5/11 Through 1974: Game Tales - Duelin', Roberto Romp, Kravitz Grannie, Big Benefit, Cy, Jim, Alvin Goes; HBD Mike, Mark, Walt, Mel, Gene & Rip

• 1907 - RHP Truett Banks “Rip” Sewall was born in Decatur, Alabama. Sewall was master of the “ol’ eephus” blooper pitch, and in 12 seasons (1938-49) with the Pirates went 143-97/3.48, winning 21 games twice, and was a member of three NL All-Star teams. Rip had pretty good baseball bloodlines as three of his cousins, Luke, Joe, and Tommy Sewell, also played in the show. He got his nickname from his wife Margaret, who told Buffalo sportswriter Jimmy Dunn to call him "Rip" in a story about his time with the minor-league Bisons and her nickname stuck. 
• 1915 - Pittsburgh Rebel OF Jim Kelly bopped the first pitch of the game over the wall in left at Buffalo’s Federal League Park to defeat the Blues’ (aka Bisons) and pitcher Fred Anderson, 1-0. RHP Clint Rogge, who slashed 17-11/2.55 during the campaign, tossed the shutout for the Rebs. 
• 1920 - OF Gene Hermanski was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Gene spent nine years in the bigs as a bench outfielder, closing his career by batting .177 in 1953 with the Bucs. He came over as part of a big deal with the Cubs featuring Ralph Kiner. Hermanski is mostly noted as a Brooklyn Dodger - he earned a spot by playing for da Bums while on leave from the Coast Guard during WW2 - and appeared in two World Series with the Trolley Dodgers. 
• 1928 - Coach Mel Wright was born in Manila, Arkansas. Mel tossed for the Cubs and Cards and became good friends with Bill Virdon. Virdon selected him as his pitching coach (replacing Don Osborn) when he managed the Buccos in 1973, and Mel subsequently followed The Quail to the New York Yankees, Houston Astro and Montreal Expos before passing away in 1983. 
• 1937 - Cy Blanton fired a five-hit shutout as the Pirates beat Boston, 3-0, to increase their winning streak to four games. It was Blanton’s third complete game and second shutout of the year. Cy recorded a career-high 143 strikeouts and compiled a 14-12-4/3.30 slash in his standout season and was named to the NL All-Star team for the only time in his Pirate career. 

Cy Blanton - 1938 photo/George Burke

• 1953 - The Bucs played the St. Louis Browns (it was their last season before becoming the Orioles) in an exhibition game at Forbes Field for the benefit of Children’s Hospital; the big draw was Saint Louis starter Satchel Paige, returning to his old stomping grounds. The Mt. Lebanon Marching Band provided the game’s musical entertainment, and an added highlight was a “long distance hitting contest” between the Pirates Ralph Kiner, Frank Thomas and Joe Garagiola v the Browns Bob Elliott (an ex-Bucco), Vic Wertz and Don Larsen, the future Yankee pitcher who apparently swung a mean bat, too. He and Kiner tied for top honors with two long balls in five swats, each winning a radio. Pittsburgh took the game, 3-2, in front of 5,935 fans (Willy Hunter of the Browns lured 1,000 of them; the Indiana, PA, native was honored before the game and the hometown showed) by scoring twice in the ninth, so the ball game was equal to the entertainment. 
• 1953 - A tornado demolished the Class B Waco Pirates’ Katy Field, also destroying its equipment and offices. The damage was so complete that Pittsburgh’s Big State League club had to finish the season playing its games in Laredo, not returning to Waco until the next season after the field was rebuilt. 
• 1956 - Down by three runs in the bottom of the ninth, rookie C Danny Kravitz hit a walk-off grand slam, his first and only MLB granny (he hit just 10 big flies during his career), to give the Pirates a 6-5 win over Philadelphia at Forbes Field. Losing 5-0 in the sixth, Pittsburgh put up a pair of runs but were otherwise stymied until Danny’s blast. Phil pitchers helped; they walked seven Buccos and three touched home. Dale Long added three hits as newly acquired Luis Arroyo won the game that Vern Law started, with ElRoy Face and Nellie King providing the bridge. 
• 1957 - Roberto Clemente hit an inside the park homer that went under the batting cage 457’ away at Forbes Field before CF Richie Ashburn could almost literally dig it out. The Phils, 7-2 winners (they were up 6-0 before the Bucs batted), protested at the time, but the umpires ruled that there was no ground rule to cover the situation and so the home run stood, with Philadelphia’s win making it a moot point. The Great One banged his four-bagger off future teammate Harvey Haddix. 

Roberto - 1957 Khan Weiners

• 1958 - Bob Porterfield, newly acquired from the Boston Red Sox, won a duel with Curt Simmons at Forbes Field to take a 1-0 victory over the Phils after RC Stevens drove home Dick Groat in the 11th inning for the walk-off win. It was a twin bill sweep as the Bucs won the opener, 10-4, behind Bob Friend, who survived back-to-back first inning home runs. He had lots of help - Bob Skinner doubled, scored three runs and drove in a pair, Ted Kluszewski homered with three RBI, Frank Thomas drove in three more, Dick Groat tripled and scored three runs while Roberto Clemente had a double, triple, and plated a pair. 
• 1958 - RHP Walt Terrell was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana. The 11-year MLB vet tossed for the 1990 Bucs, starting 16 games with a line of 2-7/5.88 after signing an $800K free agent deal in the off season. He was released in July and signed with the Tigers, pitching for Motown through 1992 to finish his career. He was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. 
• 1958 - RHP Mark Huismann was born in Littleton, Colorado. Mark tossed parts of nine seasons for six clubs, closing out his career with the Pirates in 1990-91. He slashed 1-0/7.88 in seven games over that span, spending most of his time in AAA Buffalo. That was par for the course; Mark had just one campaign - 1986 with KC & Seattle - with more time on the big team than the minors. 
• 1968 - RHP Mike Garcia was born in Riverside, California. Garcia had a 20-game MLB career, spent with Pittsburgh in 1999-2000. He went 1-2/7.36 with three holds over that span. The Bucs had inked him after a two-year run in Korea. He was well-traveled afterwards, tossing in the minors, Korea, Mexico and finally closed it down as a 39-year-old after spending 2007 playing indy ball. 
• 1970 - RHP Al McBean, who spent nine years as a Bucco with a line of 65-43-39/3.08, was released when Gene Garber was called up, ending Alvin's MLB career. He mostly worked from the bullpen - he was the Fireman of the Year in 1964 - but was toasted in his seven outings. The 32-year-old toiled in the Philly system for a year, then retired to his native Virgin Islands, becoming a St. Thomas businessman and Parks & Recreation honcho working with youth baseball.

5/11 From 1975: Game Tales - Skenes Debut, Frankie's 1st, OT Wins, Ding, 11 Straight, Stratton Joins, AVS & JT POTW; HBD Ryder

• 1977 - The Bucs beat the Braves, 2-1, at TRS to stretch their winning streak to 11 games. John Candelaria left runners at second and third in the ninth with two down for Goose Gossage, who K’ed Rowland Office to save the win. The Candy Man was saved by a big hop. Darrel Chaney’s final-frame drive to left center hopped over the wall with Pat Rockett at first, and he would have scored easily if the ball had stayed in play, but instead had to stop at third where he died. Dave Parker extended his hitting streak to 22 games with two knocks, including a homer. Atlanta, which lost its 17th straight to Pittsburgh, had owner Ted Turner serving as manager. All the streaks ended the next day as the Buccos lost, Parker was shut down by Max Leon & Rick Camp, and Turner named third base coach Vern Benson manager until Dave Bristol returned as boss man a day later. 
• 1982 - For the second straight week, 1B Jason Thompson won recognition as the National League Player of the Week. He went 11-for-20 with two homers and six walks with just three whiffs as part of a 17-game hitting streak (and 22-of-23 game string). It was an auspicious beginning to his only Pirates All-Star season as he compiled a line of .284 with 31 HR, 101 RBI and 101 walks. 
• 1986 - It was a wild finish at TRS, with the Bucs rallying to take a dramatic 4-3 win from the Astros. The Bucs were up, 3-1, behind the arms of Big Daddy Rick Reuschel, Pat Clements and Cecilio Guante, backed up by a two-run homer by Jim Morrison until the ninth when the wheels began to wobble. Jim Winn gave up back-to-back dingers to knot the score, and Jose DeLeon had to clean up, stranding a pair of ‘Stros to keep it even. It stayed tied until the 12th frame. DeLeon was saved when Sid Bream’s leap speared a two-out, two-on bullet. Then came the surprise ending: Bill Almon lofted a fly up the right field line, OF’er Terry Puhl took a tumble chasing it down, and Bill touched all four sacks for the walk-off, inside the park winner. It was the first (and only) win of the year for DeLeon as a Bucco in ‘86, as he was traded to the White Sox to get Bobby Bonilla back in July; Bo had been lost to Chicago in the Rule 5 draft thanks to FO bungling. 

