7/13 Through 1974: Roberto Sixer, Law-Man, Double-0, Game Tales; Hurler Honus, Pops, Deac, Vin DiMag & ASGs; HBD Clint, Rich, Frank, Jeep, Jiggs & John

• 1866 - 2B John O’Brien (and no, he’s not one of the O’Brien twins who played in the ‘50s) was born in St. John, New Brunswick. He finished his six-year big league run with the Pirates in 1899, batting .226 after being bought from the Orioles in mid-June. His pro career stretched from 1889-1904 when he played his last campaign for Lawrence in the New England League. 
• 1879 - 1B/C John “Jiggs” Donahue was born in Springfield, Ohio. He started his nine-year MLB career with Pittsburgh as a LH catcher from 1900-01, going 2-for-10 before being released and moving on to the Milwaukee Brewers. Donahue had his best years from 1904 to 1908 after switching to first base for the Chicago White Sox. His glove work was a key to the Sox 1906 World Series championship team (aka the “Hitless Wonders”) as he led AL-1B in fielding %, assists, and putouts from 1905-07; he was by consensus as the best fielder at first of his era and among the best at the spot all-time. He wasn’t lost at the plate, either, batting .267 during that span. Per Mark Miller of SABR, here’s how his moniker came about: As a teen, John worked at a cigar store and when the store wasn’t busy, he stepped outside and did dance steps. Customers started calling him Jiggers, after the sand flea known as a jigger (apparently because of the hopping around he did while dancing). The nickname was later shortened to Jiggs. Donahue died at age 34, the victim of syphilis he had contracted while living in Chicago’s fast lane. 
• 1888 - Harry Staley and Pud Galvin of the Alleghenys became the first pitchers to toss a doubleheader shutout by blanking the Boston Beaneaters, 4-0 and 6-0, at Recreation Park in front of 3,000 fans. It was the fifth shutout in six games for the Alleghenys as Staley fired a three-hitter and Galvin gave up just an eighth-inning knock. The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette wrote that “If the Hubbys came up on a goose egg hunt, they were eminently successful.” The paper carried a pair of sidebar stories - before the matches began, the Boston mascot/bat boy was found outside the park by Galvin and Mike Donlin, who tossed him over the fence into the field, no reason given. The paper added that “The only mishap was reported by umpire Daniels who says some gentleman, or something else, stole his mask, thus leaving him exposed to the cold charity of the pitchers.” 

Hans - 2018 Topps Hall of Fame Gallery

• 1900 - The Philadelphia Athletics took BP against Sam Leever and Jack Chesbro at Exposition Park and pounded their way to a 20-4 lead after five innings. Fred Clarke then sent his right fielder to the mound, Hans Wagner, to save some Bucco arms. Wagner, who wouldn’t claim the shortstop spot until the following season, had pitched a bit as a semi-pro and did OK for his first MLB outing. He tossed two shutout frames before giving up three runs in the eighth inning (all unearned) and the game was called with the scoreboard reading 23-8. The Flying Dutchman would make one more appearance on the hill in 1902, spinning 5-1/3 IP and giving up two unearned runs. His line wasn’t bad at all for a mop-up guy: 8-1/3 IP, seven hits, six walks and six K. The five unearned scores left him with a 0.00 ERA; he’s the only Hall of Famer with a career zero ERA. 
• 1913 - IF Lee “Jeep” Handley was born in Clarion, Iowa. He was signed to a $20,000 bonus contract by the Pirates and played eight years (1937-46, with 1942-43 off for war duty) for the team. A slick fielder, he played third and some middle infield, hitting .269 for Pittsburgh. A tough guy, Jeep survived a serious beaning, injury, illness and a car accident during his career. As for his nickname, the Uniontown Morning Herald in 1938 noted that “Lee (Jeep) Handley came to the National League in 1936, the year of (Eugene the) Jeep's appearance in Thimble Theatre (the original name of the Popeye cartoon strip).” Just a coincidence? 
• 1930 - Brooklyn’s Jumbo Elliot tossed a four-hitter against the Bucs, but Larry French scattered nine knocks to earn a 1-0 win over the Robins at Ebbets Field. Charlie Engel opened the seventh with a single, went to third on a hit-and-run and scored on Paul Waner’s bouncer to second for the game’s only run. Brooklyn stranded 12 runners and had two more thrown out on the bases. 
• 1940 - LHP Frank Bork was born in Buffalo. He spent his one MLB campaign in Pittsburgh in 1964, getting into 33 games with a slash of 2-2-2/4.07. Bork had been signed by the Bucs in 1960 and remained in the Pirate organization throughout his pro career, last pitching in AA Macon in 1967. He was just 26 but had torn a muscle in his back and opted not to have surgery, effectively ending his career. He retired to Dublin, Ohio and became a sales rep. 

Frank Bork - 1964 Topps

• 1943 - The American League defeated the Nationals in the first night All-Star game, 5-3, which was broadcast to GIs via shortwave radio from Shibe Park. Pirates' OF Vince DiMaggio starred for the Senior Circuit with a single, triple and home run while scoring twice and driving in a run. P Rip Sewell and 1B Elbie Fletcher were also on the squad; Sewell pitched a perfect sixth inning and Fletcher went 0-for-2. A couple of other Pirates repped the City: manager Frankie Frisch was a coach while Spud Davis was the bullpen catcher. 
• 1948 - The Bucs sent 3B Frank Gustine, LF Ralph Kiner and RHP Elmer Riddle to Sportsman’s Park for the All-Star Game. The American League jumped ahead of the Nationals quickly and won, 5-2, as Gustine and Kiner each went 0-for-1 and Riddle never got in the game. 
• 1954 - OF Frank Thomas was the sole Buc representative in the All-Star Game at Cleveland Stadium, an 11-9 Junior Circuit victory, and struck out in his only at bat for the National League side. The teams combined for an ASG record of 20 runs on 31 hits, which included six home runs. 
• 1958 - There was some heavy hitting as the Bucs swept the St. Louis Cardinals, 10-8 and 8-6, in a Busch Stadium twinbill. The first game featured 10 pitchers and 24 hits, with Pittsburgh surviving a ninth-inning rally by the Redbirds when Vern Law got Curt Flood, who represented the winning run, to bounce out to second to save the win for Ron Blackburn. Bob Skinner had three hits, including a homer, and three RBI while C Bill Hall added two knocks, one a long ball. Maz also had a pair of hits. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 5-0 first inning lead in the nitecap but by the fourth St. Louis had taken the lead at 6-5. Once again it was the Deacon to the rescue, coming on to spin five shutout frames to earn the win. Dick Groat, Mazeroski and Skinner were the batting stars, going 9-for-12 as a group; Maz homered while Groat & The Dog smacked doubles. The trio chased home six runs and touched the dish six times to power the Pirates game #2 attack. 

Vern Law - 1958 Hires

• 1960 - Vern Law became the second Pirate to win a 1960 All-Star Game, working two scoreless, one-hit innings in a 6-0 National League victory at Yankee Stadium. He matched Bob Friend, who won the first game two days earlier at Municipal Stadium and then sat this game out. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-3, OF Roberto Clemente drew a walk in his only at bat, SS Dick Groat went 0-for-1 and C Smoky Burgess & 2B Bill Mazeroski both went 0-for-2 against the Americans. 
• 1965 - The NL beat the AL, 6-5, at Minnesota’s Metropolitan Stadium in the 36th All-Star game. OF Willie Stargell, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, homered in the second, and recalled it as one of his most memorable long balls, not because of distance or the game situation, but because of its landing spot. He hit the ball into the bullpen area, where the band was seated, and it dropped over the fence and right into a tuba bell. OF Roberto Clemente went 0-for-2 and LHP Bob Veale didn’t get a call to work. 
• 1968 - Roberto Clemente banged out five hits and drew a walk, but it was to no avail as the Pirates lost, 3-2, to the Phils at Forbes Field. The Bucs were barren when given a chance; they went 1-for 15 w/RISP and stranded 17 runners. The Great One wasn’t involved in any of the runs as Matty Alou/Maury Wills went 3-for-16 ahead of him and Manny Mota/Gene Alley were 1-for-13 behind him in the order. Dock Ellis took the loss in relief; the run posted against him was unearned thanks to an Alley error. It wasn’t a good month for Pittsburgh; the loss was their eighth straight and the string eventually built to 10 consecutive defeats. 
• 1971 - 1B/OF Rich Aude was born in Van Nuys, California. Aude began his pro career as a second-round pick of the Pirates out of Chatsworth (CA) Charter HS in 1989, signing for $80K. A big kid at 6’5”, Rich flashed some power in the minors, but during his stints with the Bucs (1993, 1995-96) he hit just two homers in 151 AB, with a .225 BA. He remained in the minors until 1999 and then became a scout for Tampa Bay, with Delmon Young among his discoveries. 

