6/9 Through 1954: Fletch Fling, Slugging Bee, Game Tales; Twins, Umps Irked, Minor Swap, Dark & Stormy; HBD Cobra, Julio, Quail, Roy & Charles

• 1860 - Charles Power was born in Johnstown. He was a minor league pitcher who developed a bum arm and turned briefly to umpiring. He became the sports editor of the Pittsburgh Dispatch in 1893, then was a boss for area minor leagues. He ran the Steel and Oil League in 1895, a local collection of eight teams that Hans Wagner passed through, and then stayed on when it became the Interstate League the following year until 1900. His last executive hurrah was in 1907 when he presided over the short-lived Class D Western Pennsylvania League. 
• 1902 - GM Roy Hamey was born in Havana, Illinois. Hamey replaced Ray Kennedy as Bucco GM following the 1946 campaign after serving as Business Manager of the Yankees. He hired Billy Meyer (a Yankee farm manager) as the Bucs' skipper and dealt for vets like Tiny Bonham, Bob Chesnes and Hank Greenberg, but the team was a second-division club for most of his tenure, and he was swapped out for Branch Rickey after the 1950 season. Hamey ran the Phillies for five years after that without much more success, and then returned to New York after the 1960 World Series, and in his three years there, the Bronx Bombers averaged 103 wins. His last gig was as interim Chief Executive of the Seattle Pilots in 1969, running operations until Bud Selig bought the team. 
• 1905 - It was a wild opening frame, as attested by the Pittsburgh Press headline "Pirates Win Slugging Bee: Two Twirlers Driven Off the Rubber After One Inning." The Giants scored five runs in the top of the first off Sam Leever and the Pirates came back with six runs off Iron Man Joe McGinnity in the bottom of the frame. Deacon Phillippe of the Pirates and Christy Mathewson of NY replaced the twirlers in the second inning. It was all Pittsburgh after that, with the Bucs rolling over New York, 12-6, at Exposition Park. Fred Clarke, Ginger Beaumont, Honus Wagner, Del Howard and Tommy Leach each collected a pair of hits, while Phillippe pitched “cleverly” per the Press. To add insult to injury, the Giants were pelted with fruit as they rode along Market Street after getting into a name-calling exchange with some Pittsburgh fans after the game. 

Deacon Phillippe - 1903 Pgh Press image

• 1906 - The Phillies had a 1-0, eighth inning lead over the Pirates at the Baker Bowl. As a storm approached, the Pirates rallied in the ninth to forge ahead, and the Phils decided to give away outs‚ bean batters, toss wild pitches (the Pirates caught on and swung at them, trying to strike out on purpose) and argue almost every call in the hope of umpire Bill Klem would call the game because of the weather. Klem did cut the festivities short, all right: after seven runs crossed the plate, he declared a forfeit because of Philadelphia’s antics. The ploy almost worked as planned, though - the rain fell shortly after the game was banged. 
• 1914 - Honus Wagner was credited with his 3,000th hit off Philadelphia's Erskine Mayer in a 3-1 loss to the Phillies at the Baker Bowl. Wagner's hit, a double, came in the ninth inning. Wagner joined Cap Anson as the only members of the 3000-hit club. Hans told the Pittsburgh Press “Well, I’m glad that’s over. Sometimes I think too much newspaper talk hurts a fellow, that it acts as sort of a jinx.” It didn’t end up much of a hoodoo for the Flying Dutchman - in his 21-year career, Hans posted 3,420 hits, 643 doubles, 1,732 RBI, 1,739 runs scored, 723 stolen bases and a .328 BA. (Caveat emptor: This date was the one originally credited for the milestone hit and is still cited by several sources, but a recount by baseball archivists now date the deed to June 28th, 1914, when Hans singled off of the Reds Pete Schneider. We post both dates in the blog.) 
• 1931 - Bill Virdon was born in Hazel Park, Michigan. The Quail came over from the Cards in 1956 and patrolled center field for 11 years (1956-66) in Pittsburgh, including the 1960 World Series season. Virdon won Rookie of the Year in 1952, the World Series in 1960 and a Gold Glove in 1962. He later coached and managed the Bucs (and later the Yankees, Astros and Expos). Bill also lent a hand at Pirates spring training until he passed away in 2021. 
• 1931 - While defeating the local North Side Civics (a team that The Chief, Art Rooney, once played for), 16-2, four Homestead Grays' hit home runs - Oscar Charleston, Ted Page, Vic Harris (he had four hits) and Ambrose Reid; the Post Gazette wrote “extra base hits rained off the bats of the Homestead Grays.” 23-year-old righty Roy Williams earned the win at Saltworks Field. 

Bud Hafey - 1935 Diamond Greats

• 1935 - The Pirates traded 21-year-old RHP Jack Salveson to the Chicago White Sox for 22-year-old OF Bud Hafey. In this case, youth was not all that well served. Hafey played in 97 games over two years for the Bucs, batting .222, and spent one final campaign (1939) in the show with 12 more seasons served in the minors. Salveson only appeared five times as a Buc; overall, he slashed 9-9-4/3.99 after five seasons and 87 MLB outings. 
• 1939 - IF Julio Gotay was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. He spent two seasons with the Pirates in 1963-64 and barely got a big league taste, getting just seven games under his belt (though he did hit .500) with most of his days spent in AAA Columbus. Julio spent parts of 10 seasons in the majors, mainly with the Astros and Cards, but primarily as an insurance policy infielder; only once in his career did he collect more than 250 at-bats. 
• 1940 - The Pirates won for the fifth time in six games when they took the back end of a twin bill from Philadelphia by an 11-5 score at Forbes Field after losing the lidlifter, 6-1. Elbie Fletcher went 3-for-4 with a double and five RBI while Paul Waner matched him, also going 3-for-4 with a double, with two RBI and three runs. Mace Brown was the beneficiary of the batting boom. The good times didn’t last very long; the Bucs then lost 6-of-8. 
• 1946 - The boys in blue really got under the skin of New York Giants manager Mel Ott. He was ejected from both games of a twin bill at Forbes Field for arguing calls (two different umpires tossed him), an MLB first. Ott should have read the riot act to his hitters instead, who were shut down and swept by 2-1 and 5-1 scores by Bucco hurlers Fritz Ostermueller and Johnny Lanning. 

Johnny Lanning - 1940 George Burke photo

• 1949 - Peas in a pod: The Phillies beat the Pirates at Shibe Park, 4-3, in 18 innings. The intrastate rivals both had 16 hits in 68 at bats and committed three errors along with 21 assists. On the same day, The Press published a letter and sidebar from Sheriff Walter Monaghan urging a Pirates “Confidence Night” for the fans to rally in support of the team. He wrote “...as badly as most of us feel everytime we look at the standings, we should remember that the entire Pirates roster...must feel a whole lot worse.” The Pirates were 17-31 at the time and in last place; they finished 71-83, 26 games behind the Brooklyn Dodgers. 
• 1951 - Dave Parker was born in Calhoun City, Mississippi. The Cobra manned right field for 11 years (1973-83) for the Bucs while compiling a line of .305/166/758, earning four All-Star appearances and three Golden Glove awards. He was the 1978 National League MVP and the first professional athlete to earn one million dollars per year (not straight up but including deferred payments) after signing a five-year, $5 million contract in January 1979. Fun fact: Parker wore a gold necklace with a Star of David pendant although he wasn’t Jewish. When asked why, his explanation was simple: "My name is David, and I'm a star." The Buccos seconded that emotion by naming the Cobra to the Pirates Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2022. 
• 1953 - The refusal of the National League owners to allow the Pirates to take down Forbes Field’s Kiner Korner after the trade of Ralph Kiner played into the Pirates’ hands in their 7-4 win over the Cards. Eddie Pellagrini belted a three-run pinch HR over the short porch in the eighth, after Dick Hall had earlier lofted a solo shot in the fourth into the same spot.