Bob Walk - 1988 Score

• 1988 - Bob Walk and Fernando Villanueva hooked up in a duel at TRS that went 11 frames. The Bucs eventually took a 2-1 decision on Randy “Moose” Milligan’s two-out, two-strike double that chased Bobby Bonilla home for the victory. Pittsburgh tied the score late on Junior Ortiz’s eighth inning single. Both sides had plenty of chances to plate people; the Dodgers banged out 10 hits and stranded 10; the Pirates had nine knocks and drew 12 walks while leaving 17 runners on base. Moose had two hits, both two-baggers, and Junior added three raps, with Scott Medved earning the win. It was Buck Night at the ballyard and 26,367 fans showed up for the entertaining match. 
• 1992 - The NL named CF Andy Van Slyke as its Player of the Week. AVS hit .452 with five runs scored, six RBI, a homer, four doubles and two triples to stake claim to the honor. Van Slyke kept on through the season; he hit .324, made the All-Star team and posted a career-high OPS+ of 150. 
• 1993 - Ding dong: In the top of the seventh, Jay Bell led off the inning by grounding out to Phillies' shortstop Juan Bell. The Pirate infielder was rung up by first base umpire Wally Bell. Sadly, the first baseman was spoilsport John Kruk, who may have been a bit dingy but still ruined the chime vibe. Nevertheless, the Pirates rang up an 8-4 victory at Veterans Stadium. 
• 1995 - RHP Ryder Ryan was born in Huntersville, North Carolina. Cleveland drafted him in 2016 in the 30th round from UNC, traded him to the Mets the next year, and New York sent him to Texas in 2020. He signed with Seattle two seasons later and debuted in MLB in 2023, albeit for a one-inning outing. Ryder was outrighted off their 40-man after the season, opted for free agency and signed with the Bucs. He was a bit wild in camp but whiffed 10 batters in eight frames and made the club. Ryder won his first MLB game, slashing 1-0/3.00 in nine outings, but was optioned back to Indy in late April. 

Ryder Ryan - 2023 photo/Pirates

• 1999 - Down 15-8 to the Astros in the 8th, Gene Lamont put C Keith Osik on the hill at the Astrodome. He walked two, fanned one, hit a batter and gave up two hits, allowing four runs in his inning. Houston belted out 10 doubles against five Pirate hurlers, with two off Osik. Osik would toss once more to save an arm, and finished his pitching days with a 40.50 ERA to confirm that choosing catcher for his primary position was a pretty wise career move. 
• 2004 - The Pirates scored five times in the 12th inning to take a 15-10 slugfest victory from the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Craig Wilson was en fuego, with four hits, including two homers and a bases-loaded triple in the 12th, giving him seven RBI on the day. Two unlikely power sources, Bobby Hill and Tike Redman, also went deep for Pittsburgh. The clubs burned through 15 pitchers who gave up 38 hits. Salomon Torres got the win; his bacon was saved when Jose Castillo knocked down a ball in the 11th, then recovered to throw out Royce Clayton at home to preserve the deadlock and set the stage for Wilson. 
• 2010 - Johnny Cueto came this close to no-hitting the Bucs; the only knock was a Ronny Cedeno grounder in the third that tipped off the shortstop’s glove in Cincy’s 9-0 laugher at PNC Park. Cedeno was later HBP and caught stealing; he was the only Pirate Cueto allowed aboard as he faced just 28 batters. 
• 2013 - After sitting out with an off-season broken arm, Francisco Liriano got plenty of help in winning his first outing as a Pirate, an 8-2 victory over the NY Mets at CitiField. He lasted 5-1/3 IP and whiffed nine, supported by Jose Tabata’s 4-for-5 day. JT had a homer, double, three runs scored and three more runs driven home. Mike McKenry chipped in with another three RBI and Jordy Mercer banged out a pair of solo homers as the trio accounted for all the Buc runs. 

Frankie Liriano - 2013 Topps Chrome

• 2016 - The Pirates rallied to defeat the Reds, 5-4, at Great American Ball Park. The Bucs had just four hits after eight innings, but they were all solo homers, launched by Andrew McCutchen, David Freese, Jung Ho Kang and Josh Harrison. Pittsburgh regained the lead in the ninth by going soft on an infield single by Kang who went to second on a throwaway, a bunt and a Jordy Mercer bloop into center that barely carried over the drawn-in second baseman. Tony Watson got the win and Mark Melancon stranded a pair for the save of a game started by Juan Nicasio. The Pirates tied a painful modern-era record: the never-shy Cincinnati pitchers plunked four Buccos during the contest. 
• 2019 - The Pirates bought RHP Chris Stratton from the Los Angeles Angels. He was a first-round pick (20th overall) of the Giants in 2012, but couldn’t cut it as an MLB starter and the G-Men traded him to LA. The Angels used him as a swingman, then the Bucs converted Stratton to a full-time middle-relief guy and reaped the benefits as he became a solid bridge to the bullpen’s back end arms. He was rewarded in 2022 by becoming part of the late-inning, high leverage finishing crew before being moved to the St. Louis Cardinals. The year he arrived, 2019, saw the Bucs burn through 31 pitchers, with Chris and Mitch Keller the only two left on the roster by 2022. Chris was traded to the Cards at the '22 deadline, leaving Mitch as the last man standing. 
• 2024 - Pirate player movement continued. RHP Paul Skenes was officially added to the roster for his first MLB start and RHP Roansy Contreras, the major return piece of the Jameson Taillon deal with Yankees, was DFA’ed. IF Alika Williams' option from yesterday lasted for just a few hours; 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes’ back tightened up on him, so Key was placed on the 10-day IL with inflammation and Alika was recalled to replace him. As for the game, Skenes did just OK, going four innings while giving up three runs on six hits with two walks and seven K after a pro-high 84 pitches (17 timed at 100+). Shelty let him start the fifth to qualify for a win, but after a pair of knocks, Skenes was yanked. Unfortunately his relievers blew a 6-1 lead in a NY minute. After a pair of whiffs, Buc relievers bopped a batter and then walked six Cubs with the bases loaded (Oddly enough, it was topped in 1959 when the White Sox drew eight bases-crammed walks against KC in the seventh inning). The frame ended with the game turned upside down and Chicago up, 8-6. But in the bottom half, the craziness continued as Yasmani Grandal popped a three-run blast. Earlier, Connor Joe had also banged a three-run drive, Michael Taylor swatted a two-run rocket & Oneil Cruz launched a solo shot, and that show of Corsair muscle flexing put the Bucs up 9-8. The final four innings played out a little more sanely, and with an Andrew McCutchen bomb as the fifth Pirates long ball, Pittsburgh hung on for a 10-9 dub. 34,924 fans saw Skenes’ debut at PNC Park in a game that took five hours+ due to a two-hour rain delay on a chilly, gray day.

5/10: Game Tales - Skenes Called, Three Amigos, Blass Debut, Twinnin', Earl En Fuego, Allies Open, Ken O Dealt, TSN Teke; HBD Tony, Pete, Earl & Russ

• 1882 - The Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association, the forefathers of the Pirates, played its first major league (the AA was an early big league outfit) Home Opener at Exposition Park. Pittsburgh took a 9-5 decision from the St. Louis Cards. Harry Arundel scattered a dozen hits and went the distance for the win. The top of the order provided the spark as Ed Swartwood, Billy Taylor and Jack Leary combined for eight of the Alleghenys’ 12 hits. The Allies finished the year at 39-39, finishing fourth in the AA’s first season and jumped to the NL in 1887.
• 1913 - Utilityman Al Rubeling was born in Baltimore. Rubeling, who played for the Philly A’s in 1940-41, was with Pittsburgh from 1943-44 and batted .253. He was mostly a bench guy, getting some 70 starts over the two years, and his MLB career ended after his Pirates days with the return of the wartime players, although he played seven more seasons in the minors. 
• 1914 - RHP Russ Bauers was born in Townsend, Wisconsin. He pitched for the Bucs from 1936-41, and in 1937-38 went 26-20, appearing in 74 games (53 starts) and working 430-2/3 IP with an ERA of 2.98. In 1939, he pitched well but only made 15 outings for 53-2/3 innings after hurting his arm in a car accident. The Pirates released him in 1941, and he became a minor league mainstay after the war - he was in the service from 1942 to ‘45 - pitching briefly at the MLB level in 1946 and again in 1950. Russ tossed in the minors until 1954, when he turned 40. 
• 1918 - LHP Earl Hamilton had a sizzling start to the campaign, winning his sixth straight complete game start by a 4-2 tally at Forbes Field over the New York Giants while compiling an ERA of 0.83. But alas for the Bucs, it would be his last start of the season as Earl went off to join the Navy. Hamilton wasn’t marching alone on the drill field; 17 Buccos ended up serving in the Army or Navy before the 1918 season finished. He was back for the following year and tossed until 1923 for the Pirates, slashing 55-55-7/3.35 over his six-year Pittsburgh run before ending his MLB days with Philly the next year. 

