1931 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1931 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 50th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 45th in the National League. The Pirates finished fifth in the league standings with a record of 75–79.

1931 Pittsburgh Pirates
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1887)
Location
Forbes Field (since 1909) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] (since 1907)
Other information
Owner(s)	Barney Dreyfuss
Manager(s)	Jewel Ens
Local television	none
Local radio	none
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Offseason

• November 6, 1930: Dick Bartell was traded by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Tommy Thevenow and Claude Willoughby.[2]

Regular season

Notable transactions

• June 13, 1931: Rollie Hemsley was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Earl Grace.[3]

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Cardinals	101	53	0.656	—	54–24	47–29
New York Giants	87	65	0.572	13	50–27	37–38
Chicago Cubs	84	70	0.545	17	50–27	34–43
Brooklyn Robins	79	73	0.520	21	46–29	33–44
Pittsburgh Pirates	75	79	0.487	26	44–33	31–46
Philadelphia Phillies	66	88	0.429	35	40–36	26–52
Boston Braves	64	90	0.416	37	36–41	28–49
Cincinnati Reds	58	96	0.377	43	38–39	20–57

Record vs. opponents

1931 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	11–11–1	8–14–1	8–14	6–16	11–11	11–11	9–13
Brooklyn	11–11–1	—	14–8	10–12	10–10	13–9	11–11	10–12
Chicago	14–8–1	8–14	—	14–8	12–10	14–8	14–8–1	8–14
Cincinnati	14–8	12–10	8–14	—	7–15	9–13	6–16	2–20
New York	16–6	10–10	10–12	15–7	—	14–8–1	12–10	10–12
Philadelphia	11–11	9–13	8–14	13–9	8–14–1	—	13–9	4–18
Pittsburgh	11–11	11–11	8–14–1	16–6	10–12	9–13	—	10–12
St. Louis	13–9	12–10	14–8	20–2	12–10	18–4	12–10	—

