Pittsburg Pirates - The Turn of the Century (1901-1909)

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1900

Decade

103

110

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1906

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Titles:

Top Pirates Players of the Naughts

1901 NL champs

1902 NL Champs

Pitchers:

1903 NL Champs (Lost to Red Sox)

Deacon Phillippe (28.46) - 98

1909 World Champs (Beat Tigers)

Sam Leever (32.61) - 92

Vic Willis (21.65) - 58

Ballpark:

Jack Chesbro (12.77) - 46

Exposition Park (1901-1909)

Lefty Leifield (9.85) - 41

Forbes Field (1909)

Jesse Tannehill (11.61) - 40

Howie Camnitz (8.65) - 30

Team Name:

Nick Maddox (6.5) - 21

Pirates

Mike Lynch (2.74) - 20

Patsy Flaherty (5.1) - 17

Owners:

Ed Doheny (2.97) - 15

Barney Dreyfuss

Charlie Case (4.2) - 10

Rube Waddell (3.31) - 4

General Managers:

Harry Pulliam (1901-1902)

Catchers:

George Gibson (6.23) - 25

Managers:

Chief Zimmer (3.54) - 11

Fred Clarke

First Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Kitty Bransfield (4.41)- 19

Jack Chesbro

Jim Nealon (2.74) - 11

Rube Waddell

Vic Willis

Second Basemen:

Honus Wagner

Claude Ritchey (25.24) - 17

Fred Clarke

Ed Abbaticchio (6.21)- 17

Dots Miller (4.61) - 10

No Hitters:

Nick Maddox (1907)

ShortStop:

Honus Wagner (85.82) - 192

Notable Events:

Third Base:

1900 - The National League contracts down to eight teams. One of the teams they

Tommy Leach (34.08) - 97

jettison is the Louisville club. Louisville's owner, Barney Dreyfuss, buys a

controlling share of the Pittsburg franchise and brings a number of his star players

Outfield:

with him including Fred Clarke, Honus Wagner, Tommy Leach, Jack Chesbro,

Fred Clarke (41.34) - 112

Deacon Philliippe, Chief Zimmer, Claude Ritchey and Rube Waddell. Along with

Ginger Beaumont (18.82) - 86

Pittsburgh holdovers Sam Leever, Jesse Tannehill and Ginger Beaumont, the

Jimmy Sebring (3.78) - 14

Pirates have the makings of an absolute powerhouse down the road, although

Chief Wilson (2.71) - 13

they only finish second to Brooklyn in 1900.

Roy Thomas (2.71) - 12

Lefty Davis (4.4) - 11

1901 - The Pirates begin a run of three straight pennants. While the rest of the

National League gets decimated by raids from the newly formed American League,

Dreyfuss wisely invests in tieing up his players with competitive contracts. Another

Notable Events:

factor in Dreyfuss being able to keep all of his players was that there was no.

American League franchise in Pittsburg. While American League teams were

1906 - Player-Manager Fred Clarke, an extremely impressive individual,

concentrating on raiding their crosstown National League rivals as an easy way to

develops and patents the tarp system for covering the field to protect it

obtain local credibility by fielding a team with local stars, the Pirates had no such

from rainstorms. Exposition Stadium, on the Allegheny, was susceptible

new rival. With basically the same club they had in 1900, the 1901 Pirates improve

to flooding and protecton from rain was an absolute must.

eleven games in the standings and finish first. The Pirates lose only flakey Rube

Clarke was the Pirates player-manager his entire career in Pittsburg

Waddell, who, knowing Dreyfuss, Barney was not unhappy to part with anyway.

covering sixteen years. He had been Louisville's player-manager

The 1901 Pirates are young and talented, adding only twenty six year old first

prior to that for their last three years of their existence, beginning the

baseman Kitty Bransfield to their 1900 core.

dual role at the age of twenty four. His natural leadership qualities and

strong character fit well with those of owner Barney Dreyfuss and it was of

1902 - Pittsburg gains another thirteen games in the standings as the rest of the

little surprise that the two were so successful together. Add to that,

league continues to hemorrage players to the American League. Nobody new is on

their superstar shortstop Honus Wagner was also a man of extremely

the club, altho' to be fair to the Pirate players, they are also young and improving.

high moral character (for example, he wouldn't allow himself to be on

cigarette sponsored baseball cards because he wanted to be a good

1903 - The Bucs are raided! Ace righthander Jack Chesbro, 27, and ace lefthander

role model for kids). Outside of Clarke's playing abiity and leadership,

Jesse Tannehill, 28, are both signed by the New York Highlanders. These signings

Fred was also a pretty smart fella. Aside from patenting the tarp system,

severely hurt Pittsburg's starting rotation and the Pirates lose the thirteen games

he also patented flip down sun glasses, sliding pads, an improved pitching

in the standings that they had gained the previous seaon. Despite the losses, the

rubber and improved equipment bags. Clarke also was rich. Early on in

Pirates still finish first.

his career, when quite young, he bought real estate, the Little Pirate

Ranch, and kept adding to it.

1903 - Pittsburg plays in the first World Series between the National and the

When oil was discovered on his property, it rained money.

American Leagues. The match is a huge success and a tribute to Barney

Dreyfuss and Gary Herrmann (owner of the Reds) who put petty animosities

1907 - Righthander Howie Camnitz, 25, comes up for good from Toledo

and adversity with their teams aside to make the Series a go. Herrmann and

Dreyfuss were a couple of class acts who always put what was best for the

1908 -Twenty four year old outfielder Chief Wilson is brought up from

sport (and, therefore, for long term profits) ahead of petty feuds. It’s a business.

Des Moines

By the way, the Pirates lose to the Red Sox in the Series

1908 - Pittsburg goes 98-56 and still finishes second to the Cubs by a game.

1904 - The Pirates begin a five year run where they have excellent teams, but are

The Pirates averaged a 94-54 record throughout the decade, but only

topped by either the Giants or the Cubs who have even better teams.

won four pennants, finishing second four other seasons.

1905 - Dreyfuss deals first baseman Kitty Bransfield to the Phillies. Bransfield

1909 - Forbes Field opens. It's success ushers in a new era of ballpark

had been slumping, but he was an excellent defender. It took until 1919 and

construction. Forbes is the first concrete and steel stadium.

Charlie Grimm for the Bucs to get a decent first baseman to replace him.

Ironically, Dreyfuss would end up getting rid of Grimm prematurely, as well.

1909 - Twenty four year old third baseman Bobby Byrne is acquired

from the Cards in a lopsided trade in favor of Pittsburg.

1905 - Twenty one year old lefthander, Lefty Leifeld is obtained from Des Moines.

1909 - Pittsburg makes two more significant additions to their 98 win team.

1905 - Catcher George Gibson, 24, is obtained from Montreal

They add rookie second baseman Dots Millier, 22, and late bloomer rookie

righthander Babe Adams, 27. The Pirates finally win a title by winning

1906 - The Pirates deal Ginger Beaumont and Claude Ritchey to the Braves.

110 games with a boost from the two rookies and then beat the Tigers

The deal is a bad one but not as bad as the Willis deal was for Boston.

in the World Series.

1906 - Pittsburg steals thirty year old righthander Vic Willis from the

Braves in a one sided deal.