Rich Aude - 1994 Bowman

• >1971 - The American League jumped on top early, scoring four times off Dock Ellis in the third inning (Reggie Jackson hit a 520’ HR off the Docktor) and then held on to take a 6-4 win from the Nationals in the All-Star game held at Tiger Stadium. It was the first AL win since the second All-Star Game of 1962, and their last until the 54th All-Star Game in 1983. The AL went 1-19 during that span but came back with a vengeance afterward. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-2 with a solo homer (he hit the long ball in what would be his final AS at bat; he didn’t play in the 1972 ASG because of injury), 1B Willie Stargell 0-for-2 with a run scored after a HBP and C Manny Sanguillen didn’t get into the game. It’s thought that Dock talked his way into the start. At a presser the day before the game, Ellis told the media that NL manager Sparky Anderson wouldn't start two "brothers" (Vida Blue was the AL starter), verbally backing the skipper into a corner. 
• 1972 - RHP Clint Sodowsky was born in Ponca City, Oklahoma. He tossed for the Bucs in the middle of a five-year MLB career, going 2-2/3.63 in 45 appearances in 1997. It was his best big league season, and after struggling with the Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals, he soldiered on in the minors and indie ball through 2006 but never tossed in the show again

7/13 From 1975: Ritchie Gem, Giant Sweeps, Game Tales; Win #500, ASGs; Team Meet, Littlefield Hired, Hans Honored; HBD Casey & Ryan

• 1976 - The National League nine put a hurtin’ on the American League squad by a 7-1 count in the All-Star game at Veterans Stadium after President Gerald Ford tossed out the first ceremonial pitch. OF Al Oliver was the only Bucco All Star and went 0-for-1 off the bench. 
• 1978 - OF Ryan Ludwick was born in Satellite Beach, Florida. The 32-year-old vet was purchased from San Diego at the 2011 deadline and hit .232 with two homers in his brief Bucco stay. He left after the season to join the Reds, where he ended his playing days after the 2014 campaign. Ludwick is now a roving hitting instructor for St. Louis’ minor league teams. 
• 1982 - The AL fell, 4-1, to the NL in the All-Star game at Stade Olympique (Olympic Stadium) in Montreal in the first All-Star Game ever played outside the United States. C Tony Pena stole a base as a pinch runner and went 0-for-1 at the dish, as did 1B Jason Thompson. Former Bucco Al Oliver, now an Expo, went 2-for-2 with a run scored and double in his sixth ASG. 
• 1983 - The Bucs raced ahead of the Giants, 5-0, but frittered away the lead by the ninth to fall behind, 6-5, at Candlestick Park. With two down and Greg Minton on the hill, Johnny Ray bombed a tying homer to right, then the baseball gods smiled. Mike Easler hit a drive the opposite way that would have hit off the wall, but as LF Jeffrey Leonard tried for a leaping catch, the ball ticked off his glove and cleared the fence to give The Hit Man an assisted game-winning four-bagger. Kent Tekulve pitched a clean ninth to save the game for Manny Sarmiento. The victory gave the Pirates a three-game sweep of San Francisco during a 9-1 West Coast swing. 

Mike Easler - 1983 Topps

• 1984 - The Pirates swept the Giants in a Three Rivers Stadium twilite (it started at 5:05) double-dipper by 8-2 and 4-3 scores. The first game featured four RBI from Lee Lacy and three hits from Lee Mazzilli as John Candelaria got the win with help from Kent Tekulve. For Candyman, it was his 12th consecutive July win. The second one, well, that victory was a little tougher to come by - it went 18 innings and five hours, 11 minutes before Jason Thompson’s knock chased Mazzilli home with the game winner. It was Thompson’s second RBI; Jim Morrison also had two RBI while Tony Pena collected three hits and scored twice. The two teams used nine pitchers; Teke gave up runs in the eighth and ninth to let the G-Men knot the score. The bullpens ruled; San Francisco’s pen tossed 10 shutout innings; the Bucco relief corps put up nine zippos, seven by Don Robinson. The game ended at 1:32 AM; the Zambelli fireworks were still shot off, much to the dismay of sleeping ‘Burgers, but per the Pittsburgh Press, most of the 22,176 at the yard happily stayed to the end for the show. 
• 1990 - RHP Casey Sadler was born in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Drafted in the 25th round of the 2010 draft, he worked seven games (one start) for the Pirates in 2014-15, slashing 1-1/6.46. Sadler missed the 2016 season due to TJ surgery and after some bouncing around (he’s made MLB outings for five different clubs) is now with the Seattle Mariners organization. 
• 1993 - The American League nine banged the ball all around the Camden Yards lot in a 9-3 win over the National League club. Bucco rep 2B Jay Bell went 0-for-1 while Andy Van Slyke, slated to be the NL's starting center fielder, sat out the game with a broken collarbone suffered when he crashed into a wall at Busch Stadium. AL manager Cito Gaston didn’t make any friends in Baltimore. The fans got fired up when the hometown Birds’ Mike Mussina warmed up in the bullpen in the ninth and roared "We Want Mike!", but Gaston never made a call for him. The Camden Yard crowd littered the field after the final out until Moose quieted them down. He said afterward that he warmed up on his own because it was his day to throw (he did pitch on July 16th), but most believe he was trying to catch Cito’s attention so he could make a hometown appearance. 

Kevin Young - 1998 Circa Thunder

• 1998 - After dropping a twin bill for their sixth loss in a row and 13th defeat in 16 games, Kevin Young asked manager Gene Lamont for the OK to hold a players-only team meeting for the struggling Bucs. Permission was granted and he, Al Martin, Jason Kendall & Jose Guillen spoke, touching on the teams’ inexperienced but talented roster and the need to grow and progress. Martin said it was “It was more of a family talk...We wanted to get everything out in the open.” It worked that night as the Bucs beat the Cubs, 6-2, behind Jon Lieber and an inside-the-park homer by Tony Womack, the 500th in franchise history. It launched the club on an 8-of-11 victory run, but it was just a temporary fix as the Pirates still finished last in the division with 69 wins, 33 games back. 
• 1999 - Honus Wagner was named to the All-Century team selected by fan vote and honored at the All-Star game. Locals included on the ballot of the were Negro League standouts Satchel Paige, Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson, along with Buccos Wagner, Hank Greenberg, Pie Traynor, Barry Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Ralph Kiner, Willie Stargell and Paul Waner. 
• 1999 - The AL took a 4-1 win from the NL in the All-Star Game at Fenway Park. 3B Ed Sprague was the Pirate rep and went 0-for-1. Pedro Martínez added to his legend when he became the first twirler to begin the ASG by striking out the side. He fanned out five of the six batters he faced and was named MVP. The game began 15 minutes late after Ted Williams came out in a golf cart for the pre-game ceremonies and was mobbed by the players who wanted to honor the all-timer. Two days earlier, Pirates pups Nashville 3B Aramis Ramirez and Lynchburg C Yamid Haad played for the World team in the Futures game; Buc coach Trent Jewell participated as a USA coach. 
• 2001 - Lotta pitching goin’ on: Todd Ritchie lost a no hitter against the Royals when Luis Alicea bounced a one-out, ninth-inning single through the infield. In the bottom half of the frame, Aramis Ramirez singled through a drawn-in infield to score Brian Giles - it was A-Ram’s third walk off hit of the campaign - for a 1-0 win at PNC Park and the Pirates second consecutive shutout win. Jimmy Anderson and Mike Williams had combined for a 2-0 whitewash against Kansas City the day before, with Kevin Young’s two-run homer being the only offense du jour. 

Todd Ritchie - 2001 Upper Deck Vintage

• 2001 - Dave Littlefield began his term as GM, replacing Cam Bonifay. Hampered by ongoing financial restraints, he was noted for a stretch of losing seasons, yo-yo rental players and the erosion of both the farm system and the Latino player market, although he did have some successes. He drafted Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker and hired Rene Gayo to scout Latin America. Littlefield was fired in 2007 and eventually replaced by Neal Huntington. 
• 2004 - The junior circuit pounded out a 9-4 win over the National League All-Stars at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. SS Jack Wilson was the lone Bucco representative and went 0-for-2 at the plate. At age 73, Jack McKeon, the MLB poster boy for graybeards, became the oldest All-Star manager after becoming the oldest World Series skipper in 2003 with the Florida Marlins. 
• 2010 - The Senior Circuit finally solved the American League in the All-Star Game, taking a 3-1 win at Angels Stadium at Anaheim and snapping a 13-year losing streak. Pitcher Evan Meek was the Pirates rep and didn’t get in the game. Matt Capps, ex-Bucco who was now with Washington, got the win. It was the first game where the DH was made a permanent lineup fixture (before it only was used in AL parks) and took effect in 2011 when the game was played at Chase Field. 
• 2021 - The All-Star game was held at Coors Field in Denver after being moved by MLB from its original site, Atlanta’s Truist Field, to protest Georgia's passage of a controversial voting bill. The two Pirate reps, 2B Adam Frazier and CF Bryan Reynolds, who replaced the injured Ron Acuna, started for the NL. Fraze went 1-for-2 with the NL’s first hit and a couple of glovely plays while Reynolds went 0-for-2 with a long fly out to the RF fence. The Americans won their eighth straight match by a 5-2 score. Shohei Ohtani started and won, pitching and batting leadoff.

