19011945
Bolstered by former Colonels shortstop Honus Wagner (who was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area) and player/manager Fred Clarke, the Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to the rival American League. However, owing to injuries to their starting pitchers, they lost the first modern World Series ever played, in 1903 to Boston. Deacon Phillippe pitched five complete games, winning three of them, but it was not enough. With largely the same star players, the Pirates would continue to be a strong team over the next few years, and got their first World Series title in 1909, defeating the Detroit Tigers in seven games, the same year they opened Forbes Field.
The Pirates originally played in Recreation, Union and Exposition Parks, all in what was then Allegheny City. Allegheny City was annexed by Pittsburgh in December, 1907. Accordingly, the Pirates did not play their first major league game in Pittsburgh until 1908over 25 years after their founding.
The decline of Honus Wagner, considered by many to be the greatest shortstop ever, led to a number of losing seasons, culminating in a disastrous 51103 record in 1917; however, veteran outfielder Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler, along with a remarkably deep pitching staff, brought the Pirates back into the spotlight. The Pirates recovered from a 31 deficit to win the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators, and reached the 1927 World Series before losing in a sweep to the New York Yankees, who at that time had built the most dominant team in baseball. The 1927 season was the first for the sharp-hitting combination of brothers Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner, who along with shortstop Arky Vaughan ensured that the Pirates had plenty of Hall of Fame-caliber position players through 1941. However, the Pirates' crushing defeats of 1927 and 1938 (they lost the pennant to the Chicago Cubs in the final days of the 1938 season) were tremendous setbacks.
-------------------------------------------------------------Pittsburgh Pirates
-----------------------------------------------------------The early Honus Wagner Era.
The Louisville Colonels were the precurser to the modern-day Pittsburgh Pirates. For the 1900 season, the National League dropped Louisville from their circuit. So, Louisville owner Barney Dreyfuss, bought into the new Pittsburgh franchise and transferred all his good players from the Colonels to the Pirates for 1900.
1897 Louisville Colonels; 52-78, .400, 11th of 12 Place, 40 g behind,---BB Ref---Source: Honus Wagner: The Life of Baseball's "Flying Dutchman", by Arthur D. Hittner, 1996, pp. 130. (Hall of Fame Archives)
Top Row: L-R: Joe Dolan (2B/SS), Abbie Johnson (2B), 'Still' Bill Hill (P), Perry Werden (1B), Bill Wilson (C), Dick Butler (C), General Stafford (SS).
Middle Row: L-R: Bill Clark (IF), Billy Clingman (3B), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.), Honus Wagner (CF), Billy Magee (P).
Bottom Row: L-R: Roy Evans (P), Bert Cunningham (P), Chick Fraser (P), Charlie Dexter (UT).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1898 Louisville Colonels: 70-81, .464, 9th of 12th Place, 33 g behind,---BB Ref---Source: SABR's The Baseball Research Journal, 1990, #19, pp. 46.
Standing: L-R: 'Topsy' Hartzell (OF), Bill Magee (P), Tommy Leach (IF), Deacon Phillipe (P), Bert Cunningham (P), Rube Waddel (P), Honus Wagner (1B), George Decker (1B), Charles Dexter (OF), Harry Davis (1B), Claude Ritchey (SS), Nick Altrock (P), Pete Dowling (P).
Sitting: L-R: Malackie Kittredge (C), Billy Clingham (3B), Walter Woods (P), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.), Mike 'Doc' Powers (C), Chick Fraser (P), 'Dummy' Hoy (OF).
1900 Pittsburth Pirates; 79-60, .568, 4.5 g behind,---BB Ref---Notice the team is still using their Louisville uniforms from the previous season.---Player identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL) and Beady.
Top, L-R: Tommy Leach (IF), Honus Wagner (RF), Pop Schriver (C), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Tom McCreery (OF), Walt Woods (P), Bert Husting (P).
Middle, L-R: Chief Zimmer (C), Jack Chesbro? (P), Tom O'Brien (IF), Deacon Phillippe? (P), Unknown, Fred Clarke (Mgr./LF), Jimmy Williams (3B).
Front, L-R: Sam Leever (P), Bones Ely (SS), Jesse Tannehill? (P), Pop Dillon (IF), Jack O'Conner (C), Claude Ritchey (2B), Rube Waddell (P).
