1935 Pittsburgh Pirates season

This article is about the baseball team. For the NFL team, see 1935 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season.

1935 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1]
OwnersBill Benswanger
ManagersPie Traynor
RadioKQV
Pat Patterson
WWSW
Walt Sickles
← 1934 Seasons 1936 →

The 1935 Pittsburgh Pirates season was a season in American baseball which involved the Pirates finishing fourth in the National League.

The roster featured five future Hall of Famers: player-manager Pie Traynor, pitcher Waite Hoyt, shortstop Arky Vaughan, center fielder Lloyd Waner, and right fielder Paul Waner.

Offseason

Regular season

Vaughan hit .385 on his way to being named the NL's Most Valuable Player by The Sporting News. It is considered the best offensive season ever by a shortstop other than Honus Wagner.[3]

On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth of the Boston Braves hit the final three home runs of his career in one game against the Pirates at Forbes Field.[4]

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Chicago Cubs 100 54 .649 — 56‍–‍21 44‍–‍33
St. Louis Cardinals 96 58 .623 4 53‍–‍24 43‍–‍34
New York Giants 91 62 .595 8½ 50‍–‍27 41‍–‍35
Pittsburgh Pirates 86 67 .562 13½ 46‍–‍31 40‍–‍36
Brooklyn Dodgers 70 83 .458 29½ 38‍–‍38 32‍–‍45
Cincinnati Reds 68 85 .444 31½ 41‍–‍35 27‍–‍50
Philadelphia Phillies 64 89 .418 35½ 35‍–‍43 29‍–‍46
Boston Braves 38 115 .248 61½ 25‍–‍50 13‍–‍65

Record vs. opponents

1935 National League record

Sources: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
Team BOS BR CHC CIN NYG PHI PIT STL
Boston — 6–16 3–19 10–12 5–16 8–14 2–20 4–18
Brooklyn 16–6 — 5–17 11–11 9–13 12–9–1 11–11 6–16
Chicago 19–3 17–5 — 14–8 14–8 13–9 15–7 8–14
Cincinnati 12–10 11–11 8–14 — 8–14–1 13–9 8–13 8–14
New York 16–5 13–9 8–14 14–8–1 — 12–10–2 14–8 14–8
Philadelphia 14–8 9–12–1 9–13 9–13 10–12–2 — 6–16 7–15
Pittsburgh 20–2 11–11 7–15 13–8 8–14 16–6 — 11–11
St. Louis 18–4 16–6 14–8 14–8 8–14 15–7 11–11 —


