1935 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1935 Pittsburgh Pirates season was a season in American baseball which involved the Pirates finishing fourth in the National League.

This article is about the baseball team. For the NFL team, see 1935 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season.

1935 Pittsburgh Pirates
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1887)
Location
Forbes Field (since 1909) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] (since 1907)
Other information
Owner(s)	Bill Benswanger
Manager(s)	Pie Traynor
Local television	none
Local radio	none
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The roster featured five future Hall of Famers: player-manager Pie Traynor, pitcher Waite Hoyt, shortstop Arky Vaughan, center fielder Lloyd Waner, and right fielder Paul Waner.

Offseason

• December 12, 1934: Leon Chagnon was traded by the Pirates to the New York Giants for Jack Salveson.[2]

Regular season

Vaughan hit .385 on his way to being named the NL's Most Valuable Player by The Sporting News. It is considered the best offensive season ever by a shortstop other than Honus Wagner.[3]

On May 25, 1935, Babe Ruth of the Boston Braves hit the final three home runs of his career in one game against the Pirates at Forbes Field.[4]

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago Cubs	100	54	0.649	—	56–21	44–33
St. Louis Cardinals	96	58	0.623	4	53–24	43–34
New York Giants	91	62	0.595	8½	50–27	41–35
Pittsburgh Pirates	86	67	0.562	13½	46–31	40–36
Brooklyn Dodgers	70	83	0.458	29½	38–38	32–45
Cincinnati Reds	68	85	0.444	31½	41–35	27–50
Philadelphia Phillies	64	89	0.418	35½	35–43	29–46
Boston Braves	38	115	0.248	61½	25–50	13–65

Record vs. opponents

1935 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	6–16	3–19	10–12	5–16	8–14	2–20	4–18
Brooklyn	16–6	—	5–17	11–11	9–13	12–9–1	11–11	6–16
Chicago	19–3	17–5	—	14–8	14–8	13–9	15–7	8–14
Cincinnati	12–10	11–11	8–14	—	8–14–1	13–9	8–13	8–14
New York	16–5	13–9	8–14	14–8–1	—	12–10–2	14–8	14–8
Philadelphia	14–8	9–12–1	9–13	9–13	10–12–2	—	6–16	7–15
Pittsburgh	20–2	11–11	7–15	13–8	8–14	16–6	—	11–11
St. Louis	18–4	16–6	14–8	14–8	8–14	15–7	11–11	—