Game log

1931 Game Log: 75–79 (Home: 44–33; Away: 31–46)
April: 6–8 (Home: 1–2; Away: 5–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 14 @ Cubs 2–6 Root French (0–1) — 45,000 0–1 2 April 15 @ Cubs 5–6 Smith Willoughby (0–1) — — 0–2 3 April 16 @ Cubs 4–3 Spencer (1–0) Blake — — 1–2 4 April 17 @ Cubs 4–5 Bush Wood (0–1) Smith 30,000 1–3 5 April 18 @ Reds 9–6 French (1–1) Wysong — — 2–3 6 April 19 @ Reds 5–1 Kremer (1–0) Johnson — — 3–3 7 April 20 @ Reds 5–7 Lucas Meine (0–1) — — 3–4 8 April 24 Cubs 6–10 Sweetland French (1–2) — — 3–5 9 April 25 Cubs 3–8 Malone Kremer (1–1) May — 3–6 10 April 26 @ Cardinals 1–0 Meine (1–1) Hallahan — — 4–6 11 April 27 @ Cardinals 5–3 French (2–2) Rhem — — 5–6 12 April 28 @ Cardinals 2–8 Grimes Wood (0–2) — — 5–7 13 April 29 @ Cardinals 1–7 Haines Kremer (1–2) — — 5–8 14 April 30 Reds 8–3 Meine (2–1) Rixey — — 6–8
May: 11–14 (Home: 2–6; Away: 9–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 15 May 1 Reds 5–4 (11) Spencer (2–0) Carroll — — 7–8 16 May 2 Reds 11–5 Osborn (1–0) Ogden — — 8–8 17 May 3 @ Reds 6–3 Kremer (2–2) Lucas — — 9–8 18 May 3 @ Reds 5–10 Kolp Wood (0–3) — — 9–9 19 May 6 Cardinals 5–6 (13) Grimes Meine (2–2) Lindsey — 9–10 20 May 7 Cardinals 5–11 Haines French (2–3) — — 9–11 21 May 9 Cardinals 2–4 Johnson Kremer (2–3) — — 9–12 22 May 10 @ Robins 3–1 French (3–3) Phelps — 28,000 10–12 23 May 11 @ Robins 4–2 Meine (3–2) Vance — 5,000 11–12 24 May 15 @ Giants 3–2 (10) French (4–3) Mitchell — 8,000 12–12 25 May 16 @ Braves 2–9 Zachary Kremer (2–4) — 15,000 12–13 26 May 17 @ Braves 5–3 Meine (4–2) Seibold — — 13–13 27 May 18 @ Braves 1–3 Brandt Brame (0–1) — — 13–14 28 May 19 @ Phillies 2–3 Elliott French (4–4) Elliott — 13–15 29 May 20 @ Phillies 7–11 Shields Willoughby (0–2) — — 13–16 30 May 23 @ Cubs 4–3 Meine (5–2) Malone Spencer (1) — 14–16 31 May 24 @ Cubs 10–7 Brame (1–1) Root Spencer (2) — 15–16 32 May 25 @ Cubs 6–9 Sweetland Kremer (2–5) — — 15–17 33 May 26 @ Cardinals 9–11 Derringer Spencer (2–1) — — 15–18 34 May 27 @ Cardinals 4–0 Meine (6–2) Johnson — — 16–18 35 May 28 @ Cardinals 11–8 (7) Osborn (2–0) Rhem — — 17–18 36 May 29 Cubs 3–4 (10) Root Kremer (2–6) — — 17–19 37 May 30 Cubs 2–9 Sweetland Spencer (2–2) — 10,000 17–20 38 May 30 Cubs 5–6 May Brame (1–2) Root 18,000 17–21 39 May 31 @ Cubs 0–5 Smith Meine (6–3) — 30,000 17–22
June: 8–18 (Home: 4–7; Away: 4–11) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 40 June 2 Braves 4–3 Osborn (3–0) Brandt — — 18–22 41 June 3 Braves 3–4 (10) Seibold Brame (1–3) — — 18–23 42 June 4 Braves 2–1 (13) Spencer (3–2) Haid — — 19–23 43 June 5 Braves 0–4 Zachary Meine (6–4) — — 19–24 44 June 6 Phillies 3–2 Kremer (3–6) Elliott — — 20–24 45 June 9 Phillies 3–7 Dudley Brame (1–4) Elliott — 20–25 46 June 10 Giants 5–1 French (5–4) Walker — — 21–25 47 June 11 Giants 6–8 (11) Berly Spencer (3–3) — 5,000 21–26 48 June 12 Giants 2–8 Fitzsimmons Kremer (3–7) — — 21–27 49 June 13 Giants 4–6 Mitchell Brame (1–5) — — 21–28 50 June 14 @ Robins 3–6 Shaute French (5–5) Quinn 15,000 21–29 51 June 17 Robins 0–2 Clark Meine (6–5) — — 21–30 52 June 18 @ Giants 1–3 Hubbell French (5–6) — — 21–31 53 June 19 @ Giants 4–1 Kremer (4–7) Mitchell — — 22–31 54 June 20 @ Giants 1–3 Walker Spencer (3–4) — 30,000 22–32 55 June 20 @ Giants 0–10 Fitzsimmons Brame (1–6) — 30,000 22–33 56 June 21 @ Giants 5–4 (11) French (6–6) Heving — — 23–33 57 June 22 @ Robins 2–3 (10) Clark Wood (0–4) — — 23–34 58 June 24 @ Robins 4–6 Shaute French (6–7) — — 23–35 59 June 24 @ Robins 3–5 Heimach Kremer (4–8) — 20,000 23–36 60 June 25 @ Phillies 1–5 Dudley Brame (1–7) — — 23–37 61 June 26 @ Phillies 2–13 Watt Meine (6–6) — — 23–38 62 June 27 @ Phillies 10–6 Wood (1–4) Elliott Swetonic (1) 15,000 24–38 63 June 27 @ Phillies 4–5 Benge French (6–8) Collins 15,000 24–39 64 June 29 @ Braves 4–2 Kremer (5–8) Zachary — — 25–39 65 June 30 @ Braves 1–5 Frankhouse Brame (1–8) — — 25–40