Earl Hamilton - 1920 Press

• 1953 - Bonus baby IFs Eddie and Johnny O'Brien become the MLB’s first twins to play for the same team in the same game when Johnny entered the nitecap of a twin bill to play second base and Eddie later pinch ran (and scored). The sibling karma didn’t carry over as the Bucs were swept by the New York Giants, 4-0 and 3-2, at the Polo Grounds. The Pirates have had several same-season brother acts: Beside the O’Briens (1953, 55-58), there were Harry & Howie Camnitz (1909), Carson & Lyle Bigbee (1921), Johnny & Phil Morrison (1921), Paul & Lloyd Waner (1927-40), Gene & George Freese (1955) and Andy & Adam LaRoche (2008). The franchise’s sibling tradition dates its beginning back to the Pittsburgh Alleghenys’ infielders Henry & John Gilbert in 1890. 
• 1955 - RHP Alex Perinis, a local lad who lived on Dawson Street in Oakland and pitched for the Schenley HS Spartans, tossed a no-hitter for Class D Pirates affiliate Brunswick of the Georgia-Florida League, defeating Cordele, 1-0. It wasn’t exactly a thing of beauty; the 20-year-old K’ed 10 and walked 11. Alex went 6-4/2.04 that year, and while four pitchers from the Brunswick staff eventually appeared in the majors, Alex wasn’t one of them. He topped out at Class C and after four campaigns, 1957 was his last year of pro ball. 
• 1964 - Steve Blass scattered two hits in five scoreless innings of relief while making his MLB debut in the back game of a doubleheader against Milwaukee at Forbes Field (he would make his first start on the 18th). Tommie Sisk started the game but was chased after giving up five runs in the first inning without retiring a batter. The Bucs scored once in the bottom of the first, twice in the eighth and three times in the final frame to rally for a 6-5 win, capped by a two-out, walk off single by Willie Stargell. Roberto Clemente homered with three RBI and Al McBean claimed the win. The Braves bombed Pittsburgh in the opening match, romping to an 11-5 decision. 

Steve Blass - 1965 Topps

• 1966 - The second place Bucs lost, 2-1, in 15 innings to the front-running Giants at Forbes Field. Tied in the 15th, the G-Men got a Tom Haller single to open the frame off Bob Purkey. A bunt put runners at first and second when the force at second was late, and they were loaded when a swinging bunt rolled into center. A one-out sac fly gave San Fran the lead. The Pirates tried to rally, putting runners on the corners with an out, but Andre Rodgers, pinch hitting for Willie Stargell (lefty & ex-Bucco Joe Gibbon was on the hill, and Pops’ early splits against same siders was pretty poor) banged into a 6-4-3 DP to end the game. It was so cold out that the Giant bullpen started a fire to keep warm. It also marked a rarity for that era: a now banned infield shift, as Harry Walker stationed three of his infielders between second and third against the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays. 
• 1969 - LHP Pete Schourek was born in Austin, Texas. He pitched for the Pirates toward the end of his 11-year career, slashing 4-7/5.34 in 1999 after signing a $2M free-agent deal. He was released during camp the following season and ended his big-league run with a two-year stint with the Red Sox after toeing the slab for five teams over 11 campaigns. Pete won 18 games for the Mets in 1995, but a set of nagging injuries left him as a journeyman hurler in ensuing campaigns. 
• 1978 - Bert Blyleven had his hook working at Candlestick Park, tossing a complete game six-hitter (all singles) and fanning a dozen Giants on the way to a 5-1 victory. It was also a big day for 37-year-old Willie Stargell, who chased home a pair of runs with a double to tie Roberto Clemente for second in Pirate career RBIs with 1,305. Hans Wagner (1,475) was the only Bucco ahead of the pair, and Willie would bypass the Dutchman with 1,540 before his last swing in 1982. 
• 1979 - OF Tony Alvarez was born in Caracas, Venezuela. A Top Bucco Ten prospect, Alvarez played in both the World Baseball Classic and the Futures Game. But his five-tool resume didn’t carry over in the show. He made two brief appearances in Pittsburgh in 2002 and again in 2004, hitting .250 in 38 games, and that was the sum of his big league career. Tony may have just had too many irons stuck in the fire, marrying three Miss Venezuela’s in succession, and in 2009 he became a noted reggae artist under the stage name of El Potro Alvarez. In 2014, he was named Venezuela’s Minister of Youth and Sports.

Tony Alvarez - 2001 Topps

• 1980 - Kent Tekulve was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Buc Stopper.” The article didn’t preface a great campaign but rather a workmanlike year by Teke standards. He was named to his only All-Star game while slashing a solid 8-12-21/3.39 line in 78 outings. 
• 1984 - Pittsburgh defeated the Giants, 4-2, at TRS behind some clutch bullpen work. Don Robinson inherited a bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the eighth from Cecilio Guante and got a pop up and DP. In the ninth, Robinson left the sacks juiced with two out for Teke, who retired Joel Youngblood on a fly to ice the win. Dale Berra homered and drove in three runs to spark the offense. 
• 1989 - In a minor deal, the Pirates sent struggling infielder Ken Oberkfell (.125 BA) to the San Francisco Giants for Roger Samuels (1-2/3.47). Oberkfell was rejuvenated, hitting .319 for the G-Men before finishing his career in 1992 after stops at Houston and California. Samuels worked 3-2/3 IP for the Pirates and was shellacked, never appearing in the show again. 
• 2000 - Wil Cordero, Kevin Young and Pat Meares teamed up to lead the Bucs to a 13-9 victory over the Mets at TRS. Cordero went 5-for-5 with four RBI and three runs; Young went 4-for-5 with two runs driven in and four runs scored and Meares went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and runs. Cordero had a HR and double, Young a long ball and Meares banged a three-bagger. 
• 2024 - The Bucs came to earth with a thud after a hot start, and following an off day to lick some wounds, they made a couple of changes. First, they brought up 2023’s overall #1 pick, RHP Paul Skenes and announced he’d make his MLB debut the next day. They also called up 2B Nick Gonzales, who was strokin' it at a .358 rate at Indy. He started today’s game (a 7-2 loss to the Cubs) and singled in two runs on the first pitch he saw. The #7 overall draft pick out of New Mexico State in 2020, Gonzo hit .209 for the big club last year in limited (35 games, 115 ABs) action. IF Alika Williams was optioned to Indy; the glove-first reserve was batting .239. And finally, they acquired RHP Daulton Jefferies from the Giants for minor league OF Rodolfo Nolasco. Jefferies, 28 and a former #1 pick of Oakland (#37 - 2016), was coming back after a two-year layoff following TJ and thoracic outlet surgeries with the team hoping that he'd provide starter depth later in the season. Nolasco, 22, was a prospect who had lost his sheen and got a change of scenery. Jefferies was optioned to Indy to knock off the down-time rust while C Jason Delay was transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day IL to make room for him on the 40-man.

5/9 Through the 1960s: Game Tales - Dirtballs, Klu & Kline, Mr. Swat's 8th Grannie, You Again?, Plunkin' Pink, Ken Dealt; HBD Tony, Culley & Link

• 1857 - C Dan “Link” Sullivan was born in Providence, Rhode Island. He spent parts of five campaigns in the show, with his last round being five innings caught for the Alleghenys in 1886, with an 0-for-4 showing at bat and two errors/three passed balls behind the dish. He played in two minor league games afterward and ended his career at age 29. He did have a highlight week in 1882 as a rookie when he caught a pair of no-hitters for Louisville within eight days of one another. 
• 1896 - RHP Emerson "Pink" Hawley plunked three Washington batters in the seventh inning at Exposition Park, tying a mark he set two years earlier (in justice, Washington hurler Win Mercer bopped three Pirates in the same frame, so frontier justice prevailed). Eight batters were hit in the contest, with a NL-record five nicked by Hawley, during the Pirates 14-9 loss. The five Senator batters hit by pitches tied the mark that wasn’t matched again until 1969. Hawley retired in 1900 after nine seasons with a still-standing NL record of 201 hit batters; he also walked 933 hitters. For all of that, he was a capable hurler, winning 31 games in 1895 and claiming 167 victories over his career. 
• 1901 - The Pirates beat Chicago, 8-1, behind Deacon Phillippe to end a marathon series. It was the eighth game in nine days between the two clubs, with the first four in Expo Park where the teams split a four-game set and the final four at West Side Park where the Bucs swept the Orphans. Pittsburgh’s Sam Leever beat Chicago’s Tom Hughes twice and Rube Waddell dropped a pair of contests to the Buccos. The Windy City nine finished 6-14 against the Pirates as Pittsburgh won the National League with 90 victories while the Orphans would claim just 53 wins. 

