Reynolds and Endy Rodriguez. So, of course, they won the campaign's last hurrah, 3-0, scoring three times in the bottom of the eighth.

The Bucs leave the field for the last time in '23 - photo Pgh. Pirates

• The Bucs recalled RHP Cody Bolton from Indy for his seventh stint with the club this season to bolster the pen for the last series of the year.  To make room for him on the roster, RHP Luis Ortiz was optioned down to the minors after he made his last start of the campaign.
• The Pirates recalled red-hot 2B Nick Gonzales back to the big club from Indy for the last week of the season. Second should be an interesting position in '24, with Liover Peguera and Jared Triolo in the starting mix (we're guessing Ji-Hwan Bae is destined for the OF, but he could a dark horse, too). SS Alika Williams was optioned to Indy to clear a roster spot.
• Dave Bednar finished the year with 39 saves in 43 opportunities
• The Pirates finished the season with a 76-86 record, a 14 game improvement from last season. The countdown begins: 179 days to go until Opening Day 2024.
• Mitch Keller was in line to pitch the Bucs home finale, but Shelty said his year was done after working a career-high 32 starts & 194-1/3 IP. He ended the campaign with a line of 13-9/4.21 and earned his first All-Star selection. Roansy Contreras was also done for the year, with an offseason of mechanical tweaks ahead of him.
• On his Sunday radio show, Ben Cherington said that Henry Davis will start spring training as a catcher.
• The Pittsburgh BBWAA chapter named Ke’Bryan Hayes as the Roberto Clemente Award winner (team MVP) with Bryan Reynolds as runner-up, Mitch Keller repeated as the Steve Blass Award pick (team’s best pitcher), nudging past David Bednar, and Andrew McCutchen took the Chuck Tanner Award (most cooperative with media), ahead of Josh Palacios.   

Key Voted MVP - 2023 photo/Pirates

• Hey, guess what's back? The Pirates announced the return of PiratesFest to the Lawrence Convention Center on Saturday, January 6th, 2024. It's been on the shelf since 2019.
• The smoke hasn't cleared yet but Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors already has a 2024 Pirates Outlook and examines contracts, position battles, pitching & budget for their impact on '24.
• Yardbarker's Justin Mears presented his roster of the Best 24 Players In Pirates History. His selections weren't based on a deep dive but by WAR.
• Bradenton 2B Termarr Johnson was the Pirates Minor League Player of the Year per Baseball America.  BA also selected who had the best tools in Class AA and selected Altoona's Matt Gorski as having the best OF arm and Curve skipper Callix Crabbe as the best manager prospect. Both stories are behind a paywall.
• Indy OF Ryan Vilade was named the International League Player of the Week. He batted .538 with a homer, nine RBI and six runs scored.
• The Milwaukee Brewers clinched the NL Central Division title on Tuesday.
• Cincy DFA'ed old Bucco SS Kevin Newman. The IF is batting .253 but was lost in the shuffle of young Red infielders who are pushing for prime time.
• 40-year-old Miguel Cabrera's career ended on Sunday, his final game before retirement. Miggy, a 12-time All-Star, is one of three players (Henry Aaron & Albert Pujols are the others) to bang out 3,000 hits, 500 homers and 600 doubles. He'll remain in Detroit as front-office special assistant. 
• RHP Adam Wainwright, 42, announced his retirement. Waino spent 18 years as a St. Louis Cardinal and recently won his 200th game.
• Rest easy, Tim Wakefield and Brooks Robinson, who both passed on this week.

10/1 Through the 1960s: Bucs Win WS Game #1; Arriba Title; Waner's 237th; Max's 51st; O'Connell, Nagy Added; Danny & Rip Go; Meow Mix; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Vance, Chuck, Jim, Specs & Bobby