6/9 From 1955: Key Clouts, Brant Bomber, Willie Pops Off, Zisk Cycle, Roberto Rocket, Rallies, Game Tales; Law Upheld; Drafts - Newman, Craig, Sanchez

• 1958 - The Pirates stopped in Boise, Idaho while on a west coast trip and became the first MLB club to play a game in the state. The Bucs paid the visit as a nod to Vern Law, who was born in Meridian and honored during “Vern Law Day.” The Pirates were greeted by a crowd at the airport and driven to their hotel in a motorcade. The Boise Braves were a Class C club out of the Pioneer League and played to that level, losing to the big boys by a 17-6 count. 
• 1966 - For the second time in a week, Roberto Clemente homered over the center field wall at Forbes Field, becoming the first right handed batter to pull off that feat more than once. The blast came during a 4-2 loss to the Cards; the first long ball was part of a 9-5 win over the Astros. 
• 1968 - In a game that neither the Pirates nor Astros players wanted to play after Robert F Kennedy’s assassination, the league muscled up on the teams - “They told us we have a contract and we must live up to it...” explained Houston player rep Dave Giusti - and the Bucs defeated Houston, 3-1, at the Astrodome. Bob Moose spun an eight-inning four-hitter, closed out by Ronnie Kline. The Bucs’ Maury Wills, along with the ‘Stros Rusty Staub & Bob Aspromonte, refused to play. Wills was handed an undisclosed punishment by the team while both Astros players forfeited a day's pay and were traded after the season. MLB’s sole concession to the tragic event was that none of the day’s games could start until after RFK’s memorial service concluded. 
• 1972 - Through his first 10 starts of the season, LA’s Don Sutton had slashed 8-0/1.14, but finally met his match with the Pirates. He suffered his first loss of the season when he gave up 10 hits and five runs (two earned) in seven innings to the Bucs at Dodger Stadium. Pittsburgh put up their five-spot in the opening frame. They didn’t exactly pound the righty; the runs scored on just three singles augmented by a trio of Dodger misplays. Still, the Pirates held their own with Roberto Clemente collecting three hits while Vic Davalillo and Al Oliver added a pair each. It was only a temporary burp for Sutton. Even though he lost his next three games, he was an All-Star with 19 wins and a 2.08 ERA at year’s end and finished fifth in the Cy Young voting. 

Roberto Clemente - 1972 Upper Deck

• 1974 - Richie Zisk hit for the cycle against the San Francisco Giants during a 14-1 romp at Candlestick Park, with five RBI and four runs scored. Willie Stargell outdid him in generating scores with two homers (one a grand slam), a double and six runs driven home. Bob Robertson also went long as Jerry Reuss cruised to victory behind the Bucs’ lumber explosion on the Bay. 
• 1978 - Down 8-1 after five innings, the Bucs shook their lethargy and came to life to rally past the Cincinnati Reds by an 11-9 count at TRS. They were led by Willie Stargell, who had pumped up his teammates with a short mid-game speech, and Bill Robinson. The pair combined for seven hits, including four doubles, six RBI and five runs scored. Chuck Tanner made the unorthodox move of bringing in starter John Candelaria from the pen (he hadn’t pitched in relief since 1976) and he recorded four straight outs to save Grant Jackson’s victory. 
• 1988 - The Pirates were looking hapless at TRS against Jamie Moyers and the Cubs bullpen. They went into the ninth inning down, 3-1, and were facing Goose Gossage, a decade removed from his Bucco glory days. But Darnell Coles and Sid Bream opened the frame with doubles to cut the lead to a run and cook the Goose. A groundout and walk of Denny Gonzalez by Gossage’s relief helper, Frank DiPino, left Bucs on the corners. RJ Reynolds’ grounder to third cut down Bream, off on contact, at the dish. But the slow-footed Sid flashed some baseline footwork and did a little boogaloo before allowing the tag to be applied, and it proved a key move by allowing the Pittsburgh runners to get to second and third. Barry Bonds cashed them in when he slapped a soft two-out liner into right that plated the pair to give the Pirates a walk-off win for Jim Gott. 
• 1989 - Pittsburgh scored in the bottom of the ninth to tie the Mets after they had gone ahead in the top half, and then plated again in the 10th to take a 4-3 win at TRS. Gary Redus’ two-out single-and-error bouncer to short scored Rafael Belliard to knot the game. Another Met miscue led to the winner. Andy Van Slyke’s single to right was misplayed into a three-bagger, and after a pair of intentional walks, Benny Distefano’s one-out grounder ended up the walk off at-bat when the Mets couldn’t turn two, earning Bill Landrum the win. 

Brant Brown - 1999 Upper Deck Victory

• 1999 - The Pirates beat up on the Detroit Tigers, 15-3, as Brant Brown smacked out five hits, including a double and homer, scored four runs and chased home five tallies. Ed Sprague and Jose Guillen each added a bomb and three RBI at Tiger Stadium while Francisco Cordova picked up the win. It was the first time the Pirates ever played a regular season contest in that ballyard (and not a minute too soon; it dated back to 1912 in its current configuration and this was the stadium’s final season). The Pirates last previous visit to Motown was in 1909 during the Hans Wagner v Ty Cobb World Series at Bennett Park, located on the same site that eventually evolved into Tiger Stadium. 
• 2009 - C Tony Sanchez was the Pirates first selection (#4 overall - $2.5M signing bonus) in the draft. RHP Vic Black ($717K bonus) was the second round pick and is now a Pirates coach, while IF Brock Holt, who put in a decade in the league with five teams and an All-Star nod before retiring in 2022, was chosen in the ninth round. There was a great gnashing of teeth over the Pirates' cheap ways in selecting Sanchez. It wasn’t a notably deep draft. Stephen Strasburg was taken #1 while prepster Michael Trout was the #25 overall choice. Sanchez never quite made it; he got into 51 games with the Pirates (.259 BA) with one final MLB outing with Atlanta in 2017. 2019 was his last pro season. 
• 2015 - The Pirates chose Arizona SS Kevin Newman (#19 overall, $2.175M bonus), Texas prep 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (#32; $1.855M bonus) and UCLA SS Kevin Kramer (#62; $850K bonus) in the opening two rounds of the draft. Newman made it to the show in 2018 and became the starting SS next season; he’s now with the D-Backs. Young Hayes took over at third in 2019 while Kramer last played in the Brewers system in 2021. LHP Brandon Waddell (currently tossing in Korea) and RHP James Marvel (called up for four starts in 2019 and now an FA) were also members of the class who made Pittsburgh stops. 
• 2016 - The Buccos took Wake Forest 3B Will Craig (#22 overall; $2,257,700 bonus), one of the top college sticks on the board, followed by HS pitchers lefty Nick Lodolo from California (#44; he rejected $1.75M and instead honored his commitment to TCU) and Florida’s RHP Travis MacGregor (#68; $900K bonus) on the first day of the draft. Craig appeared briefly for the Bucs in 2020-21 and moved on to Korea. Other draftees: LHP Braedon Ogle (now in the indie leagues), RHP Blake Cederlind (he was called up in 2020 but had TJ surgery the next year and is a FA), RHP Max Kranick (TJ surgery after big team cups of coffee in 2021-22 and now in the Mets system) and RHP Geoff Hartlieb, who made stops in Pgh from 2019-21 before moving on to the Mets, Boston and now Colorado systems. Lodolo was drafted seventh overall by the Reds in 2019, signed for the slot value of $5.4M+ and joined their rotation in 2022. He’s missed much of his first two big league seasons with back and leg injuries.

Will Craig - 2021 Gypsy Queen

• 2022 - Bradenton pitchers Quinn Priester, Anthony Solometo, Jake Sweeney and Yunior Thibo combined to toss a no-hitter for Bradenton in a 3-0 win over Clearwater at LECOM Park in Low Class A Florida State League action. It was the Baby Bucs’ second no-no of the year (Indy also spun one) and a good omen for the future: RHP Priester, 21, a 2019 first rounder (#18 overall) was making his first rehab start after dealing with an oblique injury and made his MLB debut with the Bucs in 2023. LHP Solometo, 19, was the Pirates second round pick (#37 overall) from 2021 and is working at AA Altoona. 
• 2023 - Rich Hill went a season-high seven innings as the Pirates throttled the Mets, 14-7, at PNC Park in front of 29,429 Pride Night/fireworks fans, several of whom got into a brawl in the stands, although the two teams remained peaceful on the field. It was the most runs the Bucs scored against New York since 1992, when they plated 19 times. Hill tossed 119 pitches, the second-most he's ever thrown in a game. His high count is 120, hurled in 2006 as a 26-year-old Chicago Cubbie (he’s 43 now). The last Pirates pitcher to throw 119 or more pitches in a game was James McDonald in 2012. As for the swingers, Ke'Bryan Hayes led the pack with a five-hit night, the second of his career (2020 was his first), with two doubles, four RBI and three runs. This was his fourth 3> hit night of the month. Carlos Santana and Jack Suwinski (who had three raps and scored four times) went back-to-back as Pittsburgh pounded out 17 hits, seven for extra bases. All nine players in the Pirates’ starting batting order had a hit for the first time this season.