7/12 Through 1984: Pud To Pgh; Cobra RF Debut, Long Ball, Jack Gem, Game Tales; Sudsy, Lucky 13, ASGs; HBD Gorzo, Phil, Big Country, Dave, Johnny & Specs

• 1885 – The Buffalo Bisons sold RHP Pud Galvin to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for $5,000. Galvin won 138 games pitching for the Alleghenys, Burghers and Pirates. From the HOF (he was inducted in 1965): “Jim ‘Pud’ Galvin was baseball's first 300-game winner. Short and stocky, The Little Steam Engine was a tireless worker with a deceptive pick-off move. Galvin pitched for 14 Major League seasons, earning 20 or more victories 10 times and twice topping the 40-win mark. When he retired in 1892, he was the all-time Major League leader in wins, innings pitched, games started, games completed and shutouts. He was nicknamed Pud because his pitching process supposedly turned opposing batters into pudding.” Galvin also went by "Gentleman Jeems” for his demeanor, and "The Little Steam Engine" because of his small but powerful build. 
• 1894 - Lee Meadows was born in Oxford, NC. The righty spent the last seven campaigns (1923-29) of his 15-year career with the Pirates, going 88-52/3.50. He was hardly used his last two seasons (he made five appearances), but was a workhorse in his first five years, leading the NL with 20 wins in 1926 and winning 19 games twice. Meadows was part of two World Series teams, the winning 1925 club and the losing 1927 squad. He wore glasses and was dubbed “Specs.” 
• 1902 - Jack Chesbro pitched a five-hit shutout (he led the league with eight whitewashes) and struck out 11 Giants to beat Christy Mathewson, 4-0, at Exposition Park despite the Buccos losing five straight runners via basepath errors. With two outs in the third, Ginger Beaumont was on second base and was tossed out trying to advance to third on a grounder to short. In the fourth, Honus Wagner led off with a triple, but was thrown out at the plate on Kitty Bransfield's grounder to first; Bransfield was then caught trying to steal second. Claude Ritchey drew a walk and got picked off first. Jimmy Burke led off the fifth with a double and tried to stretch it into a triple, but was tagged out by Matty, covering the bag. Happy Jack’s performance made it all moot. 
• 1919 - OF Johnny Wyrostek was born in Fairmont City, Illinois. The Bucs bought him from the St. Louis Cardinals and he spent 1942-43 as a bench player in Pittsburgh, hitting just .140 in 60 games. After a two-year break for the service, he returned to baseball and played another nine campaigns for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds, ending his career with a solid .271 BA and two All-Star outings. After he retired, he returned home to become a deputy sheriff, tradesman, and the long-time mayor of his birthplace, Fairmont City. 

Larry French - 1933 Conlon

• 1933 - The Pirates blew an 8-0 lead in the ninth inning as the Boston Braves rallied to tie the score at Forbes Field, leading to Larry French’s “Soap Game.” Per Bob Fulton’s 1999 Pittsburgh Pirates History: “French figured he could duck out of the bullpen and hit the showers early. Little did he know as he was getting clean that the Braves had rallied to make the score 8-7. When the call came for French to pitch, he didn't even have time to rinse off. He put on his uniform and hustled out to the mound with soap trickling down his neck.” French tossed 1-2/3 IP perfectly and earned the win as the Bucs came back to take a 9-8 decision. Arky Vaughan helped, too - he doubled, banged two triples and drove in five runs. 
• 1935 - Dave Ricketts was born in Pottstown. He was a two-way star at Duquesne University, playing on a pair of Dukes NIT basketball teams. He spent most of his MLB career as a back-up catcher for the St. Louis Cardinals, joining the Bucs in 1970. Ricketts retired after that season and coached in Pittsburgh from 1971-74 as part of the World Series team. 
• 1938 - The Pirates won their 13th straight game, 14-6, over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field, led by C Al Todd, who homered and drove home five runs. With their 40th victory in their last 54 games, the Bucs were in the NL lead for the first time that season. Ed Brandt got the win and Rip Sewell notched a save. That club was in first place by two games on September 25th, then fell apart, losing six of their last seven games to finish two games off the pace. 
• 1949 - Pittsburgh sent OF Ralph Kiner to Ebbets Field for the All-Star Game, won 11-7 by the Junior Circuit. Ralph went 1-for-5 and his one swat left the park for a two-run homer, but a Kiner fly out generated bigger news - Ted Williams fractured his elbow after crashing into the fence while grabbing one of Ralph’s screamers. Although he finished the game, the Splendid Splinter was operated on the next day and was out of action until mid-September. This All-Star Game was the first to have black ballplayers in the lineup, with Brooklyn’s Jackie Robinson starting at 2B while teammates C Roy Campanella and P Don Newcombe also appeared for the Nationals. Indians' OF’er Larry Doby played four innings for the AL’ers. 

Ralph Kiner - 1949 Bowman

• 1955 - OF Frank Thomas was the only Pirates player in the All-Star Game at Milwaukee’s County Stadium. He went 0-for-1 in a 6-5 National League overtime win. It was one of the Senior Circuit’s great rallies as they overcame a 5-0 deficit in the seventh and eighth innings, winning in the 12th frame on the Cards' (and Donora’s) Stan “The Man” Musial’s first-pitch walk-off homer. 
• 1956 - The Bucs swept a doubleheader at Wrigley Field by 2-1 and 5-4 counts. In the opener, Ronnie Kline kept the Cubbies under control by spinning a six-hitter and was backed by Bill Virdon’s three hits. The nitecap hero was Dale Long, who chased home four runs against Chicago with a bases-loaded triple and a game-winning solo shot in the eighth, the slugger’s first long ball in over a month. It gave ElRoy Face a well-deserved win after he tossed seven innings of scoreless, five-hit ball in relief of Cholly Naranjo, who was making his first major league start. 
• 1959 - Roberto Clemente kept ElRoy Face’s 19-game win streak alive when he cracked a bases-loaded single off the right field wall in the 10th inning to rally the Bucs to a 6-5 win over the Cards at Forbes Field. Face had blown the save in the ninth frame, but settled down and was on the hill for the win. Dick Groat and Danny Kravitz carried the Pittsburgh attack with three hits. 
• 1966 - The Nationals edged the Americans, 2-1, in the All-Star game at Busch Stadium on soon-to-be Bucco Maury Will’s 10th-inning rap. OF Roberto Clemente batted 2-for-4 with a double, OF Willie Stargell went 0-for-1 and P Bob Veale sat. The game not only went into extras, but hello, St. Looie summer - it was a muggy 105 degree day with the field reaching a toasty 113 degrees. 

Dave Parker - 1973 Debut Custom Card

• 1973 - Dave Parker made his Bucco debut in right field, replacing Manny Sanguillen (who was trying to replace Roberto Clemente), in a 4-0 Pirates win against the Padres at San Diego Stadium. He went 0-for-4, but Willie Stargell homered and had three RBI while Bob Robertson added a solo shot. Luke Walker went the distance for the win, spinning a five hitter. 
• 1980 - OF/1B Brad “Big Country” (6-5, 280 lbs) Eldred was born in Fort Lauderdale. The big banger (he hit 30+ dingers four times in the minors) was drafted by the Pirates in the sixth round of the 2002 draft. He made his MLB debut in 2005, batting just .221 but with 12 homers in 190 at-bats. That was offset by 77 whiffs, and he made it back to Pirates for just a brief 2007 showing, hitting .140 in 47 PAs after missing most of 2006 due to injury. The K-rate haunted him and he got two cups-of-coffee with Colorado in 2010 and Detroit in 2012 before continuing his career in Japan where he played for Hiroshima through 2018. 
• 1981 - LHP Phil Dumatrait was born in Bakersfield, California. The Pirates claimed him from the Cincinnati Reds, and he worked the bump from 2008-09 here, making 11 appearances and six starts with a line of 3-6/5.50. He became a starter when Matt Morris was released, but underwent bursitis surgery (his second procedure after TJ surgery in 2004) and his shoulder never fully recovered. Phil retired in 2012 after a couple of come-back tries fell short. 
• 1982 - LHP Tom Gorzelanny was born in Evergreen Park, Illinois. The lefty was a second round draft pick of the Pirates in 2003, and spent the first 4-1/2 years (2005-09) of his career in Pittsburgh with a 25-26/4.79 line before being traded to the Cubs. Gorzo has tossed for six teams in his career, last with the Indians in 2016. He’s now a D-Back minor league pitching coach.

