The Pirates follow up their Championship with an equally impressive season winning their third straight division title with a 96-59 record. On September 30, the final day of the regular season, Roberto Clemente hits a 4th inning double off Jon Matlack at Three Rivers Stadium, and becomes only the 11th player in major league history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau. Little did anyone know that would be Clemente's final hit. The Pirates would go on to play the Cincinnati Reds again in the NLCS. After splitting the first two games the Pirates lead Game 5 by a score of 3-2 in the ninth inning. The Reds tie the game on Johnny Bench's lead off HR and win the game and the series when Pirates Bob Moose uncorks a wild pitch. Tragedy strikes the Pirates and all of baseball hard on New Year's Eve when Roberto Clemente who was on a humanitarian mission to help earthquake victims in Nicaragua, dies in a plane crash. Clemente would instantly be enshrined in the hall of fame. In addition he would go on to have an annual humanitarian award named after him that goes to a player who does something special for his community or charitable organizations.
Baseball Reference
Baseball Almanac
Team Set Checklist
1972 Topps
|
Card#
|
1972 TOPPS PIRATES TEAM WORLD
CHAMPIONS
|
1
|
1972 TOPPS BOB JOHNSON
|
27
|
1972 TOPPS MANNY SANGUILLEN
|
60
|
1972 TOPPS BRUCE KISON
|
72
|
1972 TOPPS N.L. R.B.I. LEADERS
AARON/STARGELL/TORRE
|
87
|
1972 TOPPS N.L. HOME RUN LEADERS
AARON/MAY/STARGELL
|
89
|
1972 TOPPS DAVE CASH
|
125
|
1972 TOPPS GENE CLINES
|
152
|
1972 TOPPS DOCK ELLIS
|
179
|
1972 TOPPS DOCK ELLIS IN ACTION
|
180
|
1972 TOPPS DAVE GIUSTI
|
190
|
1972 TOPPS RENNIE STENNETT
|
219
|
1972 TOPPS N.L PLAYOFFS BUCS
CHAMPS
|
221
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 2
|
224
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 3
|
225
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 4
|
226
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 5
|
227
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 6
|
228
|
1972 TOPPS WORLD SERIES GAME 7
|
229
|
1972 TOPPS SERIES CELEBRATION ON
TOP OF THE WORLD
|
230
|
1972 TOPPS MILT MAY
|
247
|
1972 TOPPS GENE ALLEY
|
286
|
1972 TOPPS ROBERTO CLEMENTE
|
309
|
1972 TOPPS ROBERTO CLEMENTE IN
ACTION
|
310
|
1972 TOPPS STEVE BLASS
|
320
|
1972 TOPPS WILLIE STARGELL BOYHOOD
PHOTO
|
343
|
1972 TOPPS CAMBRIA/ZISK PIRATE
ROOKIES
|
392
|
1972 TOPPS BOB MILLER
|
414
|
1972 TOPPS BOB ROBERTSON
|
429
|
1972 TOPPS BOB ROBERTSON IN ACTION
|
430
|
1972 TOPPS WILLIE STARGELL
|
447
|
1972 TOPPS WILLIE STARGELL IN
ACTION
|
448
|
1972 TOPPS LUKE WALKER
|
471
|
1972 TOPPS JACKIE HERNANDEZ
|
502
|
1972 TOPPS CHARLIE SANDS
|
538
|
1972 TOPPS AL OLIVER
|
575
|
1972 TOPPS NELSON BRILES
|
605
|
1972 TOPPS RICH HEBNER
|
630
|
1972 TOPPS BOB MOOSE
|
647
|
1972 TOPPS BILL VIRDON
|
661
|
1972 TOPPS JOSE PAGAN
|
701
|
1972 TOPPS JOSE PAGAN IN ACTION
|
702
|
1972 TOPPS BOB VEALE
|
729
|
1972 TOPPS BILL MAZEROSKI
|
760
|
1972 TOPPS VIC DAVALILLO
|
785
|
