1969 Pittsburgh Pirates season

1969 Pittsburgh Pirates
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1887) Eastern Division (since 1969)
Location
Forbes Field (since 1909) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] (since 1907)
Other information
Owner(s)	John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas P. Johnson (minority shareholders)
General manager(s)	Joe L. Brown
Manager(s)	Larry Shepard, Alex Grammas
Local television	KDKA-TV Bob Prince, Jim Woods, Nellie King
Local radio	KDKA Bob Prince, Jim Woods, Nellie King
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The 1969 Pittsburgh Pirates season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Pirates finishing in third place in the newly established National League East, twelve games behind the eventual World Series champion New York Mets. The Pirates were managed by Larry Shepard, and played their home games at Forbes Field, which was in its final full season of operation, before moving into their new facility in the middle of the following season.

Offseason[]

• October 14, 1968: Manny Mota was drafted from the Pirates by the Montreal Expos as the 2nd pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[2]
• October 14, 1968: Donn Clendenon was drafted from the Pirates by the Montreal Expos as the 11th pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[3]
• October 14, 1968: Maury Wills was drafted from the Pirates by the Montreal Expos as the 21st pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[4]
• October 14, 1968: Dave Roberts was drafted from the Pirates by the San Diego Padres as the 39th pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[5]
• October 14, 1968: Al McBean was drafted from the Pirates by the San Diego Padres as the 50th pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[6]
• October 14, 1968: Ron Slocum was drafted from the Pirates by the San Diego Padres as the 55th pick in the 1968 MLB expansion draft.^[7]
• October 16, 1968: George Spriggs was sold by the Pirates to the Kansas City Royals.^[8]
• October 21, 1968: Dave Wickersham was sold by the Pirates to the Kansas City Royals.^[9]
• January 15, 1969: Manny Jiménez was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Joe Campbell and Chuck Hartenstein.^[10]
• February 12, 1969: Rennie Stennett was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent.^[11]
• March 28, 1969: Tommie Sisk and Chris Cannizzaro were traded by the Pirates to the San Diego Padres for Ron Davis and Bobby Klaus.^[12]
• March 30, 1969: Omar Moreno was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent.^[13]

Regular season[]

• August 6, 1969: Willie Stargell hit a home run out of Dodger Stadium.

Season standings[]

v t NL East	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
New York Mets	100	62	0.617	—	52–30	48–32
Chicago Cubs	92	70	0.568	8	49–32	43–38
Pittsburgh Pirates	88	74	0.543	12	47–34	41–40
St. Louis Cardinals	87	75	0.537	13	42–38	45–37
Philadelphia Phillies	63	99	0.389	37	30–51	33–48
Montreal Expos	52	110	0.321	48	24–57	28–53

Record vs. opponents[]

1969 National League Records v t Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]
Team	ATL	CHC	CIN	HOU	LAD	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL
Atlanta	—	3–9	12–6	15–3	9–9	8–4	4–8	6–6	8–4	13–5	9–9	6–6
Chicago	9–3	—	6–6–1	8–4	6–6	10–8	8–10	12–6	7–11	11–1	6–6	9–9
Cincinnati	6–12	6–6–1	—	9–9	10–8	8–4	6–6	10–2	5–7	11–7	10–8	8–4
Houston	3–15	4–8	9–9	—	6–12	11–1	10–2	8–4	3–9	10–8	10–8	7–5
Los Angeles	9–9	6–6	8–10	12–6	—	10–2	4–8	8–4	8–4	12–6	5–13	3–9
Montreal	4–8	8–10	4–8	1–11	2–10	—	5–13	11–7	5–13	4–8	1–11	7–11
New York	8–4	10–8	6–6	2–10	8–4	13–5	—	12–6	10–8	11–1	8–4	12–6
Philadelphia	6-6	6–12	2–10	4–8	4–8	7–11	6–12	—	10–8	8–4	3–9	7–11
Pittsburgh	4–8	11–7	7–5	9–3	4–8	13–5	8–10	8–10	—	10–2	5–7	9–9
San Diego	5–13	1–11	7–11	8–10	6–12	8–4	1–11	4–8	2–10	—	6–12	4–8
San Francisco	9–9	6–6	8–10	8–10	13–5	11–1	4–8	9–3	7–5	12–6	—	3–9
St. Louis	6–6	9–9	4–8	5–7	9–3	11–7	6–12	11–7	9–9	8–4	9–3	—