• 1868 - SS Bobby Cargo was born in Pittsburgh. He only got into two MLB games, both as a Bucco, in 1892 as an injury replacement and went 1-for-4 after being signed from the local East End club. He was an off-season streetcar driver who still played minor league ball through 1903 (career BA .273 in 13 years) before he caught pneumonia while with Atlanta and passed away at age 35. Cargo was a Lawrenceville resident and was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery. 
• 1895 - RHP Carmen “Specs” Hill was born in Royalton, Minnesota. Carmen pitched eight years in Pittsburgh (1915-16, 1918-19, 1926-29) and went 47-31-8 with a 3.26 ERA. He won 22 games for the NL Champion Pittsburgh Pirates in 1927. As for his nickname, Carmen was the second pitcher in major league history to wear glasses and the other players wouldn’t let him forget it. He also had a second nickname of "Bunker,” inspired by his last name of Hill. 
• 1903 - Deacon Phillippe pitched a six-hitter while whiffing 10 to defeat the legendary Cy Young and the AL’s Boston Americans, 7-3. It was the first World Series game in baseball history, played at the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds in front of 16,242 fans. For the books, the first WS hitter was CF Ginger Beaumont, who flew out to the American’s CF Chick Stahl. Tommy Leach got the first hit, a triple, and became the first runner to score when Honus Wagner singled him home for the first WS RBI. Jimmy Sebring hit the first Series’ homer (a seventh inning inside-the-park dash) and drove in four runs. Although the series was not officially sanctioned by the leagues, the clubs had agreed during the season to a best-of-nine postseason showdown, and the World Series was officially OK’ed to be permanently staged starting in 1905. 

Deacon Phillippe 1910 Pgh Press

• 1917 - Wilbur Cooper tossed a four-hit shutout as the Pirates closed the season with a 2-0 win over the Boston Braves at Forbes Field. Bill Webb had three hits and a run scored to lead the attack. Fritz Mollwitz also crossed home while Lee King & Max Carey drove in the runs. It was Cooper’s 17th win for a team that finished last by 47 games with only 51 victories. 
• 1918 - OF Jim Russell was born in Fayette City, between Belle Vernon and Stockdale on the Mon. He played for the Pirates from 1942-47, starting all but his rookie campaign, and put up a .277 BA. In his final season, the CF’er had Hall-of-Famers Hank Greenberg and Ralph Kiner as bookends in the outfield. As a youth, he contracted rheumatic fever twice; his baseball career was cut short because of associated heart disease which sapped him in his later years. 
• 1922 - Max Carey swiped his 51st base against the Reds in a 5-1 loss at Redland Field. Not only did he lead the league in larceny, but his 51 steals in 53 attempts was the highest success rate ever achieved by a stolen base leader. His record of 31 straight steals without being caught (he stretched it to 36 straight during the ‘23 campaign) stood until 1975, when Davey Lopes put together a 38-swipe streak. Vince Coleman has the current mark of 50 consecutive steals. 
• 1927 - Paul Waner collected a pair of hits against Cincinnati in a 9-6 win at Redland Field to finish the season with a Bucco record 237 knocks. The victory also clinched the pennant for the Pirates, who finished the year with 94 wins, 1-1/2 games ahead of St. Louis and two up on NY. Pie Traynor, Lloyd Waner and Earl Smith each added three hits to back Johnny Miljus. It was a big year for Big Poison - he won the BA crown by hitting .380, led in RBI with 131 and won the MVP. 

Big Poison - 1927 photo/Paul Thompson

• 1934 - IF Chuck Hiller was born in Johnsonburg, Illinois. Hiller spent the finale of his eight-year career with the Pirates in 1968, going five-for-13 in 11 games, primarily as a pinch hitter. When he retired after the 1968 season, he became a minor league manager in the Pirates' organization for a year, then returned to the Mets in a similar capacity, working for the Mets' director of player development, Whitey Herzog, through 1972. He then served under manager Herzog as a MLB coach with the Texas Rangers, Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals, and later spent brief stints with the Giants and the Mets. In between his big-league assignments, Hiller served the Mets as an infield instructor in their minor league system, and managed in the Cards' organization.
• 1944 - RHP Len “Meow” Gilmore set a couple of dubious Pirate records. His start against the Phils at Shibe Park was his only big league game, and he gave up 13 hits and seven runs, going the distance in a 7-1 loss. He was a poster boy for pitch-to-contact: all 36 batters he faced put the ball in play, leaving him with the Pirates standard for most innings pitched in a game without recording a strikeout or a walk. The Bucs had clinched second place and its $400 bonus in the opening bout of the day with a 9-1 victory behind Rip Sewell and a 17-hit attack, allowing manager Frankie Frisch the luxury of finishing the campaign with a rookie hurler. 
• 1946 - The Pirates hoped to bolster their staff by purchasing LHP Steve Nagy from Montreal, where he had gone 17-4/3.01 and led the club to an International League pennant. Alas, that hope faded as he tossed to a 1-3/5.79 line for Pittsburgh and spent most of his time at Indianapolis; in 1948, he was shipped to the New York Giants as part of the Bill Werle deal. 