6/8 Through the 1960s: Gooch-Hargreaves; Friend Gem, Burleigh's Streak, Six Zips, Jimmy's 26-Gamer Game Tales; HBD Scott, Don, Jack, George, Roy; 1st Draft

• 1899 - 3B Jimmy Williams extended his hitting streak to 26 games in an 11-5 loss to Baltimore NL Orioles, a string that ended during the following contest against the Louisville Colonel’s Deacon Phillippe, who would join Pittsburgh the next season. Williams went on to hit .354 that campaign and put together a team-record 27-game streak in August/September. 
• 1903 - Sam Leever shut down the Philadelphia Phillies, 2-0, at Exposition Park to bring the Pirates shutout streak to six games. The Phils lost the battle the next day, too, 7-3, but earned a moral victory when they snapped the scoreless string, plating in the fourth frame off 26-year-old rookie righty Kaiser Wilhelm, who shook it off and cruised to a complete game victory. The Bucco staff tossed 16 shutouts, seven by Leever, and both numbers led the NL. 
• 1911 - RHP “Silent Roy” Partlow was born in Washington, Georgia. He tossed for the Homestead Grays from 1938-39/1941-44/1949 (he missed 1940 when he jumped to Veracruz in the Mexican League and then served in WW2 after the ‘44 season). Roy twirled a 7-inning no-hitter in 1942 against the Chicago American Giants and was no slouch with the stick, batting .266 as a Gray. Roy pitched everywhere - he was in the minor leagues with the Dodgers as one of the early black pioneers (he was the third black player signed by Branch Rickey), worked in Mexico, Puerto Rico, & Cuba and for three other Negro League clubs during his career. He got his nickname because of his “reticent manner.” 
• 1928 - The Pirates traded C Johnny Gooch and 1B Joe Harris to the Brooklyn Robins for C Charlie Hargreaves. The deal turned into an end-of-the-road swap: it was the 37-year-old Harris’ last campaign and Gooch had just two more MLB seasons left in him. Hargreaves caught through 1929 and after a short stay in 1930 finished his pro career in the minors. 
• 1929 - Burleigh Grimes won his 10th straight decision by a 9-2 count against Brooklyn at Forbes Field. In between, he also picked up a couple of saves during the streak, which began with his first start of the year on April 16th. Grimes scattered nine hits and even had a pair of RBI. George Grantham led the way with a homer and three runs pushed home. 

George Brunet - 1971 Topps

• 1935 - LHP George Brunet was born in Houghton, Michigan. Lefty spent 15 seasons in the show, with his best years as an Angel, and made a Pittsburgh stop in 1970, near the end of his road. He got into a dozen games, one as a starter, and posted a 1-1/2.70 line as a 35-year-old. The Pirates had traded with the Senators for him on August 31st, so he was ineligible for the postseason. During the winter, the club shipped him to the Cards, along with Matty Alou, for Nelson Briles and Vic Davalillo. 1971 was his last MLB gig as he was released by the Redbirds in May, but he found a second home in Mexico, pitching there until he was 54 and serving as a baseball instructor and ambassador after finally retiring from the hill. 
• 1944 - At Forbes Field, the Cubs plated three runs on a very wild toss to the plate by Art "Cookie" Cuccurullo on a bases-loaded comebacker (at the time, there was a 75’ gap between home plate and the stands) to trigger an eight-run second inning that led to an eventual 10-6 Chicago win. It was one of four Buc boots during the day, two by Cookie.
• 1946 - Coach Jack Lind was born in Denver. He played for Arizona State, got a cup of coffee with the Brewers, played in Japan and began managing in 1983, mostly on the Reds farm. Lind became the Pirates minor league field instructor in 1989 and then coordinator of instruction from 1990-96. Jack was promoted to the Pirates' third base coach, serving from 1997-2000 under Gene Lamont and then was a scout here between 2001-2002. He’s been out of pro ball since 2006. 
• 1956 - It took 11 innings, but the Bucs dropped the Cards, 2-0, behind Bob Friend’s six-hitter. He went the distance to win his league-high 10th game, fanning nine and walking four. He outlasted ex-Bucco Murry Dickson at Busch Stadium, getting the runs on singles by Dale Long and Frank Thomas. The win moved the Pirates into second place, ahead of St. Louis. 
• 1957 - RHP Don “The Caveman” Robinson was born in Ashland, Kentucky. He spent the first decade of his 15 years in the show with Pittsburgh, first as a starter and then in 1984 as a reliever after a series of shoulder woes, going 65-69-43 with a 3.85 ERA. A three-time Silver Slugger awardee, his batting line was .265/6/45 as a Buc. As for the Caveman moniker, Tom Kern in Robby’s SABR bio wrote that “...he was named ‘The Caveman”’by Giants teammate Mike Krukow for his physique (6’4”, 225 lbs.) and his ability to endure numerous surgeries and shots.” 

Scott Ruskin - 1990 Upper Deck 

• 1963 - LHP Scott Ruskin was born in Jacksonville, Florida. Ruskin was a third round pick in the 1986 draft by the Bucs out of Florida and made it to the show in 1990 after the Bucs converted him from a 1B/OF to a pitcher in 1989. He went 2-2-2/3.02 for the Bucs, then was sent to the Expos as part of the package to get Zane Smith. He finished the season strong, and then his effectiveness went downhill. His last season was 1993 after a brief stop with the Reds. 
• 1965 - In the first college/high school draft ever held, the Pirates picked OF’er Doug Dickerson of Alabama’s Ensley HS first (#10) in the draft; he was out of baseball by 1970. Their first 17 selections never made the show, but they had some luck in the later rounds. RHP Bob Moose (18th round) from Export in Westmoreland County, RHP Gene Garber (20th round) and SS Freddie “The Cricket” Patek (22nd round) all carved out solid careers. They also signed undrafted Don Money, an infielder who played 16 seasons for the Phils and Brewers, hitting .261 lifetime and making four All-Star teams. On the second day, they picked Heisman Trophy winner Mike Garrett of Southern Cal; he didn’t sign, opting wisely to stick to football. He did join the Pirates very briefly in 1970, though - the Bucs almost immediately traded him to San Diego, prompting him to return to the gridiron. Locally, Pitt QB Fred Mazurek was drafted by the Twins, but the Panther CF’er signed with the Washington Redskins of the NFL instead. For the record, the Oakland A’s selected Arizona State OF’er Rick Monday, making him MLB’s first amateur draft pick. 
• 1965 - The Pirates won in one of the most “what are the odds” ways possible, a walk-off balk (balk-off?), at Forbes Field. Down by a run in the bottom of the ninth, Roberto Clemente tied the game with a two-out single after the Astros had gained the lead with a four-run top half. In the bottom of the 11th, Bill Virdon singled, eventually was moved to third and scored the winner on Hal Woodeshick’s two-out balk for a 7-6 victory. Willie Stargell went 3-for-4 with a homer.

