1940 Pittsburgh Pirates season

1940 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1]
OwnersBill Benswanger
ManagersFrankie Frisch
RadioKDKA
WWSW
Rosey Rowswell, Jack Craddock
← 1939 Seasons 1941 →

The 1940 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 59th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 54th in the National League. The Pirates finished fourth in the league standings with a record of 78–76.

Offseason

  • Prior to 1940 season: Billy Cox was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pirates.[2]

Regular season

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cincinnati Reds 100 53 .654 — 55‍–‍21 45‍–‍32
Brooklyn Dodgers 88 65 .575 12 41‍–‍37 47‍–‍28
St. Louis Cardinals 84 69 .549 16 41‍–‍36 43‍–‍33
Pittsburgh Pirates 78 76 .506 22½ 40‍–‍34 38‍–‍42
Chicago Cubs 75 79 .487 25½ 40‍–‍37 35‍–‍42
New York Giants 72 80 .474 27½ 33‍–‍43 39‍–‍37
Boston Bees 65 87 .428 34½ 35‍–‍40 30‍–‍47
Philadelphia Phillies 50 103 .327 50 24‍–‍55 26‍–‍48

Record vs. opponents

1940 National League record

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


Game log

1940 Game Log: 78–76 (Home: 40–34; Away: 38–42)
April: 4–6 (Home: 3–3; Away: 1–3)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1 April 16 @ Cardinals 6–4 Klinger (1–0) Davis Lanahan (1) 16,600 1–0
2 April 22 Cubs 9–5 Bowman (1–0) Passeau Butcher (1) 10,461 2–0
3 April 23 Cubs 3–2 Brown (1–0) French — 4,138 3–0
4 April 24 Cubs 4–9 Lee Butcher (0–1) — 3,809 3–1
5 April 25 Cardinals 9–10 Shoun Klinger (1–1) Russell 3,394 3–2
6 April 26 Cardinals 10–4 Brown (2–0) Bowman — 3,912 4–2
7 April 27 @ Reds 0–3 Walters Bowman (1–1) — 5,950 4–3
8 April 28 @ Reds 2–8 Thompson MacFayden (0–1) — 19,337 4–4
9 April 29 @ Reds 2–3 Derringer Butcher (0–2) — 1,549 4–5
10 April 30 Phillies 2–6 Mulcahy Klinger (1–2) — 2,015 4–6
May: 5–15 (Home: 3–8; Away: 2–7)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
11 May 5 Bees 1–5 Strincevich Brown (2–1) Coffman 10,992 4–7
12 May 6 Bees 7–10 (12) Swift Swigart (0–1) Sullivan 2,142 4–8
13 May 7 Bees 9–11 Earley Lanning (0–1) Swift 2,098 4–9
14 May 8 Giants 6–10 Melton Klinger (1–3) Schumacher 3,564 4–10
15 May 9 Giants 6–17 Hubbell Butcher (0–3) — 3,492 4–11
16 May 10 @ Cubs 8–3 Brown (3–1) Lee — 3,448 5–11
17 May 11 @ Cubs 5–7 Page Bowman (1–2) — 7,211 5–12
18 May 12 @ Cubs 5–7 Olsen Lanahan (0–1) Passeau 17,955 5–13
19 May 14 @ Giants 7–2 Klinger (2–3) Melton — 4,373 6–13
20 May 15 @ Giants 2–5 Hubbell Brown (3–2) — 4,324 6–14
21 May 18 @ Bees 5–15 Piechota Butcher (0–4) — 4,264 6–15
22 May 19 @ Phillies 5–6 Johnson Sewell (0–1) — 8,981 6–16
23 May 20 @ Phillies 7–8 Hoerst Lanahan (0–2) — 1,000 6–17
24 May 22 @ Dodgers 1–3 Fitzsimmons Klinger (2–4) — 3,149 6–18
25 May 25 Cubs 12–7 Bowman (2–2) French — 2,806 7–18
26 May 26 Cubs 3–2 Klinger (3–4) Lee — 8,771 8–18
27 May 27 Reds 1–2 Beggs Brown (3–3) — — 8–19
28 May 27 Reds 3–7 Turner Bauers (0–1) — 6,258 8–20