Top: L-R: Tommy Leach (3B), Clarence 'Ginger' Beaumont (CF), Fred Clarke (Mgr./LF), Jack Chesbro (P), Bert Husting (P).
Middle: L-R: Sam Leever (P), Charles 'Deacon' Phillippe (P), Tom McCreery (OF), William 'Bones' Ely (SS), William 'Pop' Schriver (C), Tom O'Brien (1B/OF).
Bottom: L-R: John 'Jiggs' Donahue (OF), Jesse Tannehill (P), Hans Wagner (RF), Jack O'Connor (C), James 'Jimmy' Williams (3B), Claude Ritchey (2B).
1901 Pittsburgh Pirates; 90-49, .647, 7.5 games ahead. (no WS)---BB Ref
Top Row, L-R: Jack Chesbro (P), Chief Zimmer (C), George Merritt (P), Deacon Phillippe (P), Ed Poole (P), Honus Wagner (SS), George Yeager (C).
Middle Row,L-R: Jimmy Burke (3B), Ed Doheny (P), Fred Clarke (LF), Jack O'Conner (C), Kitty Bransfield (1B).
Bottom Row, L-R: Lefty Davis (RF), Tommy Leach (3B), Jesse Tannehill (P), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Claude Ritchey (2B).
1903 Pittsburgh Pirates; 91-49, .650, 6.5 g ahead, (WS: L 5-3 to Boston Americans)---BB Ref
Top Row, L-R: Brickyard Kennedy (P), Sam Leever (P), Deacon Phillippe (P), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Bucky Veil (P), Gus Thompson (P), Claude Ritchey (2B), Fred Carisch (C).
Middle Row, L-R: Ed Phelps (C), Kitty Bransfield (1B), Tommy Leach (3B), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.), Art Weaver (C/1B), Honus Wagner (SS), Bull Smith (OF).
Bottom Row, L-R: Joe Marshall (UF), Otto Krueger (UF), Jimmy Sebring (RF), Jack Pfiester (P).
Note. Ed Doheny (P) was sick and Lave Winham (P) was absent when this photo was taken.
Top Row, L-R: Lew Moren (P), Sam Leever (P), Ed Phelps (C), Ernie Diehl (UT), Gus Thompson (P), Roscoe Miller (P), Fred Carisch (UT), Doc Scanlan (P), Bull Smith (OF).
Bottom Row, L-R: Warren, Claude Ritchey (2B), Otto Krueger (UT), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Howie Camnitz (P), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.)
1905 Pittsburgh Pirates; 96-57, .627, 2nd Place, 9 g behind,---BB Ref.---Player identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL).
Top, L-R: Lefty Leifield? (P), Sam Leever (P), Fred Carisch (C), Deacon Phillippe (P), Charlie Case? (P), unidentified, Homer Hillebrand (IF), Del Howard (1B), unidentified.
Middle, L-R: Otis Clymer (RF), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Bob Ganley (OF), Heine Peitz (C), Barney Dreyfuss (Owner), Harry Smith (C), Claude Ritchey (2B), unidentified, Honus Wagner (SS).
Front, L-R: Bill Clancy (1B), Doc Hillebrand (IF), Kaiser Wilhelm? (P), Fred Clarke (Mgr./LF), George Gibson (C), Mike Lynch (P), Otto Knabe (IF), Tommy Leach (OF).
L-R: George Gibson (C), Patsy Flaherty (P), Dave Brain (3B), Heine Pietz (C), Tommy Leach (CF), Mike Lynch (P), Charlie Case (P), Chick Robitaille (P), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.), Clarence 'Ginger' Beaumont (CF), Otis Clymer (RF), Doc Phillippe (P), Homer Hillebrand (P/1B), Del Howard (1B), Honus Wagner (SS), Claude Ritchey (2B).
1906 Pittsburgh Pirates?; 93-60, .608, 3rd Place, 23.5 g behind,---BB Ref---spring training at Hot Springs, Arkansas. [/B]
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 09-22-2011 at 09:27 AM.