6/8 From 1970: Cutch 4-Banger & Walk-Off, Denny Gem, B-2-B Game Winners, Game Tales; Arriba Mural, Rook's Walk, Drafts

• 1971 - The Bucs picked prep SS Craig Reynolds 22nd overall in the draft. He played 15 years of big league ball, mainly with the Houston Astros, and was a two-time All-Star with Seattle and then the ‘Stros. Second rounder Doug Bair (#46) spent 15 years tossing in the show, making 586 outings for seven different teams. It was slim pickings that year; they were the only two Bucco selections who saw any big league time. Both did have long careers, though not as Pirates. Reynolds got into 38 games as a Pirate and hit .225 between 1975-76 before being traded to the Mariners, while Bair got into four games in Pittsburgh in 1976 and then worked for six other clubs before closing out his big league days in 1989-90 where he first started them, with the Bucs. 
• 1973 - The Pirates broke a five-game losing streak behind the efforts of three stalwarts - Bob Moose, Al Oliver and Willie Stargell - to drop Houston 4-1 at the Astrodome. The ‘Stros Don Wilson had been cruising early on, but in the fifth frame, he walked the bases loaded. With two outs, Scoops’ single drove in a pair and Pops’ double off the wall brought home two more runs. It was all Moose needed to work with as he scattered eight hits and K’ed six, going tape-to-tape for the win and running his career record to 8-1 against Houston. 
• 1976 - Prep RHP Jim Parke was the Pirates first round (#21) pick; he stalled at A ball. OF Doe Boyland & LHP Mike Madden were the next two picks; they got into 92 big league games combined. The only notable selection Pittsburgh made during the draft was 17th round pick LHP Rick Honeycutt, who tossed for 21 MLB seasons and made a couple of All-Star teams. 
• 1979 - Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Three Rivers Stadium, Willie Stargell banged a two-out, pinch-hit homer with Omar Moreno, who had singled before him, aboard to knot the score for the Pirates. The next batter, Dave Parker, went back-to-back with Pops to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead over John Curtis. Grant Jackson finished off the G-men in the ninth frame to pick up his seventh save while Enrique Romo got the win after a solid start by Don Robinson in front of a Friday night crowd of 18,227. 

Jim Winn - 1986 Fleer

• 1981 - The Pirates made Jim Winn, a RHP from Arkansas’ John Brown U, their #1 pick (#14 overall). He pitched from 1983-86 for Pittsburgh, mainly from the pen, with a 7-11-4/4.47 line. RHP Lee Tunnell was the second pick (#40 overall) and was with the Bucs from 1982-85, going 17-24-1/4.06 primarily as a starter. Bip Roberts was drafted but didn’t sign and the Pirates redrafted him the following year. He was lost in the Rule 5 draft and went on to play 12 big league seasons, most as a Padre. Three guys they drafted but couldn’t sign went on to productive MLB careers - OF Lance Johnson and RHPs Chris Boscio & Lance Bankhead. 
• 1989 - The Pirates sent up 16 batters and scored 10 runs in the top of the first inning against the Phils at Veterans Stadium, and TV announcer Jim Rooker said over the air “If we lose this game, I’ll walk home.” Rooker spoke too soon - Philly came back and won the contest, 15-11, and Rook made good on his promise after the season, taking a 320-mile charity hike from the Vet in Philadelphia to Pittsburgh’s TRS. It was called “Jim Rooker’s Unintentional Walk” and raised an estimated $100K for Bob Prince Charities and Children’s Hospital. 
• 1994 - Denny Neagle tossed his first MLB complete game, evening his record at 6-6 after a 3-1 victory over the Giants at TRS. And it was a gem; he gave up four hits, fanned nine and only faced 29 batters in a game that lasted just two hours and nine minutes. The Pirates tallied early, with Orlando Merced scoring on Al Martin’s second-inning triple. Al came in on a Lance Parrish rap. They added one more run in the next frame when Andy Van Slyke tripled to lead off and plated on Brian Hunter’s sac fly for insurance against Bucco-to-be Salomon Torres. 
• 2002 - The Pirates walked off the Brewers, 9-8, in 11 innings, in front of 38,244 fans at PNC Park. Trailing 8-4 after six innings, the Bucs scored three runs in the seventh frame on a Brian Giles bomb and tied it in the ninth on a sacrifice fly by Aramis Ramirez that scored Rob Mackowiak. Jack Wilson, who went 4-for-6 in the game, doubled to lead off the 11th inning and scored the game-winning run after a single by Craig Wilson. Brian Boehringer, the Bucs fifth hurler in a match that was started by Kris Benson, worked 1-1/3 innings for the victory. 

Brian Giles - 2002 Topps Finest

• 2009 - Andrew McCutchen had his first MLB four-hit day at Turner Field against the Atlanta Braves in a 7-6 loss. He tripled twice, the first Pirate to bang a pair of three baggers in a game since Tike Redman in 2003, and doubled once. The game was tied 6-6 in the seventh; thanks to strong bullpen work by both clubs, it went on to the 15th before the Bravos pulled out the win thanks to a pair of walks and an infield single against Jeff Karstens. 
• 2010 - The Pirates were the first victims of the Nationals Stephen Strasburg, as he struck out 14, a Nat record, while winning his first MLB outing, 5-2, at Nationals Park. He struck out every batter in the Pirates' lineup at least once and fanned the last seven batters he faced (another team record). Washington sent the cap he wore that night to the Hall of Fame. 
• 2011 - The Pirates rallied twice in extra innings to defeat the Arizona D-Backs, 3-2, at PNC Park. Ex-Bucco Zach Duke started for the Snakes, and though he was touched up for nine hits, he only gave up a run. Arizona pulled ahead, 2-1, in the 10th frame, but Neil Walker singled home Cutch in the Pirate half to tie it. Winner Daniel McCutchen tossed the 11th and 12th innings, and worked out of first-and-third situations in both frames; the jam in the 11th was set up with no outs, but he got a K and DP. In the bottom of the 12th, Cutch tucked a drive just inside the LF foul pole off Zach Kroenke to walk-off the win. Cutch was clutch all day, going 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI. Tony Watson made his debut as a Pirate, striking out both batters he faced in the eighth. 
• 2018 - Roberto Clemente had a memorial dedicated to him when artist Jeremy Raymer completed a two-story high mural of the Great One on the side of Verdetto’s Bar & Restaurant on North Side’s Madison Avenue. Raymer’s street artwork is visible to the traffic moving along northbound Route 279.

6/7 Through 1964: Klein Signed; K's For Naught, MVR's Big Day, Game Tales; Union Nixed, Foozles; HBD Bill, Roy, Les & Bones

• 1863 - SS William “Bones” Ely was born in North Girard, just outside Erie. If you’ve ever wondered who held down the shortstop position before Honus Wagner, wonder no more - Bones is the man. Ely played for the Alleghenys/Pirates from 1896-1901, and was a good glove man who hit .256 for Pittsburgh. He was released in the summer of 1901, the Bucs first pennant-winning year, at the age of 38 and his spot was taken by Hans. If you saw Ely, his nickname’s origin would be apparent - Ely was 6’1” and 155 pounds soaking wet. 
• 1907 - Les Biederman was born in Wilkinsburg. He was the Pittsburgh Press Pirates beat reporter for 31 years (1939-69), penned “The Scoreboard” column and served as The Sporting News' Pittsburgh correspondent. Les was also president of the BBWAA and named “Sportswriter of the Year” in 1960 by a couple of national organizations. He passed on in 1981. 
• 1911 - Talk about pitching to contact: Pirates hurlers had the Giants beating the ball into the dirt all day as Pittsburgh fielders handled 55 total chances for a MLB record 28 assists and 27 putouts. Unfortunately, there were more than a couple that got away, as the Bucs committed seven errors (it was contagious; the Giants chipped in five boots of their own) with miscues charged to five different Pirates on their way to a 9-4 loss to New York at Forbes Field. The Pittsburgh Press lede was “The Pittsburgh Pirates were defeated by the New York Giants...in a genuine comedy of errors. The Buccaneers made as many bungles as bingles while the Giants ran a close second in the foozle column.” Both teams straightened out - John McGraw’s G-Men won the NL with 99 victories while Fred Clarke’s Pirates finished third with an 85-69 slate. 