7/12 From 1985: Petey, Cutch Clutch, 5 For Jay, Combo No-No, BB #100, Game Tales; Pgh '94 AS Host at TRS, ASGs; HBD Chasen

• 1987 - The Bucs defeated the San Diego Padres, 4-2, at Three Rivers Stadium with a combination of muscle and finesse. The muscle was provided by Bobby Bonilla’s bomb into the upper deck of TRS, the first ball launched upstairs since 1979. The blast landed in yellow-seat territory previously reached only by Willie Stargell (four times), Bob Robertson and Greg Luzinski. The moon shot off Eric Show tucked itself inside the RF foul pole and if the seats hadn’t gotten in the way would have traveled an estimated 475-500’. The finesse was provided by four DPs turned by the Pirates (offsetting three errors) and three caught stealings by Spanky LaValliere. Bobby Bo was the offensive spark plug with two hits, two runs scored and two RBI while Felix Fermin & Johnny Ray took part in three twin killings to help carry Mike Dunne to the victory. 
• 1988 - The American League pitchers outdid their Senior Circuit counterparts to claim a 2-1 victory in the All-Star game at Riverfront Stadium. 3B Bobby Bonilla went 0-for-4 at the plate and OF Andy Van Slyke was 0-for-2. Bob Walk pitched to one batter, Carney Lansford, with two outs in the seventh inning and a runner on second, getting him to ground out. 
• 1990 - Barry Bonds hit his 100th career home run off Andy Benes in the opening frame of a 4-3, 15-inning win over the San Diego Padres. Jeff King drilled a two-out single to right to score Dan Bilardello for the walk-off win at Three Rivers Stadium after the Friars bullpen had tossed 9-2/3 innings without giving up a run to the Pirates. Bob Patterson earned the victory after working three scoreless frames; the Bucco relief corps put up 7-1/3 IP of zippos during the bullpen battle. 
• 1990 - LHP Chasen Shreve was born in Las Vegas. He was drafted by the New York Yankees in 2011 in the 11th round from the College of Southern Nevada. Chase made his MLB debut in 2014 as Atlanta Brave, and since has worked for four other clubs (career 17-8-2/3.74, FIP 4.17, 10.5 K per nine IP). He inked a deal with the Pirates as an NRI in 2021 and was a late cut in camp, but was recalled from Indy in May and became a dependable middle-inning guy. Shreve signed with the NY Mets in 2022, was released, and is now in the NY Yankees system. 

Chasen Shreve - 2021 photo/Pirates

• 1992 - The Reds had an early 5-0 lead at Riverfront Stadium and carried a 5-2 edge into the ninth inning. Norm Charleton was a strike away ending it, but Barry Bonds tore into a 2-2 pitch with the bases juiced, not stopping until he was perched on third base and the game was knotted. The Bucs took command in their half of the 10th after Gary Redus swatted a two-run long fly off Tim Belcher, but there was more drama to come. With an out and runners on second and third, Stan Belinda gave up a deep sac fly, scoring one run and putting the tying score on third. But he came through for his 13th save with a swinging strikeout, saving the win for Bob Patterson in a total team pitching effort. The bullpen, reinforced by Denny Neagle, served goose eggs to Cincy for 6-1/3 frames. That allowed the bats time to do their thing and take home the 7-6 win to enter the All-Star break in first place, 4-1/2 games up on the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL East. 
• 1994 - The largest crowd in Pittsburgh baseball history, 59,568, turned out as Three Rivers Stadium played host to baseball's 65th All-Star Game. It was one of the most exciting Midsummer Classics ever held. Fred McGriff’s two-run homer tied the contest in the ninth inning, then Tony Gwynn led off the 10th frame with a single and came around to score the game-winning run on a double by Moises Alou as the NL posted an 8-7 victory to snap a six-game losing streak. 2B Carlos Garcia was the Pirates lone representative, and went 1-for-2 with a single; Jim Leyland coached third base and Rich Donnelly was the sacrificial Home Run Derby server. There were a handful of ex-Bucs on the NL roster: Barry Bonds, Doug Drabek, Danny Jackson and Moises Alou. The pre-game chores were handled by Meat Loaf, who sang the National Anthem, and Bucco legend Willie Stargell, who tossed out the ceremonial first ball to kick off the Midsummer Classic. In a nod to the home team, the Upper Deck Heroes of Baseball Game that was played the day before as an ASG adjunct featured former Pirates all over the lineup for the NL: Omar Moreno, Al Oliver, Bill Madlock, Frank Thomas, Manny Sanguillen, Rennie Stennett, Gene Alley, Jose Pagan and Dock Ellis. 
• 1997 - Mark Smith's pinch-hit, two-out, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th off John Hudek capped a no-hitter by Francisco Cordova (nine innings) and Ricardo Rincon (one inning) against the Houston Astros. (Lanny Frattare’s call: "Home run! No hitter! You've got it all!") It was the first combined, extra-inning no-hitter in MLB history, and the first time that Three Rivers Stadium was sold out for a regular season game other than a home opener since 1977, drawing 44,119 fans for Jackie Robinson/fireworks night. It was the first Pirates no-hit­ter since John Can­de­laria beat the Dodgers, 2-0, in 1976, and kept the Bucs in a first-place tie with Houston in the NL Central. 

Francisco gets his five - 7/12/1997 photo/AP

• 2005 - The American League whipped the Nationals at Comerica Park, 7-5, in the All-Star Game. The Pirates Jason Bay was selected as their rep, and he didn’t do much to enhance his resume. J-Bay was the only position player for either side not to get into the game, though he did get some swings in as a participant of the home run derby. He used up his 10 outs in that contest without swatting a long ball, the only player not to homer during the competition. 
• 2008 - Going into the eighth inning at PNC Park, things looked dismal for the Pirates; they were down, 10-4, to St. Louis. Jay Bay picked them up with a two-run dinger in the Bucco half, and in the ninth, they exploded for four runs to tie the game, generated by a three-run blast by Nate McLouth and the game-knotting run plated by Bay, who had five RBI on the night. The Cards shrugged it off and reclaimed the lead in the 10th, but Pittsburgh kept coming (they banged five homers during the match) and walked it off on pinch-hitter Jason Michael’s two-run shot. Denny Bautista, the Bucs seventh pitcher, got the win, even though he gave up the fall-behind homer. 
• 2011 - The Nationals took a 5-1 decision from the American League All-Stars at Chase Field. OF Andrew McCutchen with pitchers Joel Hanrahan and Kevin Correia were the Bucco members of the team. Cutch went 0-for-1, Hanny pitched to two batters with a strikeout and single, and KC didn’t get in the game. It was the first ASG in a National League yard to use a DH. 
• 2013 - Pittsburgh scored twice in the first on Pedro Alvarez’s homer (he had been selected to play in the All-Star Home Run Derby as an injury replacement just days before) and then went nine more frames before posting another run, but it all worked out as the Bucs took a 3-2, 11-inning win from the New York Mets. Jordy Mercer singled home Andrew McCutchen after two outs with the winning run to give the Pirates’ sixth pitcher, Vin Mazzaro, the victory. 

Pedro - 2013 Topps All-Star

• 2014 - The Bucs blew a 4-0 lead to the Reds at GABP after Charlie Morton was touched up for a five-spot in the sixth inning, but bounced back to tie the game in the ninth on Andrew McCutchen’s solo homer and then won it in the 11th when the clutch Cutch homered again to post a 6-5 victory. Andrew had three hits, as did Jordy Mercer and Travis Snider. Six Pirates relievers shut down Cincy, with Justin Wilson the winner and Jeanmar Gomez earning his first MLB save. 
• 2015 - In a see-saw game that was tied 3-3 after nine innings, the Bucs prevailed in dramatic fashion to drop the St. Louis Cardinals, 6-5, in 10 innings at PNC Park on ESPN for their second straight walk-off, extra-inning victory over the Redbirds. Frankie Liriano, a .057 hitter, drove home a pair of runs, and Gregory Polanco sent home one more, countered by a Jhonny Peralta homer and a pair of manufactured scores. In the 10th frame, things turned gloomy when Randal Grichuk banged a bases-loaded double off Arquimedes Caminero, scoring two Redbirds although a third was nailed at the plate, and that Cutch-to-Jordy-to-Cervy relay & tag would prove huge. Trevor Rosenthal, who had thrown 27 pitches the day before, came on. He got two outs after Mercer’s leadoff blooper, and then the Pirates started coming on. A Starling Marte single brought in Jordy, Jung-Ho Kang followed with a knock, and Marte sprinted home on Fran Cervelli’s two-strike roller inside the first base line to even it up. A walk brought El Coffee to the dish, and he dropped the first pitch into right for both the game winner and the Pirates second walk-off win in consecutive nights over St. Louis. Caminero earned his first MLB win. 
• 2016 - Both Bucco reps got in the Midsummer Classic, a 4-2 American League victory at Petco Field in San Diego. Mark “The Shark” Melancon, in his third ASG, gave up a walk and then closed out his inning with a grounder while Starling Marte went 1-for-1 with a two-out pinch-hit single to right and then played an inning in center field. In an oddity, the Senior Circuit was the visiting team because three straight games had gone to NL fields. This was also the last game that would decide home field advantage for the World Series, a rule which had been in effect since 2003. Future home field advantage would be earned by the team with the best regular season record, as it had been before the All-Star sweetener.