1909 Pittsburgh Pirates; 110-44, .724, 6.5 g ahead, (WS W 4-3 over Tigers)---BB Reference
1909 Pittsburgh Pirates; 110-44, .724, 6.5 g ahead, (WS W 4-3 over Tigers)---BB Reference
L-R: Ed LaForce (trainer), Tommy Leach (CF), Bobby Byrne(3B), Howie Camnitz (P), Paddy O'Connor (C), Chick Brandom? (P), Sam Leever (P), Ed Abbaticchio (IF), Ham Hyatt(OF), Nick Maddox (P), Chief Wilson (RF), Bill Abstein (1B), Vic Willis (P), Lefty Liefield (P), Bill Powell (P), Gene Moore (P), George Gibson (C), Sam Frock (P), Harry Camnitz (P), Babe Adams(P), Deacon Phillippe (P), Dots Miller (2B), Mike Simon (C), Honus Wagner (SS), Shelton, Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.)
1910 Pittsburg Pirates; 86-67, .562, 3rd Place, 17.5 g behind,---BB-Reference---Player identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL).
Top Row, L-R: Bud Sharp (1B/RF), Babe Adams (P), Honus Wagner (SS), "Dots" Miller (2B), Bill Powell (P), George Gibson (C), Gene Moore (P), Lefty Webb?.
2nd Row, L-R: Ralph Cutting (P), John Flynn (1B), Nick Maddox (P), Paddy O'Connor (C), Vin Campbell?, Lefty Leifield (P).
3rd Row, L-R: Harry Cammitz (P), Chick Brandom?, Sam Frock (P), Ham Hyatt (1B), Bridges?, Bert Humphries (P), Mike Simon (C).
Front Row, L-R: Tommy Leach (CF), Sam Leever (P), Bobby Byrne (3B), Chief Wilson (RF), Bill McKechnie (2B), Howie Cammitz (P), Stan Gray (1B), Fred Clarke (Mgr./LF).
1911 Pittsburgh Pirates; 85-69, .552, 3rd place, 14.5 g behind---BB Ref---Player identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL).
Top Row, L-R: Newt Hunter(1B), unidentified, Alex McCarthy? (SS), unidentified, Sherry Smith (P), unidentified, Howie Camnitz? (P), unidentified.
2nd from Top, L-R: Elmer Steele (P), Vin Campbell? (OF), unidentified, Mike Simon (C), unidentified, unidentified, Dots Miller (2B), Max Carey (OF), unidentified, unidentified, Claude Hendrix (P).
2nd from Bottom Row, L-R: unidentified (Trainer), unidentified, Deacon Phillippe (P), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.), Tommy Leach (OF), Honus Wagner (SS), Bill McKechnie (UT), Babe Adams (P), Chief Wilson (RF).
Bottom Row, L-R: unidentified, unidentified, Kirby White (P), unidentified, Lefty Leifield (P), unidentified, George Gibson (P).
1912 Pittsburgh Pirates; 93-58, .616, 2nd Place, 10 g behind ---BB Ref---Spring training, Hot Springs, Ark., March 22, 1912.---Player identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL).[/B]
Best I could do with this one,...it's a tough one, as is '11. Again, I'm wondering is a lot of these guys were minor leaguers invited to Spring camp.
Top, L-R: unidentified, unidentified, Ed Mensor? (OF), unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Bill McKechnie (IF), unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified, Hank Robinson? (P), George Gibson (C), unidentified, unidentified.
Middle L-R: Tommy Leach (3B), Max Carey (LF), Alex McCarthy (2B), Bobby Byrne (3B), Babe Adams (P), Fred Clarke (Mgr.), Barney Dreyfuss (Owner), Sam Watters (Vice President/Treasurer), Honus Wagner (SS), Marty O'Toole (P), Claude Hendrix (P), Mike Simon (C).
Front, L-R: Chief Wilson (CF), Dots Miller (1B), Wally Rehg (OF), Ham Hyatt? (OF), Mike Donlin (RF), Jack Ferry (P), Jimmy Viox (IF), Solly Hofman (OF), unidentified, King Cole (P), unidentified.
Top, L-R: Mike Simon (1B), Alex McCarthy (IF), Solly Hofman (OF), Babe Adams (P), Max Carey (CF), Dots Miller (1B), Billy Kelly (C), Wilbur Cooper (P), Hank Robinson (P).
Middle, L-R: Chief Wilson (RF), Ham Hyatt (UT), Howie Camnitz (P), Claude Hendrix (P), Honus Wagner (SS), Fred Clarke (LF/Mgr.),
Bottom, L-R: Art Butler (MI), Jim Viox(2B), Bobby Byrne (3B), Ed Mensor (OF), Marty O'Toole (P), Everitt Booe (OF).