Roy Jarvis - photo via Find-A-Grave

• 1926 - C Leroy “Roy” Jarvis was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The Bucs took Jarvis from Brooklyn in the 1944 Rule 5 Draft. He served in the Navy for two years, coming back for two games in 1946 and spending most of 1947 at AA Indianapolis, getting into 18 Pirates games and swatting his first and only MLB home run against the Cincinnati Reds on April 18th, but batting just .156. After that stint, he played for six organizations in the minors through 1955 before retiring at age 29. Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects, he was given the nickname “Sweet Milk” in the minors after a teammate decided he had to be “nursed” in the ways of a pro ballplayer. 
• 1939 - The Bucs signed former All-Star/triple crown winner and future Hall-of-Famer OF Chuck Klein, who was released by Philadelphia. Klein, 34, hit .300 in 85 games for Pittsburgh and then returned to the Phils as a free agent. The Bucs released another future Hall of Famer at the end of his career, Heinie Manush, to make roster room for Klein. 
• 1940 - LF Maurice Van Robays went 4-for-5 with a 2B, 3B and five RBI to lead Pittsburgh to a 10-5 win over Philadelphia at Forbes Field. Paul Waner and Arky Vaughan added three hits apiece as every Pirates starting position player had a hit plus run scored and/or RBI. Mace Brown, the starter, was chased early and gave up all the Phil scores; Johnny Lanning finished out the final 7-1/3 innings surrendering just three hits; neither Buc hurler registered a K. 
• 1946 - An hour before the game, the Pirates voted against a walkout in support of the American Baseball Guild, which was pushing for a minimum salary of $7‚500‚ arbitration of salary disputes‚ and players sharing in 50 percent of any team sale price. The motion actually carried by a 20-16 vote, but needed a 2/3 majority. The Bucs took out their frustrations on the New York Giants, 10-5, behind a 15 hit attack. Every Pittsburgh starter, including winning pitcher Ed Bahr, reached base via hit/walk and all but C Bill Salkeld either scored and/or chased runs home. 

Ed Bahr - 1946 Play Ball

• 1955 - Ump Bill Hohn was born in Butler. He spent a decade calling games in the minors with a couple of part-time MLB shots, and was hired by the NL full time in 1989. He worked the 1994 All-Star Game, three NLDS sets and was the plate umpire for Hideo Nomo's 1996 no-hitter. Hohn took a hiatus from 1999-2001 when he was part of the umpire gang that resigned in an effort to get a new labor deal, and didn’t get reinstated until the 2002 season. Bill’s last campaign was in 2010; he sat out 2011 with back/neck injuries and retired in 2012. 
• 1964 - Bob Veale tied Babe Adam’s 1909 record with 12 K against Houston at Forbes Field, but watched the bullpen implode in the ninth inning to give the Colt .45’s a 6-3 win, with the big blows a pair of two-run raps, a single by Rusty Staub followed by John Bateman’s homer, both off Fred Green. Veale’s reaction - “I’m angry at myself for not finishing.” Veale would later shatter his record with 16 strikeouts in 1965. It was the first game of a twin bill, and Vern Law did finish the nightcap, winning 6-1 behind Bill Virdon’s three hits and a Bill Mazeroski homer.

6/7 From 1965: #100 For Zane, Manny's 1st, Dock, Sisk, Cardy Gems; Sweeps, Slugfest, Game Tales; Team Mtg; HBD Vince & Virgil

• 1966 - Bob Gibson K’ed four Pirates in the fourth inning - Jerry Lynch, Jim Pagliaroni, Bill Mazeroski and Don Cardwell - to tie a record held by several (Maz reached on a wild pitch third strike). Gibson had the Bucs eating out of his hand, going into the eighth with 12 K and a 1-1 score, dueling with Don Cardwell. But that was the end of his rope; the Pirates plated eight times on the way to a 9-1 victory. Roberto Clemente was the boss man with three hits, including a homer, two runs scored and three RBI to back Cardwell, who went the distance by tossing a four-hitter. The game involved a couple of streaks: it was the first time Cardwell had whipped the Redbirds since 1962, and Gibby ended Willie Stargell’s batting streak at nine straight hits, one shy of tying the NL record. 
• 1967 - Roberto Clemente called a team meeting in New York after a twin bill loss left the Pirates six games out of first place. The Great One told Les Beiderman of the Pittsburgh Press: “I called this meeting to talk things out. If you have any gripes about the manager, about me or anybody else now speak up. We can settle it here.” The clan gathering was presumably to smooth the roiling waters between the players and manager Harry Walker, of whom Clemente said “We must stop blaming others and blame ourselves. It’s one thing not to like the manager and another not to play your best for him.” It helped in the short-term as the Pirates won 4-of-5, but not in the long run. The team finished 81-81 and in sixth place, 20-1/2 games behind St. Louis. 
• 1967 - Tommie Sisk spun a five-hit, complete game, 3-0 shutout against the Mets at Forbes Field, backed by a bloop and a blast. The bloop was a two-run flare dropped by Manny Mota in the second and the blast was Willie Stargell’s 100th homer in the sixth, a shot that cleared the 436’ mark in right center field. Though Tommie only had one whiff, he was masterful - three of the hits were infield knocks, another a bad-hop chop and the fifth a line-hugging grounder. It was the third time that Sisk went the distance for the Bucs in eight starts. 

Tommy Sisk - 1967 Topps

• 1969 - Manny Sanguillen hit his first MLB homer and added a double to drive in three runs as the Bucs dusted the Braves, 10-2, at Atlanta Stadium. Roberto Clemente stepped up, too, going 4-for-5 with a three-run homer and triple while Matty Alou chipped in with three raps. Steve Blass went tape-to-tape on the bump, dishing out a six-hitter with six whiffs 
• 1972 - The Bucs can beat ya with a hammer or with a pea shooter, as they proved to San Diego in a doubleheader sweep at Jack Murphy Stadium. They won the opener, 12-5, behind Willie Stargell’s two homers and five RBI, then took the nitecap, 1-0, in 18 innings with two infield singles, a double steal, and two free passes. Maz was walked intentionally to get to Gene Alley, who drew four balls from Mike Corkins to force home Al Oliver with the game’s only run. Bob Johnson, who made his first two relief appearances of the year in the twin bill, got a win and a save. Dock Ellis was brilliant, giving up just two hits and at one point retiring 22 straight Padres in the second contest. 
• 1976 - The Pirates and Reds combined for a swatfest of seven solo homers (out of a total of 12 hits) at TRS. Al Oliver, Willie Stargell and Bill Robinson connected in the seventh off Jack Billingham while Richie Zisk hit the game-winner in the eighth for a 5-4 Buc victory. It was noteworthy for another event, too. The Gunner returned to Three Rivers as part of the crew broadcasting the ABC Monday Night game. In the third inning, when the scoreboard flashed a welcome to Prince, Bob Uecker, and Warner Wolf, Pirates fans gave Prince a long standing ovation as Bruce Kison stepped off the mound to allow The Gunner a moment in the sun. Prince bowed to the fans, waved a babushka to the crowd and then teared up. 
• 1982 - RHP Virgil Vasquez was born in Santa Barbara, California. Virgil got a cup of coffee with the Tigers in 2007 and a better shot to show his stuff with a thin Pirates pitching staff in 2009, going 2-5/5.84 in 14 games (seven starts). He was traded to Tampa, but was hit by a car while driving his scooter and broke both wrists, effectively ending his pitching days. He’s been working as a Twins’ minor league pitching coach since 2015. 

Virgil Vasquez - 2009 photo Christian Petersen/Getty

• 1987 - The Pirates outmuscled the Mets, 10-9, behind Andy Van Slyke’s two homers and triple (three RBI, three runs scored) and Mike Diaz’s pinch hit, three-run blast. He joined AVS in going deep in the eighth inning, and the six spot the Pirates put up was barely enough to hold off New York at Shea Stadium in the second game of a twin bill. Bobby Bonilla and Sid Bream added three raps each, together banging three two-baggers while chasing home and scoring two tallies. Don Robinson saved the win for Dorn Taylor. Pittsburgh lost the opener, 5-4, in 10 innings despite dingers from Van Slyke and RJ Reynolds when Robinson couldn’t hold the lead in extras when former Bucco Lee Mazzilli doubled home the tying and game-winning runs. Mazzilli had five hits and seven RBI against his old mates on the day while AVS homered three times. 
• 1991 - You might think a 1-0 game was quite a pitching duel, but you’d be wrong on this night at Three Rivers Stadium. The Pirates banged out seven hits and stranded seven runners; Don Slaught’s single in the second sent Barry Bonds home with the game’s only run. San Diego collected 10 hits in seven frames against Doug Drabek and added three more in two innings off three Bucco relievers, leaving 10 aboard after Slaught cut down two base stealers, Andy Van Slyke threw out a runner at home and they grounded into a DP. Tim Teufel had an especially frustrating game thanks to AVS. He was thrown out at home after running through a stop sign and his drive to the wall in the ninth was grabbed by Andy, who crashed heavily into the fence but hung on. 
• 1992 - RHP Vince Velasquez was born in Montclair, California. The Pirates inked the 30-year-old to a one-year/$3.15M deal and planned to work the swingman in the rotation. He spent last year with the White Sox, going 3-3/4.78 in 32 appearances (nine starts). This is his fifth organization in eight MLB campaigns, with six years spent with the Phils. He’s posted a line of 34-47/4.93 in the bigs and has never compiled an ERA under four during an MLB season. 
• 1996 - Zane Smith earned his 100th MLB victory without much drama as he and the Bucs romped over the Padres, 10-0, at San Diego’s Jack Murphy Stadium. He gave up six hits and was backed by Mike Kingery’s bases-loaded, bases-clearing double, one of his three knocks, and home runs from Jeff King (who had four hits) & Orlando Merced. Smith’s first win came as a rookie with Atlanta in 1984 when he topped Nolan Ryan, 3-1, and this would be his last one. The Pirates released him on July 6th and he never tossed another MLB game. 

