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1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season

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This article is about the baseball team. For the NFL team, see 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season.

Major League Baseball team season
1939 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
OwnersBill Benswanger
ManagersPie Traynor
RadioKDKA
WWSW
Rosey Rowswell
← 1938 Seasons 1940 →

The 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 58th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 53rd in the National League. The Pirates finished sixth in the league standings with a record of 68–85.

Offseason

Regular season

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 97 57 .630 — 55‍–‍25 42‍–‍32
St. Louis Cardinals 92 61 .601 4½ 51‍–‍27 41‍–‍34
Brooklyn Dodgers 84 69 .549 12½ 51‍–‍27 33‍–‍42
Chicago Cubs 84 70 .545 13 44‍–‍34 40‍–‍36
New York Giants 77 74 .510 18½ 41‍–‍33 36‍–‍41
Pittsburgh Pirates 68 85 .444 28½ 35‍–‍42 33‍–‍43
Boston Bees 63 88 .417 32½ 37‍–‍35 26‍–‍53
Philadelphia Phillies 45 106 .298 50½ 29‍–‍44 16‍–‍62

Record vs. opponents

1939 National League record
Sources:
Team BOS BR CHC CIN NYG PHI PIT STL
Boston — 10–12–1 6–16 6–16 10–11 13–8 9–12 9–13
Brooklyn 12–10–1 — 11–11–2 10–12 12–10 17–4–1 13–9 9–13
Chicago 16–6 11–11–2 — 10–12 11–11 12–10 14–8 10–12
Cincinnati 16–6 12–10 12–10 — 11–11 19–3 16–6 11–11–2
New York 11–10 10–12 11–11 11–11 — 14–7 11–11 9–12
Philadelphia 8–13 4–17–1 10–12 3–19 7–14 — 8–14 5–17
Pittsburgh 12–9 9–13 8–14 6–16 11–11 14–8 — 8–14
St. Louis 13–9 13–9 12–10 11–11–2 12–9 17–5 14–8 —