Game log

1935 Game Log: 86–67 (Home: 46–31; Away: 40–36)
April: 6–8 (Home: 1–4; Away: 5–4)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1 April 16 @ Reds 12–6 Hoyt (1–0) Freitas — 27,400 1–0
2 April 17 Reds 4–7 Derringer Bush (0–1) — — 1–1
3 April 18 Reds 4–9 Frey Weaver (0–1) — 1,560 1–2
4 April 19 Cardinals 3–0 Blanton (1–0) Hallahan — — 2–2
5 April 20 Cardinals 1–4 Walker Hoyt (1–1) — — 2–3
6 April 21 Cardinals 1–6 Dean Bush (0–2) — 28,000 2–4
7 April 23 @ Reds 4–3 Weaver (1–1) Freitas Swift (1) 8,836 3–4
8 April 24 @ Reds 5–2 Blanton (2–0) Hollingsworth — 4,036 4–4
9 April 25 @ Reds 0–6 Frey Hoyt (1–2) — 2,590 4–5
10 April 26 @ Cardinals 2–3 (11) Heusser Swift (0–1) — — 4–6
11 April 27 @ Cardinals 8–5 Weaver (2–1) Hallahan — 10,000 5–6
12 April 28 @ Cardinals 3–2 Blanton (3–0) Dean — 12,000 6–6
13 April 29 @ Cubs 11–12 Kowalik Salveson (0–1) Bryant — 6–7
14 April 30 @ Cubs 0–3 Henshaw Birkofer (0–1) — — 6–8
May: 17–11 (Home: 9–6; Away: 8–5)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
15 May 3 @ Dodgers 1–2 Mungo Weaver (2–2) — — 6–9
16 May 4 @ Dodgers 1–0 Blanton (4–0) Zachary — — 7–9
17 May 5 @ Dodgers 9–2 Bush (1–2) Clark — 13,000 8–9
18 May 6 @ Braves 8–6 Hoyt (2–2) Benton Blanton (1) — 9–9
19 May 8 @ Braves 3–12 Frankhouse Weaver (2–3) — — 9–10
20 May 9 @ Giants 1–3 Hubbell Blanton (4–1) — 6,000 9–11
21 May 11 @ Giants 4–1 Bush (2–2) Schumacher — — 10–11
22 May 11 @ Giants 0–3 Fitzsimmons Hoyt (2–3) — 40,000 10–12
23 May 12 @ Giants 1–3 Parmelee Weaver (2–4) — 20,000 10–13
24 May 13 @ Phillies 10–1 Blanton (5–1) Bivin — — 11–13
25 May 14 @ Phillies 8–1 Birkofer (1–1) Walters — 1,500 12–13
26 May 15 @ Phillies 20–5 Swift (1–1) Jorgens — — 13–13
27 May 16 Dodgers 0–2 (13) Zachary Hoyt (2–4) — 6,000 13–14
28 May 17 Dodgers 1–7 Benge Weaver (2–5) — — 13–15
29 May 18 Dodgers 8–2 Blanton (6–1) Mungo — 8,000 14–15
30 May 19 Dodgers 9–6 Swift (2–1) Eisenstat Hoyt (1) 10,000 15–15
31 May 20 Giants 11–4 Lucas (1–0) Hubbell — — 16–15
32 May 21 Giants 4–9 Castleman Hoyt (2–5) Smith — 16–16
33 May 22 Giants 2–5 Parmelee Blanton (6–2) — 6,000 16–17
34 May 23 Braves 7–1 Swift (3–1) Cantwell — 10,000 17–17
35 May 24 Braves 7–6 Weaver (3–5) Brandt — — 18–17
36 May 25 Braves 11–7 Hoyt (3–5) Cantwell — — 19–17
37 May 26 Phillies 3–1 Blanton (7–2) Prim — 10,000 20–17
38 May 27 Phillies 2–4 Pezzullo Swift (3–2) Moore — 20–18
39 May 28 Phillies 3–1 Weaver (4–5) Pezzullo — — 21–18
40 May 30 Cubs 4–6 Henshaw Blanton (7–3) — 40,430 21–19
41 May 30 Cubs 4–1 Lucas (2–0) French — 40,430 22–19
42 May 31 @ Reds 4–1 Swift (4–2) Hollingsworth — 19,429 23–19
June: 16–11 (Home: 5–1; Away: 11–10)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
43 June 2 @ Reds 8–0 Weaver (5–5) Derringer — 2,973 24–19
44 June 4 Cardinals 9–5 Blanton (8–3) Dean — 4,000 25–19
45 June 6 Cardinals 2–1 Bush (3–2) Haines — — 26–19
46 June 7 Reds 4–13 (7) Derringer Weaver (5–6) — 1,110 26–20
47 June 8 Reds 14–8 Hoyt (4–5) Brennan Bush (1) 5,800 27–20
48 June 9 Reds 7–4 Blanton (9–3) Johnson — 5,046 28–20
49 June 10 Reds 14–1 Swift (5–2) Hollingsworth — 1,186 29–20
50 June 11 @ Dodgers 4–0 Bush (4–2) Zachary — 3,000 30–20
51 June 12 @ Dodgers 7–3 Birkofer (2–1) Leonard — — 31–20
52 June 13 @ Dodgers 0–3 Mungo Blanton (9–4) — — 31–21
53 June 14 @ Dodgers 1–0 Swift (6–2) Clark — — 32–21
