8/29 Through 1984: Bert Gem, DIY Robby & Friend, Game Tales, SI-Dave, WENS-TV; RIP Big Poison, HBD Billy, Dode, Pep, Woody, Ensign & Jimmie
- 1883 – UT Jimmie Savage was born in Southington, Connecticut. Savage appeared in the show for three seasons, including 1914-15 when he played for the Pittsburgh Rebels of the Federal League. Jimmie, then 30-years-old, played mostly in left but filled in at short and third base as needed. He finished his Rebel days with a .278 BA and his only MLB homer. He stayed local, dying in New Castle, but true to his family roots, Jimmie was buried in Southington.
- 1888 – LHP Ensign (his given name) Cottrell was born in Hoosick Falls, New York. He started his five-year career in the majors in 1911 with the Pirates after leaving Syracuse University, giving up four runs in his inning of work, and was released later in the season without any more action. He tossed his last game in 1915 for the Yankees, then went off to RPI to finish his education, becoming a self-employed civil engineer and surveyor in Syracuse.
- 1892 – OF/1B Roy “Woody” Wood was born in Monticello, Arkansas. Roy started his three-year career with the Pirates after playing for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He hit .286 in a short stint, played two years for Cleveland and then left baseball after the 1916 season to become a naval aviator in WW1. Woody went back to Fayetteville afterward, opened a dry goods store and was a mover in the town’s civic affairs before passing away at home in 1974.
- 1907 – IF Lemuel Floyd “Pep” Young was born in Jamestown, North Carolina. He played eight years (1933-40) for the Bucs, hitting .264 and playing mainly second, but with some shortstop and third thrown in. He was a lineup regular for four years, with the high tide of his career being in 1938, when he received some votes for the National League MVP after hitting .278 in 149 games. As fate would have it, he hurt his knee the next season, and played just 93 games over his three years (1940-41; 1945). He became Pep because he was as peppy as an Energizer Bunny. Per the Harrisburg Daily Independent, “He is the sort of player…who is on his toes all the time, chock full of life and ginger. It was his great display of energy in the minors that earned him the nickname of ‘Pep.’”
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| Pep Young (1935) – 1992 Conlon Collection/TSN |
- 1918 – C Joe “Dode” Schultz Jr. was born in Chicago. He played for the Bucs from 1939-41, hitting .231 as a seldom used reserve and pinch hitter. His dad, Joe Sr., was also a Pirate, donning the Bucco uni in 1916. Dode went on to manage the Seattle Pilots in 1969 and replaced Billy Martin as the Tigers skipper in 1973 in addition to serving a long minor league coaching career. As for his nickname, Rory Costello of SABR wrote “As a child, Joe’s parents nicknamed him Dode, although the boy (Joe) ‘had no idea what it meant, if anything.’” The book “Detroit Tigers Lists and More” by Mark Pattison & David Raglin claims Dode is shorthand for “Dodo.” Roll the dice and take yer chances…
- 1919 – SS Billy Cox was born in Newport, located in central Pennsylvania. He got a September call-up in 1941, spent four years in the service and became the starting Bucco shortstop in 1946-47, batting .280. He was traded to Brooklyn, moved to the hot corner, and played seven seasons for the Dodgers, getting to play in three World Series, where he hit .302.
- 1953 – TV station WENS (Channel 16) kicked off its entry into the Pittsburgh market by being the first to televise a Pirate game from Forbes Field. There were two high cameras (one behind home, the other on the first base line; eventually, a third field-level camera was added) while the radio announcers, Rosey Rowswell and Bob Prince, did the play-by-play. Oh, the Bucs lost to the St. Louis Cards 5-4 in front of 3,145 that Saturday afternoon despite 2B Johnny O’Brien’s three hits. WENS chose the ballgame to start as they were heavily into sports, televising not only the Bucs but Duquesne basketball and Pittsburgh Hornet hockey. WENS (W-Entertainment, News, Sports) was an ABC affiliate and went off the air in 1957 after Channels 4 & 11 were licensed.
- 1956 – The Pirates rallied in the ninth to tie the Braves, 1-1, at County Stadium, only to lose when Roy Face was tagged for a three-run, walk-off homer by Joe Adcock. But there was, despite the low score, plenty of action. In the fourth, Dick Groat asked for a clean ball to be put into play and home plate Frank Dascoli denied him. That started a heated argument, as the Bucs believed Milwaukee starter Lew Burdette was tossing a wet one (a career-long suspicion), which was the trigger for Groat’s request. Then in the eighth, Frank Thomas was rung up trying to score; that call was also disputed and ended up getting Danny Murtaugh and Ronnie Kline sent to the showers.
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| Bob Friend – 1959 Topps |
- 1959 – Bob Friend helped himself by driving in three runs with a two-out, bases-loaded double while tossing a nine-hitter against the Phils in an 11-1 romp at Forbes Field. Smoky Burgess also chased home a trio of runs with a pair of homers while Dick Groat added four hits.
- 1965 – Hall of Fame OF’er Paul “Big Poison” Waner died in Sarasota, Florida at age 62. Among his many marks were a .333 lifetime BA, 3,152 hits with eight 200+ hit seasons, and a 1927 MVP award. His #11 was retired by the Pirates in 2007. After his playing days, he owned a batting cage teaching establishment in Harmarville, and one of the guys he helped develop there was rookie shortstop and eventual MVP Dick Groat of Wilkinsburg.
- 1970 – Dave Giusti was featured on the cover of The Sporting News for the story “Pirate Cutthroat.” He posted a line of 9-3-26/3.06 during his “cutthroat” season, answering the bell 66 times and working 103 innings.
- 1978 – Despite a 36-minute rain delay, Bert Blyleven spun a five-hit, complete game shutout with eight strikeouts in a 5-0 win over the Reds at Riverfront Stadium. Willie Stargell led the attack with three hits, including a homer, and three RBI while Dave Parker & Ed Ott anted up a pair of knocks. It was Bert’s 39th whitewash; he would go on to toss 60 during his career.
- 1983 – The Pirates Rick Rhoden, with late help from Kent Tekulve, edged the Cincinnati Reds, 2-1, at Riverfront Stadium to increase the Bucs division lead to 1-1/2 games over the Phils and Expos. Rhoden scattered six hits and fanned nine while helping himself with an RBI knock; the other run came courtesy of a Marvell Wynne homer. Teke picked up the slack by tossing two innings of one-hit ball after Rhoden left the game with a “twinge” in his arm.
- 1984 – God helps those who help themselves: RHP Don Robinson pitched two scoreless innings of relief, knocked in the go-ahead run and scored the insurance marker as the Pirates beat the Astros, 4-2, at The Astrodome. Robinson broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the 9th inning with a two-out single and touched home for the fourth run after Tony Pena followed with a double.
Source: https://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2024/08/829-through-1984-bert-gem-diy-robby.html
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