Game log

1939 Game Log: 68–85 (Home: 35–42; Away: 33–43)
April: 1–8 (Home: 0–2; Away: 1–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1 April 17 @ Reds 7–5 Blanton (1–0) Walters Brown (1) 30,644 1–0
2 April 18 Cardinals 2–3 Weiland Klinger (0–1) Shoun 15,783 1–1
3 April 22 @ Reds 2–4 Derringer Blanton (1–1) — — 1–2
4 April 23 @ Reds 2–7 Walters Klinger (0–2) — 23,339 1–3
5 April 24 @ Cubs 2–6 Whitehill Tobin (0–1) Russell 15,844 1–4
6 April 25 @ Cubs 3–5 Lee Sewell (0–1) — 9,913 1–5
7 April 26 @ Cubs 1–3 Lillard Blanton (1–2) — 9,516 1–6
8 April 27 @ Cardinals 5–6 (11) McGee Brown (0–1) — 1,994 1–7
9 April 29 Reds 3–5 Walters Tobin (0–2) — 5,913 1–8
May: 18–10 (Home: 8–6; Away: 10–4)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
10 May 1 Reds 2–1 Sewell (1–1) Moore — 2,724 2–8
11 May 2 @ Dodgers 3–2 Klinger (1–2) Fitzsimmons — 9,269 3–8
12 May 4 @ Phillies 6–4 Bauers (1–0) Butcher — 3,500 4–8
13 May 5 @ Phillies 10–7 Sewell (2–1) Hollingsworth Brown (2) 2,000 5–8
14 May 6 @ Phillies 0–1 Passeau Brown (0–2) — 7,000 5–9
15 May 7 @ Bees 9–2 Klinger (2–2) Posedel — 21,336 6–9
16 May 8 @ Bees 3–2 Tobin (1–2) Frankhouse — 2,303 7–9
17 May 10 @ Giants 5–0 Sewell (3–1) Gumbert — 6,030 8–9
18 May 11 @ Giants 1–4 Melton Bowman (0–1) — 4,041 8–10
19 May 13 Cubs 2–6 Lee Klinger (2–3) — 6,948 8–11
20 May 14 Cubs 5–2 Tobin (2–2) Lillard — 15,397 9–11
21 May 15 Cubs 2–6 French Sewell (3–2) — 3,941 9–12
22 May 16 Phillies 8–5 Bowman (1–1) Passeau — 1,823 10–12
23 May 17 Phillies 3–7 Mulcahy Klinger (2–4) — 2,075 10–13
24 May 18 Phillies 5–4 (10) Tobin (3–2) Hollingsworth — 2,183 11–13
25 May 19 Bees 2–5 Errickson Sewell (3–3) — 2,672 11–14
26 May 20 Bees 12–6 Bowman (2–1) Earley Brown (3) 4,643 12–14
27 May 21 Giants 4–1 Klinger (3–4) Hubbell — 20,976 13–14
28 May 22 Giants 2–9 Schumacher Tobin (3–3) — 2,886 13–15
29 May 23 Giants 13–4 Sewell (4–3) Melton — 3,823 14–15
30 May 24 Dodgers 6–3 Bowman (3–1) Tamulis — 2,490 15–15
31 May 25 Dodgers 2–8 Pressnell Klinger (3–5) — 5,600 15–16
32 May 26 @ Cubs 14–5 Tobin (4–3) Lee Brown (4) 5,982 16–16
33 May 27 @ Cubs 9–1 Sewell (5–3) Higbe — 8,035 17–16
34 May 28 @ Cubs 2–6 Dean Bowman (3–2) — 26,511 17–17
35 May 29 @ Cardinals 7–0 Klinger (4–5) Weiland — 1,736 18–17
36 May 30 @ Cardinals 2–7 Warneke Tobin (4–4) — — 18–18
37 May 30 @ Cardinals 14–8 Swift (1–0) Davis — 14,178 19–18
June: 8–13 (Home: 4–4; Away: 4–9)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
38 June 1 @ Phillies 5–2 Sewell (6–3) Higbe — — 20–18
39 June 3 @ Phillies 10–7 Brown (1–2) Hollingsworth Swift (1) 2,000 21–18
40 June 4 @ Dodgers 7–3 Tobin (5–4) Hamlin — — 22–18
41 June 4 @ Dodgers 1–14 Casey Klinger (4–6) — 24,257 22–19
42 June 5 @ Dodgers 2–6 Tamulis Sewell (6–4) — 6,680 22–20
43 June 6 @ Dodgers 2–5 Fitzsimmons Bowman (3–3) — 6,907 22–21
44 June 7 @ Bees 2–0 Swift (2–0) MacFayden — 2,795 23–21
45 June 8 @ Bees 0–2 Fette Tobin (5–5) — 1,894 23–22
46 June 9 @ Bees 1–4 Posedel Klinger (4–7) — 2,062 23–23
47 June 10 @ Giants 2–6 Schumacher Sewell (6–5) — 6,815 23–24
48 June 11 @ Giants 3–7 Gumbert Bowman (3–4) — — 23–25
49 June 11 @ Giants 4–5 Melton Klinger (4–8) Coffman 34,749 23–26
50 June 15 Bees 5–6 (11) Lanning Tobin (5–6) — 2,900 23–27
51 June 16 Bees 4–2 Klinger (5–8) Posedel Brown (5) 2,491 24–27
52 June 17 Phillies 2–11 Johnson Sewell (6–6) — 3,741 24–28
53 June 21 Giants 4–6 Melton Tobin (5–7) Hubbell 5,194 24–29
54 June 22 Giants 8–7 Bowman (4–4) Coffman — 3,869 25–29