1921 Pittsburgh Pirates; 90-63, .588, 2nd Place, 4 g behind---BB Ref---Player Identifications provided courtesy of Gary Livacari (GaryL).
Middle, L-R: Charlie Grimm (1B), Max Carey (CF), Walter Schmidt? (C), Earl Hamilton (P), George Gibson (Mgr.), Dave Robertson (OF), Hal Carlson? (P), unidentified, Wilbur Cooper (P).
Bottom, L-R: Tony Brottem? (C), unidentified, Rabbit Maranville (SS), Jimmy Zinn (P), unidentified, Possum Whirtted (RF).
1925 Pittsburgh Pirates; 95-58, .621, 8.5 games ahead, (WS W 4-3 over Senators)---BB Reference
Top Row, L-R: Frazier (Trainer), Bill Hinchman (Scout), Jack Onslow (Coach), Clyde Barnhart (LF), Vic Aldridge (P), Sam Watters (Club Sec.), Barney Dreyfuss (Owner), Sam Dreyfuss (Club Treas.), Johnny Rawlings (2B), Emil Yde (P), Babe Adams (P), Johnny Morrison (P), Lee Meadows (P).
Middle Row, L-R: Red Oldham (P), Earl Smith (C), Pie Traynor (3B), Stuffy McInnis (1B), Max Carey (CF), Bill McKechnie (Mgr.), Fred Clarke (Coach), Carson Bigbee (OF), Fresco Thompson (2B), Roy Spencer (C), George Grantham (1B), Austin (Trainer).
Front Row, L-R: Mule Haas (OF), Eddie Moore (2B), Bud Culloton (P), Tom Sheehan (P), Mascot, Mutz Ens (Coach), Glenn Wright (SS), Kiki Cuyler (RF), Roy Kremer(P), Johnny Gooch (C).
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 09-21-2011 at 03:42 PM.
1936 Pittsburgh Pirates; 84-70, .545, 4th Place, 8 g behind---BB Ref---Spring Training
Top L-R: unidentified, unidentified, Hal Finney? (C), unidentified, Fred Schulte (OF), unidentified, Ralph Birkofer (P), Earl Browne (OF), Bud Hafey? (OF), Red Lucas (P), William E. Benswanger (President/Treasurer), Pie Traynor (Mgr.), Bill Brubaker (IF), Johnny Dickshot (OF), Johnny Welch? (P), Jim Weaver (P), Russ Bauers (P), Bill Swift (P), Waite Hoyt (P), Jewel Ens (Coach), Honus Wagner (Coach).
Front, L-R: unidentified, Arky Vaughan (SS), Paul Waner (RF), unidentified, Gus Suhr (1B), Tom Padden (C), Pep Young (2B), Guy Bush (P), Cy Blanton (P), Mace Brown (P), Woody Jensen (LF), Cookie Lavagetto (2B), Al Todd (C), Jack Tising (P), Mascot.
Top Row, L-R: Russell Bauers (P), Fred Schulte (OF), Fred Lucas (P), Al Todd (C), Jack Tising (P), Hal Finnery (C).
3rd Row, L-R: Jewel Ens (coach), Lawrence B. Coller (Secretary of Chamber of Commerce), John Wasco, Earl Browne (UT), Paul McSweep (Chairman of the sprots committee of Chamber of Commerce).
Bottom Row, L-R: Aubrey Epps (C), Gus Suhr (1B), John Barkley (IF), William Benswanger (team President), Pie Trayner (Mgr.), Honus Wagner (coach), John Dickshot (OF).
1941 Pittsburgh Pirates; 81-73, .526, 4th Place, 19 g behind,---BB-Reference
Top Row, L-R: Bud Stewart (OF), Ken Heintzelman (P), Lefty Wilkie (P), Frankie Gustine (2B), Al Lopez (C), Joe Sullivan (P), Bob Klinger (P), Debs Garms (UT), Rushe, Alf Anderson (SS), Vinnie Smith (C), Shuman, Bill Brandt (P), Johnny Gee (P).
Middle Row, L-R: Culley Rikard (OF), Nick Strincevich (P), George Asten (assistant trainer), Maurice Van Robays (LF), Max Butcher (P), Ripper Collins (UT), Bill Baker (C), Bill Clemensen (P), Dick Conger (P), Elbie Fletcher (1B), Spud Davis (C), Johnny Lanning (P), Collar (assistant secretary), Dr. Charles A. Jorgensen (trainer).
