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.