Game log

1935 Game Log: 86–67 (Home: 46–31; Away: 40–36)
April: 6–8 (Home: 1–4; Away: 5–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 16 @ Reds 12–6 Hoyt (1–0) Freitas — 27,400 1–0 2 April 17 Reds 4–7 Derringer Bush (0–1) — — 1–1 3 April 18 Reds 4–9 Frey Weaver (0–1) — 1,560 1–2 4 April 19 Cardinals 3–0 Blanton (1–0) Hallahan — — 2–2 5 April 20 Cardinals 1–4 Walker Hoyt (1–1) — — 2–3 6 April 21 Cardinals 1–6 Dean Bush (0–2) — 28,000 2–4 7 April 23 @ Reds 4–3 Weaver (1–1) Freitas Swift (1) 8,836 3–4 8 April 24 @ Reds 5–2 Blanton (2–0) Hollingsworth — 4,036 4–4 9 April 25 @ Reds 0–6 Frey Hoyt (1–2) — 2,590 4–5 10 April 26 @ Cardinals 2–3 (11) Heusser Swift (0–1) — — 4–6 11 April 27 @ Cardinals 8–5 Weaver (2–1) Hallahan — 10,000 5–6 12 April 28 @ Cardinals 3–2 Blanton (3–0) Dean — 12,000 6–6 13 April 29 @ Cubs 11–12 Kowalik Salveson (0–1) Bryant — 6–7 14 April 30 @ Cubs 0–3 Henshaw Birkofer (0–1) — — 6–8
May: 17–11 (Home: 9–6; Away: 8–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 15 May 3 @ Dodgers 1–2 Mungo Weaver (2–2) — — 6–9 16 May 4 @ Dodgers 1–0 Blanton (4–0) Zachary — — 7–9 17 May 5 @ Dodgers 9–2 Bush (1–2) Clark — 13,000 8–9 18 May 6 @ Braves 8–6 Hoyt (2–2) Benton Blanton (1) — 9–9 19 May 8 @ Braves 3–12 Frankhouse Weaver (2–3) — — 9–10 20 May 9 @ Giants 1–3 Hubbell Blanton (4–1) — 6,000 9–11 21 May 11 @ Giants 4–1 Bush (2–2) Schumacher — — 10–11 22 May 11 @ Giants 0–3 Fitzsimmons Hoyt (2–3) — 40,000 10–12 23 May 12 @ Giants 1–3 Parmelee Weaver (2–4) — 20,000 10–13 24 May 13 @ Phillies 10–1 Blanton (5–1) Bivin — — 11–13 25 May 14 @ Phillies 8–1 Birkofer (1–1) Walters — 1,500 12–13 26 May 15 @ Phillies 20–5 Swift (1–1) Jorgens — — 13–13 27 May 16 Dodgers 0–2 (13) Zachary Hoyt (2–4) — 6,000 13–14 28 May 17 Dodgers 1–7 Benge Weaver (2–5) — — 13–15 29 May 18 Dodgers 8–2 Blanton (6–1) Mungo — 8,000 14–15 30 May 19 Dodgers 9–6 Swift (2–1) Eisenstat Hoyt (1) 10,000 15–15 31 May 20 Giants 11–4 Lucas (1–0) Hubbell — — 16–15 32 May 21 Giants 4–9 Castleman Hoyt (2–5) Smith — 16–16 33 May 22 Giants 2–5 Parmelee Blanton (6–2) — 6,000 16–17 34 May 23 Braves 7–1 Swift (3–1) Cantwell — 10,000 17–17 35 May 24 Braves 7–6 Weaver (3–5) Brandt — — 18–17 36 May 25 Braves 11–7 Hoyt (3–5) Cantwell — — 19–17 37 May 26 Phillies 3–1 Blanton (7–2) Prim — 10,000 20–17 38 May 27 Phillies 2–4 Pezzullo Swift (3–2) Moore — 20–18 39 May 28 Phillies 3–1 Weaver (4–5) Pezzullo — — 21–18 40 May 30 Cubs 4–6 Henshaw Blanton (7–3) — 40,430 21–19 41 May 30 Cubs 4–1 Lucas (2–0) French — 40,430 22–19 42 May 31 @ Reds 4–1 Swift (4–2) Hollingsworth — 19,429 23–19
June: 16–11 (Home: 5–1; Away: 11–10) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 43 June 2 @ Reds 8–0 Weaver (5–5) Derringer — 2,973 24–19 44 June 4 Cardinals 9–5 Blanton (8–3) Dean — 4,000 25–19 45 June 6 Cardinals 2–1 Bush (3–2) Haines — — 26–19 46 June 7 Reds 4–13 (7) Derringer Weaver (5–6) — 1,110 26–20 47 June 8 Reds 14–8 Hoyt (4–5) Brennan Bush (1) 5,800 27–20 48 June 9 Reds 7–4 Blanton (9–3) Johnson — 5,046 28–20 49 June 10 Reds 14–1 Swift (5–2) Hollingsworth — 1,186 29–20 50 June 11 @ Dodgers 4–0 Bush (4–2) Zachary — 3,000 30–20 51 June 12 @ Dodgers 7–3 Birkofer (2–1) Leonard — — 31–20 52 June 13 @ Dodgers 0–3 Mungo Blanton (9–4) — — 31–21 53 June 14 @ Dodgers 1–0 Swift (6–2) Clark — — 32–21 54 June 15 @ Phillies 5–6 Johnson Blanton (9–5) — — 32–22 55 June 16 @ Phillies 4–12 