Detailed records[]

Game log[]

1969 Game Log: 88–74 (Home: 47–34; Away: 41–40)
show April: 13–8 (Home: 9–4; Away: 4–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 8 @ Cardinals 6–2 (14) Dal Canton (1–0) Nelson Hartenstein (1) 38,163 1–0 2 April 9 @ Cardinals 6–1 Veale (1–0) Briles — 10,739 2–0 3 April 10 @ Cardinals 3–2 Ellis (1–0) Washburn — 10,283 3–0 4 April 11 Phillies 7–1 Moose (1–0) Johnson — 31,641 4–0 5 April 12 Phillies 1–8 Jackson Bunning (0–1) — 12,474 4–1 6 April 13 Phillies 6–5 Kline (1–0) Wilson — 14,981 5–1 7 April 14 @ Cubs 0–4 Holtzman Veale (1–1) — 3,114 5–2 8 April 15 @ Cubs 4–7 Aguirre Ellis (1–1) Abernathy 4,362 5–3 9 April 16 Mets 11–3 Moose (2–0) Koosman — 7,666 6–3 10 April 17 Mets 4–0 Bunning (1–1) Cardwell Kline (1) 8,097 7–3 11 April 19 @ Phillies 8–6 Blass (1–0) Jackson Dal Canton (1) 3,953 8–3 12 April 20 @ Phillies 1–7 Wise Veale (1–2) Lersch 4,930 8–4 13 April 22 Cubs 7–5 Hartenstein (1–0) Hands — 9–4 14 April 22 Cubs 6–5 Dal Canton (2–0) Nye Kline (2) 7,906 10–4 15 April 23 @ Mets 0–2 Koosman Bunning (1–2) — 7,274 10–5 16 April 25 Expos 8–2 Blass (2–0) Morton Hartenstein (2) 10,947 11–5 17 April 26 Expos 4–3 Veale (2–2) Stoneman Hartenstein (3) 8,372 12–5 18 April 27 Expos 2–4 Jaster Ellis (1–2) — 24,425 12–6 19 April 28 Cardinals 2–6 Carlton Moose (2–1) — 3,859 12–7 20 April 30 Cardinals 2–1 Bunning (2–2) Giusti — 13–7 21 April 30 Cardinals 1–8 Gibson Blass (2–1) — 10,895 13–8
show May: 11–15 (Home: 4–7; Away: 7–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 22 May 1 Cardinals 3–9 Briles Veale (2–3) — 7,043 13–9 23 May 2 @ Expos 7–3 Ellis (2–2) Jaster — 11,892 14–9 24 May 3 @ Expos 4–2 Moose (3–1) Morton Hartenstein (4) 14,147 15–9 25 May 4 @ Expos 4–6 Face Kline (1–1) — 16,931 15–10 26 May 6 Padres 2–4 Kelley Blass (2–2) Reberger 5,793 15–11 27 May 7 Padres 2–0 Veale (3–3) Kirby Hartenstein (5) 4,189 16–11 28 May 9 Dodgers 3–13 Singer Ellis (2–3) Moeller 6,837 16–12 29 May 10 Dodgers 1–4 Sutton Bunning (2–3) Brewer 4,979 16–13 30 May 12 Giants 4–3 Hartenstein (2–0) Gibbon — 3,396 17–13 31 May 13 Giants 8–11 Herbel Moose (3–2) Linzy 5,846 17–14 32 May 14 Giants 0–3 Marichal Bunning (2–4) — 8,296 17–15 33 May 16 @ Dodgers 3–4 Brewer Kline (1–2) — 19,016 17–16 34 May 17 @ Dodgers 0–6 Osteen Ellis (2–4) — 50,120 17–17 35 May 18 @ Dodgers 5–6 Brewer Ramos (0–1) — 21,086 17–18 36 May 20 @ Padres 6–3 Bunning (3–4) Niekro Hartenstein (6) 4,947 18–18 37 May 21 @ Padres 11–1 Moose (4–2) Sisk — 34,334 19–18 38 May 22 @ Padres 7–1 Blass (3–2) Kirby — 4,001 20–18 39 May 23 @ Giants 0–3 Robertson Ellis (2–5) — 8,217 20–19 40 May 24 @ Giants 2–5 McCormick Veale (3–4) — 18,616 20–20 41 May 25 @ Giants 2–1 Bunning (4–4) Perry — 21–20 42 May 25 @ Giants 6–2 Moose (5–2) Sadecki Dal Canton (2) 24,041 22–20 43 May 28 @ Reds 6–7 Carroll Kline (1–3) — 7,458 22–21 44 May 29 @ Reds 4–10 Merritt Veale (3–5) — 8,161 22–22 45 May 30 Astros 9–3 Bunning (5–4) Lemaster — 23–22 46 May 30 Astros 6–9 Billingham Hartenstein (2–1) Gladding 18,381 23–23 47 May 31 Astros 3–1 Ellis (3–5) Ray Kline (3) 6,663 24–23
