1936 Pittsburgh Pirates season

1936 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh[1]
OwnersBill Benswanger
ManagersPie Traynor
RadioKQV
Tony Wakeman
WJAS
Regis Welsh
WWSW
Jack Craddock
← 1935 Seasons 1937 →

The 1936 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 55th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 50th in the National League. The Pirates finished fourth in the league standings with a record of 84–70.

Offseason

Regular season

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
New York Giants 92 62 .597 52‍–‍26 40‍–‍36
St. Louis Cardinals 87 67 .565 5 43‍–‍33 44‍–‍34
Chicago Cubs 87 67 .565 5 50‍–‍27 37‍–‍40
Pittsburgh Pirates 84 70 .545 8 46‍–‍30 38‍–‍40
Cincinnati Reds 74 80 .481 18 42‍–‍34 32‍–‍46
Boston Bees 71 83 .461 21 35‍–‍43 36‍–‍40
Brooklyn Dodgers 67 87 .435 25 37‍–‍40 30‍–‍47
Philadelphia Phillies 54 100 .351 38 30‍–‍48 24‍–‍52

Record vs. opponents


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


Game log

1936 Game Log: 84–70 (Home: 46–30; Away: 38–40)
April: 6–6 (Home: 3–2; Away: 3–4)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1 April 14 @ Reds 8–6 Hoyt (1–0) Derringer 32,243 1–0
2 April 15 @ Reds 7–6 Birkofer (1–0) Freitas 2,868 2–0
3 April 16 @ Reds 4–7 Hollingsworth Weaver (0–1) 1,836 2–1
4 April 19 Cardinals 3–7 Hallahan Lucas (0–1) 17,500 2–2
5 April 20 Cubs 9–8 Swift (1–0) Henshaw 3–2
6 April 23 @ Cubs 1–2 French Birkofer (1–1) 3–3
7 April 24 @ Cubs 1–6 Warneke Blanton (0–1) 3–4
8 April 25 @ Cardinals 12–5 Weaver (1–1) Hallahan 4–4
9 April 26 @ Cardinals 2–3 (10) Dean Swift (1–1) 5,500 4–5
10 April 28 Phillies 7–9 Johnson Brown (0–1) 4–6
11 April 29 Phillies 10–9 (11) Lucas (1–1) Walters 5–6
12 April 30 Phillies 6–5 Weaver (2–1) Jorgens Brown (1) 6–6
May: 15–14 (Home: 6–4; Away: 9–10)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
13 May 1 Bees 4–6 Osborne Swift (1–2) Smith 2,000 6–7
14 May 2 Bees 6–1 Tising (1–0) Chaplin 5,000 7–7
15 May 3 Dodgers 6–5 Hoyt (2–0) Mungo 10,000 8–7
16 May 5 Dodgers 4–0 Weaver (3–1) Clark 1,600 9–7
17 May 6 Giants 5–6 (10) Gabler Hoyt (2–1) 9–8
18 May 7 Giants 6–2 Birkofer (2–1) Castleman 10,000 10–8
19 May 8 Reds 9–6 Swift (2–2) Stine Blanton (1) 11–8
20 May 9 Reds 10–6 Blanton (1–1) Brennan 12–8
21 May 10 Reds 0–6 Derringer Tising (1–1) 13,955 12–9
22 May 12 @ Bees 6–6 (10) 2,000 12–9
23 May 13 @ Bees 3–4 (10) MacFayden Hoyt (2–2) 2,500 12–10
24 May 14 @ Bees 5–2 Bush (1–0) Benge 1,600 13–10
25 May 15 @ Dodgers 6–2 Weaver (4–1) Mungo 4,000 14–10
26 May 16 @ Dodgers 0–3 Clark Blanton (1–2) 8,000 14–11
27 May 17 @ Giants 6–8 Castleman Bush (1–1) Gabler 29,000 14–12
28 May 18 @ Giants 2–4 Hubbell Tising (1–2) 14–13
29 May 20 @ Phillies 9–3 Weaver (5–1) Zachary 15–13
30 May 21 @ Phillies 7–4 Birkofer (3–1) Jorgens 16–13
31 May 22 Cardinals 4–11 Dean Tising (1–3) 16–14
32 May 23 @ Reds 3–4 Brennan Blanton (1–3) 16–15
33 May 24 @ Reds 1–12 Hollingsworth Weaver (5–2) 11,526 16–16
34 May 25 @ Reds 9–2 Lucas (2–1) Schott 1,869 17–16
35 May 26 @ Cardinals 2–6 Dean Blanton (1–4) 17–17
36 May 26 @ Cardinals 2–6 Winford Birkofer (3–2) 17–18
37 May 27 @ Cardinals 11–2 Swift (3–2) Hallahan 18–18
38 May 28 @ Cardinals 7–2 Weaver (6–2) Walker 19–18
39 May 29 @ Cardinals 7–9 Dean Bush (1–2) 19–19
40 May 30 @ Cubs 7–5 Swift (4–2) Root 20–19
41 May 30 @ Cubs 11–7 Brown (1–1) Bryant Bush (1) 43,332 21–19
42 May 31 @ Cubs 7–8 (10) Carleton Bush (1–3) 21–20
June: 17–11 (Home: 10–5; Away: 7–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
43 June 2 Bees 5–4 Weaver (7–2) Chaplin Brown (2) 2,500 22–20