July: 19–10 (Home: 16–8; Away: 3–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 66 July 1 @ Braves 4–1 Spencer (4–4) Seibold — — 26–40 67 July 2 @ Braves 1–0 Meine (7–6) Cunningham — — 27–40 68 July 4 Cardinals 9–8 (11) Osborn (4–0) Lindsey — — 28–40 69 July 4 Cardinals 3–4 (12) Hallahan Kremer (5–9) — — 28–41 70 July 5 @ Reds 6–4 Brame (2–8) Johnson — — 29–41 71 July 8 Cubs 5–2 Meine (8–6) Warneke — — 30–41 72 July 9 Cubs 4–2 Kremer (6–9) Teachout — — 31–41 73 July 11 Cubs 2–9 Sweetland Spencer (4–5) — — 31–42 74 July 11 Cubs 5–5 (10) — — 31–42 75 July 12 @ Reds 7–14 Lucas Meine (8–7) — — 31–43 76 July 12 @ Reds 5–6 (11) Benton Swetonic (0–1) — — 31–44 77 July 13 Phillies 0–1 Elliott Kremer (6–10) — — 31–45 78 July 14 Phillies 9–4 Meine (9–7) Dudley — — 32–45 79 July 14 Phillies 4–3 (10) Spencer (5–5) Collins — — 33–45 80 July 15 Phillies 4–2 French (7–8) Benge — — 34–45 81 July 16 Phillies 12–8 Brame (3–8) Bolen — — 35–45 82 July 17 Phillies 1–4 Elliott Kremer (6–11) — — 35–46 83 July 18 Braves 9–3 Meine (10–7) Seibold — — 36–46 84 July 18 Braves 0–1 Cantwell Spencer (5–6) — — 36–47 85 July 22 Robins 10–6 French (8–8) Shaute — — 37–47 86 July 22 Robins 2–3 Heimach Kremer (6–12) — 8,000 37–48 87 July 23 Robins 17–6 Brame (4–8) Vance — 3,000 38–48 88 July 24 Robins 8–7 Osborn (5–0) Clark French (1) — 39–48 89 July 25 Robins 5–2 Wood (2–4) Luque — 12,000 40–48 90 July 25 Robins 3–2 (14) French (9–8) Heimach — 17,000 41–48 91 July 27 Giants 8–6 Kremer (7–12) Mitchell Spencer (3) — 42–48 92 July 28 Giants 2–6 Hubbell Brame (4–9) — — 42–49 93 July 29 Giants 4–5 Walker Meine (10–8) — — 42–50 94 July 30 Giants 9–0 French (10–8) Morrell — — 43–50 95 July 31 Reds 5–0 Kremer (8–12) Benton — — 44–50
August: 15–20 (Home: 6–4; Away: 9–16) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 96 August 1 Reds 1–0 Spencer (6–6) Rixey — — 45–50 97 August 2 @ Reds 3–0 Brame (5–9) Lucas — — 46–50 98 August 4 Cardinals 1–7 Haines Meine (10–9) — — 46–51 99 August 5 Cardinals 5–4 (12) French (11–8) Lindsey — — 47–51 100 August 5 Cardinals 2–16 Hallahan Wood (2–5) — — 47–52 101 August 6 Reds 2–3 Benton Spencer (6–7) — — 47–53 102 August 7 Reds 9–3 Kremer (9–12) Lucas — — 48–53 103 August 8 Reds 4–3 Meine (11–9) Johnson — — 49–53 104 August 9 @ Reds 2–6 Benton French (11–9) — — 49–54 105 August 9 @ Reds 8–4 Brame (6–9) Frey — — 50–54 106 August 10 Cubs 4–3 Spencer (7–7) Sweetland — — 51–54 107 August 12 @ Giants 6–4 Kremer (10–12) Hubbell — — 52–54 108 August 12 @ Giants 0–9 Walker Meine (11–10) — — 52–55 109 August 13 @ Giants 7–5 Brame (7–9) Fitzsimmons — — 53–55 110 August 13 @ Giants 1–6 Mitchell French (11–10) — 10,000 53–56 111 August 14 @ Giants 1–2 Mooney Spencer (7–8) — — 53–57 112 August 15 @ Phillies 4–5 Dudley Wood (2–6) Collins — 53–58 113 August 15 @ Phillies 1–3 Bolen Meine (11–11) Watt — 53–59 114 August 17 @ Phillies 4–2 French (12–10) Blake — — 54–59 115 August 17 @ Phillies 0–3 Collins Brame (7–10) — — 54–60 116 August 18 @ Phillies 14–5 Spencer (8–8) Bolen — — 55–60 117 August 20 @ Braves 1–2 (10) Brandt Swetonic (0–2) — — 55–61 118 August 20 @ Braves 5–4 Meine (12–11) Sherdel — — 56–61 119 August 21 @ Braves 1–2 Cantwell Brame (7–11) — — 56–62 120 August 22 @ Braves 1–2 Zachary Spencer (8–9) — — 56–63 121 August 23 @ Robins 4–5 Shaute Meine (12–12) — — 56–64 122 August 23 @ Robins 4–5 Quinn Osborn (5–1) — 15,000 56–65 123 August 25 @ Robins 5–3 Meine (13–12) Clark — — 57–65 124 August 25 @ Robins 0–5 Heimach Kremer (10–13) — 25,000 57–66 125 August 27 Cubs 3–2 Spencer (9–9) Sweetland — — 58–66 126 August 27 Cubs 4–11 Welch Brame (7–12) — — 58–67 127 August 28 @ Cardinals 4–6 Lindsey French (12–11) Hallahan 25,000 58–68 128 August 29 @ Cardinals 8–2 Meine (14–12) Johnson — 7,500 59–68 129 August 30 @ Cardinals 0–5 Derringer Kremer (10–14) — — 59–69 130 August 30 @ Cardinals 1–4 Hallahan Spencer (9–10) — — 59–70