show June: 14–15 (Home: 7–4; Away: 7–11) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 48 June 1 Astros 14–7 Blass (4–2) Wilson — 21,023 25–23 49 June 3 Reds 3–7 Merritt Veale (3–6) — 4,576 25–24 50 June 4 Reds 3–5 Carroll Hartenstein (2–2) Granger 6,685 25–25 51 June 6 @ Braves 1–3 Niekro Ellis (3–6) — 17,049 25–26 52 June 7 @ Braves 10–2 Blass (5–2) Jarvis — 21,120 26–26 53 June 8 @ Braves 10–11 Niekro Hartenstein (2–3) — 26–27 54 June 8 @ Braves 3–4 Pappas Veale (3–7) — 27,318 26–28 55 June 10 @ Astros 4–7 Griffin Ellis (3–7) — 14,660 26–29 56 June 11 @ Astros 13–8 Blass (6–2) Guinn Hartenstein (7) 15,871 27–29 57 June 12 @ Astros 4–3 Bunning (6–4) Gladding — 14,260 28–29 58 June 13 Braves 2–1 (10) Dal Canton (3–0) Pappas — 11,610 29–29 59 June 14 Braves 4–2 Moose (6–2) Upshaw — 18,283 30–29 60 June 15 Braves 4–6 Reed Blass (6–3) Upshaw 19,974 30–30 61 June 16 Cubs 9–8 Dal Canton (4–0) Regan Blass (1) 8,810 31–30 62 June 17 Cubs 1–0 Veale (4–7) Jenkins Dal Canton (3) 32–30 63 June 17 Cubs 4–3 Blass (7–3) Abernathy — 26,817 33–30 64 June 18 Cubs 3–2 (10) Gibbon (1–0) Regan — 12,198 34–30 65 June 20 @ Phillies 7–8 Wilson Marone (0–1) Boozer 10,669 34–31 66 June 21 @ Phillies 8–2 Dal Canton (5–0) Palmer — 5,469 35–31 67 June 22 @ Phillies 6–0 Ellis (4–7) Champion — 36–31 68 June 22 @ Phillies 2–3 Jackson Blass (7–4) — 33,712 36–32 69 June 23 @ Cubs 4–5 Regan Dal Canton (5–1) — 12,500 36–33 70 June 24 @ Cubs 2–3 Hands Bunning (6–5) — 17,530 36–34 71 June 25 @ Cubs 2–5 Jenkins Veale (4–8) — 26,434 36–35 72 June 26 @ Cubs 5–7 (10) Regan Dal Canton (5–2) — 29,473 36–36 73 June 27 @ Mets 3–1 Blass (8–4) Koosman Gibbon (1) 42,276 37–36 74 June 28 @ Mets 7–4 Bunning (7–5) Gentry Gibbon (2) 48,398 38–36 75 June 29 @ Mets 3–7 Seaver Veale (4–9) — 27,455 38–37 76 June 30 Phillies 2–4 Fryman Ellis (4–8) Boozer 17,954 38–38
show July: 15–12 (Home: 12–7; Away: 3–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 77 July 1 Phillies 4–7 Jackson Blass (8–5) Wilson 6,652 38–39 78 July 2 Phillies 4–14 Raffo Bunning (7–6) Boozer 6,322 38–40 79 July 4 Mets 6–11 Seaver Veale (4–10) Koonce 38–41 80 July 4 Mets 2–9 Cardwell Ellis (4–9) DiLauro 17,631 38–42 81 July 6 Mets 7–8 Taylor Hartenstein (2–4) Koonce 11,552 38–43 82 July 8 Expos 8–1 Blass (9–5) Wegener — 4,930 39–43 83 July 9 Expos 4–3 (10) Gibbon (2–0) Radatz — 40–43 