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7/9 Through the 1970s: Koback Signs; Waners Roll Seven; Turning Three; Rip's Blooper To Ted & ASGs; Gems, Exhibitions & Game Tales; HBD Coot

Sunday, July 9, 2023 7:33

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1885 – The Allegheny put a big hurt on the New York Metropolitans, thrashing them, 22-0, at Recreation Park before 1,000 fans. Cannonball Ed Morris didn’t need much help, whiffing nine Big Apple boys. He was backed by four hits from 3B Bill Kuehne and three each by C Fred Carroll and 2B Ed Whitney. The North Side nine was helped by some Gotham gifts – three walks, a bopped batter and six errors – to help augment the home side’s 18 hit attack.
1912 – In a duel of young guns, the Pirates Marty O’Toole bested the Phils Eppa Rixey, 2-0, at Forbes Field. Max Carey provided the big blow, a sixth-inning triple that was sandwiched around a pair of singles to account for the tallies off Rixey. 23-year-old O’Toole was in the midst of his best season, winning 15 games with a 2.71 ERA and a league-leading six shutouts.
1932 – IF Orville “Coot” Veal was born in Sandersville, Georgia. He spent six seasons playing MLB, with a short stay in Pittsburgh in 1962, when he struck out in his only Bucco at bat as a pinch hitter. The Pirates bought the sweet-fielding Veal’s contract from Washington during the off season, but he spent most of the spring at AAA Columbus before being traded to the Detroit Tigers for a minor leaguer. His last big league year was 1963, and he retired to Macon to become a salesman. Veal’s high school coach gave him the “Coot” tag, telling Veal that he reminded him of a player with that moniker who was on a barnstorming team.
1937 – The Waner brothers combined for seven hits as the Bucs rolled over the Chicago Cubs, 13-1, at Forbes Field. They had lots of help in a true team effort; everyone in the lineup had at least one hit and four of them had a pair of knocks. Of the 10 Pirates that played, seven both scored and knocked in a teammate or two while the other three either touched home or chased in a tally. Joe Bowman tossed a seven-hitter to coast to a complete game win.

Big & Little Poison – Helmar Big League Brew

1940 – Pittsburgh was represented by SS Arky Vaughan in the All-Star Game at St. Louis’ Sportsman’s Park. He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run in a 4-0 Senior Circuit victory over the Americans.
1942 – The Bucs drew 29,488 fans to Forbes Field on Army-Navy Relief Fund Night, raising over $36,000 in donations with an extra $10,000+ from the gate, and rewarded the patriotic crowd with a 9-0 win over the Phils. It was 1-0 after seven innings, but Philadelphia starter Frank Melton was lifted for a pinch hitter and Pittsburgh then rattled the Philly second line moundmen for eight more runs during their two innings. Rip Sewell tossed a five-hitter for the win.
1946 – Bucco Rip Sewell’s most famous blooper pitch came in the All Star game against Ted Williams at Fenway Park. Sewell warned Williams before the game he was going to throw him the blooper (eephus). With the AL ahead 8–0, Williams came to bat, and Sewell nodded to let him know the blooper was coming. Williams fouled it off. Sewell nodded again, and threw another blooper and then another. With the count 1–2, Williams smacked the next one for a home run, the only homer ever hit off Sewell’s trick pitch. As The Kid rounded the bases, Sewell followed him, saying, “the only reason you hit it was because I told you it was coming.” Williams laughed back, the fans loved it, and Sewell received a standing ovation when he walked off the mound. (from Donald Honig’s 1975 book “Baseball When the Grass Was Real”) The kicker was that The Splendid Splinter took a running start toward the pitch before he blasted it, and was out of the batter’s box when he made contact, but there were no rules sticklers on that day. 3B Frank Gustine was the other Pirate All-Star; he went 0-for-1 with a walk and no comedy skit.
1951 – The Pirates played an exhibition against their alumni as a fundraiser for Hazelwood native Moose Solters, who played in the American League for nine seasons before being blinded when he was hit with a ball during warmups. Organized by Lee Handley & Frankie Gustine, the game featured players like Bullet Bob Feller, Wally Westlake, Stan Rojek, Cliff Chambers, Dixie Howell, Preacher Roe, Billy Cox, Red Ruffing, Johnny Hopp, Bob Elliott, Gene Woodling and others. The Bucs beat the alumni, 1-0, in front of 9,553 at Forbes Field and raised around $17,500 for Moose, who left baseball before there was a pension and ran a bar to make ends meet. The prelim was a three-inning match between the Greenfield Cubs and Highland Little Leaguers.