Culley Rikard via Baseball In Wartime

• 1914 - OF Culley Rikard was born in Oxford, Mississippi. Rikard played for the Bucs from 1941-42 before taking a three-year break during the war (he served stateside and played for a unit team called “The Globetrotters”). He returned for the 1947 campaign, posting a .270 BA during his three years with the Buccos. In 1949, playing as a Pittsburgh farmhand, he was traded to the San Francisco Seals for Dino Restelli and ended his pro career after the 1952 season. 
• 1932 - Tony Bartirome was born in Pittsburgh. The slick fielding 1B played one year for the Bucs in 1952, hitting .220. The Hill District native did have a long career with the Bucs as their trainer, lasting from 1967-85, and is believed to be the only guy to be an MLB player, coach (w/the Braves from ‘86-88) and trainer. One Bartirome tale involves an RBI he earned, not as a player but as a sawbones. As related in John McCollister’s Tales From The Pirate Dugout, Bartirome went out to check on Bill Robinson, who had just been knocked down by a pitch in the seventh game of the 1979 World Series. The bases were loaded in the ninth with two down when he was brushed back. Robinson told Bartirome that he was OK; the pitcher (Dennis Martinez) didn’t hit him. “The hell he didn’t” replied Bartirome, who dug his nail into Robinson’s thumb until it bled. The ump, Jerry Neudecker, saw the trickle and waved him to first to bring home the Bucs’ final run in the 4-1 win. 
• 1932 - The Depression was tough times, but the Bucs tried to make it a little easier. They began a policy of allowing 25 unemployed fans per game in for free through passes distributed through the Welfare Fund. They had plenty of room; the average attendance that year was just 3,731. 
• 1947 - The Pirates sold lefty Ken Heintzelman‚ 33, to the Phillies. Heintzelman worked 7-1/2 years (1937-46) for the Bucs, interrupted by the war, and had a 37-43/4.14 slash. The swingman wasn’t done; he pitched 5-1/2 more seasons for the Phils, winning 40 games. His son, Tom went on to play major league baseball with the Cardinals and Giants as an infielder between 1973 and 1978. 

Ken Heintzelman - 1947 Bowman

• 1948 - In the second game of a Sunday doubleheader at Forbes Field between the Pirates and the Dodgers, umpire Jocko Conlan let the game play through a 7PM curfew because he thought Pittsburgh manager Billy Meyer was stalling while sitting on a 5-4 lead (and he was right). Brooklyn foiled the scheme and went ahead 7-5, but Ralph Kiner hit a three-run HR to give Pittsburgh the 10-8 victory. The Bucs were fined $100 by the City for violating the curfew, but a win was well worth the wrist slap. Brooklyn romped in the opener, 14-2, and all those first-game runs were the reason the nightcap ran past the curfew. 
• 1950 - Ralph Kiner hit a grand slam, the eighth of his career and second in three games, then added a three-run homer during a 3-for-4, seven-RBI outing as the Bucs beat Brooklyn, 10-5, at Forbes Field. Ralph went on to lead the league with 47 dingers and his first blast was one of 13 grand salamis that he swatted. Bill Werle tossed 6-2/3 frames of scoreless relief for the win. 
• 1958 - Ted Kluszewski broke up a scoreless tie between starters Robin Roberts and Ron Kline - both hurlers went the distance - by belting a lead-off, first-pitch homer in the 12th to give the Bucs a 1-0 win over the Phils at Forbes Field. It was only the fourth Pirates hit off Roberts while Kline scattered eight knocks. The play of the game may have been Roberto Clemente’s laser beam that cut down Granny Hamner at home in the fourth inning, preserving the scoreless deadlock. 
• 1963 - Worms beware: The Bucs beat Dick Ellsworth’s slider into the infield dirt all day as Ernie Banks became the first NL first baseman to post 22 putouts in a game (with an assist). The Cubs whipped Pittsburgh, 3-1, at Wrigley Field as Ellsworth allowed Pittsburgh just two singles.

5/9 From 1970: Game Tales - Strings Snapped, '21 Moves, Neil X 3, Coulda Beens, JT's 5, Brawls, Beans & Grannies; HBD Buddy

• 1979 - Four bench-clearing brawls, four beaned batters and two grand slams were the highlights of a 17-9 Bucco victory over the Braves at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium. Substitute umpires ejected five players‚ both managers and a coach. As for the game itself, the Pirates headed into the ninth inning with a slim 10-9 lead before exploding for seven runs. John Milner’s grand slam off Gene Garber highlighted the runaway frame. Earlier, Bill Robinson had banged two home runs off Phil Niekro to give the Pirates the lead while Tim Foli added four more RBI. 
• 1983 - Jason Thompson picked a fine time to break out of his 3-for-27 slump, smacking a career-best five hits at Jack Murphy Stadium to lead the Pirates to a 5-3, 14-inning win against the San Diego Padres to snap a five game losing string. The Pirates collected 18 hits, but had a tough time cashing in - in the 12th inning, they left runners at second & third with one out and in the 13th, they loaded the sacks with no outs and still couldn’t push a run home. With two gone in the 14th, Johnny Ray doubled and Richie Hebner was intentionally walked, then the Friars brought in lefty Gary Lucas to face JT. Thompson got ahead 2-0 and was hunting a heater; he got it and banged it off the left center wall for a game-winning two-run two-bagger. The Bucs fourth pitcher, Manny Sarmiento, pocketed the win while Ray collected four hits and Lee Mazzilli homered. 
• 1988 - LHP Buddy Boshers was born in Huntsville, Alabama. Boshers, who had pitched for the Angels and Twins, was claimed off waivers from the Astros by the Bucs in 2018. He was called up for eight games in August without making an appearance before being optioned back to Indy. He last pitched MLB for the Blue Jays in 2019 with on the hill in the Dominican and Mexican leagues. He retired before the 2021 season and is now a coach in a training facility. 
• 1993 - For the second consecutive time, the Pirates were down by a run with two outs in the ninth and the bases empty against Montreal with closer John Wetteland on the hill at TRS, and for the second consecutive time, they pulled a victory out of that hat. Today, it was Al Martin who went downtown to knot the score before AVS banged a two-out double in the 11th to give the Bucs and Blas Minor a 6-5 victory. In yesterday’s match, Andy Van Slyke homered, then Tom Foley’s single won it in 10 frames by a 10-9 count. Orlando Merced and Carlos Garcia also went long while Stan Belinda got the dub. The wins made the Pirates 5-1 in extra innings, but in the first year of their core deconstruction, they sputtered and finished the campaign with just 75 wins and in fifth place. 

Francisco Cordova - 1997 Select

• 1997 - Prior to the game with Atlanta, Pirate players had an impromptu meet-and-greet inside the TRS gates to shake hands and pose for pictures with the fans. The up close and personal vibes worked as they proceeded to beat the Braves, 9-0, behind Francisco Cordova, who struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.53. Jose Guillen homered and drove in three runs while Al Martin and Tony Womack added three knocks. The win put the Pirates, picked to finish last in the Central, in first place by themselves, and even though the Bravos took the next three games from Pittsburgh, the Bucs stayed in the race until late September. 
• 1999 - Two of Pittsburgh’s bigger disappointments flashed what coulda been. The Pirates almost blew a 10-5 lead, but hung on to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 12-9, behind SS Pat Meares’ five hits and OF Brant Brown’s three-run, inside-the-park homer at Busch Stadium. Meares ended up on the DL for most of his Pittsburgh stay and never played after 2001, while Brown hit .232, with 2000 being his MLB swan song. Jose Silva was spanked as a starter, but Chris Peters, who got the win, Marc Wilkins, Jeff Wallace, Brad Clontz and Mike Williams, who earned a save, cleaned it up behind him. 
• 2011 - The Pirates beat the Dodgers, 4-1, at PNC Park, to move their record to 18-17, the first time they were above .500 this late in the season since 2004. With the score tied in the eighth inning, Jose Tabata made a diving catch in left, then doubled a wandering Dodger off first. Jose Uribe and manager Don Mattingly were bounced for arguing that the ball was trapped (and TV replays seemed to agree with them), but the Bucs made it a moot point by putting up a three-spot in their half of the frame after banging back-to-back-to-back doubles by Neil Walker, Lyle Overbay and Ryan Doumit. Jose Veras got the win in relief of Jeff Karstens with Joel Hanrahan notching the save. 
• 2015 - Neil Walker began and ended the first 4-5-4 triple play in MLB history. He went airborne to snag Yadier Molina’s bases-loaded liner and threw to third, doubling off the frozen lead runner. Jung Ho Kang at the hot corner apparently lost track of the outs; he started toward the dugout before a little prompting from his mates got him to toss the ball back to Neil, standing on second, to complete the trifecta. It was a game full of big innings; the Bucs scored three in the second inning, then the Cards answered with a five spot in the fourth frame before Pittsburgh put up another trio of runs in the sixth to take a 7-5 win at PNC Park. The Pittsburgh Kid added a homer while Jordy Mercer chased home three runs to earn Rob Scahill, the first of four Pirate relievers, the win. 

