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8/25 Through the 1950s: Wilbur Cooper Trade; Klu Dealt; Wired Ump; Game Stories; HBD Sam, Tony & Jim

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  • 1892 – 3B Norman “Tony” Boeckel was born in Los Angeles. He spent the first two years (1917, 1919) of his career as a Pirate, batting .259 in 109 games. He was hurt early in his first campaign, and got in just 65 games after returning from the Navy during the second stint as he lost the job to his 1918 replacement, Walter Barbare, and was waived to Boston. He prospered there from 1920-23, where he was the starter. But he was struck down in early 1924, dying in a car accident at age 31 in San Diego. The Yankees Bob Meusel was riding with him, but was uninjured; Boeckel became the first active MLB player to die in a car wreck. 
Bobby Byrne – 1910 American Caramel
  • 1910 – In the 12th inning at Washington Park, Bobby Byrne legged out a hustle double, stole third, then swiped home to beat the Brooklyn Superbas, 4-3. It was the NL’s first 20th century extra-inning steal of home. The Superba’s skipper, Bill Dahlen, decided to intentionally walk the bases loaded after the steal of third (a decision that did not sit well with his pitcher, George Bell) to set up the force rather than face Fred Clarke and Hans Wagner. Bell got two strikes on John Flynn, then Byrnes took matters in his own hands and bolted home; the 0-2 pitch was wide and eluded the catcher, so Byrne’s timing was right. As for the Superba strategy, Ralph Davis of the Pittsburgh Press wrote “…fans were calling Dahlen a dub, whereas if his plans had worked out right, they would be hailing him as a real genius and wonderful thinker.” Still holds true today. 
  • 1912 – The Pirates traded for 20 year old LHP Arley Wilbur Cooper from Columbus of the American Association for a pair of PTBNL. He was arguably Pittsburgh’s best franchise pitcher. He’s the Pirates all-time leader in wins with 202, lasting 13 seasons (1912-24) as a Bucco, starting 369 games and appearing in 469 outings with a 2.74 ERA. He began his professional career in 1911 with minor league Marion, a club that was owned by newspaper publisher and future US President Warren Harding. Legend has it that Harding was the person who recommended Wilbur to the Pirates. 
  • 1913 - Coach Sam Narron was born in Middlesex, North Carolina. Narron spent most of his playing career in the minors as a converted OF’er turned catcher, tho he appeared in parts of three seasons (1935, 1942 and 1943) with the St. Louis Cardinals, playing in 24 games and getting just 28 at bats. After his playing career ended in 1948, he became the bullpen catcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers for two years, then followed GM Branch Rickey to the Pirates (and outlasted him by quite a bit) as the Buccos bullpen coach from 1951 through 1964 for managers Bill Meyer, Fred Haney, Bobby Bragan, and Danny Murtaugh. He lasted until Harry Walker became skipper and axed all of Murtaugh’s coaching staff, and Sam retired to the farm. 
  • 1926 – RHP Jim Suchecki was born in Chicago. He made MLB stops for three teams,the last being the 1952 Pirates, working 10 innings and giving up six runs on 14 hits with six K. The Pirates had purchased him from St. Louis on a “make good” basis, and after a month they returned him to the Browns after he apparently failed to make good, and it was his last MLB stint. He pitched in the pro ranks from 1943-54, with time off to serve in the Navy. He retired and worked for a refinery, later operating an employment agency. 
  • 1929 - Per The Sporting News, the fans were able to hear the calls of home plate umpire Cy Rigler, who was wired for sound, a first in major league history. Wearing a mike and metal-plated shoes, standing on a flat metal sheet, Rigler’s calls were broadcast over the Polo Ground speakers as he somehow avoided electrocution. The Giants topped the Pirates, 10-5, as the Bucs committed three errors and allowed six early unearned runs as the clang of their mitts resounded unaided throughout the Polo Grounds. 
Bill Bell – 1952 photo via Diamonds in the Dusk
  • 1952 – 18 year old RHP Bill “Ding Dong” Bell tossed his third no-hitter as a member of the Pirates Class D Appalachian League affiliate Bristol, winning 4-0 in a seven inning game against Bluefield. Bell is one of two professional pitchers to toss three no-hitters in the same season. He was called up in September by the Bucs after posting an 11-3/2.09 slash, though he did have one big red flag – in 112 IP, he had 194 whiffs, but also 113 walks. Ding Dong made it back to Pittsburgh for a short while in 1955, but his wildness continued – Bell was 0-1, 4.32 in his MLB career with 14 walks in 16-⅔ IP. 
  • 1959 – The White Sox sent 3B Bob Sagers and OF/1B Harry “Suitcase” Simpson packing to Pittsburgh in exchange for vet 1B Ted Kluszewski, looking to improve their bench. Klu hit .297 during the rest of the season and .391 with three homers in the World Series for the Sox. Simpson retired after the season and Sagers was a career minor leaguer. Per SABR, Harry wore a size 13 shoe, and a sportswriter dubbed him “Suitcase” Simpson based on a character by that name with feet as large as suitcases from the comic strip “Toonerville Folks.”


Source: https://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2020/08/825-through-1950s-wilbur-cooper-trade.html



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