Zane Smith - 1996 Leaf Autograph

• 2012 - Clint Barmes and Mike McKenry hit back-to-back doubles off Aroldis Chapman in the 10th inning to give the Pirates a 5-4 win against the Cincinnati Reds at GABP. It was a “who’d thunk it” rally - Chapman hadn't allowed an earned run in 24 appearances covering 29 innings prior to the game and hadn't even allowed a hit since May 17th, while Barmes and McKenry were both batting under .200. It was especially sweet coming right after Joel Hanrahan had blown the save by allowing a homer to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth. 
• 2016 - The Bucs swept a twin bill from the New York Mets by identical 3-1 scores at PNC Park. The opener’s storyline was centered on Jon Niese and Neil Walker, traded for one another during the offseason and making their first appearances against their old teammates. Walker was held hitless while Niese spun seven innings of four-hit shutout ball in the first round. Josh Harrison had three hits and Jordy Mercer homered to help send Steven Matz to defeat. The Pirates collected 10 hits and RBIs from John Jaso, Cole Figueroa and Chris Stewart in the nightcap to give Juan Nicasio, with four innings of strong bullpen support, the win over Jacob deGrom. Mark Melancon finished up to complete a two-save day, the Pirates' first since Matt Capps in 2007, and Neftali Feliz worked both eighth innings, earning a pair of holds to set up the Shark.

6/7 Draft: Cutch, Neil Walker, Gravedigger, Dave Cash, Gene Clines, Richie Zisk & Jameson Taillon + Morlan, Khalifa, Bix, Lillibridge, Pearce, Kingham, Allie, Cumpton & Sadler

• 1966 - The Pirates selected SS Richie Hebner first (#15 overall, $40K bonus) in the draft. He was a solid pick - The Gravedigger played 11 seasons in Pittsburgh, hitting .277 with 128 HR. They had a couple of other future Buccos emerge from the mix in 2B Dave Cash (#5), who played five seasons in Pittsburgh with a .285 BA to begin his 12-year career, and OF Gene Clines (#6) who spent the first five campaigns of his 10-year MLB stint with the Bucs, hitting .287. Pitchers Ron Schueler (#12) & Rich Hand (#38; he was choosy and was drafted three times in four years) had long big league tenures although neither signed with Pittsburgh. 
• 1967 - HS outfielder Joe Grigas was the Pirates first (#16) selection in the draft, and never advanced past Class A ball. They had better luck with OF Richie Zisk in the third round. He spent six of his 13 big league seasons with the Pirates, hitting .299. The second half of his career was spent in the American League, where he earned a pair of All-Star berths. 

John Morlan - 1974 Topps

• 1969 - Pittsburgh picked HS righty John Morlan as its first (#10) selection in the draft; he won two games over two seasons. The rest of the draft was basically a washout with OF’ers Doug Ault and John Doherty being the only Bucco picks to play 100+ MLB games; they both passed on the Pirates and found their MLB homes in future drafts. 
• 1977 - HS outfielder Anthony Nicely was the Pirates first pick (#18). He never made it to the show, but two of his draft mates did - SS Wayne Tolleson (12th round), who spent 10 years in the league mostly as a reserve for Texas and the Yankees, and LHP Dennis Rasmussen (18th round), who pitched 12 seasons of MLB ball for five teams. 
• 1982 - High school SS Sammy Khalifa was the first (#7) Pirate pick in the draft. The good glove, bad bat infielder would play 186 MLB games. They also drafted LHP Joe Magrane in the third round, but he didn’t sign with Pittsburgh, going to the Cards in 1985 as a first-rounder. Several first-rounders from that draft did stop in Pittsburgh during their career beside Khalifa - Shawon Dunston, Bob Kipper, Dale Sveum and John Russell (as skipper) all served Buc stints. 
• 2004 - In front page news, Pine Richland HS C Neil Walker was drafted in the first round by the Pirates, 11th overall, and signed for a $1.95M bonus. The switch-hitting catcher became the first player selected out of the WPIAL in the first round since Tim Conroy from Gateway High School in 1978. In seven years as the Bucco second baseman, the Pittsburgh Kid hit .272 with 93 HRs. SS Brian Bixler, the next selection, was the only other player to receive more than a cup of coffee at the MLB level, spending four years with the Bucs, Nats and ‘Stros. 

Steve Pearce - 2009 Topps Heritage

• 2005 - Pittsburgh struck gold as Andrew McCutchen was selected in the first round (#11 overall) of the draft and was signed to a $1.9M bonus, prying the prep star away from a scholarship to Florida. After nine years with Pittsburgh, he bounced around a bit but is now back home. Cutch made it a great draft day, even though the only other picks to make it to the show were eighth rounder Steve Pearce, who played for seven teams over 13 seasons, and fourth rounder Brent Lillibridge, who played for four clubs over six years. 
• 2010 - Pittsburgh drafted high school ace RHP Jameson Taillon, inking the second overall pick (Byrce Harper went first and Manny Machado third) for a $6.5M bonus; he was dealt to the NYY in 2021. They also signed preppie RHP Stetson Allie in the second round for $2.5M, who fizzled as a pitcher, was converted to a 1B/OF, and is now a real estate agent. Texas prep RHP Nick Kingham was a fourth round pick who was signed to a $485,000 deal and is currently tossing in China. Later round guys short-circuited by injuries but who made appearances in the show were pitchers Brandon Cumpton (last pitched in MLB in 2018) and Casey Sadler, now with Seattle. The club didn’t stint: they spent $11.9M on the draft.

6/6 Draft: Fraze, Jared Hughes, Cole Train, Josh Bell, Candy Man, Buster & Milt May; Meadows, Dickerson, Glasnow, Lincoln, Presley, Smiley, Stuper, Law, Macha, Randolph & Sharon

• 1968 - The Bucs selected HS outfielder Dick Sharon first (#9) in the draft; he spent three years in MLB as a reserve. They did hit on their 11th rounder, C Milt May, who played six of his 16 big league seasons with the Pirates and 14th rounder RHP Bruce Kison, who spent half (1971-77) of his career with Pittsburgh and won a World Series game in his 1971 rookie season. Pittsburgh also selected RHPs Wayne Garland, who pitched nine years for the O’s and Indians, and Paul Mitchell, who worked six big league years for four teams. 

