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Day 3 A full bodied Ralph Kiner statue in Alhambra, California, where Ralph grew up The Milledge People Russell Crowe is a Pirates Fan So�s Michael Keaton Collector Brady Blade owns 221 items related to the 1960 Pirates, including all-star pitcher Bob Friend�s World Series Trophy Years later, Mickey Mantle was quoted as saying that losing the 1960 series was the biggest disappointment of his career, the only loss amateur or professional he cried actual tears over. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1960_World_Series Bing looks doubtful George Sisler and Pittsburgh�s $175K bonus baby, Bob Bailey Mazeroski, Alley and Clemente receive their Gold Glove awards for the 1967 season A Parker/Stearns play at the plate (but not the Parker/Stearns play at the plate) PNC eats At PNC Park, they don�t shoot T-shirts into the crowd. They shoot hot dogs. (Don�t they?) N-jB8oyDKzM All you can eat seating at PNC Park OnIQX3nOfj8 sJj1GXccAR4 What�s new at PNC Park this season? pL0r8gPjAag Vintage road sign, Pittsburgh Duffy Dyer, 1969 WS Champ and Pennant-Winning 1973 Met and the lone unidentified member of the Mets/Pirates 250 club

The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) 3. Donn Clendenon (Edgy) 4. Tim Foli (Edgy) 5. Joe Orsulak (Edgy) 6. John Milner (Edgy) 7. Lee Mazzilli (Edgy) 8. Bobby Bonilla (Spitter) ___________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL) 2. Frank Tanana (Seawolf) 3. Wally Backman (Edgy) 4. Mark Johnson (Edgy)

Q+A with Ralph Kiner, Sports Illustrated, 2004 The 81-year-old Hall of Fame slugger has been a Mets broadcaster since 1962 and is the author of Baseball Forever. SI: You hit 369 homers in your 10-year career. Have you been underrated as a power hitter? Kiner: No question. I think the reason I didn't get a lot of credit is that I played before television, and the Pirates [for whom Kiner played more than seven seasons] were really a bad ball club. SI: What's one benefit of staying in broadcasting for more than 40 years? Kiner: Most of the people who would argue with what you're saying are dead. SI: During your playing days you dated Janet Leigh and Elizabeth Taylor (below). Today we'd call you "a player." Did they have a name for athletes who dated movie stars back in your day? Kiner: No, they didn't [laughs]. At that time few players got a shot at dating the movie people. One of the reasons I was able to was that Bing Crosby was one of the owners of the Pirates. But I met Janet Leigh at Forbes Field when she was working on Angels in the Outfield. She was standing at the batting cage, and I got to know her by talking to her. So that was all on my own. SI: You are critical of Branch Rickey in your book. In your opinion, did Rickey bring Jackie Robinson to the majors in 1947 for altruistic or financial reasons? Kiner: I personally think it was not altruistic. When he got black players, he got them out of the Negro leagues for no cost. He didn't reimburse the owners. The other thing was that when he came to Pittsburgh [in 1950], he was in no hurry to get black players on that team. We went several years before he got black players on the Pirates. But that's just my opinion. SI: Do any of today's power hitters ever ask for advice? Kiner: The first person who ever sought me out to ask about my approach to hitting home runs was Ted Williams. In 1948 we played an exhibition game, and Ted's first move was to ask me what I was thinking as a hitter. As a broadcaster only one player ever asked me about hitting, and that was George Foster. He asked, "Do you have any pictures of you when you were hitting?" I said yes and got him one. He looked at it and handed it back, and that was it. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1032187/index.htm

Oh and there were others. Janet Leigh (IIRC) was on that list. Here's Janet and Ralph: They met while Janet was filming Angels in the Outfield. Ralph reportedly dated Jane Russell, Ava Gardner and Marilyn Monroe, though I couldn't find any pictures of those encounters. On September 1, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates made baseball history by becoming the first team to have a starting lineup comprised entirely of African-Americans. Well, two Panamanians, a Cuban, a Puerto Rican, and five black Americans if you want to be precise - but we understand what you're saying here. The news accounts typically refer to that lineup as the Pirates' "all-black" lineup ... so "all-black" lineup. :

Frayed Knot wrote: And if they're going to build a sculpture of Ralph's hands they should get rid of the bat and instead pay homage to his off-season exploits and have them fondling Ester Williams' boobs, or maybe Liz Taylor's. What's with second base? Ralph was a Home Run hitter.

