August 17
1984 A stamp
featuring Roberto Clemente, the fourth in a series honoring American sports
heroes, is unveiled in Carolina, Puerto Rico, the late Pirates outfielder's
home. The twenty cent six-color commemorative, designed by Juan Lopez-Bonilla,
shows the pensive Hall of Famer wearing his Pittsburgh cap with the Puerto
Rican flag in the background.
2003 Good grief,
Peanuts character Charlie Brown joins late broadcaster Bob Prince, Negro League
star Josh Gibson, former catcher Manny Sanguillen, and current shortstop Jack
Wilson to be honored by the Pirates with a bobblehead doll give-away day.
Almost ten percent of the nearly 18,000 Peanuts strips created by Charles
Schulz focused on baseball.
August 18
1930 Carl Barger, baseball president of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1987 to the beginning of 1991, was born.
1934 Roberto
Clemente was born on this day in 1934.
1959 Long time
baseball executive Branch Rickey is named president of the newly formed
Continental League. The 77-year old former Dodger general manager is currently
serving as an advisor with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
August 20
1939 After
dropping the opener to Chicago, 9-5, the Pirates snap a twelve game losing streak
with a 5-0 victory in the nightcap. Max Butcher goes the distance in the
shortened six-inning game, limiting the visitors to just two hits in the Forbes
Field contest.
1945 Dodger
shortstop Tommy Brown becomes the youngest player (17 years, 8 months and 14
days) in major league history to hit a home run. The round-tripper by
'Buckshot', who started his career as a 16 year-old high school student, will
be the only run Brooklyn scores off 30-year old Pirates' southpaw Preacher Roe,
who goes the distance in the 11-1 rout of the home team at Ebbets Field.
2012 The official
first-day-of-issue dedication ceremony for the Major League Baseball All-Stars
Forever stamps take place at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in
Cooperstown, NY. The very popular philatelic series based on historic
photographs honors Yankee Joe DiMaggio; Larry Doby of the Indians; Pirate
Willie Stargell of the Pirates and Red Sox legend Ted Williams.
1922 Carson Bigbee |
August 22
1917 In a
22-inning contest against the Dodgers, Pirates' outfielder Carson Bigbee sets a
major-league record with 11 at-bats. The game was also the fourth straight
extra-inning game played by Pittsburgh (total of 59 innings) which sets a
National League record.
T206 Howie Camnitz |
August 23
1907 In the
nightcap of a twin bill at the Polo Grounds, Pirates right-hander Howie Camnitz
tosses a no-hitter. Pittsburgh beats the Giants in a shortened five-innning
game, 1-0.
1998 With his 50th
and 51st dingers, Cubs' slugger Sammy Sosa joins Mark McGwire (53) of the
Cardinals in hitting 50 home runs making it only the second time two National
League hitters have reach the plateau in the same season. Pirates outfielder
Ralph Kiner and Giants first baseman Johnny Mize each hit a league-leading 51
round trippers in 1947.
2001 Arizona
left-hander Randy Johnson becomes the first pitcher to strike out 300 batters
in four consecutive seasons, The 'Big Unit's' 16-strikeout performance isn't
enough as the Pirates beat the Diamondbacks, 5-1, ending the southpaw's
eight-game winning streak.
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