1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 57th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 52nd in the National League. The Pirates finished second in the league standings with a record of 86–64.

This article is about the baseball team. For the NFL team, see 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season.

1938 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 radio	KDKA Rosey Rowswell, Jack Craddock
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Offseason

• February 22, 1938: Tommy Thevenow was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.[2]

Regular season

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Chicago Cubs	89	63	0.586	—	44–33	45–30
Pittsburgh Pirates	86	64	0.573	2	44–33	42–31
New York Giants	83	67	0.553	5	43–30	40–37
Cincinnati Reds	82	68	0.547	6	43–34	39–34
Boston Bees	77	75	0.507	12	45–30	32–45
St. Louis Cardinals	71	80	0.470	17½	36–41	35–39
Brooklyn Dodgers	69	80	0.463	18½	31–41	38–39
Philadelphia Phillies	45	105	0.300	43	26–48	19–57

Record vs. opponents

1938 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	10–12	12–10	11–9	8–14	14–8	9–13	13–9–1
Brooklyn	10–12	—	9–11–1	9–13	8–14	15–7	9–11	9–12–1
Chicago	12–10	11–9–1	—	11–11	12–10	18–4	12–10	13–9–1
Cincinnati	9–11	13–9	11–11	—	12–9	14–7	10–12	13–9–1
New York	14–8	14–8	10–12	9–12	—	16–5	9–13–1	11–9–1
Philadelphia	8–14	7–15	4–18	7–14	5–16	—	8–12–1	6–16
Pittsburgh	13–9	11–9	10–12	12–10	13–9–1	12–8–1	—	15–7
St. Louis	9–13–1	12–9–1	9–13–1	9–13–1	9–11–1	16–6	7–15	—