7/11 Through 1974: Pops #1, Stu Slam, Lefty Out; Vic Gem, Game Tales; Roberto Stars, Friend Wins, Kiner Swats, Forbes Field ASG; HBD Otter, Skeets, Harry & Pop

• 1865 - C William “Pop” Shriver was born in Brooklyn. He was a part-time catcher for the 1898-1900 Bucs, hitting .265 toward the end of a 16-year career. He played one more year for St. Louis, then hung them up after 1901. He’s part of early baseball’s folklore when in 1894 he was alleged to have caught a ball tossed from the top of the Washington Monument, over 500’ high, by Clark Griffith, who at the time was a pitcher and Pop’s teammate on the Chicago Colts. The usual tale is that he missed the first ball Clark dropped from the memorial, but snagged the second arc, although some say that the ornery ball popped out of his mitt. 
• 1884 - OF Harry Wolter was born in Monterey, California. The seven-year MLB vet started out in 1907 and played for four teams, including Pittsburgh. The Bucs bought his contract from the Cincinnati Reds and he got one outing for the Bucs as a pitcher (he was converted to an outfielder and sometimes 1B in 1910) and worked two innings, giving up a run before being sold to the St. Louis Cardinals. The Santa Clara alum played pro ball from 1905-20, taking his final bow as a player/manager in 1927. Following his playing career, he coached baseball at Stanford University for 26 years (1916, from 1923-1943, and one more time from 1946-49) and also coached the 1936 US Olympic team. 
• 1902 - “Pittsburg won from New York yesterday but at a terrible price. Lefty Davis caught his foot in second base and fell with a fractured leg,” was the Pittsburgh Press lead. Davis had stolen the bag and bounced up to head to third when the throw got away, but stumbled over the sack, breaking his ankle, passing out in pain and then being carried to the clubhouse. The 27-year-old outfielder never quite recovered; Davis was a .287 hitter with 45 steals in 171 big league games up to that point, but missed the rest of the campaign and finished his remaining 177 games batting .234 with 20 thefts. The Pirates won the ballgame at the Polo Grounds, 6-3, as five Bucs banged out a pair of hits in support of Deacon Phillippe, who went the distance for the victory. 
• 1908 - Per the Pittsburgh Press’ Ralph Davis: "In a game filled with pretty fielding plays and delightful batting rallies..." Vic Willis tossed a complete-game one-hitter in a 6-2 win over the Giants at Exposition Park. Mike Donlin's triple was the only New York knock. Roy Thomas had three hits for the Bucs (two were triples) and Hans Wagner added a pair of knocks. 

Hal "Skeets" Gregg - undated photo via Alchetron

• 1921 - RHP Hal “Skeets” Gregg was born in Anaheim, California. He worked for three years (1948-50) for the Bucs after a five-year run in Brooklyn. Skeets tossed mostly from the pen and went 3-6-1/4.85 as a Pirate when he was on the downside of his career, suffering arm and back woes. Quick factoid: Gregg was noted for his fastball, which he honed as a child by rifling oranges at various targets on his parent's grove. While it strengthened his arm, it didn’t do much for his accuracy - his final MLB line showed five walks/nine innings to just four whiffs. 
• 1925 - The Bucs jumped ahead early but managed to blow a five-run lead to the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field by giving up a six-spot in the eighth inning. Back-to-back triples by Clyde Barnhart and Pie Traynor in the top of the ninth regained the momentum and pushed the Pirates to a 7-6 victory, a nailbiter that was finally sealed by a running grab of a shot to deep center by Max Carey with the tying run on base. Lee Meadows went the distance for the win. 
• 1938 - The Pirates were in a feisty mood as they visited Wrigley Field. First, coach Jewel Ens got tossed in the top of the seventh inning, then C Al Todd joined him in the shower during the Chicago half of the frame. Ens was upset over an out call at home on Johnny Rizzo while Todd continued chatting to the man in blue about the same decision when he went behind the dish. Al didn’t go quietly; he had to be separated from the ump, George Barr, and fired some bats from the dugout as he departed. Both Ens and Todd were fined $50 for yapping. But the Bucs battled back in the ninth, scoring three times to rally for their 12th straight win (the streak reached 13 games before it was snapped) by a 5-3 tally over the Cubs, with the big blow being a two-run knock by pitcher Jim Tobin. He got the win in relief of Bill Swift, while Mace Brown earned the save. 
• 1939 - The Pirates sent SS Arky Vaughan to the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, but the AL took the game, 3-1. To keep things honest, the umpires swapped spots in the middle of the fifth inning – Cal Hubbard of the AL left home, replaced by the NL’s George Magerkurth, and the other two men in blue also traded bases. 

Arky Vaughan All-Star - 7/1/1939 Press

• 1944 - The Pirates hosted their first All-Star Game at Forbes Field, the 12th Midsummer Classic, the first night ASG hosted by the NL. The NL won, 7-1, as Phil Cavarretta of the Cubs set an ASG record by reaching base five straight times on a triple, single, and three walks. Rip Sewell worked three innings, giving up a walk and whiffing a pair. 3B Bob Elliott went 0-for-3, while OF Vince DiMaggio played in the field but didn’t bat. SS Frank Zak, an emergency replacement who didn’t get named to the squad in time to make the program, didn’t get into the game at all. 
• 1950 - It was back-and-forth baseball at Chicago’s Comiskey Park during the All-Star Game. The National League tied the match, 3-3, in the ninth dramatically on lone Pirates rep Ralph Kiner’s homer (he also had a double, going 2-for-6) before Red Schoendienst's long ball in the 14th inning won it for the Nationals. As noted by BR Bullpen, it was a game of firsts - the first extra-inning All-Star Game, the first time the NL won at an AL park, and the first All-Star Game ever shown on national television (Jack Brickhouse announced the game on NBC). 
• 1951 - C Ed Ott was born in Muncy, PA, near Williamsport. He caught righty but hit lefty, putting him in a platoon role for Pittsburgh for seven seasons (1974-80), batting .259. He was effective in the 1979 World Series; in three starts, he hit .333 with three RBI in a dozen at-bats. “Otter” managed Pirates farm teams in 1985-86, was a skipper in the indie leagues for three seasons, and then coached for the Houston Astros under former Pirates teammate Art Howe from 1989-93. He later returned to coaching at the indie level, finally retiring in 2014. 
• 1958 - 25-year-old Dick Stuart belted a grand slam in his second MLB game to lead the Bucs to a 7-2 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, giving Ron Kline, who tossed a six-hitter, all the runs he needed. Frank Thomas also went deep for the Bucs. Big Stu had made his MLB bow the day before; he belted a two-run long fly in the ninth inning of his debut in a losing cause. 

Big Stu - 1958 photo Jay Publishing

• 1960 - One-hit shutout pitching by Bob Friend over three innings led the Nationals to a 5-3 win over the Americans at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium in the first of two All-Star Games. Friend was credited with the victory, making him the winner of two of the NL's last three All-Star contests (he also earned a dub in 1956). This dub was saved by teammate Vern Law, who got the last two outs following a scoreless stint by ElRoy Face. OF Bob Skinner went 1-for-4 with a run scored, RBI and stolen base while 2B Bill Mazeroski went 1-for-2 with an RBI and HBP. OF Roberto Clemente and C Smoky Burgess both were 0-for-1, and SS Dick Groat got in as a defensive sub. For Clemente, it was his AS debut, and his out was a loud one that Jim Lemon ran down at the wall. 
• 1961 - In the All-Star game at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, OF Roberto Clemente had a coming out party. The Great One tripled and scored the game's first run, drove in another with a sac fly, chased Mickey Mantle to the centerfield fence to corral his next blast, and capped the day when he delivered a walk-off single off knuckleballer Hoyt Wilhelm in a 5-4, 10-inning NL win. Danny Murtaugh was the skipper of the Nationals; 1B Dick Stuart belted a pinch-hit double, C Smoky Burgess went 1-for-4 and reliever Roy Face was a spectator who never got the call from the bullpen. The game cemented Candlestick’s rep as a wind tunnel; Stu Miller was blown off the mound and charged with a balk when a sea breeze sent him sailing in mid-delivery. 
• 1963 - In a 3-0 win over the Colt .45s at Forbes Field, Roberto Clemente’s bullet chased Jim Wynn from the infield to a career in the pasture. As the 21-year-old Toy Cannon, who was a rookie playing SS (it was his second MLB game), told Baseball Digest “Clemente hit a screaming line drive, and I got my glove up just as the ball hit the left field wall. After that, I told the coaches and manager to get me out of the infield.” Wynn was eventually granted his wish and played 1,810 games in the OF after 21 appearances auditioning at short during his rookie campaign. Roberto’s wicked double was cashed in by Donn Clendenon in the eighth inning and was the game’s winning run; Don Cardwell went all the way for the win, giving up just two singles to the ‘Stros. 

