Sunday, June 29, 2014

This Week in Pittsburgh Pirates History - June 29-July 5

This week in Pittsburgh Pirates history -

John Wehner
June 29

1909      The Pirates play their last game at Exposition Park defeating the Cubs, 8-1, in front of 5,545 fans. Tomorrow the team will leave the small and cramped ballpark on the north side of the Allegheny River to play at Forbes Field, baseball's first stadium to be constructed with concrete and steel.

1967      John Wehner born.


June 30

1909      The Cubs spoil the Pirates' debut at Forbes Field, 3-2. The new state-of-the-art ballpark, named for General John Forbes who was an officer in the French and Indian War, is the first stadium to be made completely of steel and poured concrete.  An overflow crowd of 30,338 witnesses the Pirates fall to the Chicago Cubs, 3-2, in the first game played at Forbes Field, the nation's first ballpark made completely of poured concrete and steel.


July 5

1953      Blanking the Pirates at Forbes Field, 2-0, Robin Roberts hurls his 28th consecutive complete game. The Phillies right-hander has finished every game he started since beating the Cardinals on August 28, 1952.

1985      Garry Templeton is intentionally walked four times by the Pirates tying a major league record set in 1962 by Yankee outfielder Roger Maris. The fourth free pass, issued in the 12th inning, leads to the Padres shortstop scoring a run, but Pittsburgh comes back with three tallies in the bottom of the frame to win the Three Rivers Stadium contest, 5-4.
Barry Bonds

1989      Barry Bonds' homer puts the Pirates outfielder and his dad, Bobby, first on the all-time father and son home run leader list with 408. Previously the Bells (Gus and Buddy) and the Berras (Yogi and Dale) were tied with 407.

1998      Defeating the Orioles 1-0, the Yankees improve their record to 61-20 equaling the best 81-game start in major league history. The mark matches the record of the 1902 Pittsburgh Pirates and the 1907 Chicago Cubs.

2001      Pirates' skipper Lloyd McClendon is fined $1,000 for walking off the field with first base in the June 26 Brewers game. It's the first time a manager has been fined for 'stealing' a base.


 

Sunday, June 22, 2014

1887 N284 Buchner Gold Coins

1887 N284 Buchner Gold Coins Pittsburgh Alleghenys

Issued circa 1887, the N284 issue was produced by D. Buchner and Co. for its Gold Coin brand of chewing tobacco. Actually the series was not comprised only of baseball players – actors, jockeys, firemen, and policemen were included. The cards, which measure 1-3/4” by 3”, are color drawings. The set is not a popular one among collectors as the drawings do not in all cases represent the players designated on the cards. In most instances, players at a given position share the same drawing depicted on the card front. Three different card backs are found, all advertising collectors to save the valuable chewing tobacco wrappers. Wrappers could be redeemed for various prizes.

On April 30 The Pittsburgh Alleghenys play their first National League game, defeating the defending league champion Chicago White Stockings, 6-2, in front of nearly 10,000 fans at Recreation Park. Pittsburgh would go on to finish in sixth Place with a 55-69 record.

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1887 N284 Buchner Gold Coins
Sam Barkley 
Ed Beecher
Tom Brown
Fred Carroll 
John Coleman
Jim McCormick
Doggie Miller
Pap Smith
Art Whitney 








Saturday, June 21, 2014

1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders

1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates have to settle for second place finishing ten games out first despite a solid record of 93-58.


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1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folders
Chase Dives into Third - George Gibson & Fred Clarke
Chase Dives into Third - Deacon Phillippe & George Gibson
Chase Guarding First - George Gibson & Fred Clarke
Chase Guarding First - Lefty Leifield & George Gibson
Collins Easily Safe - Bobby Byrne & Fred Clarke
Donlin Out at First - Howie Camnitz & George Gibson
Donlin Out at First - Tommy Leach & Chief Wilson
Donlin Out at First - George Gibson & Deacon Phillippe
Speaker Almost Caught - Dots Miller & Fred Clarke





















1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders

1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders Pittsburgh Pirates

Honus Wagner closes out the season with a .334 average, good enough to earn the "Flying Dutchman" his National League record 8th, and final, batting title. However the Pirates would only finish in third place with an 85-69 record.