55 June 23 Dodgers 2–1 Bauers (2–0) Hamlin — 2,419 26–29
56 June 24 Dodgers 6–2 Tobin (6–7) Pressnell — 5,582 27–29
57 June 25 Dodgers 5–6 Hamlin Klinger (5–9) Fitzsimmons 14,543 27–30
58 June 27 @ Reds 0–6 Derringer Bauers (2–1) — 5,181 27–31
July: 19–11 (Home: 8–6; Away: 11–5)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
59 July 1 @ Cardinals 4–3 Brown (2–2) Davis — 2,336 28–31
60 July 2 @ Cardinals 8–5 Klinger (6–9) Weiland Bauers (1) — 29–31
61 July 2 @ Cardinals 6–3 Tobin (7–7) Warneke — 10,449 30–31
62 July 4 Reds 4–7 Grissom Swift (2–1) — — 30–32
63 July 4 Reds 4–3 Brown (3–2) Vander Meer — 41,937 31–32
64 July 5 Cubs 10–1 Bowman (5–4) Root — 2,201 32–32
65 July 6 Cubs 7–2 Klinger (7–9) Dean — 6,257 33–32
66 July 7 Cubs 4–5 (11) Lee Bauers (2–2) — 4,438 33–33
67 July 9 Cardinals 3–7 Cooper Brown (3–3) — — 33–34
68 July 9 Cardinals 8–6 Tobin (8–7) Weiland — 29,000 34–34
69 July 12 @ Dodgers 3–0 Brown (4–3) Wyatt — 29,481 35–34
70 July 14 @ Dodgers 4–14 Hamlin Bowman (5–5) — 20,735 35–35
71 July 15 @ Dodgers 2–6 Fitzsimmons Tobin (8–8) — 6,814 35–36
72 July 16 @ Phillies 2–3 Mulcahy Brown (4–4) — — 35–37
73 July 16 @ Phillies 7–3 Klinger (8–9) Butcher Swift (2) 12,958 36–37
74 July 17 @ Phillies 7–4 Bowman (6–5) Harrell — 2,500 37–37
75 July 18 @ Phillies 3–8 Johnson Swift (2–2) — 6,000 37–38
76 July 19 @ Giants 10–3 Brown (5–4) Lohrman — 3,331 38–38
77 July 20 @ Giants 8–4 Klinger (9–9) Gumbert Bowman (1) 4,310 39–38
78 July 21 @ Giants 4–3 Sewell (7–6) Melton Swift (3) 5,355 40–38
79 July 22 @ Bees 9–3 Swift (3–2) MacFayden — 2,583 41–38
80 July 23 @ Bees 3–2 Brown (6–4) Shoffner Sewell (1) — 42–38
81 July 23 @ Bees 0–1 Fette Klinger (9–10) — 15,558 42–39
82 July 25 Phillies 5–4 (10) Klinger (10–10) Pearson — 2,539 43–39
83 July 26 Phillies 3–1 Swift (4–2) Higbe Brown (6) — 44–39
84 July 26 Phillies 5–3 Bowman (7–5) Beck — 10,611 45–39
85 July 27 Phillies 8–9 Harrell Sewell (7–7) Higbe 2,610 45–40
86 July 28 Bees 1–7 Turner Brown (6–5) — 3,137 45–41
87 July 29 Bees 6–5 Bowman (8–5) Shoffner Brown (7) 4,962 46–41
88 July 30 Bees 5–7 Posedel Swift (4–3) Sullivan 27,099 46–42
August: 8–22 (Home: 4–10; Away: 4–12)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
89 August 1 Dodgers 3–5 Fitzsimmons Brown (6–6) Tamulis 3,392 46–43
90 August 2 Dodgers 6–0 Bowman (9–5) Hamlin — 3,240 47–43
91 August 3 Dodgers 1–4 Pressnell Butcher (0–1) — 3,112 47–44
92 August 4 Giants 3–2 (11) Sewell (8–7) Melton — 3,477 48–44
93 August 5 Giants 3–4 Hubbell Brown (6–7) — 8,932 48–45
94 August 6 Giants 5–9 Schumacher Bowman (9–6) Melton — 48–46
95 August 6 Giants 6–0 (8) Klinger (11–10) Salvo — 37,665 49–46
96 August 9 @ Cardinals 3–5 Sunkel Bauers (2–3) Shoun 3,334 49–47
97 August 11 @ Cubs 2–3 Lee Sewell (8–8) — 7,296 49–48
98 August 12 @ Cubs 4–6 Bryant Swift (4–4) Passeau 9,223 49–49
99 August 13 @ Cubs 4–5 Dean Klinger (11–11) — 25,180 49–50
100 August 14 @ Reds 8–9 Thompson Brown (6–8) — 23,044 49–51
101 August 15 @ Reds 5–6 Niggeling Bowman (9–7) — 7,941 49–52
102 August 16 Cardinals 3–4 Bowman Klinger (11–12) Shoun — 49–53
103 August 16 Cardinals 0–3 McGee Butcher (0–2) — 7,855 49–54
104 August 17 Cardinals 2–4 Davis Brown (6–9) — 2,737 49–55
105 August 18 Cardinals 0–3 Bowman Bauers (2–4) — 2,586 49–56
106 August 19 Cubs 0–5 Lee Tobin (8–9) — 3,126 49–57
107 August 20 Cubs 5–9 Passeau Klinger (11–13) — — 49–58
108 August 20 Cubs 5–0 (6) Butcher (1–2) Whitehill — 13,076 50–58
109 August 22 @ Bees 8–2 Bowman (10–7) Fette Swift (4) 1,767 51–58