Willie Randolph - 1975 SSPC

• 1972 - High school SS Dwayne Peltier was the Bucs first round (#23) pick; he stalled out at AA ball. But the second round pick did - Brooklyn prepster LHP John “The Candy Man” Candelaria, who pitched 12 years for the Bucs and won 124 games. 2B Willie Randolph, who played 18 years, mostly with the Yankees, was a seventh round selection. Shaler grad Ken Macha was picked in the sixth round and had parts of three seasons with the hometown nine. 
• 1978 - The Pirates picked HS first baseman Brad Garnett in the first round (#19) of the draft; he never advanced beyond Class A. In fact, none of their first 17 selections made it to the majors. They did get a couple of MLB keepers in the later rounds - Butler and Point Park RHP John Stuper (18th round), LHP Dave Dravecky (21st round) and SS Vance Law (39th round), Pirates Cy Young winner Vern Law’s kid who played for 11 seasons in the show. 
• 1983 - The Pirates selected high school OF’er Ron DeLucchi first (#12) in the draft, but he never advanced beyond Class A ball. Their only notable selection was twelfth rounder LHP John Smiley, who lasted 11 years (six with the Bucs), won 126 games and was twice an All-Star.
• 2006 - The Pirates selected RHP Brad Lincoln from the U of Houston as their first round draft pick. The fourth player selected overall, he signed for a $2.75M bonus. RHP Jared Hughes (fourth round) and OF Alex Presley (eighth round) were also members of that draft class. Hughes spent six years as a bridge man here and Presley four seasons as a bench piece of the Bucs. The Pirates really missed the boat with Lincoln in a pitching-rich class - the draft’s following picks were #6: Andrew Miller, #7: Clayton Kershaw, #10: Tim Lincecum and #11: Max Scherzer. OF Travis Snider, who would later join the Pirates in an ironic 2012 swap for Lincoln, was the #14 overall selection of the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Gerrit Cole - 2013 Topps Chrome

• 2011 - The Pirates drafted RHP Gerrit Cole of UCLA first overall and signed him to a record $8M bonus/minor league deal (his agent, Scott Boras, turned down an $8.5M major league deal, saying that Cole would make more in the long run under the MiLB arrangement, and Cole Train did do pretty well financially under the arrangement). The Bucco choice was made after a media debate whether Cole’s college teammate, RHP Trevor Bauer, would be the better choice (he went third to the D-Backs) or if the Pirates should get a hitter like 3B Anthony Rendon (sixth round to the Nats). Pittsburgh then signed high school phenom OF Josh Bell for $5M (now a Guardian) to lure him away from a commitment to Texas. They also signed California prep pitcher Tyler Glasnow (now a Ray) in the fifth round (152nd pick) for $600K. OF Alex Dickerson, who was dealt to San Diego for Jaff Decker & Miles Mikolas and is now playing indie ball after six years in the show, was the third round choice. The Pirates invested a MLB record $17M on its draft 2011 picks before a cap was established in 2012 in response to the Bucs free spending. One fish that they didn’t land was Trea Turner, who they drafted in the 20th round out of high school. He spurned the Bucs offer and instead went to NC State, becoming a 2014 first-rounder of the Padres. 
• 2013 - There was plenty of talent but not much local shelf life for this group. The Pirates picked high school players OF Austin Meadows (#9) and C Reese McGuire (#14) in the first round of the draft. Meadows received slot value to sign, $3,029,600, while McGuire inked a $2,369,000 deal that was $200K under slot. U of Delaware RHP Chad Kuhl was selected in the ninth round and was inked at slot value, $145K. Meadows was sent to Tampa Bay as part of the Chris Archer deal and is now a free agent and Kuhl is pitching with the White Sox after recovering from TJ surgery. McGuire was traded to Toronto as part of the Drew Hutchison/Frankie Liriano package and is now a Boston Red Sox. Adam Frazier was a sixth round selection who is currently with the Royals while OF JaCoby Jones, traded to Detroit (2016-21) for Joakim Soria, was a third-rounder who’s now looking for work. Shane Carle, a 10th rounder who was sent to Colorado for Rob Scahill, rejoined the organization briefly and then was shipped to the Braves; his last season was ‘21.

6/6: Higbe Deal; Rappin' Russ, Big Frames, Bombs-Away Bucs Score 27, Game Tales; Basebrawl, Face MiLB No-No, D-Day Honored, Helmets On, Jubilee Game; HBD Doug, Tommy & Jake

• 1870 - LHP Jake Hewitt was born in Maidsville, West Virginia. He tossed for WVU in 1895, and joined the Pirates for four games (two starts). He worked 13 innings and slashed 1-0-2/4.15, also tossing for Rochester Browns in the Eastern League and Warren of the Iron and Glass League as a teammate of Honus and Butts Wagner in a pretty busy season. Jake’s last stat line was compiled in 1898 hurling for the New Castle Quakers of the Interstate League. 
• 1894 - The Pirates set a still-standing club record by scoring 27 runs when they routed the Boston Beaneaters, 27-11, at Congress Street Grounds. Boston actually led, 2-0, in the second inning and was tied, 3-3, going into the bottom of the third, until Pittsburgh scored 21 runs in the third and fourth innings. Jake Stenzel homered twice in the third inning, a Bucco first that wouldn’t be duplicated again until 1995 by Jeff King. (The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette cracked “Stenzel made two home runs in the third to relieve the monotony of crackling singles and sharp doubles.”) The Bucs hit four homers and scored 12 times in the that frame, sending 15 players to the dish and setting a homer record of seven bombs in a single game (Stenzel - 2, Lou Bierbauer - 2, Mike Smith, Connie Mack & Denny Lyons) that wouldn’t be matched again until 1947. Tom Colcolough got the win. He was used to big run support, notching eight victories despite a 7.23 ERA. 
• 1902 - 2B Lafayette Fresco “Tommy” Thompson was born in Centerville, Alabama. He first planted his MLB roots in Pittsburgh, playing 14 games and batting .286 for the World Champion 1925 club before spending eight more years in the show, notably with Philadelphia. But Tommy made his name after his playing days, managing in the minors and then becoming a big wheel for the Dodgers, rising from assistant farm director to head of minor league operations under Buzzy Bavasi (he even replaced him as GM briefly) and putting together the 1968 draft that netted Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Ron Cey, Bill Buckner, Bobby Valentine, Joe Ferguson and Tom Paciorek. Sadly, he didn’t get to enjoy the fruits of his labor as he passed away a few weeks later. 

Claude Ritchey - 1934 Press file image

• 1925 - The Pirates held their Golden Jubilee celebration, bring back old stalwarts like Happy Jack Chesbro, Honus Wagner, Fred Clarke, Kitty Bransfield, Deacon Phillippe, Ginger Beaumont, CL Zimmer, Tom McCreedy, Jess Tannehill, George Yeager, Jimmie Burke, Wee Tommy Leach and Claude Ritchey. The 1901 team played the 1925 squad in a special pre-game exhibition that lasted three innings, with the young pup club (who, btw, became the NL champs) beating the old timers by a 5-3 score. Pittsburgh’s current crew went to work afterwards, beating the Phils, 9-3, at Forbes Field behind Emil Yde in the game that counted. Eddie Moore homered, Pie Traynor had a double and triple and Glenn Wright contributed a pair of knocks, including a two-bagger, to lead the Pirate attack. 
• 1940 - The Bucs fell behind Boston, 5-0, in the second, then put up a six-spot of their own in the third and hung on for a 7-6 win at Forbes Field. It was an all-hands-on-deck performance with six of the eight Pirates position players having hits with runs scored and/or RBI on the score sheet. Rip Sewell tossed eight innings for the win in relief; he gave up 10 hits but just two runs. The two-hour game was played before a sparse crowd of 1,165. 
• 1941 - The New York Giants became the first team to wear headgear in a game against the Pirates at the Polo Grounds. They donned the caps during a twin bill that Pittsburgh swept, 5-4 and 4-3. The new lids proved more precautionary than protective; no one was beaned in either contest. The Pirates made batting helmets mandatory a decade later under Branch Rickey’s direction. In the nitecap of the doubleheader, Rip Sewell not only won the game but flashed some golden glovework as he set a NL record with 11 assists as a pitcher. 

Vince Di Maggio - 1942 Play Ball (1983 TCMA Reprint)

• 1944 - The Pirates joined Brooklyn (the only other MLB game scheduled for the day) by canceling their game against the Reds at Forbes Field in tribute to the D-Day invasion. Pirates president William Benswanger said “...merely asking the audience to rise and offer silent prayer for the Allied armies who have just invaded the enemy’s stronghold would scarcely be sufficient for such a solemn occasion.” The game was pushed back 24 hours, with the Bucs taking a 4-2 decision behind Rip Sewell’s seven hitter and Vince DiMaggio’s game-winning two-run single in the eighth inning. The victory cemented the Pirates hold on second place, where they would finish the year with a 90-63 record, 15 games behind the St. Louis Cards, who went on to take the World Series crown against the St. Louis Browns. 
• 1949 - RHP Kirby Higbe was traded to the New York Giants for RHP Ray Poat and IF Bobby Rhawn. It ended up a minor deal; Higbe was about at the end of his MLB days (he retired after the 1950 season) and the Giant pair played briefly for the Bucs in ‘49 but were gone the following season. Manager Bill Meyer said somewhat tartly but accurately of the deal “We didn’t get anything too much, but we gave away nothing.” The Bucs were cleaning their house a bit; pitcher Bob Muncrief was waived and sold to the Cubs for $10,000 on the same day. 
• 1952 - ElRoy Face, a 24-year-old starter for the Brooklyn Dodgers AA club, Fort Worth, tossed a nine-inning no-hitter, giving up a hit in the 10th frame before recording a 3-0 win over Buffalo. Despite that and a 14-11/2.83 line, he was left unprotected in the Rule 5 draft and the Pirates, then under Branch Rickey, who had originally signed Face for Brooklyn when he was their GM, snapped him up. The Bucs converted him to the bullpen, Face picked up his signature forkball in 1954, and in ‘55 he joined the big club to stay, pitching for 15 years in Pittsburgh and slashing 100-93-186/3.46 in 802 outings while appearing in three All-Star games. He still leads the franchise in outings made and saves with Kent Tekulve holding down both runner-up spots. 
• 1959 - Ron Blackburn had a good day even if the team didn’t follow his lead. The reliever smacked the only longball of his MLB career while tossing four innings of perfect ball mopping-up in an 8-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field. 