29 May 28 Reds 5–2 Butcher (1–4) Thompson — 1,359 9–20
30 May 29 Reds 0–4 Walters Bowman (2–3) — 2,259 9–21
June: 15–13 (Home: 7–7; Away: 8–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
31 June 2 Giants 2–1 Klinger (4–4) Schumacher MacFayden (1) — 10–21
32 June 2 Giants 3–7 (8) Melton Brown (3–4) Gumbert 18,634 10–22
33 June 3 Giants 3–4 Lohrman Butcher (1–5) — 1,987 10–23
34 June 4 Bees 14–2 Bowman (3–3) Callahan — 20,310 11–23
35 June 6 Bees 7–6 Sewell (1–1) Sullivan — 1,165 12–23
36 June 7 Phillies 10–4 Lanning (1–1) Johnson — 1,174 13–23
37 June 8 Phillies 6–5 Heintzelman (1–0) Johnson Brown (1) 3,055 14–23
38 June 9 Phillies 1–6 Mulcahy Klinger (4–5) — 14,450 14–24
39 June 9 Phillies 11–5 (8) Brown (4–4) Pearson — 14,450 15–24
40 June 10 Dodgers 7–8 Fitzsimmons Lanahan (0–3) — 2,659 15–25
41 June 12 Dodgers 4–5 Wyatt Brown (4–5) — 20,179 15–26
42 June 14 @ Giants 6–8 Lohrman Klinger (4–6) Brown 5,955 15–27
43 June 15 @ Giants 1–12 Schumacher Bowman (3–4) — 5,941 15–28
44 June 16 @ Giants 5–0 Butcher (2–5) Hubbell — 34,282 16–28
45 June 16 @ Giants 5–3 Sewell (2–1) Gumbert Heintzelman (1) 34,282 17–28
46 June 17 @ Bees 3–5 Posedel Lanning (1–2) — — 17–29
47 June 17 @ Bees 1–5 Piechota Brown (4–6) — 5,224 17–30
48 June 19 @ Bees 5–1 Bowman (4–4) Errickson — 1,771 18–30
49 June 20 @ Bees 8–7 Butcher (3–5) Fette Brown (2) 1,445 19–30
50 June 21 @ Dodgers 8–10 Fitzsimmons Klinger (4–7) Tamulis 6,106 19–31
51 June 22 @ Dodgers 7–2 Sewell (3–1) Carleton — 10,850 20–31
52 June 23 @ Dodgers 8–5 MacFayden (1–1) Wyatt Brown (3) — 21–31
53 June 23 @ Dodgers 4–4 (13) — 24,239 21–31
54 June 25 @ Phillies 9–7 Lanning (2–2) Higbe Klinger (1) 1,000 22–31
55 June 26 @ Phillies 2–4 Blanton Bowman (4–5) — 12,565 22–32
56 June 26 @ Phillies 11–6 Sewell (4–1) Beck Brown (4) 12,565 23–32
57 June 28 Cardinals 2–8 McGee Heintzelman (1–1) — 20,490 23–33
58 June 30 Cardinals 0–1 Cooper Klinger (4–8) — — 23–34
59 June 30 Cardinals 2–0 Butcher (4–5) Shoun — 25,096 24–34
July: 18–12 (Home: 7–5; Away: 11–7)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
60 July 1 @ Cubs 4–3 (10) Brown (5–6) Olsen — 4,335 25–34
61 July 2 @ Cubs 0–10 Lee Bowman (4–6) — 5,120 25–35
62 July 3 @ Cubs 5–7 Passeau Bauers (0–2) — 5,678 25–36
63 July 4 @ Reds 1–9 Walters Klinger (4–9) — — 25–37
64 July 4 @ Reds 1–3 Thompson Butcher (4–6) — 19,399 25–38
65 July 5 @ Reds 4–5 Beggs MacFayden (1–2) — 5,682 25–39
66 July 6 @ Cardinals 15–8 Klinger (5–9) Russell Lanning (1) — 26–39
67 July 6 @ Cardinals 4–3 (10) Brown (6–6) Warneke — 3,537 27–39
68 July 7 @ Cardinals 7–6 Sewell (5–1) Shoun Lanahan (2) — 28–39
69 July 7 @ Cardinals 4–1 Heintzelman (2–1) Cooper — 7,303 29–39
70 July 12 Phillies 3–6 Mulcahy Bowman (4–7) — 9,042 29–40
71 July 13 Phillies 9–8 MacFayden (2–2) Johnson Bowman (1) 2,375 30–40
72 July 14 Dodgers 6–2 Sewell (6–1) Hamlin — 33,336 31–40
73 July 14 Dodgers 0–2 Fitzsimmons Heintzelman (2–2) — 33,336 31–41
74 July 15 Dodgers 1–10 Wyatt Butcher (4–7) — — 31–42