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1911 T201 Mecca Double Folders
Robert Byrne / Fred Clarke
George Gibson / Thomas Leach
Mike Simon / Albert "Lefty" Leifield








1911 T3 Turkey Red

1911 T3 Turkey Red Pittsburgh Pirates

Honus Wagner closes out the season with a .334 average, good enough to earn the "Flying Dutchman" his National League record 8th, and final, batting title. However the Pirates would only finish in third place with an 85-69 record.

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1911 T3 Turkey Red 
3 Tommy Leach 
7 Howie Camnitz 
8 Fred Clarke 
94 George Gibson 
126 Chief Wilson 









1910 E93 Standard Caramel

1910 E93 Standard Caramel Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates follow up their World Championship with a solid but unrewarding third Place 86-67 season.


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1910 E93 Standard Caramel 
Fred Clarke  
George Gibson  
Tommy Leach  
Deacon Phillippe
Honus Wagner  









1934 Goudey

1934 Goudey Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates sink to fifth place posting a mediocre 76-78 record.


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1934 Goudey
11 Paul Waner
22 Arky Vaughan
29 Larry French
57 Bill Swift
58 Earl Grace 
86 Lloyd Johnson CK 








1933 Goudey

1933 Goudey Pittsburgh Pirates

Goudey’s 1933 Big League Gum set initiated a Golden Age for collectibles. The cards' most recognizable feature is their 2-3/8" by 2-7/8" size (much bigger than their predecessors' considerably narrower dimensions), as well as colorful, artistic illustrations that set a modern standard in terms of eye-appeal. The issue consisted of 239 cards, with a 240th entry – the remarkably scarce Napoleon Lajoie #106 - produced in 1934 in response to consumer outcry and mailed to fans only upon request. Prominent among the 1933 series' content is an abundance of Hall of Famers. The 1933 Goudey cards were printed on ten different press sheets containing 24 cards apiece, and the subjects found on the first two of those sheets ("Low Numbers") are a bit scarcer than the issue's other entries. Goudey's 1933 cards were also printed on thicker cardboard stock than their tobacco card predecessors, with that thickness establishing the template for modern day cards.

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1933 Goudey
22 Pie Traynor
25 Paul Waner
36 Tommy Thevenow
54 Ray Kremer
60 Waite Hoyt
77 Adam Comorosky
133 Fred Lindstrom
164 Lloyd Waner
205 Heinie Meine
206 Gus Suhr
228 Tony Piet
229 Floyd Vaughan










1933 R333 DeLong

1933 R333 DeLong Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates fall just short of the National League Pennant again this time finishing behind the New York Giants with an 87-67 record.

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1933 DeLong R333 
11 Fred Lindstrom 
12 Pie Traynor 











1934-1936 Diamond Stars

1934-1936 Diamond Stars Pittsburgh Pirates

Issued continuously from 1934 to 1936, the National Chicle Diamond Stars (R327) set consists of 108 cards, each of which measures 2-3/8” by 2-7/8”. Each item features a color art rendering of a player photograph, usually “in action,” along with his name. The precise year of issue is deciphered by player statistics printed on the reverse – which also display a biography or big league tip – which is printed on a green or blue background. The final 12 cards in the set are generally more difficult to obtain and feature the likes of Al Lopez (#97), Pie Traynor (#99), Bill Dickey (#103), Red Rolfe (#104), Ernie Lombardi (#105) and Wally Berger (#108). Variations exist of several players who were issued in more than one year but with different colored backs, including Mickey Cochraine, Bill Dickey, Tony Lazzeri, Heinie Manush and Paul Waner, resulting in a “master set” of 170 cards.

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1934-36 Diamond Stars
16 Lloyd Waner
27 Pie Traynor
56 Gus Suhr
57 Cy Blanton
69 Earl Grace
83 Paul Waner
99 Pie Traynor 










1935 Goudey 4-in-1

1935 Goudey 4-in-1 Pittsburgh Pirates

In a game at Forbes Field on May 25th, Babe Ruth now playing for the Boston Braves strokes the final three home runs of his career. The final blow is the first ever to clear the then ten-year-old right field roof. The Pirates would go on to finish the season fourth with an 86-67 record.