Bottom Row, L-R: Myron O'Brisky (Forbes Field Concessionaire) Ed Leip (IF), Dutch Dietz (P), Honus Wagner (coach), Jake Flowers (coach), Frankie Frisch (Mgr.), William Benswenger (President), Mike Kelly (coach), Samuel Watters (vice-president/secretary), Bob Elliott (RF), Vince DiMaggio (CF), Stu Martin (2B), Billy Cox (SS), Rip Sewell (P).
Top Row, L-R: Hank Gornicki (P), Babe Phelps (C), Johnny Barrett (CF/RF), Maurice Van Robays (LF), Johnny Lanning (P), Dutch Dietz (P), Ken Heintzelman (P), Lefty Wilkie (P).
Middle Row, L-R: Elbie Fletcher (1B), Bud Stewart (utility), Pete Coscarart (SS), Jimmy Wasdell (LF), Luke Hamlin (P), Bob Elliott (3B), Doc Jorgensen (Trainer).
Bottom Row, L-R: Bob Klinger (P), Frankie Gustine (2B), Frankie Frisch (Mgr.), Virgil Davis (Coach), Rip Sewell (P), Vince DiMaggio (CF), Al Lopez (C).
Boston Americans and Pittsburgh Pilgrims;----- Pirates BB-Reference--------------- Red Sox BB-Reference
Photo taken October 13, 1903 before game 8 of the World Series.
1903 Pittsburgh Pilgrims, 91-49, .650, 6.5 games ahead.
1903 Boston Americans, 91-47, .659, 14.5 games ahead.
Boston won the WS, 5 games to 3.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Top row, L-R: (all Pirates in this row): Claude Ritchey (2B), Harry Smith (C), Eddie Phelps (C), Ginger Beaumont (CF), Charles 'Deacon' Phillippe (P)), Sam Lever (P), Fred 'Bucky' Veil (P), Gus Thompson (P), Tommy Leach (3B), Jimmy Sebring (RF), Bill (Junkyard) Kennedy (P), Fred Carisch (didn't play), Honus Wagner (SS).
Middle row, L-R, (all Boston players after Clarke): Fred Clarke, (LF/Mgr.), Jimmy Collins, (3B/Mgr.), Charles 'Chick' Stahl (CF), Bill Dinneen (P), John 'Buck' Freeman (RF), Denton 'Cy' Young (P), George 'Candy' LaChance (1B), Patrick 'Patsy' Dougherty (LF), George Winter (didn't play), Charles Farrell (PH), Jack O'Brien (PH), Tom Hughes (P).
Seated on ground, in front, L-R: Fred Parent (SS), Lou Criger (C), Albert 'Hobe' Ferris (2B).
Absent from the pitcure was the Pirates' fine first baseman, Kitty Bransfield.
Deacon Phillippe was the ace of the Pirates staftt, and, of course, Cy Young the ace of the Boston staff. Incredibly, Boston used only 3 pitchers in the entire 8 game series: Young, Dinneen, and Hughes.
The little guy with the hat next to Bill Kennedy in the back row is Mike McGreevy, leader of the Boston Rooters.
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 10-15-2011 at 01:38 PM.
Born: February 23, 1865, Freiburg, Baden, Germany
Died: February 5, 1932, Pittsburgh, PA, age 66
Born Germany, Jewish, Arrived US (1881), prior to buying Pirates in 1900, He owned the Louisville Colonels in NL 1899.
d. after contracting pneumonia following prostate surgery, while in NYC, buried in West View Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA
Barney Dreyfuss: From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss (February 23, 1865 February 5, 1932) was a German-Jewish-American executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to 1932. He is often credited with the creation of the modern baseball World Series. He also built in 1909 baseball's first modern steel and concrete baseball park, Forbes Field.
Dreyfuss was born in Freiburg, Germany as the son of Samuel Dreyfuss, who was a U.S. citizen since about 1861. After training in a bank in Karlsruhe he emigrated in 1881 to the U.S. to escape conscription. In the U.S. he lived and worked with the Bernheim family in Paducah, Kentucky. The Bernheims were relatives over his grandfather Leon Bernheim. In 1888 he moved with the Bernheim family to Louisville, Kentucky. Dreyfuss became president of the Louisville Colonels team in 1899, and moved to the Pirates one year later when the league contracted from 12 teams to 8. Under his ownership, the Pirates won 6 pennants and two World Series championships (1909, 1925), finishing below fourth place only four times.