75 July 15 Dodgers 4–3 Klinger (6–9) Pressnell — 12,215 32–42
76 July 16 Dodgers 5–3 Lanning (3–2) Pressnell — 2,271 33–42
77 July 18 Giants 1–6 Hubbell Heintzelman (2–3) — 25,188 33–43
78 July 19 Giants 2–5 Schumacher Sewell (6–2) Gumbert 2,481 33–44
79 July 20 Bees 17–6 Brown (7–6) Errickson — 2,661 34–44
80 July 21 Bees 5–3 Lanahan (1–3) Salvo Brown (5) — 35–44
81 July 21 Bees 16–2 (8) Bowman (5–7) Posedel — 11,071 36–44
82 July 23 @ Giants 1–9 Hubbell Klinger (6–10) — 12,428 36–45
83 July 25 @ Giants 2–1 Sewell (7–2) Schumacher — 3,265 37–45
84 July 26 @ Bees 9–0 Heintzelman (3–3) Posedel — 1,093 38–45
85 July 27 @ Bees 10–4 MacFayden (3–2) Sullivan — 1,509 39–45
86 July 28 @ Bees 5–2 Lanahan (2–3) Errickson — — 40–45
87 July 28 @ Bees 7–3 Butcher (5–7) Javery — 5,471 41–45
88 July 29 @ Dodgers 6–7 Pressnell Brown (7–7) — 3,537 41–46
89 July 30 @ Dodgers 8–2 Sewell (8–2) Head — 19,910 42–46
August: 20–12 (Home: 15–6; Away: 5–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
90 August 1 @ Dodgers 3–8 Wyatt Heintzelman (3–4) — — 42–47
91 August 1 @ Dodgers 7–8 Casey Lanahan (2–4) — 19,393 42–48
92 August 2 @ Phillies 5–2 (10) Bowman (6–7) Johnson Klinger (2) 7,521 43–48
93 August 3 @ Phillies 8–0 Brown (8–7) Higbe — 1,000 44–48
94 August 4 @ Phillies 6–1 Sewell (9–2) Mulcahy — — 45–48
95 August 4 @ Phillies 6–4 Lanning (4–2) Frye Heintzelman (2) 7,182 46–48
96 August 6 Cardinals 3–1 Heintzelman (4–4) Cooper — 8,582 47–48
97 August 7 Cardinals 10–9 Klinger (7–10) Shoun Lanning (2) 5,640 48–48
98 August 7 Cardinals 12–6 Butcher (6–7) Lanier Bowman (2) 5,640 49–48
99 August 9 Cubs 6–2 Sewell (10–2) Raffensberger — 29,978 50–48
100 August 10 Cubs 0–1 Olsen Klinger (7–11) — 4,474 50–49
101 August 11 Cubs 7–3 Lanning (5–2) Raffensberger — — 51–49
102 August 11 Cubs 5–1 Lanahan (3–4) Passeau — 28,968 52–49
103 August 12 Reds 4–2 Butcher (7–7) Walters — 42,254 53–49
104 August 13 Reds 3–4 (10) Beggs Heintzelman (4–5) — 6,810 53–50
105 August 14 @ Cardinals 6–7 (11) Shoun Brown (8–8) — 11,077 53–51
106 August 16 @ Cardinals 6–5 Lanning (6–2) McGee — 4,218 54–51
107 August 16 @ Cardinals 5–9 Warneke Butcher (7–8) — 4,218 54–52
108 August 17 @ Cubs 5–6 (13) Passeau MacFayden (3–3) — 6,003 54–53
109 August 18 @ Cubs 1–9 French Sewell (10–3) — 7,597 54–54
110 August 19 Bees 0–3 Errickson Bowman (6–8) — 1,803 54–55
111 August 20 Bees 6–3 Lanahan (4–4) Salvo — 1,050 55–55
112 August 21 Bees 3–2 Heintzelman (5–5) Coffman — 2,281 56–55
113 August 22 Giants 4–5 (12) Dean MacFayden (3–4) — — 56–56
114 August 22 Giants 4–0 Sewell (11–3) Melton — 12,523 57–56
115 August 23 Giants 13–10 Heintzelman (6–5) Hubbell — 2,562 58–56
116 August 24 Giants 6–7 Hubbell Heintzelman (6–6) — 7,630 58–57
117 August 25 Dodgers 4–3 Lanahan (5–4) Wyatt — 22,257 59–57
118 August 25 Dodgers 1–8 Fitzsimmons Klinger (7–12) — 22,257 59–58
119 August 28 Phillies 5–0 Sewell (12–3) Mulcahy — 4,100 60–58
120 August 28 Phillies 5–2 Bowman (7–8) Higbe — 4,100 61–58