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1935 Goudey 4-in-1
Cy Blanton - Babe Herman - Tom Padden - Gus Suhr
Guy Bush - Waite Hoyt - Lloyd Waner - Paul Waner







1941 Double Play

1941 Double Play Pittsburgh Pirates

At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Pirates SS Arky Vaughan becomes the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star Game, cracking a pair of two-run homers. However, Vauighn's blasts are overshadowed by a Game Winning home run by Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams. The Pirates would not fair much better finishing in 4th Place with an 81-73 record.


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1941 Double Play
33/34  Lee Handley/Arky Vaughan
35/36  Bob Klinger/Stanley Brown
149/150  Debs Garms/Elbert Fletcher








1940 Play Ball

1940 Play Ball Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates continue to drift among the mediocre as they finish in fourth place with a record of 78-76.



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1940 Play Ball
103 Elbie Fletcher 
104 Paul Waner 
105 Lloyd Waner 
106 Pep Young 
107 Arky Vaughan 
108 Johnny Rizzo 
161 Debs Garms 
162 Joe Bowman 
163 Spud Davis 
164 Ray Berres 
165 Bob Klinger 
166 Bill Brubaker 
167 Frankie Frisch MG 
168 Honus Wagner CO 
176 Heinie Manush 
178 Max Carey 
219 Russ Bauers 
220 Mace Brown 
221 Lee Handley 
222 Max Butcher 
224 Pie Traynor 
228 Charlie Grimm 





1931 W517

1931 W517 Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates finish in fifth place again as they fall below .500 with a record of 75-79.



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1931 W517
2 Pie Traynor
34 Paul Waner










1941 Play Ball

1941 Play Ball Pittsburgh Pirates

At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Pirates SS Arky Vaughan becomes the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star Game, cracking a pair of two-run homers. However, Vaughn's blasts are overshadowed by a Game Winning home run by Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams. The Pirates would not fair much better finishing in 4th Place with an 81-73 record.

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1941 Play Ball 
10 Arky Vaughan 
11 Debs Garms 
61 Vince DiMaggio  
62 Elbie Fletcher 





1941 Goudey

1941 Goudey Pittsburgh Pirates

At Detroit's Briggs Stadium, Pirates SS Arky Vaughan becomes the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star Game, cracking a pair of two-run homers. However, Vaughn's blasts are overshadowed by a Game Winning home run by Boston Red Sox star Ted Williams. The Pirates would not fair much better finishing in 4th Place with an 81-73 record.


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1941 Goudey
26 Elbert Fletcher
29 Debs Garms 
















Sunday, June 15, 2014

This Week in Pittsburgh Pirates History - June 15-21

This week in Pittsburgh Pirates history - 

June 15

1958      Identical twins are split up by the Pirates when Eddie O'Brien stays with Pittsburgh, but his brother Johnny, along with third baseman Gene Freese, is traded to the Cardinals for infielder Dick Schofield.

1976      Massive flooding in the Houston metropolitan area prevents the umpiring crew from reaching the Astrodome and causes the first 'rain out' in the history of the enclosed ballpark. After the game is called off, the Pirates and Astros players, who had arrived early for practice, shared their clubhouse meal on the field with the few die-hard fans who braved the elements hoping to see a game.


June 16

1998      The Phillies score seven runs in the the bottom of the ninth in an amazing 8-7 come-from-behind win over the stunned Pirates. Mike Lieberthal's two-out, three-run blast off Rich Loiselle is the final blow that sinks the Bucs.


June 19
Paul Waner

1942      Paul Waner singles off Pirate Rip Sewell to collect his 3000th hit. The Braves outfielder becomes the seventh major leaguer to accomplish this feat and the first to do it since 1925.

1972      At Three Rivers Stadium, Roberto Clemente hits a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning to become the Pirates all-time RBI leader. The Pittsburgh right fielder's three RBIs in the 13-3 drubbing of the Dodgers gives the future Hall of Famer a total of 1,274 runs batted in for the Bucs.

2010      The Pirates fire a mascot who participates in the in-game pierogi race due to the criticism of the team's upper management posted on his Facebook page. The 24-year old, who will be reinstated by Pittsburgh, is offered a position by the Washington Wild Things of the Frontier League, an independent baseball organization, to become one of its racing hot dogs.


June 20
Max Carey

1925      At Forbes Field, Max Carey becomes the first switch-hitter to hit for the cycle. The Pirate outfielder's performance helps Pittsburgh to bash Brooklyn, 21-5.

