It is probably difficult for the whole current generation of fans to understand, but the Pittsburgh Pirates actually have a rich tradition. I was certainly reminded of that tradition reading the various stories associated with the passing of Chuck Tanner (aka Captain Sunshine), who managed the Pirates to their last World Series Championship in 1979. Bob Smizik posted an excellent obituary on Tanner on his blog last Friday. For those of us growing up in the 70s as Pirate fans, those stories brought back so many pleasant memories.
Though the Pirates had wonderful runs in the 70s and early 90s, they certainly have had many other periods of success and a large collection of great players and managers. Consider that the Pirates have multiple players who are in the Baseball Hall-of-Fame, yet whose uniform numbers have not been retired by the team. I have always thought that was a pretty good indication of a franchise’s tradition.
Bob Smizik had a wonderful column a couple of years ago that examined Pirate attendance trends over history. In that piece, Smizek built a strong case that, across the Pirates history, there was never a drawing card as strong as Kiner. Not Roberto or Maz or Pops or Honus.
Dad use to comment about how Kiner use to really pack them into old Forbes Field and how quickly that place would empty out after Kiner’s last at bat on the evening. The post-WWII period was such a Golden Age for baseball and, then, it truly was the national past-time. Kiner was of my Dad’s generation.
In the late 1970s, Warner Cable in Altoona got some additional channels from New York – notably WOR, which broadcast Met games and the Kiner’s Korner post game show. Without fail, if the Met game was on, Dad would also watch the post-game – I think it gave him a chance to connect back with his past and one of his heroes from a time when he was a much younger man. There was also always a chance that a “Kinerism” might hatch as well during the post-game. “All of Rick Aguilera's saves have come in relief appearances.”
I have to imagine that Mom and Dad took many trips over Cresson Mountain for a chance to see the Alhambra Kid. At my Dad’s funeral, my Uncle Ken told of one such trip –sans Mom. Uncle Ken had this cool shtick going when he told a story – he had some of the Rodney Dangerfield mannerisms like the tug of the tie and really good timing.
On this trip, Dad was doing the driving – I think Uncle Ken (who married my Dad’s younger sister Jean) and Uncle Jerry (Dad’s younger brother) were along for the ride. On the way back from the game, Dad got pulled over for speeding around New Alexandria. As the policeman approached the vehicle, Dad rolled the window down and exclaimed:
“I didn’t see you!”
Classic Cody N. Apparently, Uncle Ken and Uncle Jerry spent the following 90 minutes of the trip (as well as the next couple of years) busting Dad’s chops on that one.