54 June 15 @ Phillies 5–6 Johnson Blanton (9–5) — — 32–22
55 June 16 @ Phillies 4–12 Pezzullo Birkofer (2–2) — — 32–23
56 June 17 @ Phillies 12–5 Swift (7–2) Walters — — 33–23
57 June 20 @ Giants 2–6 Smith Bush (4–3) — — 33–24
58 June 21 @ Giants 4–11 Castleman Lucas (2–1) — — 33–25
59 June 22 @ Giants 5–4 (11) Hoyt (5–5) Smith — — 34–25
60 June 22 @ Giants 3–7 Schumacher Weaver (5–7) — 10,000 34–26
61 June 23 @ Braves 4–3 Weaver (6–7) MacFayden — — 35–26
62 June 23 @ Braves 7–4 Bush (5–3) Smith — — 36–26
63 June 25 @ Braves 2–7 MacFayden Birkofer (2–3) — — 36–27
64 June 26 @ Braves 4–2 Bush (6–3) Cantwell — — 37–27
65 June 26 @ Braves 5–1 Swift (8–2) Betts — — 38–27
66 June 28 @ Cubs 0–8 Henshaw Weaver (6–8) — — 38–28
67 June 29 @ Cubs 0–1 (12) French Hoyt (5–6) — — 38–29
68 June 29 @ Cubs 1–2 Warneke Lucas (2–2) — 17,400 38–30
69 June 30 @ Cubs 9–7 Blanton (10–5) Root — 10,400 39–30
July: 15–14 (Home: 14–12; Away: 1–2)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
70 July 2 @ Cardinals 0–7 Hallahan Bush (6–4) — — 39–31
71 July 4 @ Reds 9–5 Hoyt (6–6) Frey — — 40–31
72 July 4 @ Reds 4–5 Brennan Blanton (10–6) Freitas 13,000 40–32
73 July 5 Cubs 4–0 Lucas (3–2) Henshaw — 10,000 41–32
74 July 6 Cubs 8–10 (13) Warneke Swift (8–3) — — 41–33
75 July 7 Cubs 1–13 Lee Blanton (10–7) — — 41–34
76 July 10 Giants 3–10 Schumacher Hoyt (6–7) — — 41–35
77 July 11 Giants 2–4 Parmelee Lucas (3–3) — — 41–36
78 July 13 Giants 6–7 Hubbell Hoyt (6–8) — — 41–37
79 July 14 Giants 4–2 Blanton (11–7) Smith — 12,000 42–37
80 July 16 Dodgers 3–9 Zachary Swift (8–4) — 2,000 42–38
81 July 17 Dodgers 4–5 Clark Bush (6–5) Leonard — 42–39
82 July 17 Dodgers 0–5 Earnshaw Hoyt (6–9) — — 42–40
83 July 18 Dodgers 3–5 Benge Blanton (11–8) Leonard — 42–41
84 July 19 Braves 6–5 Bush (7–5) Cantwell — — 43–41
85 July 20 Braves 14–2 Brown (1–0) Frankhouse — — 44–41
86 July 20 Braves 6–3 Weaver (7–8) MacFayden — — 45–41
87 July 21 Braves 7–0 Swift (9–4) Brandt — — 46–41
88 July 22 Phillies 5–4 Bush (8–5) Pezzullo — — 47–41
89 July 24 Phillies 8–6 Birkofer (3–3) Prim Bush (2) — 48–41
90 July 24 Phillies 4–3 Brown (2–0) Johnson Hoyt (2) — 49–41
91 July 25 Phillies 9–8 Bush (9–5) Davis — — 50–41
92 July 27 Cardinals 10–4 Blanton (12–8) Collins — — 51–41
93 July 28 Cardinals 3–4 Dean Bush (9–6) — 36,000 51–42
94 July 28 Cardinals 5–4 Swift (10–4) Walker — 36,000 52–42
95 July 29 Cardinals 3–2 Lucas (4–3) Hallahan — — 53–42
96 July 30 Cubs 6–9 Lee Brown (2–1) — — 53–43
97 July 31 Cubs 2–4 Henshaw Blanton (12–9) French — 53–44
98 July 31 Cubs 6–5 (11) Birkofer (4–3) Root — — 54–44
August: 20–11 (Home: 7–2; Away: 13–9)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
99 August 1 Cubs 6–5 Swift (11–4) Warneke Hoyt (3) — 55–44
100 August 3 @ Cardinals 0–6 Walker Lucas (4–4) — — 55–45
101 August 4 @ Cardinals 3–4 (10) Dean Hoyt (6–10) — 17,000 55–46
102 August 4 @ Cardinals 5–6 Walker Swift (11–5) — 17,000 55–47
103 August 6 @ Cubs 1–2 Henshaw Birkofer (4–4) — 16,000 55–48
104 August 7 @ Cubs 6–0 Blanton (13–9) French — — 56–48
105 August 8 @ Cubs 5–9 Carleton Bush (9–7) — — 56–49
106 August 9 Reds 1–0 Swift (12–5) Hollingsworth — — 57–49
107 August 10 Reds 0–2 Derringer Birkofer (4–5) — — 57–50
108 August 11 Reds 5–4 Blanton (14–9) Freitas — — 58–50
109 August 11 Reds 3–4 Schott Bush (9–8) Derringer — 58–51