44 June 3 Bees 3–4 (11) Reis Swift (4–3) 2,000 22–21
45 June 4 Bees 7–5 Blanton (2–4) Lanning Brown (3) 23–21
46 June 5 Phillies 14–8 Brown (2–1) Bowman 24–21
47 June 6 Phillies 1–5 Jorgens Weaver (7–3) 24–22
48 June 7 Phillies 6–2 Swift (5–3) Moore 25–22
49 June 8 Dodgers 2–1 Blanton (3–4) Brandt 26–22
50 June 9 Dodgers 4–1 Weaver (8–3) Earnshaw 27–22
51 June 9 Dodgers 7–5 Brown (3–1) Mungo 8,000 28–22
52 June 10 Dodgers 6–3 Lucas (3–1) Clark Bush (2) 29–22
53 June 12 Giants 3–2 Swift (6–3) Hubbell 30–22
54 June 13 Giants 6–2 Blanton (4–4) Smith 31–22
55 June 14 Giants 0–8 Schumacher Weaver (8–4) 32,000 31–23
56 June 16 @ Dodgers 9–2 Lucas (4–1) Mungo 3,500 32–23
57 June 17 @ Dodgers 14–5 Swift (7–3) Baker 33–23
58 June 20 @ Phillies 6–0 Blanton (5–4) Bowman 34–23
59 June 20 @ Phillies 1–2 Jorgens Weaver (8–5) Johnson 34–24
60 June 21 @ Phillies 7–6 Lucas (5–1) Kowalik 5,000 35–24
61 June 22 @ Giants 5–11 Schumacher Swift (7–4) 5,314 35–25
62 June 23 @ Giants 2–3 Gumbert Brown (3–2) Smith 5,500 35–26
63 June 24 @ Giants 3–4 Hubbell Birkofer (3–3) 35–27
64 June 24 @ Giants 4–1 Weaver (9–5) Fitzsimmons 15,000 36–27
65 June 25 @ Giants 4–5 Coffman Swift (7–5) 5,000 36–28
66 June 26 @ Bees 2–1 Lucas (6–1) MacFayden 5,352 37–28
67 June 28 @ Bees 11–2 Blanton (6–4) Benge 38–28
68 June 28 @ Bees 4–6 Cantwell Weaver (9–6) Smith 18,133 38–29
69 June 30 Cardinals 1–2 Haines Brown (3–3) 38–30
70 June 30 Cardinals 3–4 Rhem Blanton (6–5) Dean 20,000 38–31
July: 13–15 (Home: 6–10; Away: 7–5)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
71 July 1 Cardinals 9–4 Lucas (7–1) Walker Swift (1) 39–31
72 July 2 Cardinals 2–4 Dean Weaver (9–7) 39–32
73 July 4 Cubs 2–3 (10) French Blanton (6–6) 39–33
74 July 4 Cubs 7–4 Brown (4–3) Lee Welch (1) 33,000 40–33
75 July 5 Cubs 4–2 Swift (8–5) Warneke 41–33
76 July 9 Phillies 16–5 Birkofer (4–3) Kowalik 42–33
77 July 10 Phillies 6–9 (10) Walters Swift (8–6) 42–34
78 July 12 Bees 2–6 (10) Cantwell Blanton (6–7) 5,000 42–35
79 July 13 Bees 1–4 Chaplin Swift (8–7) 1,200 42–36
80 July 14 Bees 2–1 Brown (5–3) MacFayden 2,000 43–36
81 July 15 Giants 5–4 (10) Birkofer (5–3) Fitzsimmons 44–36
82 July 15 Giants 4–14 Smith Weaver (9–8) 15,000 44–37
83 July 16 Giants 6–7 Coffman Brown (5–4) Schumacher 6,000 44–38
84 July 17 Giants 0–6 Hubbell Swift (8–8) 44–39
85 July 18 Dodgers 5–6 Jeffcoat Brown (5–5) Clark 8,000 44–40
86 July 19 Dodgers 2–4 Clark Blanton (6–8) Mungo 4,000 44–41
87 July 21 @ Phillies 17–6 Swift (9–8) Moore 45–41
88 July 22 @ Phillies 4–16 Bowman Brown (5–6) 45–42
89 July 23 @ Phillies 10–1 Blanton (7–8) Passeau 46–42
90 July 25 @ Dodgers 7–4 Swift (10–8) Clark 4,700 47–42
91 July 26 @ Dodgers 0–1 Mungo Lucas (7–2) 47–43
92 July 26 @ Dodgers 3–4 Brandt Brown (5–7) 15,000 47–44
93 July 27 @ Dodgers 3–6 Frankhouse Blanton (7–9) 485 47–45
94 July 28 @ Dodgers 9–8 (10) Lucas (8–2) Brandt 48–45
95 July 29 @ Bees 1–4 MacFayden Swift (10–9) 9,284 48–46
96 July 29 @ Bees 10–4 Brown (6–7) Smith 9,284 49–46
97 July 30 @ Bees 5–3 (11) Brown (7–7) Cantwell 2,612 50–46
98 July 31 @ Bees 10–5 Weaver (10–8) Chaplin Hoyt (1) 3,216 51–46
August: 15–15 (Home: 11–7; Away: 4–8)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
99 August 1 @ Giants 0–6 Smith Blanton (7–10) 51–47
100 August 2 @ Giants 2–3 Hubbell Swift (10–10) 15,000 51–48
101 August 5 @ Reds 4–6 Schott Brown (7–8) 6,373 51–49
102 August 7 @ Reds 5–1 Lucas (9–2) Hollingsworth 52–49
103 August 7 @ Reds 1–0 Blanton (8–10) Hallahan 3,969 53–49
104 August 8 @ Cubs 2–3 French Swift (10–11) 53–50