Ron Blackburn - 1960 Topps

• 1959 - OF Doug Frobel was born in Ottawa, Ontario. He played for Pittsburgh from 1982-85 and  looked ready to break out after hitting .286 in limited at-bats in 1983, but Doug couldn’t match that pace in following campaigns, ending his Bucco career with a .213 BA. He was sold to the Montreal Expos at the August deadline in 1985 and ended his MLB days with the Cleveland Indians in 1987. Frobel played in the Mexican League and AAA through 1989. 
• 1986 - The Bucs split a twin bill with the Mets at TRS but not without a little dancing. Rick Rhoden was cruising on his way to a 7-1 opening game win when ex-Bucco teammate and current New York coach Bill Robinson called him out (Rhoden was often accused of scuffing a ball) after Gary Carter whiffed. Rick snapped back, Robby gave him a good shove and for five minutes the benches grappled at the mound; umpire Joe West even had to drag Jim Leyland away from the nosh pit. Order was restored; apparently the trigger point was when Rhoden threw a ball in the dirt that left a mark, causing Robinson (the only player ejected) to call on the ump to check the pitcher for foreign objects, which he did without success, and setting off Rhoden. RJ Reynolds did the most damage (with his bat, not his knuckles) with three knocks while Barry Bonds had a pair of hits and a homer. The second game took a 180 when the NY banged three long balls and won easily by a 10-4 score as the hot-and-cold Jose DeLeon was chased early. 
• 1998 - It took the Bucs awhile to rev it up at the dish, but a three-run seventh frame rally knotted the score against the Minnesota Twins at TRS, and after playing a total of four hours and 16 minutes of baseball, the Pirates finally squeezed out a 4-3, 12-inning decision. A Jose Guillen single, Aramis Ramirez triple and Turner Ward homer propelled the big seventh, while four straight singles won the game in the 12th, the first by Chance Sanford and the last by Jason Kendall. Esteban Loaiza, the Bucs fifth pitcher, got the win. The Pirates hurlers seemed to work from the stretch all game; the Twinkies went 0-for-14 w/RISP and stranded 14 runners. 
• 2014 - The Pirates scored eight times in the sixth inning to hand the Milwaukee Brewers a 15-5 thumping at PNC Park. It was the biggest Bucco frame since 2012 when they matched the feat against San Diego. The 15 runs were the most scored since 2010, also against Milwaukee. The Bucs parlayed six hits and four walks into their big inning. Seven Pirates had multi-hit outings during the contest, led by Russ Martin, who had three hits, four RBI and three runs scored.

6/5 Draft: Mitch, El Toro, Josh Bell, Zachster, Nate & Joey Bats; Tuck, JVB, Burney, Snell, Wagner, Cooke, Greene, DeLeon, Nicosia & Scurry

• 1973 - The Pirates selected HS catcher Steve Nicosia first (#24) in the draft. He spent eight years in the show, six as a Bucco reserve, with a Pittsburgh BA of .248. In the third round, they chose 1B Mitchell Paige, who had a couple of strong years for the Oakland Athletics. 

Ed Whitson - 1979 Pirates

• 1974 - The Bucs selected high school lefty Rod Scurry as their top pick (#11) in the draft. He battled with drug addiction during the eighties when the Pirate clubhouse was nose candy central and became the centerpiece of the Pittsburgh coke trial, and died at age 36. RHP Ed Whitson (sixth round) proved a solid pitcher, mainly for San Diego, and the Bucs also chose a couple of fringe pieces with IF Mike Edwards (7th round) and LHP Bryan Clark (10th round). 
• 1979 - The Bucs spent their second round pick (they didn’t have a first rounder, lost when they signed Lee Lacy to a FA deal) on prep lefty Scott Fiepke, who was injured in the minors and never rose above AA ball. They had better luck in the next round with RHP Jose DeLeon, using a pick they got from the Expos as compensation for FA Duffy Dyer. RHP Mike Bielecki was their top selection in the secondary phase of the draft. Pigskin v Horsehide: Pitt’s Dan Marino was selected in the fourth round of the draft by the Kansas City Royals. For some reason, he stuck with football, as did another KC pick that same year, Stanford’s John Elway. 
• 1989 - The Pirates picked high school SS Willie Greene first (#18) in the draft. He played nine years in the show, though not for Pittsburgh, and was a four-year starter for the Reds, ending up with a .234 lifetime BA. They also signed starting pitchers Paul Wagner and Steve Cooke to bolster the rotation, and they spent the early-to-mid 90s on the Pittsburgh staff. 
• 2000 - High school lefty Sean Burnett was the Pirates top choice (#19 - $1.65M signing bonus) in the draft. He rose quickly and was named the Carolina League's and the Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2002. He was hurt in 2005 after debuting in ‘04, but still managed to put together a nine-year MLB career. Pittsburgh signed some nice players - RHP Chris Young (third round), OF Jose Bautista (20th round), OF Nate McLouth (25th round), RHP Ian Snell (26th round) and RHP Scott Baker (36th round) in one of their better draft days. 

Zach Duke - 2004 Topps Heritage

• 2001 - The Pirates selected RHP John Van Benschoten of Kent State first in the draft (#8 overall) and signed him to a $2.3M bonus. LHP Zach Duke, the twentieth selection, was the only longtime Bucco (nine years, 49-75/4.60) chosen that year. Other notable players signed from that draft were Jeff Keppinger, Rajai Davis, Chris Shelton and Chris Duffy. The Pirates selected a SS out of Georgia’s Lowndes County HS, Stephen Drew, in the 11th round but couldn’t sign him; he instead went to Florida State and was drafted by Arizona in 2004. They also lost their third round pick, Stanford RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who didn’t sign and went in the first round to Cleveland the following season. The ‘01 draft was fairly shallow at the top; Joe Mauer, Mark Prior and Mark Teixeira were the big kahunas up for grabs and were gone before the Bucs got to the table. 
• 2008 - Pedro Alvarez was drafted by the Pirates in the first round as the second pick overall of the draft. He signed on September 24th at the midnight hour as Scott Boras and the FO locked horns until the last minute (and maybe beyond) before settling on a $6.335M bonus. The big debate in town leading to the draft was whether to take El Toro, P Brian Matusz, C Buster Posey or P Aaron Crowe (they went #4, #5 and #9); Eric Hosmer was also available. SS Jordy Mercer ($508K) was selected in the third round after SS Chase d’Arnaud while LHP Justin Wilson was snatched in the fifth round for $195,000, signing his deal just two days before the contract deadline. 
• 2014 - The Pirates had four picks among the top 73 in the draft, starting at #24, and selected SS Cole Tucker ($1.8M), OF Connor Joe ($1.25M), and prep pitchers Mitch Keller ($1M) & Trey Supak ($1M). Jordan Luplow was added in the third round ($500K). Supak was later dealt as part of the Jason Rogers trade with the Brewers and Connor Joe was sent to the Braves for Sean Rodriguez; the Bucs got him back in ‘23. Luplow was eventually moved to Cleveland and is now in the Philly system. Tuck was DFA’ed, played for the Rox and is currently with the LA Angels, so only Keller has remained a career Bucco, breaking out in the past two years after a spotty start.