Roberto Clemente - 2020 Topps Numbers Game

• 1967 - The National League won another All-Star pitching battle against the Junior Circuit, taking a 2-1 decision at Anaheim Stadium in 15 innings with Tony Perez’s homer the difference. OF Roberto Clemente went 1-for-6, and the starting middle infield of 2B Bill Mazeroski and SS Gene Alley went a combined 0-for-9 at the plate, although Maz did lay down a successful bunt. The rosters were loaded for this match; 22 players and coaches on the Midsummer Classic rosters ended up in the Hall of Fame. The 15 innings was the longest Midsummer Classic match played, later tied by the 2008 contest. 
• 1973 - Willie Stargell cracked the 302nd home run of his career to pass Ralph Kiner as the all-time Pirate HR leader in a 10-2 victory over the Padres at San Diego Stadium. Bob Robertson, Al Oliver and Dal Maxvill each had three hits while Nellie Briles went the distance, tossing a solid seven-hitter with seven punchouts. Willie would pile on to his franchise-leading number of dingers, retiring after the 1982 campaign with 475 bombs to leave Mr. Swat in the rear view mirror.

7/11 From 1975: Steve-Danny; Bo Signed; Cutch 18-Gamer, TV Game, Game Tales; '21 Davis Draft, Pgh '06 Hosts, ASGs: HBD John & Javier

• 1977 - LHP Javier Lopez was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Lopez signed as a free agent with the Pirates in 2010 for $775K after having a horrible year with the Bosox. The 32-year-old LOOGY rebounded nicely with a slash of 2-2/2.79 and was moved at the deadline to the San Francisco Giants for RHP Joe Martinez and OF John Bowker. Javy spent seven seasons with the G-Men, working off the bump during four playoff runs and two World Series, before retiring in 2017. 
• 1978 - The Senior Circuit took a 7-3 win from the AL in the All-Star game held at San Diego Stadium. 1B Willie Stargell was the only Pirate and went 0-for-1 as a pinch hitter. Three ex-Bucco hands were on the American’s starting lineup card - 3B Don Money, SS Freddie Patek and OF Richie Zisk, with SS Craig Reynolds on the bench and RHP Goose Gossage in the pen. 
• 1981 - 18-year-old Bobby Bonilla was signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent after a Pirate City tryout set up by scouting director and later GM Syd Thrift. He spent five years on the farm before being lost to the Chicago White Sox in the Rule 5 draft after the 1985 season. The Pirates got him back quickly in a July trade for pitcher Jose DeLeon and Bobby Bo remained a Bucco until he joined the NY Mets in 1992 after inking a five year/$29M contract that made him the highest paid player for a bit and dwarfed Pittsburgh’s reported four year/$16.5M offer. 
• 1983 - The Pirates dropped the San Francisco Giants, 3-2, at Candlestick Park. Don Robinson, dodging early bullets, broke out a newly developed slider in the fourth and left with the game tied, 2-2, after seven frames. Dave Parker had three hits while Mike Easler’s ninth-inning homer (he also had three hits, w/two runs scored and two RBI) won it for Manny Sarmiento, with Rod Scurry notching the save. The victory launched the Pirates on an eight-game winning streak and an 18-of-22 run as they moved from fourth place, 4-1/2 games off the pace, to a 1-1/2 games lead. But they faded and went 30-29 during the dog days, losing five of the last seven contests, to finish second, six games behind the Philadelphia Phillies. 

Bobby Bo - 1989 Fleer All-Stars

• 1989 - The Americans rolled on with a 5-3 win in the All-Star game at Anaheim Stadium. OF Bobby Bonilla went 2-for-2 as a late inning DH in the first ASG that allowed a designated hitter. President Ronald Reagan joined Vin Scully for an inning in the broadcast booth. Mike Schmidt of the Phillies, who had retired from baseball on May 29th at age 39, was elected by the fans as the starting 3B for the National League team. Schmidt opted not to play, but he did join in the game's opening ceremony in his Philadelphia uniform as a final fare-thee-well. 
• 1992 - The Pirates traded 3B Steve Buechele, made expendable by Jeff King, to the Chicago Cubs for LHP Danny Jackson as a stretch run acquisition. Jackson went 4-4/3.36 in 15 starts. He lost his only playoff start and then was lost to the Miami Marlins in the 1992 expansion draft. Buechele played until 1995. King held the hot corner in Pittsburgh for eight years. In a sidebar, the Pirates 1991 Minor League POTY, Kevin Young, was called up briefly. Many thought he would become the 3B of the future, but he was shifted to first to accommodate both him and King. 
• 1992 - RHP John Barbato was born in Miami. The Pirates sent a minor leaguer to the Yankees for Barbato, and as a depth option who started out at Indianapolis, he still made 24 appearances for the Pirates in 2017, with a 1-1/4.05 line. He was waived at the end of the year and claimed by Detroit. He’s since tossed in Japan and is now coaching in the indie leagues. 
• 1992 - Another Bonds rumor: The New York Times reported a failed three-way deal among the Pirates, Mets, and Yankees speculatively involving Howard Johnson, Vince Coleman, Roberto Kelly and featured piece Barry Bonds. As told, it was the Big Apple for Bonds, the Mets got Kelly and the Bucs received HoJo and Coleman. Barry was also eyed in other unconsummated deals with at least the Phils and Braves as he approached free agency, but Jimmy Leyland didn’t want to let him go. BB didn’t re-sign and when he hit the market in December, he turned down the Yankees offer because he wanted a year more than they would give, and he signed with the San Fran Giants. 

No deal for BB - 1992 Kenner Starting Lineup

• 1993 - Pittsburgh eked out a 3-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds in front of 22,7222 fans at TRS despite being the Keystone Kops of bunting. In a battle between Steve Cooke and Jose Rijo, it came down to the bullpens in the ninth. Blas Minor put up a zippo for the Bucs while Dave Clark started it up for the hometown with a single to open their half of the frame. Jeff King was given the bunt sign; he couldn’t lay one down but did single after two strikes. Al Martin got the same sign; he tried to move them up three times before K’ing when his sac try rolled foul. Tom Foley was told to hack away, and he ended up bleeding a swinging bunt single. That loaded the bases; Rob Dibble took over to face Don Slaught. He neither bunted nor swatted, but became the hero when he drew a walk for the walk-off win. Despite an inability to perform an old school skill like the bunt, it was a “turn back the clock” game - the teams dressed in 1925 throwback unis, the lineups were announced via a megaphone, the scoreboard was hand operated, the outfield walls were covered with old-timey billboard ads and the vid screen showed silent movie-style clips. 
• 1995 - The NL nosed out the AL All-Stars, 3-2, at the Ballpark in Arlington. Pitcher Denny Neagle repped the Bucs and tossed a scoreless inning, giving up a hit and striking out one. The Americans out-hit the NL 8-to-3, but all three Senior Circuit raps were shots that left the park. 
• 1996 - The Pirates defeated the Reds, 5-3, at TRS, highlighted by a steal of home by an unlikely suspect, Jeff King. Jay Bell was at bat and King said “I was hoping and praying Jay would see me coming. I wondered if I should yell when I get about halfway?” But no worries. Bell told the Post Gazette “You can’t miss those big feet lumbering down the line.” Smiley, who features a slow delivery, tossed the pitch high and a sliding King got under the tag. Al Martin and Orlando Merced had three hits, with Orlando adding a homer. Denny Neagle got the win - he had been traded for Smiley by the Twins in 1992 - and Dan Plesac earned a save. 
• 1999 - Rookie 2B Warren Morris had his first career four-hit game (all singles) while driving in four runs and scoring once in a 10-2 over the Minnesota Twins at the Metrodome. Brian Giles and Kevin Young added three hits as the Bucs tallied 17 raps; Giles also homered. Todd Ritchie tossed for seven innings with Jason Christiansen and Brad Clontz mopping up. 

