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1940 Pittsburgh Pirates season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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

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

Regular season

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Season standings

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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

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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

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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

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Roster

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1940 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Other batters

Manager

Coaches

Player stats

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Batting

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Starters by position

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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

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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

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Starting pitchers

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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

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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

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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

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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

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  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

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  • 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.