Pezzullo Birkofer (2–2) — — 32–23 56 June 17 @ Phillies 12–5 Swift (7–2) Walters — — 33–23 57 June 20 @ Giants 2–6 Smith Bush (4–3) — — 33–24 58 June 21 @ Giants 4–11 Castleman Lucas (2–1) — — 33–25 59 June 22 @ Giants 5–4 (11) Hoyt (5–5) Smith — — 34–25 60 June 22 @ Giants 3–7 Schumacher Weaver (5–7) — 10,000 34–26 61 June 23 @ Braves 4–3 Weaver (6–7) MacFayden — — 35–26 62 June 23 @ Braves 7–4 Bush (5–3) Smith — — 36–26 63 June 25 @ Braves 2–7 MacFayden Birkofer (2–3) — — 36–27 64 June 26 @ Braves 4–2 Bush (6–3) Cantwell — — 37–27 65 June 26 @ Braves 5–1 Swift (8–2) Betts — — 38–27 66 June 28 @ Cubs 0–8 Henshaw Weaver (6–8) — — 38–28 67 June 29 @ Cubs 0–1 (12) French Hoyt (5–6) — — 38–29 68 June 29 @ Cubs 1–2 Warneke Lucas (2–2) — 17,400 38–30 69 June 30 @ Cubs 9–7 Blanton (10–5) Root — 10,400 39–30
July: 15–14 (Home: 14–12; Away: 1–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 70 July 2 @ Cardinals 0–7 Hallahan Bush (6–4) — — 39–31 71 July 4 @ Reds 9–5 Hoyt (6–6) Frey — — 40–31 72 July 4 @ Reds 4–5 Brennan Blanton (10–6) Freitas 13,000 40–32 73 July 5 Cubs 4–0 Lucas (3–2) Henshaw — 10,000 41–32 74 July 6 Cubs 8–10 (13) Warneke Swift (8–3) — — 41–33 75 July 7 Cubs 1–13 Lee Blanton (10–7) — — 41–34 76 July 10 Giants 3–10 Schumacher Hoyt (6–7) — — 41–35 77 July 11 Giants 2–4 Parmelee Lucas (3–3) — — 41–36 78 July 13 Giants 6–7 Hubbell Hoyt (6–8) — — 41–37 79 July 14 Giants 4–2 Blanton (11–7) Smith — 12,000 42–37 80 July 16 Dodgers 3–9 Zachary Swift (8–4) — 2,000 42–38 81 July 17 Dodgers 4–5 Clark Bush (6–5) Leonard — 42–39 82 July 17 Dodgers 0–5 Earnshaw Hoyt (6–9) — — 42–40 83 July 18 Dodgers 3–5 Benge Blanton (11–8) Leonard — 42–41 84 July 19 Braves 6–5 Bush (7–5) Cantwell — — 43–41 85 July 20 Braves 14–2 Brown (1–0) Frankhouse — — 44–41 86 July 20 Braves 6–3 Weaver (7–8) MacFayden — — 45–41 87 July 21 Braves 7–0 Swift (9–4) Brandt — — 46–41 88 July 22 Phillies 5–4 Bush (8–5) Pezzullo — — 47–41 89 July 24 Phillies 8–6 Birkofer (3–3) Prim Bush (2) — 48–41 90 July 24 Phillies 4–3 Brown (2–0) Johnson Hoyt (2) — 49–41 91 July 25 Phillies 9–8 Bush (9–5) Davis — — 50–41 92 July 27 Cardinals 10–4 Blanton (12–8) Collins — — 51–41 93 July 28 Cardinals 3–4 Dean Bush (9–6) — 36,000 51–42 94 July 28 Cardinals 5–4 Swift (10–4) Walker — 36,000 52–42 95 July 29 Cardinals 3–2 Lucas (4–3) Hallahan — — 53–42 96 July 30 Cubs 6–9 Lee Brown (2–1) — — 53–43 97 July 31 Cubs 2–4 Henshaw Blanton (12–9) French — 53–44 98 July 31 Cubs 6–5 (11) Birkofer (4–3) Root — — 54–44
August: 20–11 (Home: 7–2; Away: 13–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 99 August 1 Cubs 6–5 Swift (11–4) Warneke Hoyt (3) — 55–44 100 August 3 @ Cardinals 0–6 Walker Lucas (4–4) — — 55–45 101 August 4 @ Cardinals 3–4 (10) Dean Hoyt (6–10) — 17,000 55–46 102 August 4 @ Cardinals 5–6 Walker Swift (11–5) — 17,000 55–47 103 August 6 @ Cubs 1–2 Henshaw Birkofer (4–4) — 16,000 55–48 104 August 7 @ Cubs 6–0 Blanton (13–9) French — — 56–48 105 August 8 @ Cubs 5–9 Carleton Bush (9–7) — — 56–49 106 August 9 Reds 1–0 Swift (12–5) Hollingsworth — — 57–49 107 August 10 Reds 0–2 Derringer Birkofer (4–5) — — 57–50 108 August 11 Reds 5–4 Blanton (14–9) Freitas — — 58–50 109 August 11 Reds 3–4 Schott Bush (9–8) Derringer — 58–51 110 August 12 Reds 7–4 Lucas (5–4) Hollingsworth Birkofer (1) — 59–51 111 August 14 @ Phillies 8–1 Swift (13–5) Davis — — 60–51 112 August 14 @ Phillies 