September: 16–9 (Home: 15–6; Away: 1–3) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 131 September 3 Cardinals 6–4 Osborn (6–1) Grimes — — 60–70 132 September 4 Cardinals 3–1 Meine (15–12) Hallahan — — 61–70 133 September 5 Cardinals 8–5 Kremer (11–14) Lindsey — — 62–70 134 September 6 @ Cubs 5–4 Spencer (10–10) Root — — 63–70 135 September 7 Reds 6–1 French (13–11) Carroll — — 64–70 136 September 7 Reds 4–2 Brame (8–12) Rixey — — 65–70 137 September 8 Reds 3–0 Harris (1–0) Ogden — — 66–70 138 September 9 Robins 5–1 Meine (16–12) Heimach — — 67–70 139 September 10 Giants 1–6 Hubbell Kremer (11–15) — — 67–71 140 September 11 Giants 3–2 French (14–11) Parmelee — — 68–71 141 September 12 Giants 5–1 Harris (2–0) Mooney — — 69–71 142 September 13 @ Robins 5–6 Heimach Spencer (10–11) — 10,000 69–72 143 September 15 Robins 5–2 Meine (17–12) Clark — — 70–72 144 September 15 Robins 2–1 French (15–11) Vance — 4,000 71–72 145 September 16 Robins 5–11 Clark Brame (8–13) — — 71–73 146 September 17 Braves 0–1 Zachary Harris (2–1) — — 71–74 147 September 17 Braves 4–2 (8) Spencer (11–11) Brown — — 72–74 148 September 18 Braves 2–6 Brandt French (15–12) — — 72–75 149 September 18 Braves 4–1 Meine (18–12) Sherdel — — 73–75 150 September 19 Braves 7–0 Brame (9–13) Frankhouse — — 74–75 151 September 21 Phillies 4–6 Elliott Harris (2–2) Benge — 74–76 152 September 22 Phillies 3–2 (13) Meine (19–12) Collins — — 75–76 153 September 24 Phillies 1–5 Elliott French (15–13) — — 75–77 154 September 27 @ Cubs 1–3 Root Meine (19–13) Smith — 75–78 155 September 27 @ Cubs 4–8 Malone Spencer (11–12) — — 75–79
Legend:           = Win           = Loss           = Tie Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1931 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Andy Bednar Erv Brame Larry French George Grant Bill Harris Ray Kremer Heinie Meine Bob Osborn Glenn Spencer Steve Swetonic Claude Willoughby Spades Wood		Catchers Hal Finney Earl Grace Rollie Hemsley Eddie Phillips Bill Steinecke Infielders George Grantham Howdy Groskloss Tony Piet Bill Regan Ben Sankey Gus Suhr Tommy Thevenow Pie Traynor		Outfielders Fred Bennett Adam Comorosky Woody Jensen Jim Mosolf Lloyd Waner Paul Waner Other batters Pete McClanahan		Manager Jewel Ens Coaches Doc Crandall Grover Hartley Oscar Stanage

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	Eddie Phillips	106	353	82	.232	7	44
SS	Tommy Thevenow	120	404	86	.213	0	38

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
Earl Grace	47	150	42	.280	1	20
Rollie Hemsley	10	35	6	.171	0	1
Hal Finney	10	26	8	.308	0	2

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
Larry French	39	275.2	15	13	3.26	73
Erv Brame	26	179.2	9	13	4.21	33

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
Claude Willoughby	9	25.2	0	2	6.31	4

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
Andy Bednar	3	0	0	0	11.25	2

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
A	Wichita Aviators	Western League	Art Griggs & Howie Gregory

Notes

1. From 1882-1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
2. Tommy Thevenow page at Baseball Reference
3. Earl Grace page at Baseball Reference

References

• 1931 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1931 Pittsburgh Pirates Page at Baseball Almanac