110 August 23 @ Bees 0–1 Posedel Brown (6–10) — 4,691 51–59
111 August 23 @ Bees 1–3 MacFayden Heintzelman (0–1) — 4,691 51–60
112 August 24 @ Giants 4–3 Butcher (2–2) Salvo — 4,341 52–60
113 August 26 @ Giants 2–6 Schumacher Klinger (11–14) Brown — 52–61
114 August 26 @ Giants 0–8 Melton Bowman (10–8) — 10,756 52–62
115 August 27 @ Dodgers 2–3 Fitzsimmons Brown (6–11) Tamulis — 52–63
116 August 27 @ Dodgers 9–5 Blanton (2–2) Hollingsworth — 20,119 53–63
117 August 31 @ Phillies 1–0 Butcher (3–2) Higbe — — 54–63
118 August 31 @ Phillies 6–11 Beck Klinger (11–15) — 8,000 54–64
September: 13–20 (Home: 10–13; Away: 3–7)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
119 September 2 @ Cardinals 11–3 Brown (7–11) Bowman — 2,636 55–64
120 September 3 @ Cardinals 6–14 Davis Bowman (10–9) Shoun — 55–65
121 September 3 @ Cardinals 0–3 Weiland Blanton (2–3) — 11,066 55–66
122 September 4 @ Cubs 2–1 Butcher (4–2) Dean — — 56–66
123 September 4 @ Cubs 6–3 Klinger (12–15) Page — 32,974 57–66
124 September 6 Reds 5–4 (11) Swift (5–4) Johnson — — 58–66
125 September 6 Reds 3–4 (10) Derringer Bowman (10–10) — 7,548 58–67
126 September 7 Reds 8–7 (11) Sewell (9–8) Johnson — 2,484 59–67
127 September 8 Reds 2–5 Walters Butcher (4–3) — 4,479 59–68
128 September 9 Cardinals 2–12 Weiland Brown (7–12) — 3,817 59–69
129 September 10 Cardinals 3–9 Davis Klinger (12–16) — — 59–70
130 September 10 Cardinals 4–11 Bowman Bowman (10–11) — 12,588 59–71
131 September 11 Cardinals 8–6 Tobin (9–9) Andrews — 1,134 60–71
132 September 13 Giants 0–2 Gumbert Swift (5–5) — — 60–72
133 September 13 Giants 7–4 Klinger (13–16) Melton Sewell (2) 3,426 61–72
134 September 14 Dodgers 4–3 Brown (8–12) Tamulis — — 62–72
135 September 14 Dodgers 4–8 Crouch Swigart (0–1) — 3,637 62–73
136 September 15 Dodgers 2–4 (10) Hutchinson Butcher (4–4) — 1,548 62–74
137 September 16 Dodgers 2–3 Fitzsimmons Bowman (10–12) Tamulis 2,457 62–75
138 September 17 Phillies 3–7 Johnson Gee (0–1) — — 62–76
139 September 17 Phillies 10–1 Klinger (14–16) Pearson — 8,008 63–76
140 September 18 Phillies 7–4 Brown (9–12) Bruner — 688 64–76
141 September 19 Bees 5–3 Sewell (10–8) Turner — 702 65–76
142 September 21 Bees 6–4 Gee (1–1) Veigel — 1,980 66–76
143 September 21 Bees 7–0 Swigart (1–1) Posedel — 1,980 67–76
144 September 22 @ Reds 0–6 Thompson Brown (9–13) — — 67–77
145 September 22 @ Reds 9–10 Shoffner Klinger (14–17) — 5,841 67–78
146 September 23 @ Reds 5–6 Walters Swift (5–6) — — 67–79
147 September 23 @ Reds 1–6 Grissom Bowman (10–13) — 20,951 67–80
148 September 24 @ Reds 2–11 Derringer Gee (1–2) — 19,929 67–81
149 September 27 Cubs 8–9 (10) French Sewell (10–9) — — 67–82
150 September 27 Cubs 5–9 (10) Russell Swift (5–7) Whitehill 1,483 67–83
151 September 29 Reds 1–2 Grissom Bowman (10–14) — 1,477 67–84
October: 1–1 (Home: 1–1; Away: 0–0)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
152 October 1 Reds 1–9 Thompson Clemensen (0–1) — — 67–85
153 October 1 Reds 8–0 Heintzelman (1–1) Moore — 3,859 68–85
Legend:        = Win        = Loss
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1939 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
C Ray Berres 81 231 53 .229 0 16
1B Elbie Fletcher 102 370 112 .303 12 71
2B Pep Young 84 293 81 .276 3 29
SS Arky Vaughn 152 595 182 .306 6 62
3B Lee Handley 101 376 107 .285 1 42
OF Johnny Rizzo 94 330 86 .261 6 55
OF Lloyd Waner 112 379 108 .285 0 24
OF Paul Waner 125 461 151 .328 3 45