7–4 Weaver (8–8) Pezzullo — — 61–51 113 August 15 @ Phillies 1–9 Bowman Bush (9–9) — — 61–52 114 August 17 @ Phillies 2–0 Lucas (6–4) Jorgens — — 62–52 115 August 17 @ Phillies 5–1 Birkofer (5–5) Walters — — 63–52 116 August 18 @ Dodgers 0–3 Clark Swift (13–6) — — 63–53 117 August 18 @ Dodgers 3–9 Benge Bush (9–10) Reis — 63–54 118 August 20 @ Dodgers 2–0 Weaver (9–8) Zachary — — 64–54 119 August 21 @ Dodgers 0–5 Earnshaw Birkofer (5–6) — — 64–55 120 August 23 @ Braves 7–5 Swift (14–6) Cantwell Hoyt (4) — 65–55 121 August 24 @ Braves 3–2 Blanton (15–9) Frankhouse — 2,000 66–55 122 August 25 @ Braves 9–2 Weaver (10–8) Smith — — 67–55 123 August 25 @ Braves 6–5 (11) Lucas (7–4) Betts — — 68–55 124 August 26 @ Giants 10–2 Birkofer (6–6) Smith — — 69–55 125 August 28 @ Giants 6–1 Blanton (16–9) Hubbell — — 70–55 126 August 28 @ Giants 9–5 Swift (15–6) Parmelee — 15,000 71–55 127 August 29 Cardinals 5–1 Weaver (11–8) Dean — 7,000 72–55 128 August 30 Cardinals 9–3 Lucas (8–4) Hallahan — — 73–55 129 August 31 Cubs 5–0 Birkofer (7–6) French — — 74–55
September: 12–12 (Home: 10–6; Away: 2–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 130 September 1 Cubs 2–8 Henshaw Blanton (16–10) — — 74–56 131 September 2 @ Cardinals 3–4 (16) Dean Hoyt (6–11) — 31,000 74–57 132 September 2 @ Cardinals 1–4 (5) Dean Swift (15–7) — 31,000 74–58 133 September 5 Dodgers 5–4 Birkofer (8–6) Leonard Hoyt (5) 1,000 75–58 134 September 6 Dodgers 13–0 Blanton (17–10) Zachary — — 76–58 135 September 7 Dodgers 5–4 Bush (10–10) Benge — — 77–58 136 September 8 Giants 1–3 Hubbell Lucas (8–5) — 18,000 77–59 137 September 10 Giants 3–4 Castleman Blanton (17–11) Stout — 77–60 138 September 10 Giants 2–4 Smith Birkofer (8–7) — 4,000 77–61 139 September 11 Giants 10–7 Bush (11–10) Parmelee — — 78–61 140 September 12 Phillies 11–0 Weaver (12–8) Pezzullo — — 79–61 141 September 13 Phillies 1–5 Davis Swift (15–8) — — 79–62 142 September 14 Phillies 5–7 Prim Blanton (17–12) — — 79–63 143 September 15 Phillies 5–3 Birkofer (9–7) Jorgens — — 80–63 144 September 16 Braves 5–3 Brown (3–1) Brown — — 81–63 145 September 17 Braves 6–4 Weaver (13–8) Brandt Hoyt (6) — 82–63 146 September 18 Braves 5–2 Blanton (18–12) Frankhouse — — 83–63 147 September 19 Braves 7–6 Hoyt (7–11) Cantwell — — 84–63 148 September 21 @ Cubs 3–4 Henshaw Bush (11–11) Warneke 39,000 84–64 149 September 22 @ Cubs 0–2 French Blanton (18–13) — 40,558 84–65 150 September 23 @ Cardinals 12–0 Weaver (14–8) Heusser — 7,500 85–65 151 September 24 @ Cardinals 2–11 Hallahan Lucas (8–6) — — 85–66 152 September 29 @ Reds 5–1 Brown (4–1) Hollingsworth — — 86–66 153 September 29 @ Reds 6–9 Derringer Passeau (0–1) — 8,021 86–67
Legend:           = Win           = Loss Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1935 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 49 Ralph Birkofer 46 Cy Blanton 50 Mace Brown 41 Guy Bush 48 Waite Hoyt 40 Red Lucas 52 Wayne Osborne -- Claude Passeau 44 Jack Salveson 47 Hal Smith 45 Bill Swift 43 Jim Weaver		Catchers 37 Aubrey Epps 30 Earl Grace 31 Tom Padden Infielders -- Earl Browne 27 Bill Brubaker 22 Cookie Lavagetto 24 Gus Suhr 25 Tommy Thevenow 20 Pie Traynor 21 Arky Vaughan 26 Pep Young		Outfielders 47 Bud Hafey 14 Babe Herman 16 Woody Jensen 10 Lloyd Waner 11 Paul Waner Other batters 15 Steve Swetonic		Manager 20 Pie Traynor Coaches 33 Jewel Ens 36 Honus Wagner