110 August 12 Reds 7–4 Lucas (5–4) Hollingsworth Birkofer (1) — 59–51
111 August 14 @ Phillies 8–1 Swift (13–5) Davis — — 60–51
112 August 14 @ Phillies 7–4 Weaver (8–8) Pezzullo — — 61–51
113 August 15 @ Phillies 1–9 Bowman Bush (9–9) — — 61–52
114 August 17 @ Phillies 2–0 Lucas (6–4) Jorgens — — 62–52
115 August 17 @ Phillies 5–1 Birkofer (5–5) Walters — — 63–52
116 August 18 @ Dodgers 0–3 Clark Swift (13–6) — — 63–53
117 August 18 @ Dodgers 3–9 Benge Bush (9–10) Reis — 63–54
118 August 20 @ Dodgers 2–0 Weaver (9–8) Zachary — — 64–54
119 August 21 @ Dodgers 0–5 Earnshaw Birkofer (5–6) — — 64–55
120 August 23 @ Braves 7–5 Swift (14–6) Cantwell Hoyt (4) — 65–55
121 August 24 @ Braves 3–2 Blanton (15–9) Frankhouse — 2,000 66–55
122 August 25 @ Braves 9–2 Weaver (10–8) Smith — — 67–55
123 August 25 @ Braves 6–5 (11) Lucas (7–4) Betts — — 68–55
124 August 26 @ Giants 10–2 Birkofer (6–6) Smith — — 69–55
125 August 28 @ Giants 6–1 Blanton (16–9) Hubbell — — 70–55
126 August 28 @ Giants 9–5 Swift (15–6) Parmelee — 15,000 71–55
127 August 29 Cardinals 5–1 Weaver (11–8) Dean — 7,000 72–55
128 August 30 Cardinals 9–3 Lucas (8–4) Hallahan — — 73–55
129 August 31 Cubs 5–0 Birkofer (7–6) French — — 74–55
September: 12–12 (Home: 10–6; Away: 2–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
130 September 1 Cubs 2–8 Henshaw Blanton (16–10) — — 74–56
131 September 2 @ Cardinals 3–4 (16) Dean Hoyt (6–11) — 31,000 74–57
132 September 2 @ Cardinals 1–4 (5) Dean Swift (15–7) — 31,000 74–58
133 September 5 Dodgers 5–4 Birkofer (8–6) Leonard Hoyt (5) 1,000 75–58
134 September 6 Dodgers 13–0 Blanton (17–10) Zachary — — 76–58
135 September 7 Dodgers 5–4 Bush (10–10) Benge — — 77–58
136 September 8 Giants 1–3 Hubbell Lucas (8–5) — 18,000 77–59
137 September 10 Giants 3–4 Castleman Blanton (17–11) Stout — 77–60
138 September 10 Giants 2–4 Smith Birkofer (8–7) — 4,000 77–61
139 September 11 Giants 10–7 Bush (11–10) Parmelee — — 78–61
140 September 12 Phillies 11–0 Weaver (12–8) Pezzullo — — 79–61
141 September 13 Phillies 1–5 Davis Swift (15–8) — — 79–62
142 September 14 Phillies 5–7 Prim Blanton (17–12) — — 79–63
143 September 15 Phillies 5–3 Birkofer (9–7) Jorgens — — 80–63
144 September 16 Braves 5–3 Brown (3–1) Brown — — 81–63
145 September 17 Braves 6–4 Weaver (13–8) Brandt Hoyt (6) — 82–63
146 September 18 Braves 5–2 Blanton (18–12) Frankhouse — — 83–63
147 September 19 Braves 7–6 Hoyt (7–11) Cantwell — — 84–63
148 September 21 @ Cubs 3–4 Henshaw Bush (11–11) Warneke 39,000 84–64
149 September 22 @ Cubs 0–2 French Blanton (18–13) — 40,558 84–65
150 September 23 @ Cardinals 12–0 Weaver (14–8) Heusser — 7,500 85–65
151 September 24 @ Cardinals 2–11 Hallahan Lucas (8–6) — — 85–66
152 September 29 @ Reds 5–1 Brown (4–1) Hollingsworth — — 86–66
153 September 29 @ Reds 6–9 Derringer Passeau (0–1) — 8,021 86–67
Legend:        = Win        = Loss
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1935 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 Tom Padden 97 302 82 .272 1 30
1B Gus Suhr 153 529 144 .272 10 81
2B Pep Young 128 494 131 .265 7 82
3B Tommy Thevenow 110 408 97 .238 0 47
SS Arky Vaughan 137 499 192 .385 19 99
LF Woody Jensen 143 627 203 .324 8 62
CF Lloyd Waner 122 537 166 .309 0 46
RF Paul Waner 139 549 176 .321 11 78

