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

Barney Dreyfuss

Jim Nealon (2.74) - 11

Jack Chesbro

Rube Waddell

Second Basemen:

Vic Willis

Claude Ritchey (25.24) - 17

Honus Wagner

Ed Abbaticchio (6.21)- 17

Fred Clarke

Dots Miller (4.61) - 10

No Hitters:

ShortStop:

Nick Maddox (1907)

Honus Wagner (85.82) - 192

Notable Events:

Third Base:

Tommy Leach (34.08) - 97

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

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

Outfield:

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

Fred Clarke (41.34) - 112

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

Ginger Beaumont (18.82) - 86

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

Jimmy Sebring (3.78) - 14

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

Chief Wilson (2.71) - 13

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

Roy Thomas (2.71) - 12

they only finish second to Brooklyn in 1900.

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,

Notable Events:

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

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

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

American League franchise in Pittsburg. While American League teams were

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

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

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

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

to flooding and protecton from rain was an absolute must.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

baseman Kitty Bransfield to their 1900 core.

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

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

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

their superstar shortstop Honus Wagner was also a man of extremely

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

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

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

cigarette sponsored baseball cards because he wanted to be a good

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pirates still finish first.

Ranch, and kept adding to it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Des Moines

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

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.

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

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

won four pennants, finishing second four other seasons.

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

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

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

construction. Forbes is the first concrete and steel stadium.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

in the World Series.

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

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

Braves in a one sided deal.