Dreyfuss died at age 66 in New York City. He is buried in West View Cemetery in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
--Barney's bio/photo (right) as they appeared in 1933's Who's Who
in Major League Baseball, edited by Harold (Speed) Johnson.-------------------------------------------1931
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 10-06-2011 at 05:37 PM.
owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, February 5, 1932 - August 8, 1946
Born: March 31, 1872, Louisville, KY
Died: May 12, 1950, Pittsburgh, PA, age 78
Florence married Barney October 16, 1894. She inherited the Pittsburgh Pirates' team upon his death, February 5, 1932, and sold the team August 8, 1946, to group headed by Frank McKinney of Indianapolis, which included famed entertainer, Bing Crosby, who was made VP, for an estimated $2.75 million dollars. August 24, 1946: Frank McKinney, Tom P. Johnson, Mrs. Dreyfuss, Sam E. Watters, Bill Benswanger, unidentified.
Ownership change from the Dreyfuss family to the Galbreath group led by McKinney.
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 09-22-2011 at 09:32 AM.
Born: October 20, 1883, Pittsburgh, PA
Died: August 29, 1950, Pittsburgh, PA, age 66---d. after an illness of almost 3 years.
Pittsburgh Pirates' Vice-President / Secretary, 1908 - November 27, 1946
Mr. Watters rose from ticket seller to vice president. He resigned at the end of the 1946 season, when the franchise was sold.
He rose to club secretary in 1920, vice-president in 1932 and also treasurer in 1940. August 24, 1946: Frank McKinney, Tom P. Johnson, Mrs. Dreyfuss, Sam E. Watters, Bill Benswanger, unidentified.
Ownership change from the Dreyfuss family to the Galbreath group led by McKinney.
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 11-20-2011 at 12:39 AM.
Born: August 10, 1897, Derby, OH
Died: July 20, 1988, Columbus, OH, age 90
Pirates' Owner (1946-1985, President, 1951 - 1969) part of 4 man syndicate (1946) purchasing team. In 1951 bought 70% of club, hired Branch Rickey. Lost around $2m but never lost faith & heart. Helped formulate 1957 player's pension. Sold majority interest (1985) in Pirates. Made his money breeding champion racehorses.
-----------------------------------
John W. Galbreath graduated from Ohio University in 1922 the same year he founded the John W. Galbreath Company. He was not only a gentleman's, philanthropist, and keen businessman, but was named "Greatest Sportsman Of Our Time" in 1985 by The Columbus Touchdown Club at their annual gala. John passed away July 20th 1988.
DARBY DAN FARM was founded by John W. Galbreath in 1935. Over the years, the Galbreath family has built Darby Dan from the original 85 acres to the current 4,000 acres. This includes 750 acres of blue grass pasture, 250 acres in woods, with the remaining 3000 acres in corn, soy beans and wheat fields. The Darby House sits on the original 85 acres.
On the west side of of Big Darby Creek 110 acres have been converted into wild animal preserve. Animals include zebra, buffalo, deer, elk and antelope roam freely in large fenced pastures. The Galbreath family continue to support wild life preservation and propagation, through their support of Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservatory, The World Wild Life Federation and other organizations dedicated to conservation.
Big Darby Creek runs straight through the farm and is a protected designated National and State "Scenic Waterway" that flows through the Darby Plain and extends west and south down the Ohio River into the state of Kentucky. Darby Dan Farm is named for the creek and John's son Dan.
The farm include a 1/8 mile training track plus a six-stall starting gate, used to school the yearlings. There is a thirty-two stall training barn, which incorporates a completely covered 1/8 mile track. In addition, there are 21 other large barns with 100 stalls, a large cattle barn, a breeding barn, and a stallion barn. Also located on the property are 39 houses.
THE GALBREATH RACING LEGACY
Darby Dan Farm bred and raced Chateaugay, 1963 Kentucky Derby winner, Proud Clarion, 1967 Kentucky Derby winner, Roberto, 1972 English Derby winner and Proud Truth, 1985 Breeder's Cup Classic winner. In addition, champions Primonetta, Little Current, Tempest Queen and Sunshine Forever were raised and raced under the Darby Dan banner. Darby Dan Farm is one of two places in the world to both breed and own the Derby winners on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean; the Kentucky Derby and the English Derby.
