Pittsburgh Pirates OTD

Gathering the best of #Pittsburgh #Pirates yester-year On this date in history! #LetsGoBucs #baseball Managed by: @1992Pirates

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

HBD 🎂 (6/19/1949) to former #Pittsburgh #Pirates pitcher Jerry Reuss!

Reuss had 2 stints w/the #Buccos: 1974-1978, & a return in September 1990 for his last hurrah in MLB.

After 3 scoreless relief appearances, he started his last game on 10/3/90 vs #Mets #LetsGoBucs

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

HBD 🎂 6/19/1958 former #Pittsburgh #Pirates OF Butch Davis!

In 1987, the journeyman suited up for the #Buccos 7 times, going 1-for-7.

No footage (yet) of any of his at-bats, but Butch (no. 58) did make a cameo in this brawl vs the #Mets:

#LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

HBD 🎂 6/19/1954 to former #Pittsburgh #Pirates SS Johnnie LeMaster!

LeMaster began 1985 w/SF & was 0-for-16.

Traded to CLE on 5/7 he went 3-for-20.

Dealt back to the NL w/PIT on 5/30, & was 0-for-4 before this at-bat in the 5th on 6/1:

#LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD FORTY YEARS AGO 6/17/86:

Future #Pittsburgh #Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle, then a member of the #StLouis #Cardinals, goes deep for a 3-run HR vs hurler Rick Reuschel!

#LetsGoBucs    #STLCards 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD

“Pittsburgh National League Club Players of 1945”

As printed in the 6/17/1945 #Pittsburgh #Pirates scorecard.

#LetsGoBucs

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD FORTY YEARS AGO 6/17/86:

A young Mike “Smokey” LaValliere makes an outstanding play behind the dish for the #StLouis #Cardinals vs #Pittsburgh #Pirates at Three Rivers Stadium 🏟️

#LetsGoBucs    #STLCards 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 6/17/93

Bob Walk won his 💯 career MLB game!

#Mets mgr Dallas Green was livid: “Bob Walk has no business pitching a complete game against us.”

ESPN highlights (sadly Walkie’s not in them! 😩) #Pittsburgh #Pirates #LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

in the 6/17/92 edition of the News Record, a story on former #Pirates relief great ElRoy Face and his wait on a call from Cooperstown.

"Nothing against the writers, but nobody ever came to me and asked me to vote on the Quill sportswriter-of-the-year award."

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 6/17/86:

A young Mike “Smokey” (??) LaValliere, batting for the #StLouis #Cardinals, vs #Pittsburgh #Pirates hurler Rick Reuschel!

#LetsGoBucs    #STLCards 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

#Pittsburgh #Pirates play their first game in #Minnesota vs the #Twins OTD 6/16/97.

Mark Smith became the Bucs’ 1st-ever DH & hit a 2-run HR!

Kevin Polcovich also hit a 2-run shot for his 1st MLB HR.

#Buccos held on, 8-6!

#LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

6/16/85: The Pirates get crushed 13-3 by the Phillies, and the sharks are circling the water for Chuck Tanner’s job:

“Many players are disgracing the major-league uniforms they wear — not
with their ability, but with their effort.
It is there to see every night. The fans see it and many of them do not come back. Newspaper reporters see it and many write about it. Even the general manager sees it. And he talks about it at a news conference.”

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 6/16/92:

Tied 5-5 in bottom of the 12th w/runners on 2B & 3B, Buechele was intentionally walked to bring up Mike LaValliere.

Spanky punched a single through the right side to walk it off!
#Pittsburgh #Pirates 6, #Phillies 5
#LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 35 YEARS AGO 6/16/91:

#Pirates visited #Giants’ Candlestick Park in SF for ESPN Sunday Night Baseball.

#Pittsburgh broke open a 1-1 tie w/a 3-run 6th. Mitch Webster’s rbi triple scored the go-ahead run.

Bucs hold on 4-3.
#LetsGoBucs 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 35 YEARS AGO 6/16/1991:

It’s ESPN Sunday night baseball!

#Pittsburgh #Pirates at #SanFrancisco #Giants

Classic Opening with Jon Miller

#LetsGoBucs  #SFGiants 

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

6/16/85:

Rick Reuschel and Tony Pena each stole a base but somehow the Pirates still lost to the Phillies 3-2.

Old friend Kent Tekulve pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to earn his first save against his old club.

Meanwhile it was the end of the line for Tim Foli in his 2nd Bucco era

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

HBD 🎂 6/16/1969 former #Pittsburgh #Pirates 1B/3B and current broadcaster Kevin Young!

KY got a cup of coffee with the ‘92 Bucs, was a starter in ‘93, but had a hard time establishing himself until ‘97 after he returned from a 1-year hiatus in KC.

He hit .300 in ‘97, then put up back-to-back 100rbi seasons in ‘98 & ‘99 including a 5.6 WAR season in ‘99.

#LetsGoBucs

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

Baseball cards brought to life:

OTD 6/15/86:

RJ Reynolds to Sammy Khalifa to Tony Pena, as Wally Backman is thrown out at home plate.

#Pirates #Pittsburgh #LGM  #Mets

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 6/15/88:

Bull Durham is released in 🎥 theaters

In July, #Pittsburgh #Pirates broadcaster Lanny Frattare quotes the baseball ⚾️ film in reference to a stellar pitching performance by Bob Walk & Jim Gott w/no K’s.

#BullDurham
#StrikeoutsAreFascist

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

Great #Pittsburgh Press #Pirates notes from @bhertzel about Barry Bonds bringing the sledgehammer back to the on-deck circle from OTD 6/15/1986:

#LetsGoBucs

[1986-92 Pittsburgh Pirates @1992Pirates]

OTD 6/15/92

It was a doubleheader of sorts at Three Rivers Stadium 🏟️ in Pittsburgh, as Team USA 🇺🇸 baseball defeated Nicaragua 🇳🇮 4-1 in a tuneup for the ‘92 Olympics before #Pirates vs #Phillies.

Georgia Tech freshman Nomar Garciaparra scored 2 runs for the US.

#DirtyWater