Rip Sewell -undated photo Walter Stein/AP

• 1949 - The Pirates released 42-year-old RHP Truett “Rip” Sewell after 12 years with the club (he spent his rookie campaign with the Tigers). Sewell appeared in 385 games as a Pirate (243 starts) with a line of 143-97-15/3.43 and two 21-win seasons to go with three All-Star berths. The Bucs had originally released him in 1947 with plans to add him to the coaching staff but instead inked him for active duty for two more seasons. He was best known for the ol’ eephus, his blooper pitch, but his most valuable contribution came when Sewell, who never made more than $21,500 per year, came up with a funding mechanism for baseball's pension plan. On a train ride to Boston for the 1946 All-Star Game, he and St. Louis shortstop Marty Marion devised the formula to use revenue from the All Star Game to prime the pension pump, and it’s still part of the funding formula. 
• 1949 - IF Danny O’Connell came over from the Brooklyn Dodgers for a PTBNL (IF Jack Cassini) and $50,000. Danny spent two years with the Bucs, bookending two years of military service, and hit .293 as a Pirate. He was flipped to the Milwaukee Braves after the 1953 season for six players and cash. Cassini was a one trick pony; he had gotten into eight games for the Pirates in 1949, all as a pinch runner. He scored three times, and that was his MLB career. 
• 1956 - SS Vance Law was born in Boise, Idaho. Drafted out of high school by Pittsburgh, the son of Bucco great Vern Law spent his first two years as a Pirate (1980-81) and hit .184 as a seldom used reserve. After being traded to the White Sox, he carved out an 11-year MLB career, including an All-Star season. Law showed his dad’s genes as he was also quite the fireman. He was called on seven times as an arm-saver to pitch in blowouts, and finished each outing while compiling a career ERA of 3.38 in eight innings. 
• 1964 - Danny Murtaugh retired as Buc skipper, citing health reasons. Danny joined the Pirate front office, evaluating players for GM Joe L. Brown. Harry “the Hat” Walker was later named as his replacement. Danny became the Bucs' go-to manager; he was the Pittsburgh skipper for all or parts of 15 seasons over four different periods (1957–64, 1967, 1970–71, 1973–76). 

Present & Future Skippers - 1964 Topps

• 1966 - The Giants swept Pittsburgh, 5-4 and 2-0, at Forbes Field to eliminate the Pirates from the pennant race. Juan Marichal and Bob Bolin teamed up to defeat Pete Mikkelsen and Tommy Sisk. The Bucs would finish in third place, three games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers. 
• 1967 - Roberto Clemente ended the season by going 2-for-5 with a triple, homer, three RBI and two runs scored while winning his fourth batting title with a .357 average in a 10-3 victory over Houston at Forbes Field in front of 28,244 fans on Prize Day. And for the heck of it, he also threw out Sonny Jackson at home. Jerry May matched Roberto, going 3-for-5 with a homer, double, three RBI and two runs while Maury Wills added three more hits. Tommy Sisk finished the year with his 13th win. Roberto did do it all; he was also the manager for the day, as retiring skipper Danny Murtaugh (he’d eventually be back) handed over the reins to the Great One in the season finale.

10/1 From 1970: TRS Finale; Cueto Game; '14 Fizzle; Freddy Champ; Romo; '87 Rehires; SI Bo; The Hook; Booth Back; Lanny Leaves; Gems & Game Tales; HBD Redbeard

• 1972 - Steve Blass got the start and a chance for his 20th win, but was lit up for three first-inning runs and chased in the third frame by the New York Mets at Three Rivers Stadium as the Pirates fell, 7-3. Injury was added to insult when Blass was yanked after a liner caught him in the arm, though he did recover to pitch well in the playoff series ultimately lost to the Reds. Steve never did reach twenty wins in his career; he fell apart the following season and was out of the majors in 1974. It was also Maz’s final regular season game; he was presented with a plaque by the team and pulled in the eighth inning so the fans could give him a final ovation. 
• 1973 - By losing 4-3 to Randy Jones and the San Diego Padres at TRS on the season’s last day, the Bucs were officially eliminated from the NL East title hunt. They were 1-1/2 games back going into the contest, with the league leading Mets scheduled to play a doubleheader. New York won their first game, making the Pirates contest a moot point. Bob Moose took the loss. 
• 1974 - The Buccaneers took a one-game lead over the Cardinals in the NL East title by beating the Cubs, 6-5, at TRS. A two-run pinch hit homer by Bob Robertson in the eighth inning was the game winning blow while Dave Giusti closed out the last two frames of the contest to earn the come-from-behind win. The Pirates went on to clinch the pennant the next day. 
• 1980 - Enrique Romo had a big day in leading the Pirates to a 10-5 win at Shea Stadium. Not only did he work four frames to save the win for Jim Bibby, but he hit his first (and only) major league homer off Roy Lee Jackson - and it was a grand slam. That feat wouldn’t be matched again until 2016 when Josh Bell hit his first long ball with the bases juiced against the Cubs. Romo’s eighth-inning blast gave him breathing room, turning a 6-5 nail-biter into a comfortable 10-5 tally. He had help at the dish from Dave Parker, who had three hits, three RBI and a long ball of his own along with Omar Moreno, who added three raps and a stolen sack. 