THE PITTSBURGH PIRATES DYNASTY
John Galbreath was the franchise owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1945 to 1985. Under John's tenure the Pirates won three world championships in 1960, 1971 and 1979. Mr. Galbreath was the first owner to break the "Million Dollar Mark" when he signed Dave Parker to a multiple year contract in 1979. He also had the privilege of signing Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente. John was often seen at the top of the big hill at Darby Dan Farm in the front seat of his convertible, watching the sun set and listening to the Pirates on the car AM radio.
L-R: John W. Galbreath, Frank E. McKinney, H. Roy Hamey, top men in Pirates' organization.
Last edited by Bill Burgess; 01-18-2012 at 09:39 AM.
Born: October 8, 1917, Chester, PA
Died: January 13, 1976, Chester, PA, age 59, d. heart attack, buried at St. Peter's & Paul's Cemetery, Springfield, PA
I have fond memories of the Pittsburgh Pirates as a child. I started watching baseball in 1976 during the Pirates greatest decade. The Pirates of the 1970's were a great fracnchise.
2 World Series titles
2 NL Pennants
6 NL East titles
3 2nd-Place finishes
1 3rd-Place finish (finished 1.5 games back)
Strikeouts are boring! Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.-Crash Davis
The 1900 picture is very interesting. Not all of the men are wearing Louisville uniforms, which makes sense because not all of them had played in Louisville, and I think I see at least four or five different hats. Tom O'Brien in the middle of the group is still in his Giants uniform.
I don't know whether it was still the case at this point, but years earlier players had been required to purchase, or at least accept a payroll deduction, for their own uniforms. So it would have been reasonable to accept that the uniforms belonged to the players, and it does look here as though everybody had kept his own uniform at the of the 1899 season and wore it in the spring while waiting for the Pirate uniforms to be delivered. I have never heard of anything like this happening, have certainly never seen a photograph like this and would not have thought an entire teams would go into training without a set of uniforms. But here's the evidence, and it's hard to doubt.
You might have thought O'Brien already had a Pirates uniform, by the way, because he had spent 1899 on loan from Pittsburgh to New York after playing for them in 1898. Apparently, he didn't have one, however.
As best I can see, nearly everyone with the script L on his jersey had in fact played for Louisville, and the exception is the man only tentatively identified as Duff Cooley. I believe this must be a mistaken identification, if only because Cooley never played for the Colonels. Also, although he did not get into any games, Cooley was Phillies property for the first few weeks of the 1900 season until he was finally sold to Pittsburgh at the very end of April. Surely the Pirates would long since have had their own set of uniforms by that time, so I think the photo must have been taken well before Cooley joined the team, and he is not pictured at all.
After their first ten seasons, which were the NL & AA seasons 1882 to 1891, the Pittsburgh Pirates were almost always a strong or mediocre team, never a bad one. Here is a complete list of sub-.450 seasons (five) during the 53 seasons preceding the Galbreath ownership.
1914 16 17
1939 42
(Then, alas, 1946 47 50-57, ten in twelve years including eight in a row.)
From 1900 to 1938 they were commonly a contending team. Fred Clarke's team is famous but Pie Traynor's team won 55% in the late 1930s and missed the 1938 pennant by two games.
What made Pittsburgh a dynasty 1970 to 1975 was the National League split in two divisions of unequal quality. Here is the Pirates standing in games relative to the West leader. In four of six seasons they would have finished far behind, but three of those four produced mini-pennants in the East.
-13
+7
+1
-19 (two games behind in the East)
-14
-16
New Pirates' minority part-owner, Bing Crosby, introducing Billy Herman.------Opening Game, 1947: John Galbreath, Bing, Frank McKinney, Wrigley Field.
as the new Pirates' manager in the early spring of 1947.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------2 shots of Pittsburgh sports writer, Joe Tucker, interviewing Billy Meyer (Mgr.) & Bing Crosby, minority owner.
Bob Hope/Bing Crosby were not just golfing buddies.--------------------------------------------------1947 Opening Day with Honus Wagner.
When the syndicate group that bought the Pirates in 1947
included Bing, Hope became an Indians' small investor, too.
Smart move. Gave baseball great PR, and the celebrities popularity.
[/B]
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