84 July 9 Expos 3–2 Ellis (5–9) Reed Gibbon (3) 9,372 41–43 85 July 10 Expos 2–1 (11) Hartenstein (3–4) McGinn — 4,982 42–43 86 July 11 @ Cardinals 1–6 Carlton Walker (0–1) — 24,910 42–44 87 July 12 @ Cardinals 3–6 Washburn Blass (9–6) — 17,950 42–45 88 July 13 @ Cardinals 3–0 Bunning (8–6) Gibson Moose (1) 43–45 89 July 13 @ Cardinals 2–4 Briles Ellis (5–10) Hoerner 36,469 43–46 90 July 14 @ Expos 0–2 Stoneman Veale (4–11) — 20,054 43–47 91 July 15 @ Expos 9–3 Walker (1–1) Waslewski — 20,876 44–47 92 July 16 @ Expos 8–7 Gibbon (3–0) McGinn Hartenstein (8) 24,214 45–47 93 July 17 @ Expos 4–5 Shaw Bunning (8–7) — 11,935 45–48 94 July 18 Cardinals 4–1 Ellis (6–10) Gibson — 13,666 46–48 95 July 19 Cardinals 3–2 Veale (5–11) Briles Gibbon (4) 8,915 47–48 96 July 24 Padres 4–3 (10) Ellis (7–10) Ross — 6,206 48–48 97 July 25 Padres 2–3 Niekro Blass (9–7) — 7,404 48–49 98 July 26 Padres 4–3 (10) Moose (7–2) McCool — 6,769 49–49 99 July 27 Padres 4–1 Bunning (9–7) Kirby Moose (2) 14,888 50–49 100 July 29 Dodgers 4–2 (10) Gibbon (4–0) McBean — 51–49 101 July 29 Dodgers 5–6 Mikkelsen Ellis (7–11) — 18,436 51–50 102 July 30 Dodgers 4–2 Blass (10–7) Osteen — 8,833 52–50 103 July 31 Dodgers 2–1 (15) Hartenstein (4–4) McBean — 8,605 53–50
show August: 17–10 (Home: 7–5; Away: 10–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 104 August 1 Giants 1–5 McCormick Bunning (9–8) — 10,500 53–51 105 August 2 Giants 7–3 Veale (6–11) Marichal — 12,566 54–51 106 August 3 Giants 2–3 Perry Ellis (7–12) — 14,841 54–52 107 August 5 @ Dodgers 11–3 Blass (11–7) Foster — 22,604 55–52 108 August 6 @ Dodgers 5–7 Sutton Walker (1–2) Brewer 18,347 55–53 109 August 7 @ Dodgers 0–6 Osteen Bunning (9–9) — 20,475 55–54 110 August 8 @ Padres 7–1 Veale (7–11) Niekro — 6,061 56–54 111 August 10 @ Padres 7–5 Ellis (8–12) Kelley Gibbon (5) 57–54 112 August 10 @ Padres 8–6 Blass (12–7) Kirby Gibbon (6) 10,073 58–54 113 August 12 @ Giants 3–6 Perry Walker (1–3) — 5,496 58–55 114 August 13 @ Giants 10–5 Bunning (10–9) McCormick Moose (3) 5,966 59–55 115 August 15 @ Reds 5–1 Veale (8–11) Nolan — 21,314 60–55 116 August 16 @ Reds 2–5 Merritt Ellis (8–13) — 13,218 60–56 117 August 17 @ Reds 8–5 Blass (13–7) Fisher Hartenstein (9) 20,732 61–56 118 August 18 @ Reds 12–5 (10) Dal Canton (6–2) Granger — 16,657 62–56 119 August 19 Astros 5–1 Walker (2–3) Wilson Gibbon (7) 5,409 63–56 120 August 20 Astros 1–0 Veale (9–11) Lemaster — 10,563 64–56 121 August 22 Reds 8–2 Ellis (9–13) Fisher — 65–56 122 August 22 Reds 5–3 Dal Canton (7–2) Carroll — 28,184 66–56 123 August 23 Reds 3–1 Moose (8–2) Arrigo Hartenstein (10) 16,283 67–56 124 August 24 Reds 9–4 Veale (10–11) Maloney Dal Canton (4) 16,506 68–56 125 August 26 Braves 4–6 Reed Walker (2–4) Doyle 15,449 68–57 126 August 27 Braves 0–1 Niekro Ellis (9–14) — 11,454 68–58 127 August 28 Braves 2–8 Stone Blass (13–8) Doyle 10,767 68–59 128 August 29 @ Astros 4–2 (10) Moose (9–2) Bouton — 20,405 69–59 129 August 30 @ Astros 1–2 Dierker Belinsky (0–1) — 27,747 69–60 130 August 31 @ Astros 6–4 Marone (1–1) Gladding Blass (2) 24,722 70–60