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
Cookie Lavagetto 78 231 67 .290 0 19
Earl Grace 77 224 59 .263 3 29
Pie Traynor 57 204 57 .279 1 36
Bud Hafey 58 184 42 .228 6 16
Babe Herman 26 81 19 .235 0 7
Earl Browne 9 32 8 .250 0 6
Bill Brubaker 6 11 0 .000 0 0
Aubrey Epps 1 4 3 .750 0 3
Steve Swetonic 1 0 0 ---- 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
Cy Blanton 35 254.1 18 13 2.58 142
Jim Weaver 33 176.1 14 8 3.42 87
Red Lucas 20 125.2 8 6 3.44 29
Claude Passeau 1 3.0 0 1 12.00 1

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
Guy Bush 41 204.1 11 11 4.32 42
Bill Swift 39 203.2 15 8 .270 74
Waite Hoyt 39 164.0 7 11 3.40 63
Ralph Birkofer 37 150.1 9 7 4.07 80
Mace Brown 18 72.2 4 1 3.59 28

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
Jack Salveson 5 0 1 0 9.00 2
Wayne Osborne 2 0 0 0 6.75 1
Hal Smith 1 0 0 0 3.00 0

Awards and honors

1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

League top five finishers

Cy Blanton

  • MLB leader in ERA (2.58)

Bill Swift

  • #2 in NL in ERA (2.70)

Arky Vaughan

  • MLB leader in batting average (.385)
  • MLB leader in on-base percentage (.491)
  • NL leader in slugging percentage (.607)

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AA Kansas City Blues American Association Dutch Zwilling
A Birmingham Barons Southern Association Clyde Milan and Bill Pierre
C Portsmouth Pirates Middle Atlantic League Jake Pitler

References

  1. ^ From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Side in 1907.
  2. ^ Leon Chagnon page at Baseball Reference
  3. ^ James, Bill. The New Historical Baseball Abstract
  4. ^ Shrum, Rick (May 10, 2006). "Parting shots: Two local men recall being witness to Babe Ruth's final three home runs". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.