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	Tom Padden	97	302	82	.272	1	30
1B	Gus Suhr	153	529	144	.272	10	81
2B	Pep Young	128	494	131	.265	7	82
3B	Tommy Thevenow	110	408	97	.238	0	47
SS	Arky Vaughan	137	499	192	.385	19	99
LF	Woody Jensen	143	627	203	.324	8	62
CF	Lloyd Waner	122	537	166	.309	0	46
RF	Paul Waner	139	549	176	.321	11	78

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
Cookie Lavagetto	78	231	67	.290	0	19
Earl Grace	77	224	59	.263	3	29
Pie Traynor	57	204	57	.279	1	36
Bud Hafey	58	184	42	.228	6	16
Babe Herman	26	81	19	.235	0	7
Earl Browne	9	32	8	.250	0	6
Bill Brubaker	6	11	0	.000	0	0
Aubrey Epps	1	4	3	.750	0	3
Steve Swetonic	1	0	0	---	0	0

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
Cy Blanton	35	254.1	18	13	2.58	142
Jim Weaver	33	176.1	14	8	3.42	87
Red Lucas	20	125.2	8	6	3.44	29
Claude Passeau	1	3	0	1	12.00	1

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
Guy Bush	41	204.1	11	11	4.32	42
Bill Swift	39	203.2	15	8	.270	74
Waite Hoyt	39	164	7	11	3.40	63
Ralph Birkofer	37	150.1	9	7	4.07	80
Mace Brown	18	72.2	4	1	3.59	28

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
Jack Salveson	5	0	1	0	9.00	2
Wayne Osborne	2	0	0	0	6.75	1
Hal Smith	1	0	0	0	3.00	0

Awards and honors

• Arky Vaughan, The Sporting News NL MVP

1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

• Arky Vaughan, SS, starter
• Paul Waner, reserve

League top five finishers

Cy Blanton

• MLB leader in ERA (2.58)

Bill Swift

• #2 in NL in ERA (2.70)

Arky Vaughan

• MLB leader in batting average (.385)
• MLB leader in on-base percentage (.491)
• NL leader in slugging percentage (.607)

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AA	Kansas City Blues	American Association	Dutch Zwilling
A	Birmingham Barons	Southern Association	Clyde Milan and Bill Pierre
C	Portsmouth Pirates	Middle Atlantic League	Jake Pitler

References

1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
2. Leon Chagnon page at Baseball Reference
3. James, Bill. The New Historical Baseball Abstract
4. Shrum, Rick (May 10, 2006). "Parting shots: Two local men recall being witness to Babe Ruth's final three home runs". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

External links

• 1935 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1935 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.