4/11 Expo Park-Forbes Field Era: Pirates Uni; Late Fireworks; HBD Red, Hank & Turner

Tuesday, April 11, 2017 4:18

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1892 – C Williard “Red” Smith was born in Logansport, Indiana. Red’s MLB career consisted of two seasons (1917-18) with the Pirates as a reserve catcher; his .156 BA may help explain his brief stay. Red did have a 10-year MiLB career, hanging up the spikes at age 36 after catching 36 games for Class B Quincy of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League.

“Turkey” Mike Donlin shows off the Pirate logo in 1912 (Photo Charles Conlin)

1912 – Pittsburgh finally gave in to the inevitable and used “Pirates” on their uniforms, displayed in capital letters down the jersey’s button lapel. It replaced the old PBC (Pittsburgh Baseball Club) logo. It didn’t appreciably improve the club as they were drubbed 7-0 on opening day by St. Louis at Robison Field. They finished the year strong, though, ending up with a 93-58 record and a second place finish.
1919 – IF Hank Schenz was born in New Richmond, Ohio. He was with the Bucs in 1950 & ‘51 after four years with the Cubs. He hit .222 before being sold to the Giants during the 1951 campaign, and according to Dave Finoli’s Pirates By the Numbers, was the guy that stole and relayed opposing catcher’s signs from behind the Polo Grounds scoreboard by using a telescope.
1961 – Bill Virdon smacked a two-out, three-run HR to right off reliever Mike McCormick to give the Pirates and Clem Labine a ninth inning, 8-7 win over the Giants in SF’s home opener. Dick Groat and Roberto Clemente each added four hits and scored four runs in the victory.

Turner Ward 1999 Upper Deck

1965 – OF Turner Ward was born in Orlando, Florida. The journeyman played in Pittsburgh from 1997-99, hitting .281 in a fourth outfielder role. After his career, he returned to the Bucco organization for a year, managing Low-A State College in 2007.

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