1982      At Three Rivers Stadium, in a 3-1 loss to the Pirates, Pete Rose becomes the fifth major leaguer to appear in 3000 games. The Phillies first baseman, playing in his 523rd consecutive contest, joins Ty Cobb‚ Stan Musial‚ Hank Aaron‚ and Carl Yastrzemski as one of only five players to reach the milestone.




Sunday, June 08, 2014

1948 Bowman

1948 Bowman Pittsburgh Pirates

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1948 BOWMAN
3 Ralph Kiner








1948-1949 Leaf

1948-1949 Leaf Pittsburgh Pirates

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Team Set Checklist

1948-1949 LEAF
43 Eddie Stevens
70 Honus Wagner
91 Ralph Kiner
129 Kirby Higbe
139 Johnny Hopp
142 Danny Murtaugh





This Week in Pittsburgh Pirates History - June 8-14

This week in Pittsburgh Pirates history - 

June 8
1980 Topps Jim Rooker

1989      After the Pirates take a 10-0 lead in Philadelphia by sending 16 batters to the plate in the first inning, Pirates' broadcaster Jim Rooker announces if the Bucs lose the game he'll walk back to Pittsburgh. True to his word, the radio by-by-play man organizes a charity walk from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh after the season as a result of the Phillies comeback win over the Pirates, 15-11.

2010      The much anticipated major league debut of Stephen Strasburg lives up to its hype when the 21-year old whiffs 14 Pirate batters in seven innings in the Nationals' 5-2 victory in Washington, D.C. Baffling Pittsburgh with a mix of 100-mph fastballs and devastating curves, the right-handed rookie’s strikeout total is second only to Houston’s J.R. Richard, who fanned 15 Giants in 1971.


June 9
1935 Goudey Waner Brothers

1929      Brothers and teammates Lloyd and Paul Waner each hit a home run in the same game in the Pirates' 9-6 loss to the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field. The homers mark the second of three times Big Poison and Little Poison will accomplish the feat.

1949      In eighteen innings, the Phillies beat the Pirates at Shibe Park, 4-3. The intrastate rivals both have sixteen hits in sixty-eight at bats and commit three errors along with twenty-one assists.

1951      Dave Parker, who won the NL MVP in 1978, was born.

1989      Mets outfielder Darryl Strawberry hits his 200th career home run in a ten-inning, 4-3, loss to the Pirates. The six-foot, six-inch slugger will finish his 18-year major league career with 335 round-trippers.


June 10

1954      Reds' southpaw Fred Baczewski goes the distance blanking Pittsburgh at Crosley Field, 6-0. 'Lefty', a former college basketball player at the University of Tennessee, gives up 11 hits and walks a batter, but the Pirates strand 12 players on the bases.


June 11
1972 Topps Bruce Kison

1972     LA outfielders Manny Mota and Willie Davis both hit inside-the-park homers down the foul lines at Dodger Stadium off Bucs' starter Bruce Kison. Roberto Clemente's seventh inning home run over the fence proves to be the difference in Pittsburgh's 7-5 victory, their 21st win the last 26 games.

2013      In a much-anticipated major league debut, Gerrit Cole throws six scoreless six innings in the Pirates' 8-2 victory over San Francisco at PNC Park. A larger-than-average Tuesday night crowd of 30,614, which includes over 10,000 walk-ups, are on hand to watch the overall 2011 First-Year Player Draft No. 1 selection earn his first big league career victory.



June 12

1957      Playing in his 823rd consecutive-game, Stan Musial breaks the National League record for endurance. The previous mark was set by Pirates first baseman Gus Suhr in 1937.

1970      Dock Ellis throws a 2-0 no-hitter against the Padres in San Diego during the first game of a twin bill at Jack Murphy Stadium. The former Pirates' right-hander, who became an advocate of anti-drug programs, claims he was under the influence of LSD while tossing the most memorable game in his career.



June 13

1973      Dock Ellis walks a batter without ever throwing a pitch to him. After going 2-0 on the Atlanta left fielder Sonny Jackson, the Pirates right-hander is replaced by Ramon Hernandez, who throws two more balls to Dick Dietz, a pinch-hitter for Jackson, to complete the base-on-balls which is attributed to the Bucs' starting pitcher.