Palmer the Pirate Bing Crosby, Pirates co-owner, at Wrigley Field, Pirates Opening Day, 1947 Yearbooks The Pirates history making "all-black lineup" of September 1, 1971 included two future Mets. Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb; 1909 World Series Scoreboard and Bullpen Buggies; 1971 World Series The First World Series, 1903 Two Brothers in the Hall of Fame? The Mets could barely get one brother elected. Here are the Hall of Fame Waner Brothers. Which one�s who? Pick your poison. �We finished last with you. We can finish last without you�. Baseball�s legendary negotiating squeeze play was made famous by Pirates GM Branch Rickey during contract talks for the 1952 season with team slugger Ralph Kiner, winner of the last six NL HR titles. Kiner got his raise � a $78,000.00 deal. Ralph Kiner and Esther Williams Pitcher George Brunet wore Ralph�s #4 before the Pirates got around to retiring Ralph�s number. Someday, the Pirates�ll get around to adding some more body parts to �Ralph�s Hands�. Pittsburgh�s Bob Moose no-hits the Mets at Shea Dock in curlers

This quiz got me to wondering whatever happened to Dontrelle Willis? (I know he's not a top tenner)

seawolf17 wrote: Halladay I was gonna guess Frank Tanana but left him for you as a courtesy.

Tim Wakefield

Jamie Moyer

Livan Hernandez

Trivia: Who are the only MLB players to appear in at least 250 games for both the Mets and the Pirates? The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) 3. Donn Clendenon (Edgy) 4. Tim Foli (Edgy) 5. Joe Orsulak (Edgy) 6. John Milner (Edgy) 7. Lee Mazzilli (Edgy) 8. Bobby Bonilla (Spitter) I didn't notice that the Spitter got Bobby Bo. Keep on going. The 250 club isn't filled yet.

The franchise leaders for strikeouts, not including pre-1962 stats: Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson are the franchise leaders for two teams, each. Including pre-1962 numbers, Seaver's all-time team total would rank 9th (Feller and Johnson would leapfrog Seaver) - still not too shabby. 1. Steve Carlton � Phillies � 3,031 2. John Smoltz � Braves � 3,011 3. Bob Gibson � Cardinals � 2,834 (3,117 total Cards K�s) 4. Don Sutton � Dodgers � 2,696 5. Mickey Lolich � Tigers � 2,679 6. Roger Clemens � Red Sox � 2,590 7. Tom Seaver � Mets � 2,541 8. Nolan Ryan � Angels � 2,416 9. Jim Palmer � Orioles � 2,212 10. Randy Johnson � Mariners � 2,162 11. Sam McDowell � Indians � 2,154 (2,159 total Indians K�s; 2nd all-time; Bob Feller, 2,581 K�s #1) 12. Juan Marichal � Giants � 2,099 (2,281 total Giants K�s; 2nd all-time; Christy Mathewson, 2,504 K�s #1) 13. Randy Johnson � Diamondbacks � 2,077 14. Fergie Jenkins � Cubs � 2,038 15. Bert Blyleven � Twins � 2,035 (2nd all time; Walter Johnson, 3,509 K�s #1) 16. Nolan Ryan � Astros � 1,866 17. Andy Pettitte � Yankees � 1,823 (2nd all time; Whitey Ford, 1,956 K�s #1) 18. Dave Stieb � Blue Jays � 1,658 19. Bob Veale � Pirates � 1,652 (2nd all-time; Bob Friend, 1,682 K�s #1) 20. Steve Rogers � Expos/Nationals � 1,621 21. Catfish Hunter � A�s � 1,520 (5th all-time; Eddie Plank, 1,985 K�s #1) 22. Jim Maloney � Reds � 1,487 (1,592 total Reds K�s) 23. Kevin Appier � Royals � 1,458 24. Charlie Hough � Rangers � 1,452 25. Jake Peavy � Padres � 1,348 26. Wilbur Wood � White Sox � 1,325 (1,332 total White Sox K�s; 4th all-time; Billy Pierce, 1,796 K�s #1) 27. Ben Sheets � Brewers - 1,206 28. James Shields � Devil Rays/Rays - 883 29. Dontrelle Willis � Marlins - 757 30. Pedro Astacio � Rockies - 749

Benjamin Grimm wrote: Ralph really deserves a better statue! I know. That looks like the pen in a pen and pencil set. Maybe the cash-strapped Mets can find some inspiration from Kiner's Hands and honor, at least, Seaver's fingers.