Enrique Romo - 1980 Topps

• 1987 - Team President Mac Prine and the Pirates agreed to terms with GM Syd Thrift, Manager Jim Leyland, and all five of his coaches - Rich Donnelly (bullpen), Gene Lamont (third base), Milt May (hitting), Ray Miller (pitching) and Tommy Sandt (first base) - for undisclosed amounts. As Leyland noted, “The Pirates have treated me fairly both financially and emotionally, plus I got a wife out of it, too...” as he had set the date (November 27th) to marry Katie O’Connor, the Pirates Event Coordinator, during the offseason in a win-win day for the Bucco skipper. 
• 1990 - Bobby Bonilla was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated for the story “Down To The Wire.” The pennant chase didn’t end up that close as the Bucs won the division by four games, though losing the NLCS to the Cincinnati Reds. Bobby Bo had an All Star season, hitting .280 with 32 HR and 120 RBI, finishing second in the MVP voting to teammate Barry Bonds. 
• 1992 - A couple of Bucco fans decided the team needed a symbol to rally behind and came up with “The Hook,” reminiscent of Captain Hook’s Pirate claw. It went on sale and was touted as a counter to the playoff opponent Atlanta Braves’ annoying but effective Chop. Alas, it didn’t work as a good luck charm and became a collector’s item rather than a feared Bucco amulet. 
• 1992 - 1B Colin Moran was born in Port Chester, New York. The sixth overall selection of the 2013 draft by Miami, he was traded to the Astros, where he was blocked by Alex Bregman, and came to Pittsburgh in 2018 as part of the Gerrit Cole trade. He won the hot corner job, and made Pittsburgh friends in a hurry when he hit a grand slam during his first at bat in PNC Park, joining Roberto Clemente (1962) and Ralph Kiner (1949) on the Bucco Home Opener grand salami list. He was moved to first base when Josh Bell was dealt and Ke’Bryan Hayes was promoted to the big team. Colin comes from good bloodlines; his uncle is BJ Surhoff and his brother pitched for three MLB clubs.

Colin Moran - 2019 image/Pirates 

• 2000 - A crowd of 55,351, the largest gathering ever to see a regular season baseball game in Pittsburgh, watched the Pirates fall to the Chicago Cubs, 10-9, in the final game at Three Rivers Stadium. Sister Sledge was on hand to sing the National Anthem after Gene Lamont, Jim Leyland, Chuck Tanner & Bill Virdon presented the final lineup card to the ump. Dock Ellis tossed the first pitch to Manny Sanguillen after Pie Traynor threw out a ceremonial first pitch. Brian Giles had three hits and became the first Pirate to hit .300 with 30+ home runs and 100+ RBIs in back-to-back seasons. The Bucs ran through seven pitchers, with Scott Sauerbeck taking the loss after surrendering three eighth-inning runs. The Pirates made it interesting to the end, putting runners at second and third with two outs in the ninth, but John Wehner bounced out. He did, however, have the honor of hitting the last homer in the yard in the fifth inning (the Rock also committed the final error and made the last out at TRS, so it was a mixed bag kind of day). After the game, a video stadium tribute was shown, home plate was dug up to be transported to PNC Park (it was flown away by “Rocketman,” who was strapped to a jet pack), and Willie Stargell came out to toss a ceremonial last pitch to Jason Kendall as a final farewell for TRS. 
• 2000 - On the day TRS closed, the Pirates opted for a smooth media transition to PNC Park when they announced that they had signed Greg Brown, Steve Blass and Bob Walk to three-year contract extensions after letting them dangle in the breeze all summer. Lanny Frattare was also returning to the fold; he had signed his deal earlier in the year and it too ran through 2003. 
• 2006 - Freddy Sanchez went 2-for-4 against the Reds to finish with a .344 BA, tops in the NL. The Bucs won, 1-0, in front of 25,004 at PNC Park behind the pitching of Shane Youman, John Grabow, Matt Capps and Salomon Torres, who combined on a four-hitter. Pittsburgh scored in the eighth by rapping four straight two-out singles; Xavier Nady drove in Jason Bay with the winner. 
• 2008 - Lanny Frattare, the Voice of the Pirates for decades, announced his retirement to end a 33-year career as the team's radio and TV play-by-play announcer. He was the longest-tenured announcer in team history, calling over 5,000 games. Frattare and Milo Hamilton became the Pirates' on-air duo in 1976, with Lanny handling the color chores. When Hamilton jumped to the Cubs in 1980, Frattare became the play-by-play man with his own style and calls ("Go, ball! Get outta here!" & "There was no doubt about it!"). Lanny, 60, cited travel and the overall grind as the drivers behind his decision and took a Communications job at nearby Waynesburg University. Greg Brown was named as his replacement.