Warren Morris - 1999 Pacific Invincible Rookie

• 2000 - The American League All-Stars defeated the Senior Circuit’s best, 6-3, at Turner Field. Pirates C Jason Kendall and OF Brian Giles both went 0-for-2 during the contest. Florida fans could be excused for turning their nose at the game. It was originally slated for Pro Player Stadium (built in 1987 as Joe Robbie Stadium), but NL President Len Coleman reversed the decision and gave it to Atlanta, citing it as a newer park (Turner Field was converted from an Olympic venue to baseball in 1997). The truth was baseball officials were too uncertain of the future of the Marlin franchise as owner Wayne Huizenga had the team up for sale while with the other hand pushing hard for a new ballyard. 
• 2006 - The Pittsburgh Pirates hosted the 77th All-Star Game at PNC Park. The Midsummer Classic marked the fifth time that Pittsburgh hosted the ASG, becoming the first franchise to put on the game in three different ballyards — Forbes Field (1944 & 1959), Three Rivers Stadium (1974 & 1994), and PNC Park (2006). Chuck Tanner threw out the first pitch, but it didn’t help the home boys: the AL’s 3-2 win kept the junior circuit unbeaten in the contest since 1997. OF Jason Bay went 1-for-3 and 2B Freddy Sanchez went 0-for-2. Vera Clemente was escorted onto the field by Bill Mazeroski to accept the Commissioner's Historic Achievement Award on behalf of Roberto between innings while the crowd roared; a video montage of The Great One was shown and AL manager Ozzie Guillen was moved to tears during the ceremony. In another thoughtful gesture, NL manager Phil Garner selected Tanner as an honorary coach for the game. 
• 2015 - It was a game that the Bucs and Cardinals squeezed for every drop of drama at PNC Park in front of 37,318, shown nationally on Fox Sports. The two best teams in baseball by record, Pittsburgh won a 6-5, 14-inning walk-off victory in a contest that lasted into the next day. The Cards’ Mark Reynolds drew first blood when he homered after striking out - he swung at and missed strike three, but plate ump Vic Carapazza miscalled it a foul. Reynolds went “whew” and belted the reprieve pitch into the LF stands. The Redbirds were up 3-0 before AJ Burnett, the Pirate starter, hit his first homer in a decade. The Pirates tied it in the eighth, fell behind in the 10th, tied it in the bottom half on a Jung-Ho Kang triple and Chris Stewart knock, and fell behind again in the 14th only to win it when Neil Walker singled and Andrew McCutchen homered into the batter’s eye, extending his hitting streak to 18 games. Vance Worley got the win that cut the St. Louis’ lead in the NL Central to 3-1/2 games; it had been a cavernous nine-game gap on June 28th. 
• 2017 - The first ASG at Marlins Park ended up in a pitching battle with the Americans taking its fifth straight win by a 2-1 score. It took 10 innings and was decided on Robinson Cano’s homer off Wade Davis. Josh Harrison, the Pirates only rep, came in as a sub at second base (he played five innings) and fanned twice. Though the Junior Circuit was on a roll, the All-Star series was dead even after 88 outings with a 43-43-2 record and each league scoring 361 runs.

Rodolfo Castro - 2021 photo/Pirates

• 2021 - The Bucs fell behind, 5-0, in the first frame at Citi Field, but Chase De Jong recovered his mojo, some stellar relieving followed and long balls by Rodolfo Castro (he banged a pair) & Michael Perez, cut the lead to a run by the ninth. With Kevin Newman on third, John Nogowski's two-out, first-pitch single tied it up and knocks by Ben Gamel and Wilmer Difo chased Nogo home for the 6-5 win. The game was closed out by Richard Rodriguez, who saved David Bednar’s win. Castro became the first Pirate to swat three homers as his first three MLB hits. 
• 2021 - There was some draft news, too: the Pirates, with the top pick of the 2021 draft, selected Louisville C Henry Davis (signed for $6.5M; slot $8,415,300), considered by many to be the best available college bat of the draft. He was the first catcher selected in the first round by the Bucs since Reese McGuire in 2013. On the following day, they selected North Carolina commit LHP Anthony Solometo of Bishop Eustace Prep (NJ) in the second round (37th pick; signed for $2.8M, $1,999,3000 slot), touted to be the best HS lefty available. CF Lonnie White Jr., (signed for $1.5M, slot $1,050,300), a two-sport star & Penn State commit from Malvern Prep (PA), was selected in the "B" Comp round (64th pick). North Oconee HS, (GA) RHP/SS Bubba Chander went in the third round (72nd pick; signed for $3M, slot $870K). He was a Clemson commit as a QB. The Pirates drafted four of Baseball America's top 32 prospects and got them all signed. They also added OF Braylan Bishop in the 14th round, an Arkansas commit and Top 100 draft prospect (signed for $268,700; slot $125K) and fourth round prep RHP Owen Kellington of Vermont signed with a day to go for $600K (slot value was $571,400). The Pirates inked 19 of their 21 picks and spent their entire draft bonus pool allotment, plus the 5% overage, with $16M invested in the draft. 
• 2023 - Mitch Keller worked the second inning of the 93rd All-Star game, using just 11 pitches. He gave up a solo shot to Yandy Diaz and fanned Adolis Garcia. The other Bucco rep, David Bodnar (Derek Shelton was a coach), warmed up but wasn't called, though an ex-Buc was the man of the hour and MVP. Rockies C Elias Díaz, a first-time All-Star at age 32, took the O's Félix Bautista deep with a runner aboard in the top of the eighth to put the Senior Circuit in the lead for an eventual 3-2 win at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, the NL’s first Midsummer Classic victory since 2012. As an opening act, Vlad Guerrero Jr. won the Home Run Derby, outslugging Randy Arozarena by a 25-23 tally. He joined his dad, Vlad Sr., as the only father-son duo to take the title.

7/10: Renegade AS, Emil-Camp; Ty Mark, GI Bomb, Cutch, AVS Hot, Rennie Debut, Pops Power, Game Tales; Grays Raid, Long Ballin'; 3 Hits For Roberto, Friend Win, Kiner Trio, Pie Steals Home - ASGs; HBD Gene & Link

• 1865 - IF Bobby “Link” Lowe was born in Pittsburgh and raised in the New Castle area. He played in the show for 18 years with a .273 lifetime BA and was the first to hit four homers in a game, but Link was barely a blip on the home team’s radar - he got into one game as a pinch hitter and K’ed in 1904 before being sold to Detroit. The 38-year-old Link was near the end by that time, and although he played through 1907 with the Tigers, he only managed a .206 average during that span. He retired to coach in the minors and college ranks, later adding scouting to his resume. His nickname was a nod to the Great Emancipator; Lowe was born a few weeks after President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated and was given the middle name Lincoln in Abe’s honor. 
• 1901 - The Boston Beaneaters collected 15 hits in 12 innings against Pittsburgh but failed to score in a 1-0 loss at Exposition Field, setting a record for most hits with no runs. The Pirates got four hits off Bill Dineen, who lost to Jack Chesbro to cap a four-game sweep of the Bostonians. Pittsburgh won thanks to a couple of Beaneater boo-boos. Honus Wagner reached second on an error, went to third on a bunt single and scored when Dineen’s pickoff flip to first went awry. 
• 1908 - At Exposition Park, the Bucs overcame a 4-0 New York Giants lead to win, 7-6, on Tommy Leach’s ninth inning, walk-off homer to center. Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke and Chief Wilson had triples for the Pirates while Sam Leever picked up a save of Lefty Leifield’s victory. 
• 1929 - The Pirates mashed the Philadelphia Phillies, 15-9, at the Baker Bowl. Pittsburgh hit five homers and the Phils banged four. The teams flexed their muscles with regularity; there were homers hit in eight of the nine innings. George Grantham had a pair of long balls for the Bucs and drove in five runs, with Pie Traynor, Lloyd Waner and pitcher Fred Fussell adding solo shots. 