Game log

1938 Game Log: 86–64 (Home: 44–33; Away: 42–31)
April: 8–3 (Home: 5–2; Away: 3–1) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 19 @ Cardinals 4–3 Klinger (1–0) Weiland — 19,865 1–0 2 April 20 @ Cardinals 9–4 Tobin (1–0) Johnson — 1,957 2–0 3 April 21 @ Cardinals 6–5 Brown (1–0) Bush — — 3–0 4 April 22 Reds 7–4 Lucas (1–0) Vander Meer Bauers (1) 20,500 4–0 5 April 23 Reds 6–2 Blanton (1–0) Schott — — 5–0 6 April 24 Reds 2–1 Tobin (2–0) Davis — 16,012 6–0 7 April 25 Cubs 8–6 Brown (2–0) Logan — 9,235 7–0 8 April 26 Cubs 3–5 (10) Carleton Swift (0–1) — 7,523 7–1 9 April 27 Cubs 6–5 Brown (3–0) French Klinger (1) 9,537 8–1 10 April 28 Cardinals 3–5 Weiland Tobin (2–1) McGee 8,033 8–2 11 April 30 @ Reds 0–2 Davis Bauers (0–1) — — 8–3
May: 9–15 (Home: 5–7; Away: 4–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 12 May 1 @ Reds 1–4 Hollingsworth Swift (0–2) Schott 14,439 8–4 13 May 2 @ Reds 6–8 Vander Meer Blanton (1–1) Benge — 8–5 14 May 3 Dodgers 2–7 Pressnell Tobin (2–2) — 2,266 8–6 15 May 4 Dodgers 9–5 Bowman (1–0) Posedel — 2,431 9–6 16 May 5 Dodgers 4–2 Lucas (2–0) Hoyt — 2,031 10–6 17 May 6 Giants 7–11 Melton Brown (3–1) Coffman 10,648 10–7 18 May 7 Giants 5–6 Brown Bowman (1–1) — 16,064 10–8 19 May 8 Bees 2–1 (12) Brown (4–1) Fette — 7,512 11–8 20 May 9 Bees 5–7 (10) Hutchinson Brandt (0–1) Shoffner 1,219 11–9 21 May 13 @ Cubs 4–1 (10) Brown (5–1) French — — 12–9 22 May 15 @ Cubs 4–3 (11) Swift (1–2) Root — 15,494 13–9 23 May 17 @ Bees 0–1 Shoffner Bauers (0–2) — 2,800 13–10 24 May 18 @ Bees 1–2 (14) Turner Brown (5–2) — 2,070 13–11 25 May 19 @ Bees 3–4 (11) Hutchinson Sewell (0–1) — 2,359 13–12 26 May 20 @ Dodgers 5–7 Mungo Lucas (2–1) Pressnell 4,749 13–13 27 May 21 @ Dodgers 5–4 Tobin (3–2) Hamlin — 14,610 14–13 28 May 22 @ Giants 2–18 Hubbell Brandt (0–2) — 30,343 14–14 29 May 23 @ Giants 4–3 Brown (6–2) Gumbert Bauers (2) 5,364 15–14 30 May 25 @ Phillies 1–2 Walters Tobin (3–3) — 1,000 15–15 31 May 27 Cubs 0–5 Lee Klinger (1–1) — 3,010 15–16 32 May 28 Cubs 3–9 Bryant Bauers (0–3) — 4,014 15–17 33 May 29 Cubs 2–1 Lucas (3–1) French — 7,050 16–17 34 May 30 Cardinals 5–4 (17) Klinger (2–1) McGee — — 17–17 35 May 30 Cardinals 6–9 Davis Bowman (1–2) — 20,000 17–18
June: 16–7 (Home: 9–4; Away: 7–3) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 36 June 1 Giants 4–1 Bauers (1–3) Melton — 4,001 18–18 37 June 3 Giants 6–5 Klinger (3–1) Gumbert — 8,513 19–18 38 June 4 Dodgers 4–3 (11) Swift (2–2) Pressnell — 4,168 20–18 39 June 5 Dodgers 5–10 Posedel Bowman (1–3) Tamulis 6,800 20–19 40 June 6 Dodgers 4–9 Butcher Lucas (3–2) — 1,594 20–20 41 June 8 Bees 4–1 Klinger (4–1) Fette — 2,765 21–20 42 June 9 Bees 5–3 Brown (7–2) Turner — 4,410 22–20 43 June 10 Phillies 2–3 Mulcahy Bauers (1–4) — 1,034 22–21 44 June 11 Phillies 4–3 Swift (3–2) Walters — 3,811 23–21 45 June 12 Phillies 11–5 Brown (8–2) Passeau — 4,826 24–21 46 June 14 @ Giants 3–5 Schumacher Bauers (1–5) — 5,334 24–22 47 June 15 @ Giants 2–0 Tobin (4–3) Melton — 5,874 25–22 48 June 16 @ Giants 10–2 Klinger (5–1) Hubbell — 6,880 26–22 49 June 17 @ Phillies 4–3 (10) Brown (9–2) Hollingsworth — 4,000 27–22 50 June 18 @ Phillies 3–5 Mulcahy Bauers (1–6) Passeau — 27–23 51 June 19 @ Phillies 14–4 Tobin (5–3) Sivess — — 28–23 52 June 19 @ Phillies 16–3 Blanton (2–1) LaMaster — 10,000 29–23 53 June 21 @ Dodgers 9–3 Bauers (2–6) Tamulis — 25,527 30–23 54 June 23 @ Dodgers 1–8 Pressnell Swift (3–3) — 3,258 30–24 55 June 25 @ Bees 8–7 Brown (10–2) Hutchinson Bauers (3) 5,614 31–24 56 June 28 Reds 2–5 Vander Meer Bauers (2–7) — — 31–25 57 June 29 Reds 5–4 Swift (4–3) Cascarella — 3,470 32–25 58 June 30 Reds 3–1 Blanton (3–1) Walters — 3,685 33–25