show September: 16–14 (Home: 6–7; Away: 10–7) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 131 September 1 @ Braves 7–1 Moose (10–2) Britton — 10,479 71–60 132 September 3 @ Braves 1–8 Reed Ellis (9–15) Upshaw 6,317 71–61 133 September 5 @ Cubs 9–2 Blass (14–8) Holtzman — 10,411 72–61 134 September 6 @ Cubs 13–4 Veale (11–11) Jenkins — 24,566 73–61 135 September 7 @ Cubs 7–5 (11) Dal Canton (8–2) Johnson — 28,698 74–61 136 September 8 @ Expos 6–2 Hartenstein (5–4) Raymond Dal Canton (5) 9,526 75–61 137 September 9 @ Expos 2–4 Renko Walker (2–5) — 9,129 75–62 138 September 10 Cardinals 2–11 Gibson Blass (14–9) — 75–63 139 September 10 Cardinals 1–2 Torrez Belinsky (0–2) Grant 11,898 75–64 140 September 11 Cardinals 3–2 Veale (12–11) Carlton — 4,579 76–64 141 September 12 Mets 0–1 Koosman Moose (10–3) — 76–65 142 September 12 Mets 0–1 Cardwell Ellis (9–16) McGraw 19,303 76–66 143 September 13 Mets 2–5 Seaver Walker (2–6) — 10,440 76–67 144 September 14 Mets 5–3 Blass (15–9) Ryan — 11,324 77–67 145 September 15 @ Phillies 1–2 Wise Veale (12–12) — 77–68 146 September 15 @ Phillies 3–4 James Belinsky (0–3) — 2,933 77–69 147 September 16 @ Phillies 9–5 Moose (11–3) Fryman Gibbon (8) 1,169 78–69 148 September 17 @ Cardinals 4–2 Ellis (10–16) Taylor — 11,646 79–69 149 September 18 @ Cardinals 7–8 Campisi Gibbon (4–1) — 8,612 79–70 150 September 19 @ Mets 8–2 Veale (13–12) Ryan — 80–70 151 September 19 @ Mets 8–0 Walker (3–6) McAndrew — 51,885 81–70 152 September 20 @ Mets 4–0 Moose (12–3) Gentry — 38,784 82–70 153 September 21 @ Mets 3–5 Koosman Ellis (10–17) — 82–71 154 September 21 @ Mets 1–6 Cardwell Blass (15–10) — 55,901 82–72 155 September 23 Phillies 3–4 Jackson Veale (13–13) Johnson 2,364 82–73 156 September 25 Phillies 5–3 Walker (4–6) Wise — 83–73 157 September 25 Phillies 9–7 Moose (13–3) James Gibbon (9) 2,379 84–73 158 September 26 Cubs 2–0 Ellis (11–17) Jenkins — 4,973 85–73 159 September 27 Cubs 4–1 Blass (16–10) Holtzman Moose (4) 4,157 86–73 160 September 28 Cubs 1–3 Hands Veale (13–14) — 24,435 86–74
show October: 2–0 (Home: 2–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 161 October 1 Expos 5–4 Gibbon (5–1) Reed — 2,496 87–74 162 October 2 Expos 8–2 Moose (14–3) Robertson — 2,700 88–74
Legend:        = Win        = Loss Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup[]