105 August 9 @ Cubs 2–9 Lee Brown (7–9) 53–51
106 August 9 @ Cubs 1–10 Davis Birkofer (5–4) 40,000 53–52
107 August 11 Reds 6–3 Lucas (10–2) Derringer 54–52
108 August 11 Reds 3–7 Hallahan Blanton (8–11) 54–53
109 August 12 Reds 6–1 Swift (11–11) Schott 55–53
110 August 13 Reds 5–4 Hoyt (3–2) Hollingsworth 56–53
111 August 15 Cardinals 7–1 Weaver (11–8) Haines 57–53
112 August 16 Cardinals 3–4 Winford Lucas (10–3) Parmelee 57–54
113 August 16 Cardinals 2–7 Dean Swift (11–12) 35,000 57–55
114 August 18 Cubs 4–5 French Blanton (8–12) 57–56
115 August 18 Cubs 3–1 Hoyt (4–2) Lee 58–56
116 August 19 Cubs 5–4 Swift (12–12) Root 59–56
117 August 20 Cubs 8–7 (11) Birkofer (6–4) Warneke 60–56
118 August 21 @ Cardinals 5–4 Lucas (11–3) Haines 61–56
119 August 22 @ Cardinals 3–4 Winford Swift (12–13) 61–57
120 August 23 @ Cardinals 3–7 Heusser Blanton (8–13) 61–58
121 August 23 @ Cardinals 6–6 (10) 61–58
122 August 24 @ Cardinals 17–5 Brown (8–9) Heusser 62–58
123 August 25 Dodgers 1–4 (8) Butcher Birkofer (6–5) 62–59
124 August 26 Dodgers 3–10 Brandt Swift (12–14) 62–60
125 August 27 Dodgers 6–3 Weaver (12–8) Mungo Blanton (2) 2,500 63–60
126 August 28 Giants 2–7 (14) Fitzsimmons Hoyt (4–3) Gabler 5,000 63–61
127 August 29 Giants 7–4 Lucas (12–3) Smith 64–61
128 August 30 Bees 4–2 Swift (13–14) Chaplin 65–61
129 August 30 Bees 3–1 Blanton (9–13) Smith 8,000 66–61
September: 18–9 (Home: 10–2; Away: 8–7)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
130 September 1 Bees 3–1 Weaver (13–8) MacFayden 1,000 67–61
131 September 3 Phillies 3–4 Bowman Lucas (12–4) 67–62
132 September 3 Phillies 5–1 Hoyt (5–3) Passeau 5,000 68–62
133 September 4 Cubs 0–8 French Swift (13–15) 68–63
134 September 5 Cubs 1–0 Blanton (10–13) Henshaw 69–63
135 September 6 Cubs 5–4 Weaver (14–8) Davis Swift (2) 70–63
136 September 7 Cardinals 4–1 Hoyt (6–3) Dean 71–63
137 September 7 Cardinals 14–1 Brown (9–9) Parmelee 72–63
138 September 9 @ Dodgers 7–8 Brandt Blanton (10–14) 72–64
139 September 10 @ Dodgers 11–5 Swift (14–15) Frankhouse 5,000 73–64
140 September 11 @ Bees 10–3 Blanton (11–14) Weir 1,594 74–64
141 September 12 @ Bees 2–3 Bush Hoyt (6–4) 1,500 74–65
142 September 13 @ Phillies 5–3 Birkofer (7–5) Sivess Blanton (3) 75–65
143 September 13 @ Phillies 3–4 Jorgens Brown (9–10) 75–66
144 September 14 @ Phillies 11–4 Swift (15–15) Benge 76–66
145 September 14 @ Phillies 6–5 (10) Lucas (13–4) Bowman 77–66
146 September 16 @ Giants 1–2 Smith Blanton (11–15) Coffman 77–67
147 September 16 @ Giants 4–3 Hoyt (7–4) Schumacher 22,000 78–67
148 September 17 Reds 14–10 Brown (10–10) Hollingsworth 79–67
149 September 19 Reds 7–6 (11) Swift (16–15) Hallahan 80–67
150 September 20 Reds 5–1 Blanton (12–15) Derringer 81–67
151 September 20 Reds 6–4 Lucas (14–4) Davis 10,000 82–67
152 September 22 @ Cubs 4–11 Davis Hoyt (7–5) 3,900 82–68
153 September 23 @ Cubs 7–6 (10) Lucas (15–4) Warneke 83–68
154 September 24 @ Cubs 4–0 Blanton (13–15) French 13,000 84–68
155 September 26 @ Reds 1–5 Hallahan Swift (16–16) 84–69
156 September 27 @ Reds 5–6 Moore Brown (10–11) Mooty 5,377 84–70
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1936 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders 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 88 281 70 .249 1 31
1B Gus Suhr 156 583 182 .312 11 118
2B Pep Young 125 475 118 .248 6 77
3B Bill Brubaker 145 554 160 .289 6 102
SS Arky Vaughan 156 568 190 .335 9 78
LF Woody Jensen 153 696 197 .283 10 58
CF Lloyd Waner 106 414 133 .321 1 31
RF Paul Waner 148 585 218 .373 5 94