Jeff Locke - 2012 Topps

• 2012 - It took 10 trips to the hill, but Jeff Locke got his first MLB win by beating the Braves, 2-1, at PNC Park. He gave up two hits (and issued five free passes) in six frames while three relievers tossed hitless ball behind him. Starling Marte provided the offense; he swatted a solo homer and tripled, coming in on Chase d’Arnaud’s ground out, to account for both Bucco runs. 
• 2013 - A record PNC Park crowd of 40,487 saw the Pirates win the NL Wild Card game against the Cincinnati Reds by a 6-2 score. Francisco Liriano gave up one run on four hits over seven innings for the win. He was supported by Russell Martin, who had a pair of homers, and Marlon Byrd, who also went long. Martin became the first catcher to homer for three different teams in the postseason, going yard with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008 and the New York Yankees in 2012. Martin's first blast was legendary. While the crowd was chanting "Cueto" after Byrd's dinger, Johnny dropped the horsehide, picked it up and then served up another long ball to Russ, lifting the roof off PNC Park. Byrd’s homer was during his first postseason at-bat after playing 1,250 MLB games before reaching the promised land. It was the first playoff game ever held at PNC and the first Pirate playoff win in Pittsburgh since defeating the Atlanta Braves, 7-1, on October 11th, 1992 in the NLCS at TRS. The victory cost the Reds more than a playoff run; it also cost them a manager when Dusty Baker was fired three days later after suffering his seventh straight playoff loss. 
• 2014 - The Pirates laid a playoff egg in front of a record crowd of 40,629 at PNC Park, falling to Madison Bumgarner and the SF Giants, 8-0, in the winner-take-all NL Wild Card elimination game. Bumgarner tossed a complete game whitewash with 10 K and Brandon Crawford’s grand slam in the fourth inning off Edinson Volquez would provide Mad Bum with more than enough runs; for good measure, Brandon Belt drove in three more Giants. Josh Harrison was the Bucs lone bright spot at the dish, collecting two of the four Pirates’ hits. The Bucs weren’t the only club left red-faced by San Francisco as the Giants were on fire in October. Sparked by Bumgarner’s brilliant postseason pitching run, the G-Men beat Washington, St. Louis and KC to reign as the 2014 World Series champions. 

Jake Stallings - 2017 photo/Pirates

• 2017 - In a game that epitomized September baseball, the Bucs jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held off Washington at Nationals Park by an 11-8 count. The contest was the longest nine-inning game in both clubs’ history at four hours and 22 minutes. The Pirates used 23 players, including nine pitchers. The Bucs stranded 10 runners, the Nats 15; each club issued seven free passes to go along with 30 combined hits. Angel Sanchez got the win and George Kontos was credited with the save, the first for both pitchers. Jake Stallings had three hits plus a walk while Max Moroff had a knock and two free passes; together they drove in seven runs and scored three times. Chris Bostick & Josh Bell had two knocks and a walk, and Starling Marte had two raps to end the year on a 12-game hitting streak. The marathon ended the 2017 season for the Pirates with just 75 wins, earning them the 10th pick (OF Travis Swaggerty) in the upcoming draft. 
• 2021 - The Pirates were handed their 100th loss the night before, but shrugged it off and came back to whip the Reds at PNC Park by a 9-2 tally, led by a pair of unlikely heroes. Wil Crowe (4-8/5.77) tossed six shutout innings, giving up a hit, two walks, and tying his career high with nine K. He left with a 1-0 lead, which the bullpen couldn’t hold (Chris Stratton, who gave up the run that knotted it, got the win), but an eight-run eighth inning put it away for the Bucs, and that was keyed by the other man of the hour, Cole Tucker. Tuck, who was hitting .206 with one long ball, had a dazzling catch in short right that he turned into a twin killing, then tripled and scored the Bucs first run, and capped the night with his first grand slam.