Neil Walker - 2015 Bowman Chrome

• 2018 - For the second straight game, the Bucs spotted the Chicago White Sox a four run lead at Guaranteed Rate Stadium and then roared back to claim the win. The Sox jumped on top, 4-0, against Trevor Williams and held on to a 5-2 edge going into the ninth frame. Elias Diaz made it a one-run game when he chased home two runs with a double off Nate Jones and two pitches later, Colin Moran dropped a shot into the right center field stands to give the Bucs the lead and an improbable win. Rich Rodriguez earned his first MLB win and Felipe Vazquez picked up the save with Steven Brault adding two scoreless innings. Jordy Mercer and Gregory Polanco added solo shots. 
• 2021 - The Pirates made a slew of May moves. First, 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes (wrist), out since April 4th, was moved from the 10-day to the 60-day IL, 1B Colin Moran (groin) was placed on the 10-day IL and OF Bryan Reynolds (lower body) was listed as day-to-day. OF Gregory Polanco was already out of action due to the Covid protocol (he returned later in the week), so four of the eight Opening Day starters were on ice. The Pirates called up OF Troy Stokes Jr. and RHP Geoff Hartlieb from Indy, claimed OF Ben Gamel from the Indians, DFA’ed RHP Michael Feliz and (the next day) 1B/3B Todd Frazier. The team rode out the changes, though, and even with just a handful of starters, defeated the Cubs, 6-5, behind Wilmer Difo’s three-hit, three-RBI day and strong starting pitching by lefty Tyler Anderson. A ninth-inning bullpen meltdown allowed three runs to make the score close at Wrigley Field; it was the first time relievers Richard Rodriguez and Kyle Crick were scored upon in 2021. But the beat went on - two days later, Crick went on the IL with a strained triceps and LHP Shreven Chase was recalled. A couple of days after that, 1B Phil Evans went on the IL with a bad hammy and 1B Will Craig was called up, with RHP Sean Poppen DFA’ed to make it an unforgettable week for roster keepers. Hayes and Reynolds are the only players still rostered. 
• 2022 - A couple of ugly streaks were on the line when the Bucs hosted the Dodgers at PNC Park. Los Angeles had won 16 straight from Pittsburgh, dating to 2018, and the Pirate starters had gone 27 consecutive games without earning a win to open the season, the longest such stretch in MLB history. Both strings came to an overdue end as the Bucs rolled to a 5-1 victory in front of 8,527 fans. Jose Quintana spun six scoreless frames to earn his first victory since 2019 while Michael Perez and Jack Suwinski homered; it was Suwinski’s first MLB bomb. Ke’Bryan Hayes added three knocks to lead a 15-hit attack as the 1-6 batters all had multi-hit nights. As an added bonus, the scoreboard vid showed action from the Penguins’ playoff game being played simultaneously across town at PPG Paints Arena. They won too, so all of the City’s sports fans went home happy.

5/8 Through the 1960s: Rizzo-DiMaggio, Game Tales - Willie's 1st, Feds Open, Allies Triplet; HBD Big O, Bill & Eddie

• 1874 - C Eddie Boyle was born in Cincinnati. After getting into three games in 1896 for the Louisville Colonels, the 22-year-old was traded to Pittsburgh and got into two more contests, going 0-for-5, and that brief stay ended his MLB days. He finished the season in the minors, played one more season on the farm and got on with his life’s work at age 23. His brother, “Honest” Jack Boyle, was also a catcher and had a long career in the show, playing 13 seasons for six teams. 
• 1885 - RHP Bill Powell was born in Taylor County, West Virginia. He tossed for the Bucs in 1909-10, compiling a 4-8/2.87 slash. The rest of his MLB career consisted of one appearance for the Cubs in 1912 and another for the Reds in 1913. Bill also put in seven minor-league campaigns, retiring in 1916. 
• 1886 - The Pittsburgh Alleghenys turned the first and so far only 3-4-2 triple play in MLB history against Cincinnati at Recreation Park, with the trifecta going from 1B Fred Carroll to 2B Sam Barkley to C Doggie Miller. The Allies took the American Association clash by a 9-6 count behind Pud Galvin as the Alleghenys flashed its leather while the Reds coughed up six unearned runs. 
• 1912 - The Pittsburgh Filipinos of the newly formed United States League opened their home schedule at Exposition Park with a 3-2 loss to Cincinnati. The league folded in June but the team affiliated with the Federal League, an outlaw major league that operated from 1913-15 that formed from the ashes of the USL. The renegades were first called the Filipinos after their manager, Deacon Phillippe. They later became the Stogies (Pittsburgh was at one time a big-league cigar-making center) and then the Rebels, a nod to manager Rebel Oakes. 

Deacon Phillippe - Helmar T206

• 1929 - 26-year-old hurler Carl Hubbell, in his second MLB season, became the first LHP in 13 seasons to throw a no-hitter when he beat the Pirates, 11-0, at the Polo Grounds. Sparky Adams drew a walk for the Bucs and NY committed three errors behind Hubbell to deny him a perfecto. 
• 1930 - New York’s Freddie Lindstrom had his second five-hit game of the season and went for the cycle as the Giants defeated the Pirates, 13-10, at Forbes Field. He took the spotlight from Adam Comorosky, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI, and George Grantham, who had three hits and plated four times in the losing cause. The Buc bosses took notice; they eventually traded for Lindstrom. 
• 1940 - The Pirates traded OF Johnny Rizzo to the Reds for OF Vince DiMaggio, Joe & Dom’s bro. Vince held down center for the Bucs for five seasons and hit .255 with 79 homers and 367 RBI’s in 670 games with All-Star years in 1943-44. The move marked the end of the Waner era in Pittsburgh; Paul was traded to Boston in 1941 and Lloyd followed the next year, bumped by DiMaggio and Maurice Van Robays. Rizzo joined the Navy in 1942 and had one strong season after returning. 
• 1962 - 1B Orestes “Big O” Destrade was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. Orestes played for the Bucs in 1988 as a bench bat, hitting .149. After a five-year career in Japan (he led the Nippon League in homers for three straight seasons), he became part of the first Florida Marlins club in 1993 (he hit 20 HR for them and also became the first strikeout victim of The Big Unit, Randy Johnson). He retired to work for ESPN and was an announcer for the Tampa Bay Rays for 11 years. 

Orestes Destrade - 1988 Score Rookie

• 1963 - Willie Stargell hit his first MLB homer, a three-run shot off Lindy McDaniel at Wrigley Field, during a 9-5 loss to the Cubbies. He had a lot more baseballs yet to lose; he ended his career with a franchise-best 475 long flies with record-setting blasts in stadiums around the league. He swatted them all as a Pirate, playing here from 1962-82 before moving into the Hall of Fame. 
• 1968 - Roberto Clemente’s sac fly in the 14th inning plated Maury Wills and gave the Bucs a 4-3 win against the Braves at Fulton County Stadium. The Great One was scheduled to go to Pittsburgh to get a sore shoulder evaluated, but decided to hang with the team in case he was needed. He came in as a defensive sub in the eighth, and sore wing and all, became the hero. Steve Blass started and allowed three unearned runs in the first inning thanks to a two-out throwaway by Wills, who made amends by scoring twice and swiping a sack. The Bucs tied it in the eighth on a Willie Stargell RBI single and game-knotting wild pitch, scoring Al McBean who ran for Pops. Ron Kline earned the win after twirling five scoreless innings of relief, with ElRoy Face nailing down the save. With Dave Wickersham, the Bucco hurlers held the Bravos to five hits over the last 13 frames.

5/8 From 1970: Game Tales - Capps-Sized, 8 In 4, AVS On Fire, DD Gem, Pop Bop, Radio Deal, A-Ram POTW; HBD Jason

• 1973 - For the second time in his career, Willie Stargell drove a ball out of Dodger Stadium. His blast off Andy Messersmith carried over the 50-foot high right field roof, 470’ away, and was one of two four-baggers for Pops, who was the only player to ever launch a ball out of that park. It was impressive but wasn’t enough to stop Los Angeles, as Big Blue took a 7-4 decision. 
• 1980 - RHP Jason Davis was born in Chattanooga. Drafted out of Cleveland State CC (TN) by the Indians in the 21st round of the 1999 draft, he debuted for the Tribe in 2002. They converted him from starter to reliever and then traded him to the Seattle Mariners in 2007. He lasted there for a year, signed with and was released as a late cut by Texas Rangers and then caught on with the Bucs. Jason started at Indy and was called up in July, slashing 2-4/5.29 as a swingman. He spent 2009 at Indy and retired the next season after putting up an 0-8/6.06 line. 
• 1988 - Doug Drabek took a no-hitter into the ninth before allowing a pinch-hit, infield single to Randy Ready and a home run to ex-Pirate Marvell Wynne, winning a 6-2 decision over the San Diego Padres at TRS. Bobby Bonilla had three hits to lead the Pirate offense. Whether by coincidence or not, shortstop Al Pedrique, the player who couldn’t convert Ready’s infield hit, was demoted to AAA Buffalo and replaced by up-and-coming SS prospect Felix Fermin. 
• 1992 - The wheels were turning in the eighth inning of a 3-3 contest between the Bucs and ‘Stros at TRS. Houston’s skipper Art Howe replaced LHP Al Osuna with righty Doug Jones to face Jeff King with the bases loaded and two away; Jim Leyland sat King down and sent up Orlando Merced to hit. Leyland won this battle when Merced cleared the bases with a double to give the Bucs a 6-3 win. Stan Belinda pitched two scoreless frames for the win in relief of Doug Drabek. 