Opening Day Starters
Name	Position
Matty Alou	CF
Richie Hebner	3B
Roberto Clemente	RF
Willie Stargell	LF
Bob Robertson	1B
Bill Mazeroski	2B
Jerry May	C
Freddie Patek	SS
Steve Blass	SP

^[14]

Notable transactions[]

• May 17, 1969: Jim Shellenback was traded by the Pirates to the Washington Senators in exchange for Frank Kreutzer.^[15]
• June 5, 1969: Pedro Ramos was released by the Pirates.^[16]
• June 10, 1969: Ron Kline was traded by the Pirates to the San Francisco Giants for Joe Gibbon.^[17]
• July 16, 1969: Kent Tekulve was signed by the Pirates as a non-drafted free agent.^[18]
• July 30, 1969: Bo Belinsky was purchased by the Pirates from the California Angels.^[19]
• August 15, 1969: Jim Bunning was traded by the Pirates to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Ron Mitchell, Chuck Goggin and cash.^[20]
• September 26, 1969: Manager Larry Shepard fired by the Pirates. Alex Grammas named interim manager for the final five games.^[21]

Roster[]

1969 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 25 Bo Belinsky 28 Steve Blass 45 Frank Brosseau 14 Jim Bunning 43 Bruce Dal Canton 40 Dock Ellis 24 Gene Garber 19 Joe Gibbon 42 Chuck Hartenstein 27 Ron Kline 29 Lou Marone 38 Bob Moose 19,29 Pedro Ramos 19 Jim Shellenback 39 Bob Veale 23 Luke Walker		Catchers 10 Gary Kolb 12 Jerry May 35 Manny Sanguillén Infielders 22 Gene Alley 30 Dave Cash 20 Richie Hebner 15 José Martínez  9 Bill Mazeroski 16 Al Oliver 11 José Pagán  2 Freddie Patek 25,27 Bob Robertson		Outfielders 18 Matty Alou 21 Roberto Clemente  3 Ron Davis 14 Johnny Jeter 31 Ángel Mangual  8 Willie Stargell 44 Carl Taylor		Manager  5 Alex Grammas  7 Larry Shepard Coaches  5 Alex Grammas 32 Vern Law  6 Don Leppert  4 Bill Virdon

^[22]

Statistics[]

Batting

Pitching

Farm system[]

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Columbus Jets	International League	Don Hoak
AA	York Pirates	Eastern League	Joe Morgan
A	Salem Rebels	Carolina League	Chuck Hiller
A	Gastonia Pirates	Western Carolinas League	Frank Oceak
A-Short Season	Geneva Pirates	New York–Penn League	Bob Clear
Rookie	GCL Pirates	Gulf Coast League	Buddy Pritchard

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: York

Notes[]

References[]

• 1969 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference
• 1969 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.