121 August 29 Phillies 4–0 Brown (9–8) Pearson MacFayden (2) 2,239 62–58
September: 16–18 (Home: 5–5; Away: 11–13)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
122 September 1 Cardinals 10–0 Heintzelman (7–6) Shoun — — 63–58
123 September 1 Cardinals 5–5 (11) — 20,945 63–58
124 September 2 Cubs 5–2 Sewell (13–3) Root — — 64–58
125 September 2 Cubs 1–7 Olsen Bowman (7–9) — 26,120 64–59
126 September 4 @ Reds 2–3 (12) Beggs Lanahan (5–5) — 30,543 64–60
127 September 5 @ Reds 3–6 Vander Meer Lanning (6–3) — 7,661 64–61
128 September 7 @ Cardinals 14–9 MacFayden (4–4) Doyle Brown (6) 2,065 65–61
129 September 8 @ Cardinals 16–14 Lanahan (6–5) McGee Heintzelman (3) — 66–61
130 September 8 @ Cardinals 5–4 (5) Klinger (8–12) Warneke Butcher (2) 10,718 67–61
131 September 10 @ Phillies 11–3 Bowman (8–9) Mulcahy — — 68–61
132 September 10 @ Phillies 11–1 Sewell (14–3) Frye — 1,000 69–61
133 September 11 @ Phillies 9–3 Brown (10–8) Pearson — 2,500 70–61
134 September 12 @ Dodgers 0–7 Casey Heintzelman (7–7) — — 70–62
135 September 12 @ Dodgers 4–7 Casey Lanahan (6–6) — 10,570 70–63
136 September 13 @ Dodgers 2–8 Head Klinger (8–13) — 2,769 70–64
137 September 14 @ Dodgers 0–5 Fitzsimmons Lanahan (6–7) — — 70–65
138 September 14 @ Dodgers 2–4 Carleton Lanning (6–4) — 16,278 70–66
139 September 15 @ Giants 10–3 Sewell (15–3) Melton — — 71–66
140 September 15 @ Giants 4–3 Bowman (9–9) Gumbert — 9,240 72–66
141 September 16 @ Giants 7–6 Butcher (8–8) Lohrman Klinger (3) 1,262 73–66
142 September 17 @ Bees 5–10 Errickson Lanahan (6–8) Strincevich 1,077 73–67
143 September 18 @ Bees 1–4 Tobin Bowman (9–10) — 2,013 73–68
144 September 19 Cardinals 1–2 McGee Sewell (15–4) — — 73–69
145 September 19 Cardinals 2–8 Hutchinson Heintzelman (7–8) — 5,048 73–70
146 September 21 Reds 1–8 Walters Butcher (8–9) — — 73–71
147 September 21 Reds 8–7 (10) MacFayden (5–4) Riddle — 6,395 74–71
148 September 22 Reds 1–2 Turner Swigart (0–2) — — 74–72
149 September 22 Reds 8–1 Lanning (7–4) Vander Meer — 14,865 75–72
150 September 23 Reds 12–9 Heintzelman (8–8) Beggs Brown (7) 2,098 76–72
151 September 25 @ Cubs 1–2 (11) Lee Sewell (15–5) — — 76–73
152 September 25 @ Cubs 4–6 Olsen Brown (10–9) Raffensberger 7,828 76–74
153 September 26 @ Cubs 7–6 Lanning (8–4) Bryant Sewell (1) 1,789 77–74
154 September 27 @ Reds 4–3 (10) Sewell (16–5) Moore — 3,173 78–74
155 September 28 @ Reds 5–6 Turner Dietz (0–1) Moore 6,603 78–75
156 September 29 @ Reds 3–11 Walters Rambert (0–1) Vander Meer 13,860 78–76
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1940 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 Spud Davis 99 285 93 .326 5 39
1B Elbie Fletcher 147 510 139 .273 16 104
2B Frankie Gustine 133 524 147 .281 1 55
SS Arky Vaughn 156 594 178 .300 7 95
3B Lee Handley 98 302 85 .281 1 19
OF Vince DiMaggio 110 356 103 .289 19 54
OF Bob Elliott 148 551 161 .292 5 64
OF Maurice Van Robays 145 572 156 .273 11 116