AVS - 1994 Leaf Limited

• 1994 - Andy Van Slyke went 8-for-9 (one hit shy of the MLB twin-bill hit record) during the Pirates' 9-2 and 9-3 Mothers Day twin bill sweep of the Cubs at TRS with a homer, double, five runs scored and four RBI. He entered the day batting .227; after they turned out the stadium lights, his BA was up to .283 after banging out his eight consecutive knocks. It wasn’t just a one-man show by Slick; the Bucs took the first game behind Paul Wagner as Lance Parrish chased home three runs. The nightcap went to Zane Smith, backed by a four RBI outing by Brian Hunter. 
• 1997 - Jason Kendall's bases-loaded double was the big blow in a Bucco eight-run fourth frame as Pittsburgh outlasted Colorado, 10-8. Mark Johnson had three hits while Al Martin and Kevin Elster added homers for the Bucs, which scored 24 runs on 31 hits in their two games at Coors Field. A Pirates natural milieu may be at sea level, but they loved that mountain air! 
• 2001 - 22-year-old 3B Aramis Ramirez was named the NL Player of the Week, batting .361 with three homers, three doubles (.952 slugging %) and eight RBIs. He told the Post Gazette “That’s what I work for. Everything’s about working hard.” Then A-Ram took his leave from the interview to call his mom back home in the Dominican Republic with the good news. 
• 2007 - Matt Capps was suspended for four days for beaning Prince Fielder three days earlier. Fielder had the misfortune of following JJ Hardy after his three-run homer in a loss to Milwaukee. Capps’ 0-1 pitch was up and in; Fielder’s twist and turn saved his noodle as he took the pitch off his upper arm. Capps was immediately ejected and later suspended. He requested a hearing and his defense was that if he meant to hit him, it would have been with the first pitch, which didn’t sway MLB safety guy Bob Watson. As far as Fielder getting a message, well, not so much...he homered in his next at bat against the Bucs in the following game. 
• 2012 - In a see-saw game at PNC Park, Washington’s Adam LaRoche erased a 3-2 ninth inning Pirate lead by blasting a two-run homer off Joel Hanrahan. But the Bucs had an answer. With two down in their half, Rod Barajas took a 2-0 Henry Rodriguez heater deep to left, scoring Alex Presley ahead of him, to pull out a 5-4 walk off Pittsburgh win over the Nats. Tony Watson earned the victory. 

Hot Rod Barajas - 2012 Topps

• 2013 - “The Comeback Kid” ran out rebounds: After being DFA'ed on April 30th, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, who broke camp with the Pirates as a fifth starter after a rash of injuries felled the other back-end contenders, was released. He went 0-3/11.85 and gave up 25 hits, including seven home runs, in 13-2/3 innings of work during what would be his final MLB posting. 
• 2018 - The Chicago White Sox grabbed a quick 4-0, first-inning lead over Ivan Nova and the Bucs, but a couple of heartbeats later, Pittsburgh came back with four in the second frame and roared back to take a 10-6 victory at Guaranteed Rate Park. The Pirates had 16 hits on the night, with Corey Dickerson collecting four raps. Starling Marte chipped in with three knocks while Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell and Colin Moran added a pair of hits each. All nine of Pittsburgh starting batters reached base safely and either plated or chased home a run (six guys did both). Both teams used a half dozen pitchers (Tyler Glasnow was credited with the win) in a game that lasted almost four hours. 
• 2023 - The Pirates were on a roller coaster; they had reeled off 11 victories in 12 outings, a stretch that featured a seven-game winning streak, and then couldn’t do a thing right while losing seven in a row. Mitch Keller stepped into the breach and stopped the bleeding by tossing the Bucs first complete-game shutout since 2018, a 2-0 squeaker over the Colorado Rockies at PNC Park. It was a scoreless battle until the bottom of the seventh when Rodolfo Castro's fourth homer, banged to straight center with Connor Joe aboard, accounted for the game’s runs. It was all the cushion Kells needed, giving up four hits, fanning eight and walking just one as he ran his slate to 4-1 while earning his first career whitewash after 75 starts. And the righty wasted no time takin’ care of business; the game took an hour and 55 minutes, the Pirates quickest ‘23 outing to date. 
• 2024 - The Pirates games will remain on Audacy Pittsburgh through the 2027 season, as the parties announced that they agreed to a broadcast contract extension to keep the games on 93.7 The Fan (KDKA-FM), the team’s flagship station since 2012. Audacy Pittsburgh also airs games on its sister stations 100.1 FM and 1020 AM; KDKA has carried Bucco games for over six decades.

5/7 Through the 1960s: Little Poison-Nick, Surkont-Arroyo, Game Tales - Veale's Lucky 13, Yes Suhr, 1st Pitch HR, Trips, Clarke Cycle; HBD Dave

• 1883 - Henry Oberbeck made his debut with the Pittsburgh Alleghenys of the American Association. It was a brief visit as he went 2-for-9 with a double and a run scored in two games before he ended up with St. Louis, where he lasted until late June. But he did become one of the earliest guys to validate a player's contract. The Browns cut him loose, and he took them to court, seeking the full $785 owed him under his deal. The jury found in his favor (although he only got $431.12; they apparently pro-rated the amount due) and it withstood an appeal. And Chris was a player that could use the money - his 60-game career was over after 1884 and a .176 lifetime BA; he also pitched in a pinch with an 0-5/5.30 slash. He retired and worked for the Post Office until his death in 1921. 
• 1903 - For the second time in his career, Fred Clarke hit for the cycle and added a walk, sacrifice and stolen base, but the effort came up short as the Reds beat the Pirates, 11-8, at the Palace of the Fans. Pittsburgh had rallied from an 8-1 deficit to tie the game in the eighth, but Cincinnati held on to take the match in 10 innings. The Pirates lost Honus Wagner to a temper tantrum after a collision at 2B with Reds IF Jack Morrissey. Hans threatened to punch an aggressive Morrissey and the pair then rolled around in the dirt for a bit before umpire Bug Holliday could restrain the combatants. The Flying Dutchman was ejected and suspended for three games for his ballyard wrasslin’. 
• 1905 - OF Dave Barbee was born in Greensboro, North Carolina. After a 1926 stop with the A’s, Barbee spent the next several years in the high minors. He smacked 41 homers in 1930 and in the following campaign hit .332 w/47 home runs. In 1932, Dave got the call to join Pittsburgh, selected by the Bucs in the Rule C draft for minor-league players (a precursor of the Rule 5 draft). He was the Pirates' starting left fielder by May but lost the job in August. In 97 Bucco games, he batted .257 with five home runs. Barbee went back to the minors and retired in 1938. 
• 1916 - Max Carey homered off Cubs rookie Jimmy Lavender in the fourth inning to give the Pirates a 1-0 win. The Cubs lost 10 decisions by a 1-0 score that year, tying the MLB record. Erv Kantlehner tossed a three-hitter to top Lavender’s five-hit effort at Weeghman (now Wrigley Field) Park. 

Max Carey - 1916 TSN

• 1922 - Buc rookie RF Walter Mueller hit a three-run, inside-the-park homer on the first pitch of his career off none other than the Cubs’ Hall-of-Famer Grover Alexander, the first major leaguer to homer off his first pitch. The Bucs won, 11-5, at Wrigley Field with Mueller collecting five RBI to help Hal Carlson to the win and launching the Buccos on a 12-of-14 game winning stretch. In four big league seasons, Mueller hit one more HR, another inside-the-park shot. 
• 1925 - SS Glenn Wright snagged the Cards’ Jim Bottomley's ninth-inning line drive, doubled up Jimmy Cooney at second, and tagged Rogers Hornsby coming from first to complete the only unassisted triple play in franchise history. Unfortunately, it didn’t help; the Bucs lost to St. Louis, 10-9, at Forbes Field after taking a 9-4 lead into the eighth inning and then allowing the Redbirds to score six times. Eddie Moore had three Bucco hits, as did Al Niehaus, but it wasn’t enough as Emil Yde, Babe Adams, and Johnny Morrison were battered during the doomsday eighth. 
• 1930 - Gus Suhr went 3-for-3 with a double, triple, two walks, three runs scored, and five RBI as the Bucs blasted the NY Giants, 16-8, at Forbes Field. Steve Swetonic pitched 4-1/3 innings of shutout ball to earn the win in relief of Erv Brame. The first five Pirates in the day’s lineup took batting practice by collecting 12 hits, four walks, scoring 12 times and chasing home nine tallies. 
• 1932 - In an unusual twin bill at Forbes Field, the Pirates and Phillies played the opener and the Negro League Homestead Grays hosted the Cleveland Browns in the nightcap. The Bucs started the day off on the wrong foot, losing 5-3 despite rookie Dave Barbee’s pair of triples. The Grays made up for it; they walloped the Browns 21-3; eight of the nine Homestead starters had multiple hits. 
• 1941 - Lloyd “Little Poison” Waner was traded to the Boston Braves for pitcher Nick Strincevich, rejoining his brother Paul in Beantown, who had been released in the off-season. Afterward, he bumped around the National League, playing for four teams over four years before re-signing with Pittsburgh as an insurance policy in 1944. He retired after 1945, with 17 years and .319 BA as a Bucco in the books while on his way to the Hall of Fame, where he joined his bro again. 