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Bill Brubaker 100 345 80 .232 7 43
Chuck Klein 85 270 81 .300 11 47
Fern Bell 83 262 75 .286 2 34
Gus Suhr 63 204 59 .289 1 31
Ray Mueller 86 180 42 .233 2 18
Bob Elliott 32 129 43 .333 3 19
Maurice Van Robays 27 105 33 .314 2 16
George Susce 31 75 17 .227 1 4
Frankie Gustine 22 70 13 .186 0 3
Red Juelich 17 46 11 .239 0 4
Joe Schultz Jr. 4 14 4 .286 0 2
Heinie Manush 10 12 0 .000 0 1
Woody Jensen 12 12 2 .167 0 1
Eddie Yount 2 2 0 .000 0 0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Bob Klinger 37 225.0 14 17 4.36 64
Joe Bowman 37 184.2 10 14 4.48 58
Jim Tobin 25 145.1 9 9 4.52 43
Max Butcher 14 86.2 4 4 3.43 21
Oad Swigart 3 24.1 1 1 4.44 8
Johnny Gee 3 19.2 1 2 4.12 16

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Mace Brown 47 200.1 9 13 3.37 71
Rip Sewell 52 176.1 10 9 4.08 69
Bill Swift 36 129.2 5 7 3.89 56
Russ Bauers 15 53.2 2 4 3.35 12
Cy Blanton 10 42.0 2 3 4.29 11

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Ken Heintzelman 17 1 1 0 5.05 18
Bill Clemensen 12 0 1 0 7.33 13
Pep Rambert 2 0 0 0 8.82 4

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
A1 Knoxville Smokies Southern Association Neil Caldwell
B Gadsden Pilots Southeastern League Yam Yaryan
C Hutchinson Pirates Western Association Jimmy Jordan
D Carthage Pirates Arkansas–Missouri League Buzz Arlitt
D Valdosta Trojans Georgia–Florida League Bill Morrell
D McKeesport Little Pirates Pennsylvania State Association Leo Mackey and Joe Agee
D Jamestown Jaguars PONY League Mickey LaLange

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Carthage

Notes

  1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Side in 1907.
  2. Johnny Dickshot page at Baseball Reference

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