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
Debs Garms 103 358 127 .355 5 57
Paul Waner 89 238 69 .290 1 32
Al López 59 174 45 .259 1 24
Lloyd Waner 72 166 43 .259 0 3
Pep Young 54 136 34 .250 2 20
Bill Brubaker 38 78 15 .192 0 7
Joe Schultz Jr. 16 36 7 .194 0 4
Ed Fernandes 28 33 4 .121 0 2
Ray Berres 21 32 6 .188 0 2
Johnny Rizzo 9 28 5 .179 0 2
Ed Leip 3 5 1 .200 0 0
Ray Mueller 4 3 1 .333 0 1
Frank Kalin 3 3 0 .000 0 1
Fern Bell 6 3 0 .000 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
Rip Sewell 33 189.2 16 5 2.80 60
Joe Bowman 32 187.2 9 10 4.46 57
Max Butcher 35 136.1 8 9 6.01 40

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 48 173.0 10 9 3.49 73
Ken Heintzelman 39 165.0 8 8 4.47 71
Bob Klinger 39 142.0 8 13 5.39 48
Johnny Lanning 38 115.2 8 4 4.05 42
Dick Lanahan 40 108.0 6 8 4.25 45
Danny MacFayden 35 91.1 5 4 3.55 24
Oad Swigart 7 22.1 0 2 4.43 9
Dutch Dietz 4 15.1 0 1 5.87 8
Pep Rambert 3 8.1 0 1 7.56 0

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
Russ Bauers 15 0 2 0 7.63 11
Ray Harrell 3 0 0 0 8.10 3

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AA Syracuse Chiefs International League Dick Porter
A Albany Senators Eastern League Specs Toporcer
B Gadsden Pilots Southeastern League Billy Bancroft
B Harrisburg Senators Interstate League Les Bell
C Gloversville-Johnstown Glovers Canadian–American League Steve Yerkes and Buster Blakeney
C Hutchinson Pirates Western Association Jimmy Jordan and Buzz Arlitt
D Carthage Pirates Arkansas–Missouri League Buzz Arlitt
D Fort Lauderdale Tarpons Florida East Coast League Herb Thomas
D McKeesport Little Braves/Oil City Oilers Pennsylvania State Association Elmer Klump
D London Pirates PONY League Mickey LaLange and Jimmy Jordan
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Fort Lauderdale
Arkansas–Missouri League folded, July 1, 1940; McKeesport franchise moved to Oil City and renamed, July 1, 1940

Notes

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

References

  • 1940 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
  • 1940 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.