Lloyd Waner - 1940 Play Ball

• 1944 - The Bucs beat the Cubs at Wrigley, 3-2‚ Chicago's 12th loss in a row‚ to spoil Charlie Grimm's return as Cubs manager. The Pirates scored twice in the ninth to tie it off Hank Wyse and won it in the 11th frame for Xavier Rescigno, who relieved Preacher Roe. Pittsburgh took the opener, 6-5, and that one took 14 frames after the Cubs put up a pair to tie the game in the ninth. 
• 1956 - RHP Max Surkont was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for RHP Luis “Tite” Arroyo. Max had come to Pittsburgh in the Danny O’Donnell deal and won 16 games in his 2+ seasons while Arroyo was a 29-year-old swingman beginning his second MLB campaign; his first earned him an All Star bid (11-8/4.19). The 34-year-old Surkont was at the end of his string and by May of the following year was finished in the big leagues while Luis pitched through 1963. His glory years were 1960-61, when he won another All-Star berth while winning 20 games and saving 36 more for the Yankees with a 2.37 ERA. He made an appearance against his old mates in the 1960 World Series.
• 1958 - Bob Skinner‚ Ted Kluszewski (who hit another in the seventh) and Frank Thomas all hit homers in the fifth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Seals Stadium, but the show of muscle wasn’t enough as the G-Men won, 8-6, scoring six runs against Bob Friend in three innings. 
• 1965 - The Pirates scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to beat the Reds, 5-4, at Forbes Field. Manny Mota delivered a two-out, walk-off single that brought home Gene Freese to complete the comeback. Tommie Sisk picked up the win in relief of starter Bob Friend. 
• 1969 - Bob Veale took a shutout into the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres, a squad he was dominating with 13 whiffs. But he needed a strong finishing act from Chuck Hartenstine, who earned his fifth save under the gun by stranding Friars at second and third with an out. Chuck fanned the first batter he faced and then watched Al Ferrara’s 400’ drive into center (fortunately, the game was at Forbes Field, not the bandbox at Wrigley) nestle safely into Matty Alou’s glove to save Big Bob’s third win of the campaign. The Buc runs came via a second-inning single by Veale that scored Al Oliver and a solo shot by Willie Stargell in the following frame.

5/7 From 1970: Game Tales - AJ's K, Cutchin', Phil's 1st, Short C's, Spats, Larcenists, Hard Losses; HBD Alexander, Angel, Keon & Mark

• 1970 - OF/1B Mark Smith was born in Pasadena, California. He only played for the Bucs for two seasons (1997-98) with a .249 BA and 11 HR in 366 PA, but delivered one of the franchise’s memorable clutch blows when his pinch-hit home run in the bottom of the 10th won the combined no-hitter of Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon of July 12th, 1997 at TRS against Houston. 
• 1973 - The Bucs scored five runs on five solo homers in a 5-4 Pirates win over LA at Dodger Stadium, tying a ballpark record. The long balls were launched by Willie Stargell, Dave Cash, Richie Hebner, Manny Sanguillen, and Al Oliver. It was just enough to give Bob Johnson the win in relief of Luke Walker; he and Jim Rooker tossed five innings of scoreless, two-hit ball after Walker was chased. 
• 1974 - The ‘Stros beat the Pirates, 2-1, at the Astrodome in one hour, 48 minutes, as Tom Griffin pitched a one-hitter to outgun Dock Ellis, who struck out 10. Willie Stargell had the Buccos lone hit; the run scored in the fourth when Houston committed three consecutive two-out errors, allowing one Bucco to plate but cutting down another when Manny Sanguillen was tossed out at home. Milt May, a Pirate the year before, hit the game-winning triple against his old mateys. 
• 1977 - In a start-to-finish slugfest, the Pirates beat the Reds, 12-10, at TRS to improve their record to 16-7. Trailing 4-0 after a half-inning of play, Willie Stargell hit his first of two home runs in the bottom of the first, a three-run shot, while Dave Parker extended his hitting streak to 18 games and Al Oliver went 2-for-4 with a home run. The two clubs clubbed 26 hits, of which 14 went for extra-bases and half of which were homers. Terry Forster won with a Kent Tekulve save. 
• 1978 - The Pirates stole eight bases off Dodger lefty Tommy John, who was notorious for a slow delivery and disdain at holding runners, and raced their way to a 6-4 win against LA at TRS. Omar Moreno, Frank Taveras and Bill Robinson each swiped a pair of sacks, while Phil Garner and even Pirates hurler Jim Rooker (he swiped three during his career) joined the parade. The City of Angels made a late run at the Bucs, scoring in the eighth on four walks - Pittsburgh pitchers helped negate the running attack by issuing eight free passes - and tightening the gap with three unearned runs in the ninth until Kent Tekulve closed the book. 

Willie Stargell - 1981 Fleer

• 1981 - Still gimpy with a balky knee, 41-year-old Willie Stargell made his first appearance of the season, playing 1B against the Reds at Riverfront Stadium in the second game of a twin bill that the Pirates swept by 3-1, 7-1 tallies behind Rick Rhoden and Buddy Solomon. Pops became just the fourth player in MLB history to play 20 years for the same team he began with (the others were Cap Anson of the Cubs, Mel Ott of the Giants, and Stan Musial of the Cards), a journey that for Willie began in 1962. The bad wheel limited him to 38 games that season and 1982 would be his big league swan song. The game wasn’t all sweetness and love, though, as Dave Parker was once again the victim of fans throwing debris at him in the pasture. The umps cleared the field and held up play for 10 minutes until a half-dozen fans were removed, with one arrest made. 
• 1989 - The media reported that the Pirates efforts to land C Alan Ashby from the Astros for OF Glenn Wilson were for naught. The Bucs were looking for help with Mike Lavalliere expected to be on ice until at least the All-Star game with a bum knee (he returned on July 4th), but the 37-year-old Ashby had business interests in Houston and as a 5 & 10 year man wouldn’t agree to a deal w/o a considerable bump in his contract. Junior Ortiz saw most of the action behind the dish in Spanky’s absence, with Dann Billardo and Tom Prince serving as his caddies. As for Ashby, he was released by Houston on May 11 to end his playing career and save GM Larry Doughty from a bright red face. 
• 1990 - OF Keon Broxton was born in Lakeland, Florida. The Pirates purchased his contract from Arizona in 2013, and he was called up in September, 2016. He got into seven games and went 0-for-2, but scored three runs and stole a base as a pinch-runner. In December, Broxton was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers along with Trey Supak for 1B/3B Jason Rogers. Rogers became redundant when the Pirates signed David Freese while Broxton featured speed and elite leather but had issues reaching base, showing decent power but with a sky-high K rate. He played in the Mexican League in ‘23 and that stint ended his pro playing career. 
• 1991 - The Pirates beat the Reds, 7-2, behind Randy Tomlin but the big show was on TV. In the seventh inning, manager Jim Leyland, who didn’t realize there was a live mic in the dugout, was caught by the home audience spewing a cuss word or two at the ump while debating a call. The best programming was in the third, though, when Jay Bell didn’t run out a two-out fly by Andy Van Slyke; AVS lit into Bell, who had a string of inattentiveness during the week, and they went nose-to-nose before the cameras until Chico Lind broke up their klatch. Neither player had much to say about the ado, but apparently it was quickly bygone as they were interviewed while playing cards together after the game. 