Trivia: Who are the only MLB players to appear in at least 250 games for both the Mets and the Pirates? The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) 3. Donn Clendenon (Edgy) 4. Tim Foli (Edgy) 5. Joe Orsulak (Edgy) 6. John Milner (Edgy) 7. Lee Mazzilli (Edgy) It's a three run-homer for Edgy. I didn't think anybody would get Orsulak. I checked my answers after submitting them, and I thought they were all wrong, if only just. Joe Orsulak: 274 hits with the Mets; 238 with the Pirates. John Milner: 586 hits with the Mets; 248 with the Pirates. Lee Mazzilli: 796 hits with the Mets; 176 with the Pirates. Then I realized we were talking about games and not hits. There's a few more in that 250 club.

Day 2 Leading the league in cool t-shirts; "Hair-itage" , the Willie Stargell hair outline T-shirt: All-Star Bobblehead. No. Really. Bats and Balls. Enhancing the Pirate heritage. Clemente, Thomas, Walls & Virdon Honus Wagner Ralph Kiner's Babes. Chicks do prefer the long ball. Ralph Kiner's hands - PNC Park Coming soon to PNC Park: Bronze castings of Rick Reuschel's ass and the gap between Manny Sanguillen's two front teeth Exposition Park 1891-1909 Forbes Field Three Rivers Stadium PNC Park The troubled Rube Waddell was pitching for the Pirates when Connie Mack discovered him. Waddell was the Pirates first strikeout and ERA champ, leading the league in 1900 with 137 K's and a 2.37 ERA Last call for the Louisville Colonels baseball team, eventually folded into the Pittsburgh Pirates. Honus Wagner and Rube Waddell appear in Louisville's last team picture Dick Groat, batting champ 1960

seawolf17 wrote: Yes, I was kidding on Tanana. Riffing on the "Frank T"s. I'm still marking your answer as wrong.

Trivia: Who are the only MLB players to appear in at least 250 games for both the Mets and the Pirates? The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) 3. Donn Clendenon (Edgy) 4. Tim Foli (Edgy) 5. Joe Orsulak (Edgy) 6. John Milner (Edgy) 7. Lee Mazzilli (Edgy) It's a three run-homer for Edgy. I didn't think anybody would get Orsulak. ______________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL) 2. Frank Tanana (Seawolf) Keep on going....

Trivia: Who are the only MLB players to appear in at least 250 games for both the Mets and the Pirates? The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) 3. Donn Clendenon (Edgy) 4. Tim Foli (Edgy) ______________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL) 2. Frank Tanana (Seawolf) The 250 club list isn't even halfway filled in.

And another thing or two: It's too bad that Psychedlic Dock's LSD tablets weren't in his Mets bag-o-tricks: _vUhSYLRw14 Here's where the Mets were when tragedy struck our nation: The culmination to one of the greatest plays, and greatest games in Mets history: Some modern Pirate Uni history: The Charter Member of the Mets-Pirates 250/250 club: One of the earliest Met killers; Friend was no friend of the Mets: Is there an analogy here? The Stargell statue at PNC Park. No other rival player evokes that time in my life when I first discovered baseball like Willie Stargell, a ferocious opponent at the height of his awesome skills in the early '70's. One of the cleverest baseball t-shirts I ever did see:

LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr wrote: French fries don't belong on sammiches. I'm with you on that one. I'm already on record as describing that sammich as "gimmicky schlock". But I've never been to Pittsburgh and never had that meal and from curiosity more than anything else, it's become one of my Moby Dicks.

Turner! I know it's way too early to even think about such things -- but are either Turner or Gee still eligible for the ROY this year? Or did they play too much last season? NL Rookies - non pitchers (min. 75 PA's):

Trivia: Who are the only MLB players to appear in at least 250 games for both the Mets and the Pirates? The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) ______________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL) 2. Frank Tanana (Seawolf)

seawolf17 wrote: I'm sensing a trend. Frank Tanana(s). You're kidding, right? A starting pitcher has to stick with a team for about 10 years to get 250 starts. The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) ______________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL) 2. Frank Tanana (Seawolf)

The 250 club 1. Frank Taveras (JCL) 2. Frank Thomas - The Charter Member (Edgy) ______________ The 250 Club. Not. 1. Junior Ortiz (JCL)