George Grantham - 1929 Kashin

• 1934 - 3B Pie Traynor, SS Arky Vaughan and RF Paul “Big Poison” Waner represented the Bucs in the second All-Star game held at the Polo Grounds. Traynor went 2-for-5 with two runs scored, an RBI and stolen base (he became the first and only player to swipe home in an ASG on the back end of a double steal with NL teammate Mel Ott), while Waner and Vaughan both went 0-for-2 in the National League’s 9-7 victory. It was the famous Carl Hubbard game - he struck out five future Hall of Famers in a row, fanning Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons & Joe Cronin. 
• 1940 - SS Gene Alley was born in Richmond, Virginia. He played his entire 11-year career (1963–73) with the Pirates. A modest hitter overall - his BA was .254 - he won a pair of Gold Gloves, was twice selected an All-Star, and set the MLB DP record for middle infielders with Bill Mazeroski in 1966 with 161. Shoulder and knee problems slowed and ultimately ended his career. 
• 1943 - Pittsburgh surrendered a franchise record for most runs given up in the modern era when the Brooklyn Dodgers spanked them, 23-6, at Forbes Field. As for motivation, the Dodgers only had two players willing to suit up before the game after Leo Durocher suspended pitcher Bobo Newsome. Da Bums, led by ex-Buc Arky Vaughan, were ready to walk out in support of Newsome until Dodger GM Branch Rickey stepped in and calmed the seas, leaving Brooklyn to take out its frustrations on the Buccos. Vaughan despised Leo The Lip so much that he sat out the next three seasons working at his ranch and didn’t return to Brooklyn until after Durocher left via suspension. 
• 1943 - Homestead Grays co-owner (and numbers king) Rufus "Sonnyman" Jackson was briefly jailed after a confrontation at Forbes Field with a Mexican baseball agent - actually, the Mexican diplomatic consul AJ Guina - trying to raid his roster. As quoted by Mark Ribowsky in A Complete History of the Negro Leagues, Jackson said “I don’t care if they send Pancho Villa, they’re not getting my ballplayers.” Sonnyman eventually fended off the overtures and kept his players. He ran the team himself after team co-owner Cum Posey's death in 1946, winning the last pennant in Negro National League history in 1948. 

Ralph Kiner - 2020 Topps 1950's Best Batters

• 1951 - Exploding for a record four homers, the National League trounced the American League, 8-3, at the All-Star Game at Detroit’s Briggs Stadium. Pirate OF Ralph Kiner lived up to his “Mr. Swat” image, connecting on a long ball for the third year in a row, a MLB All-Star record. 
• 1956 - RHP Bob Friend and 1B Dale Long were the Pirate All-Stars at Griffith Stadium for the National League’s 7-3 victory. Starter Friend got the win thanks to triple threes - 3 IP, 3 hits, 3 K (Ted Williams, Mickey Mantle and Harry “Suitcase” Simpson) - and without much help from Long, who struck out twice in two at-bats. The first-time All-Star Friend (he ended up in three ASGs) spent the last six innings on the bench as a fanboy, shooting a home movie of the day. 
• 1962 - Led by OF Roberto Clemente’s three hits, the National League beat the American League, 3-1, in the first of season’s two All-Star games, this one held at Washington’s DC Stadium. SS Dick Groat went 1-for-3, scored and turned a DP while 2B Bill Mazeroski was 0-for-2. 
• 1968 - The NL announced that it would split into two divisions next season. The Eastern Division would consist of Chicago, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. It was the beginning of the Divisional Era, where the winners of each division would compete against each other in a League Championship Series to determine the World Series opponents. 
• 1971 - The Pirates bested the Braves, 5-4, at Three Rivers Stadium behind Willie Stargell's 30th home run of the season and his 10th off Atlanta pitching; it was a two-run blast in the eighth that turned a deficit into the lead. Pops also doubled and was joined in the two-knock club by Vic Davalillo, who scored twice, and Bob Robertson while Al Oliver drove in a pair of runs. Dave Giusti saved the game with Mudcat Grant getting the win for a contest that Steve Blass started. Captain Willie would go on to have a career year in long flies, knocking 48 balls out of the yard. Another nice career began OTD - it was Rennie Stennett’s debut game for the Pirates; he went 0-for-4. 

Vic Davalillo - 1971 photo/Jay Publishing

• 1984 - The NL was used to the windy confines of Candlestick Park and breezed to 3-1 win over the AL in the All-Star game. The senior circuit got some terrific tossing. Fernando Valenzuela and Dwight Gooden combined to whiff six batters in a row for a new All-Star Game record. Valenzuela K’ed Dave Winfield, Reggie Jackson, and George Brett in the fourth inning. Then Doc, the youngest All-Star ever at age 19, punched out Lance Parrish, Chet Lemon, and Alvin Davis in the fifth. C Tony Pena was Pittsburgh’s only AS selection and caught the ninth inning. 
• 1987 - The Pirates gave away the lead with two outs in the ninth inning but bounced back to claim a 6-5 win over San Diego at TRS in 11 innings. The Bucs rallied to take a 5-4 lead after Bob Kipper had been chased, with Doug Drabek, Doug Jones and John Smiley holding the fort (the starters were available for duty because of the upcoming All-Star break). Jim Leyland yanked Smiley with two outs in the ninth frame and the bases empty for Don Robinson (the skipper didn’t like the looming Smiley/Bruce Bochy matchup in a bit of overthinking), and he gave up a game-tying homer to pinch-hitter John Kruk as the boos rained down from the 13,109 on hand. Johnny Ray saved Robby’s bacon when he doubled home Bobby Bonilla for the walk-off win. Andy Van Slyke had a homer and four RBI while Barry Bonds had four raps to lead the Bucco hit parade. 
• 1990 - Pitching dominated as the Americans dropped the Nationals, 2-0, in the All-Star game at Wrigley Field. Outfielders Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla both went 0-for-1 and LHP Neal Heaton didn’t get in. Bobby Bo was shut out in his appearance in the Home Run Derby. 
• 2001 - The American League nine took a 4-1 All-Star victory from the Senior Circuit at Safeco Field. OF Brian Giles, the Pirates sole rep, grounded out in his visit to the plate. C JR House played in the Classic’s opening event as a member of the USA nine in the Futures Game. 

JR House - 2001 Topps Fusion

• 2001 - The Pirates traded OF Emil Brown to the Padres after DFA’ing him for OF Shawn Garrett and RHP Shawn Camp, both San Diego farm hands. Brown played nearly 200 games as a Bucco from 1997-2001, but despite having the rep as a five-tool guy, hit just .205. After the year, he spent three seasons in the minors before winning a starting gig with KC and Oakland from 2005-2008, with 2009 being his MLB swan song. Camp was a late bloomer, but after being released by Pittsburgh, he eventually made the majors in 2004 as a 28-year-old and carved out an 11-year career in the big leagues, with 541 relief outings and a slash of 29-33-12/4.41. Garrett was a long-time minor leaguer and Latin League player who never got a shot in the show. 
• 2007 - The American League eked out a 5-4 win over the Nationals in the All-Star game played at AT&T Park. 2B Freddy Sanchez was the only Pirate selected and didn’t get into the game. 
• 2009 - Garrett Jones joined Ryan Howard as the only players to launch blasts that cleared the batter’s eye at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He mashed the two-out, first-pitch shot off Joe Blanton in the opening frame. It wasn’t enough, though, as the Pirates fell to the Phillies, 3-2. 
• 2011 - In the Pirates final game before the All-Star break, they defeated the Chicago Cubs, 9-1. Andrew McCutchen drove in five runs, highlighted by a three-run homer, while Neil Walker pounded out three hits, two doubles and a triple. Paul Maholm got the win with help from Chris Resop and Jose Veras to take Pittsburgh’s record to 47-43 record into the break. 
• 2012 - The Senior Circuit blasted its way to an 8-0 win over the American League’s All-Stars at KC’s Kauffman Stadium. OF Andrew McCutchen went 1-for-2 after taking part in the home run derby the night before (he hit four homers and bowed out in the opening round) and RHP Joel Hanrahan faced one batter, Billy Butler, striking him out after first tossing a wild pitch. 

Joel Hanrahan - 2012 SEGA 

• 2021 - Tyler Anderson entered the Pirates record book during a 6-2 win over the Mets at Citi Field in the opener of a day-night twin bill when he unwittingly became the last Buc pitcher to homer as a lineup player (or perhaps ever) as the universal Designated Hitter rule was adopted the following season. Bryan Reynolds also went deep. Pittsburgh dropped the nitecap, 4-2. 
• 2022 - RHP David Bednar was selected as the Bucs lone rep for the All-Star Game with a slash of 3-2-15/2.25 and 53 K in 40 IP. It was the cherry on top for the Pirates, who had earlier rode four homers by Oneil Cruz, Ke’Bryan Hayes, Michael Chavis and Daniel Vogelbach to victory over Milwaukee at American Family Field by an 8-6 count, with Chris Stratton getting credit for the win. The bad news: CF Bryan Reynolds was bypassed on the AS roster. To add injury to insult, he was pulled from the day’s victory over the Brew Crew with a strained oblique and landed on the 10-day IL. Blasts from the past: A crew of ex-Bucs were chosen for the Midsummer Classic: P’s Gerrit Cole, Joe Musgrove and Clay Holmes, along with OF Starling Marte, made the team.