1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season

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

1939 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1]
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: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]
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

References

  • 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
  • 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates Page at Baseball Almanac
  • Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-1-932391-17-6.