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
Al Todd 76 267 73 .273 2 28
Fred Schulte 74 238 62 .261 1 17
Cookie Lavagetto 60 197 48 .244 2 26
Bud Hafey 39 118 25 .212 4 13
Hal Finney 21 35 0 .000 0 3
Earl Browne 8 23 7 .304 0 3
Johnny Dickshot 9 9 2 .222 0 1

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
Bill Swift 45 262.1 16 16 4.01 92
Cy Blanton 44 235.2 13 15 3.51 127
Jim Weaver 38 225.2 14 8 4.31 108
Red Lucas 27 175.2 15 4 3.18 53
Russ Bauers 1 1.1 0 0 33.75 0

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 47 165.0 10 11 3.87 56
Waite Hoyt 22 116.2 7 5 2.70 37
Ralph Birkofer 34 109.1 7 5 4.69 44
Jack Tising 10 47.0 1 3 4.21 27

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
Guy Bush 16 1 3 2 5.97 10
Johnny Welch 9 0 0 1 4.50 5

Awards and honors

1936 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

League top five finishers

Cy Blanton

  • #3 in NL in strikeouts (127)

Red Lucas

  • #5 in NL in ERA (3.18)

Gus Suhr

  • #3 in NL in RBI (118)
  • #5 in NL in runs scored (111)

Bill Swift

  • #5 in NL in losses (16)

Arky Vaughan

  • NL leader in runs scored (122)
  • NL leader in on-base percentage (.453)
  • #5 in NL in batting average (.335)

Paul Waner

  • NL leader in batting average (.373)
  • #2 in NL in hits (218)
  • #3 in NL in on-base percentage (.446)
  • #5 in NL in slugging percentage (.520)

Farm system

Level Team League Manager
A Scranton Miners New York–Pennsylvania League Elmer Yoter
B Savannah Indians Sally League Bill Gould and Bob LaMotte
C Hutchinson Larks Western Association Dick Goldberg
D Jeannette Little Pirates Pennsylvania State Association Wilbur Cooper
D Portageville-Owensboro Pirates Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League Hughie Wise
D Winnipeg Maroons Northern League Wes Griffin

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Scranton, Jeannette

Notes

  1. ^ From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Side in 1907.
  2. ^ Earl Grace page at Baseball Reference
  3. ^ Tommy Thevenow page at Baseball Reference
  4. ^ Great Baseball Feats, Facts and Figures, 2008 Edition, p. 258, David Nemec and Scott Flatow, A Signet Book, Penguin Group, New York, ISBN 978-0-451-22363-0

References