Moose Day – photo 7/10/1951 Post-Gazette

1953 – Soon-to-be-18-year-old C Nick Koback, out of Hartford HS, was signed by the Pirates as a bonus baby via scout Ed McCarrick, with his contract guestimated to be worth $20K. Per the rules of the era, his contract value mandated that he go straight to the majors. Koback played from 1953-55 (when he debuted on July 29th, he was the youngest Pirate to ever play at 18-years, 10-days old), and in his first career start, Koback caught a complete game shutout tossed by Murry Dickson. But he only hit .121 in 16 career games and then toiled in the minors through the 1960 season. He went home to Connecticut after he retired and became a local golf pro.
1957 – C Hank Foiles was the Pirate’s rep at the All Star Game at Busch Stadium, a 6-5 win for the Junior Circuit. Hank hit once, and he singled and scored.
1959 – Starting his first game since injuring his shoulder on May 19th, Roberto Clemente’s 10th-inning leadoff single helped Elroy Face to his 18th consecutive win after the Baron of the Bullpen blew a save chance with two outs in the ninth. A bunt by Roman Mejias moved Clemente to second and a single by pinch-hitter Harry Bright sent Arriba home to complete the Bucs 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field and keep Face’s string alive; it would reach 22 games.
1963 – The NL beat the AL, 5-3, at Cleveland Stadium in the All Star game. Roberto Clemente came in as a late sub, never batting, and Bill Mazeroski was injured and didn’t play. The NL’s middle infield combo consisted of ex-Bucs Dick Groat and Julian Javier, who was traded because Maz blocked him as a Pirate, both now sporting Redbird logos across their chest.

Willie & Donn – 1967 Topps Pitt Power

1967 – Willie Stargell hit a walkoff homer against Reds’ reliever Jim Maloney that carried over the right field roof at Forbes Field to take a 2-1 win. Dennis Ribant tossed a complete game six-hitter to earn the Bucco victory. Cincinnati’s Gary Nolan was working on a seven-inning one-hitter when he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the top of the eighth. The Pirates only score before Pop’s pop was when Cincy botched a two-out grounder to allow Donn Clendenon to plate in the fifth frame. The Reds tied it in the top of the ninth on a two-out single by Vada Pinson.
1968 – All Star pitching duels don’t get much better than the National League’s 1-0 win over the American League in the ASG at the Astrodome as the only run scored in the first inning on a double play grounder. The Bucs didn’t have much to do with the outcome, as Matty Alou singled in his only at bat and Gene Alley, who was nursing a shoulder injury, sat on the pine
1971 – The Pirates turned the first triple play of the 1971 season when Atlanta’s Leo Foster banged a grounder to 3B Richie Hebner, who stepped on the hot corner, threw to Dave Cash at second and his relay to Bob Robertson at first nipped Foster to complete the play as the Pirates rolled past the Braves, 11-2, at Three Rivers Stadium. Willie Stargell went 3-for-4 with a homer, three runs scored and four RBI while Manny Sanguillen went 3-for-5 with a triple and four RBI. Richie Hebner also homered as Nellie Briles went the distance for the win.
1972 – The Bucs raced out to a 6-0 lead over the Braves and took home a 7-4 victory from Atlanta Stadium. All the Pirates’ runs were the result of four long balls swatted by Willie Stargell, Al Oliver, Manny Sanguillen and Bob Robertson, giving Nellie Briles all the support he needed for the complete game win; July 9th was a good day to send Briles against the Bravos (see above).

Mario Mendoza – 1977 Topps

1977 – SS Mario Mendoza smacked the only walkoff hit of his career, a two-out single to right in the 12th off Gene Garber at TRS, for a 9-8 Pirate win over the Phillies. Phil Garner had a good day, going 3-for-6 with a homer, double, two runs and two RBI, while Dave Parker also went downtown. Mendoza, btw, was batting under his own line, hitting just .182 at game time. The run-fest was surprising; the starters were John Candelaria and Lefty Carlton, who gave up 14 runs and 22 hits combined in 13-2/3 IP while Teke blew a two-run, ninth inning lead. The game’s hot sauce was provided when The Kissing Bandit, Morganna, ran onto the field and planted a wet one on the Candy Man.

Source: https://oldbucs.blogspot.com/2023/07/79-through-1970s-koback-signs-waners.html

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