Randy Tomlin - 1991 Score

• 1994 - LHP Angel Perdomo was born in San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. Angel appeared in 22 games in 2020-21 for the Brewers, was DFA’ed and spent 2022 with Tampa Bay’s AAA club, was released before signing by the Bucs in 2023 as a free agent. He started out in Indy and was called up in June as the Bucs were thin on the left side in the bullpen. He’s now with Oakland. 
• 1993 - The Pirates drew almost 31,000 to TRS, only to lose to Montreal, 1-0. It wasn’t as if the Bucs were shut down, stranding 11 runners while going 0-for-10 w/RISP on eight hits. Worse, they gifted Montreal its only run in the fourth frame thanks to a bopped-in-the-foot Moises Alou, who was then picked off but was granted a second life due to a screw-up on the rundown (no one covered second base), a bouncer to second and a sac fly. Randy Tomlin was the tough luck loser. 
• 2000 - OF Alexander Canario was born in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic. The NY Mets sold the contract of Canario, who they had DFA'ed, to the Pirates. The 24-year-old plays all three spots in the pasture (primarily the corners) and interestingly enough was getting some offseason work at first, a Bucco dark hole. He’s hit .286 in 45 MLB PAs and was a .252 hitter with some pop in AAA. Canario came up in the Giant and Cub systems and was out of options; Ji Hwan Bae was sent to Indy and Jared Jones flipped to the 60-day IL to clear roster space for him. 
• 2004 - OF Raul Mondesi returned to the Dominican Republic with the Pirates blessing to fight a lawsuit filed by former big leaguer Mario Guerrero. However, it turned into a smokescreen to wriggle out of his deal with the Bucs. The charade worked - he stayed away, and the Pirates, who could have iced him on the restricted list, instead decided it was better to cut him loose, which they did on the 19th by terminating his contract. On the 30th, he signed with Anaheim and finished his MLB career in Atlanta the following year. 
• 2008 - The Pirates whipped the Giants, 3-1, at PNC Park. Second-year man Phil Dumatrait won his first MLB decision while vet Barry Zito lost his seventh game in seven starts. The game’s big blow was a two-run homer in the fourth by Xavier Nady. Dumatrait was a promising 26-year-old who tossed 5-2/3 IP of two-hit, shutout ball on this day, but would be cut down by arm surgery later in the year. He came back late in 2009, was ineffective, and refused an assignment to the minors, tossing in Korea in 2010. He was with the Twins in 2011 and then retired. 

Phil Dumatrait - 2008 photo Mitchell Layton/Getty

• 2013 - Andrew McCutchen recorded his second four-hit outing in six games to lead the Pirates to a 4-1 win against the Seattle Mariners at PNC Park. Garrett Jones swatted a two-run homer in the eighth inning to put it on ice for the Buccos. Starter Jeanmar Gomez got the win and Jason Grilli was credited with the save in a game that saw five Bucco pitchers cover the final four frames. 
• 2015 - The Pirates ended a five-game skid (part of a 7 games-of-8 losing streak) in a 7-2 win against Cincinnati at PNC Park. Pittsburgh had scored just five runs during their slide, dropping three walk-off losses to St. Louis and a shutout the day before. AJ Burnett got the win; the club had scored just five runs behind him in his first five starts. To add the cherry on top, AJ picked up strikeout #2,401, putting him among the top 40 whiff artists in baseball history. Andrew McCutchen broke out of a season-long slump with three hits to lead a balanced Bucco attack. 
• 2022 - The Bucs came out on fire in the second game of a twin bill as Bryan Reynolds, Yoshi Tsutsuto and Diego Castillo all homered in the first frame (it was the first time in franchise history that the Bucs banged three first-inning long balls) to give the Pirates a 4-0 lead over the Reds at GABP. The game see-sawed afterwards as Mitch Keller was hit hard, but a two-run dinger by Ben Gamel and shutdown pitching by winner Heath Humbree, Max Kranick, Chris Stratton & David Bednar closing sewed up an 8-5 win. The opener was 2-2 going into the eighth when the Pittsburgh wheels fell off. The Pirates loaded the bases with no outs for the middle of the order, but left them juiced after three straight swingin’ whiffs. C Roberto Perez was then removed after a hammy pull (he was later placed on the 10-day IL), with backup Andrew Knapp already tossed for barking from the dugout, and so infielder Josh VanMeter caught for the first time and the Reds took advantage, scoring seven times and winning, 9-2.

5/6 Through the 1960s: Game Tales - Chambers No-No, Lennox Cycle, Clarke's Tarp, LCBC Forms; HBD Dick, Earl, Bob, Ed & Lou

• 1883 - LHP Ed “Loose” Karger was born in San Angelo, Texas. Karger started his six-year MLB career with the Pirates in 1906, going 2-3/1.93 in six outings (two starts) before being flipped to the Cards for veteran Chappie McFarlane. Bad move by the Bucs; McFarlane was waived in August while Karger would toss a 1907 perfecto (off the books; it was only seven innings) and won 46 games as a hard-luck hurler with a career 2.79 ERA. There’s some debate over the origin of his moniker; some say it was a description of his demeanor while others claim it was because of his easy delivery on the mound. 
• 1887 - The League of Colored Baseball Clubs, a precursor to the Negro Leagues, opened its schedule with a game at Recreation Park. The NY Gorhams beat the Pittsburgh Keystones 11-8 and a pitcher named Grosa before a crowd of 1‚200. One of the Keystone stars was King Solomon "Sol" White, an infielder, manager, executive, sportswriter and one of the pioneers of the Negro leagues. He was named to the Hall of Fame in 2006. Game day was celebrated by a parade starting at Grant and Second in town that snaked to the North Side park, then considered part of Allegheny City, behind a band that performed a concert before the ballgame. Because of rainouts and small crowds, the poorly financed LCBC (formed in large part due to the efforts of Keystones owner Walter Brown) and recognized by the National Agreement as a legitimate minor league, folded quickly on May 23rd (the Keystones finished 3-4). Though the league failed, the Keystones formed again professionally in 1921-22 before disbanding in 1923.
• 1890 - IF Lutellus "Lute" Boone was born in Hazelwood. After four years with the Yankees, the Pirates brought Lute back home in 1918 to help fill the hole left by the retired Hans Wagner. He couldn’t quite fill those shoes (he batted .198 for the Buccos) and that ended his big-league days. He continued to soldier on in the minors with 14 years in the American Association and played for four minor league pennant winners. He retired from baseball in 1936, took up residence in Brentwood and went to work for Mesta Machine Company in Homestead. 

Fred Clarke - Always thinkin'...Helmar Big League Brew

• 1906 - The Pirates became the first team to use a canvas tarp to cover the infield when it stormed after the game at North Side’s Exposition Park, a damp 5-1 loss to the Cubs. Bucco skipper Fred Clarke designed and held the patent for the tarp calling it a “diamond cover.” It worked as intended; despite the showers, the field held up and the two teams played the next day. 
• 1914 - OF Ed Lennox of the Pittsburgh Rebels recorded the only cycle ever hit during the Federal League’s existence against the Kansas City Packers in a 10-4 win at Gordon and Koppel Stadium, cracking two homers among his five knocks. A cycle with two long balls wouldn’t be duplicated again until 1937 when it was accomplished by The Yankee Clipper, Joe DiMaggio. 
• 1921 - RHP Bob Chesnes was born in Oakland, California. As a 27-year-old back from the service, he spent three years dazzling minor league hitters before the Pirates bought his contract from the San Francisco Seals for $100,000 and four players in 1947. He went 14-6 the next season with 15 complete games and a 3.57 ERA/.275 BA (he was a former SS). But he only won 10 games in the next two seasons, the victim of a burned out arm, and was done in the MLB by 1950. 
• 1923 - C Earl Turner was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. After serving in the Army and then the minors, Earl’s MLB days were spent sipping cups of coffee in Pittsburgh in 1948 and again in 1950, hitting .240 in his 42-game career. Turner spent most of 1950-52 in the upper minors before retiring from baseball. 

Dick Cole - 1955 Bowman

• 1926 - IF Dick Cole was born in Long Beach. Cole played for Pittsburgh in 1951 and again in 1953-56, batting .253 mostly as a bench player, although he was a regular playing shortstop and the hot corner in 1954, hitting .270. Later, after a stint with the Central Scouting Bureau, Cole became a scout for the Pirates from 1970 to 1974, eventually becoming the Scouting Supervisor. 
• 1951 - Cliff Chambers pitched the second no-hitter in Pirates' history (Nick Maddox tossed the first in 1907), a 3-0 victory in the nitecap of a doubleheader at Boston’s Braves Field. He wasn’t exactly on top of his game, walking eight and uncorking a wild pitch, but was untouchable when he was in the strike zone. Warren Spahn won the opener handily for the Braves by a 6-0 tally. It was Chambers’ last win as a Bucco; he was traded to the Cards a month later with a 3-6/5.58 line. There, he went 4-0/2.76 against Pittsburgh and 11-6/3.83 in his last campaign.
• 1956 - OF Alberto Lois was born in Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic. He played briefly for the Bucs in 1978-79. He was a big-time, five-tool prospect signed as a 17-year-old by super-scout Howie Haak, but a series of nagging injuries gave him a rep as a malingerer that dogged him in the minors. Still, he got a quick look in ‘78 and was called up during the ‘79 dog days. But one night during the offseason, he drove his pickup truck into a stalled train sitting at an unlit railroad crossing. The wreck killed several of his friends and badly injured his eye, ending his career. 
• 1968 - The Bucs’ Jim Bunning and the Bravos’ Pat Jarvis hooked up in a duel at Atlanta Stadium, with Pittsburgh coming out on top by a 2-1 score as Donn Clendenon’s two-run homer in the fourth frame held up. There was some drama in the eighth when Bunning sprained his ankle (it proved minor; he didn’t miss a start) and Ronnie Kline had to come in cold, but the vet finished up coolly, giving up two hits over the final two frames to save the win for Bunning and the Bucs.