July: 24–7 (Home: 12–5; Away: 12–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 59 July 2 Cardinals 5–1 Klinger (6–1) McGee — 3,892 34–25 60 July 3 Cardinals 6–5 (12) Brown (11–2) Shoun — — 35–25 61 July 3 Cardinals 6–2 (8) Bauers (3–7) Henshaw — 20,000 36–25 62 July 4 @ Reds 2–1 Blanton (4–1) Davis — — 37–25 63 July 4 @ Reds 3–2 Swift (5–3) Walters — 22,400 38–25 64 July 8 @ Cardinals 6–2 Klinger (7–1) McGee — — 39–25 65 July 9 @ Cardinals 8–7 Brown (12–2) Lanier — 2,859 40–25 66 July 10 @ Cardinals 5–2 Blanton (5–1) Macon — — 41–25 67 July 10 @ Cardinals 4–3 Bauers (4–7) Weiland Bowman (1) — 42–25 68 July 11 @ Cubs 5–3 Tobin (6–3) French Brown (1) — 43–25 69 July 12 @ Cubs 14–6 Brandt (1–2) Carleton Sewell (1) — 44–25 70 July 13 Dodgers 5–10 Pressnell Brown (12–3) — 5,561 44–26 71 July 14 Dodgers 3–2 (11) Tobin (7–3) Fitzsimmons — 7,802 45–26 72 July 15 Dodgers 4–9 Hamlin Swift (5–4) — 4,512 45–27 73 July 16 Giants 7–3 Klinger (8–1) Melton — 15,197 46–27 74 July 17 Giants 1–2 Hubbell Tobin (7–4) — — 46–28 75 July 17 Giants 7–7 — 43,241 46–28 76 July 18 Giants 7–4 Blanton (6–1) Gumbert Swift (1) 8,638 47–28 77 July 19 Phillies 8–0 Brandt (2–2) Mulcahy — 2,472 48–28 78 July 20 Phillies 0–11 Hollingsworth Klinger (8–2) — — 48–29 79 July 20 Phillies 4–1 Bauers (5–7) Sivess — 6,000 49–29 80 July 21 Phillies 5–4 Brown (13–3) Smith — 10,535 50–29 81 July 22 Bees 4–3 Blanton (7–1) Turner — 4,749 51–29 82 July 23 Bees 2–4 MacFayden Bauers (5–8) Errickson — 51–30 83 July 24 Bees 5–4 (15) Tobin (8–4) Hutchinson — — 52–30 84 July 24 Bees 4–2 (6) Brandt (3–2) Lanning — — 53–30 85 July 26 @ Phillies 5–6 Sivess Brown (13–4) — 1,500 53–31 86 July 27 @ Phillies 4–2 Bauers (6–8) Hallahan — — 54–31 87 July 28 @ Phillies 9–2 Tobin (9–4) Hollingsworth — 2,000 55–31 88 July 29 @ Dodgers 7–6 Bowman (2–3) Pressnell Swift (2) 2,582 56–31 89 July 30 @ Dodgers 9–2 Blanton (8–1) Tamulis Brown (2) 8,523 57–31 90 July 31 @ Dodgers 3–4 Posedel Swift (5–5) — 27,719 57–32
August: 16–16 (Home: 9–10; Away: 7–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 91 August 2 @ Bees 1–3 Lanning Tobin (9–5) — 2,451 57–33 92 August 3 @ Bees 9–4 Blanton (9–1) Turner Brown (3) 7,844 58–33 93 August 3 @ Bees 5–3 Bowman (3–3) Reis — 7,844 59–33 94 August 4 @ Bees 3–4 MacFayden Brown (13–5) — 1,834 59–34 95 August 5 @ Giants 3–5 Brown Klinger (8–3) — 18,535 59–35 96 August 7 @ Giants 5–1 Tobin (10–5) Gumbert — — 60–35 97 August 7 @ Giants 13–3 Brandt (4–2) Hubbell — 50,468 61–35 98 August 9 Cardinals 1–0 Bauers (7–8) Henshaw — 5,000 62–35 99 August 10 Cardinals 0–5 (7) Warneke Klinger (8–4) — 14,000 62–36 100 August 12 Cubs 3–9 Lee Tobin (10–6) — 14,962 62–37 101 August 13 Cubs 5–11 Dean Blanton (9–2) Page 15,332 62–38 102 August 14 Cubs 2–0 Bauers (8–8) Root Brown (4) 24,193 63–38 103 August 15 Reds 2–6 Cascarella Brown (13–6) Davis 6,143 63–39 104 August 16 Reds 10–0 Blanton (10–2) Davis — 6,253 64–39 105 August 17 @ Cardinals 4–3 (10) Swift (6–5) Henshaw — 2,725 65–39 106 August 18 @ Cardinals 1–5 Weiland Bauers (8–9) — — 65–40 107 August 20 @ Cubs 5–2 Lucas (4–2) Dean Swift (3) — 66–40 108 August 21 @ Cubs 4–6 Lee Blanton (10–3) Russell — 66–41 109 August 21 @ Cubs 1–6 Carleton Bauers (8–10) — 40,402 66–42 110 August 22 @ Cubs 4–2 Tobin (11–6) Bryant — — 67–42 111 August 23 Bees 0–6 Lanning Klinger (8–5) — 12,294 67–43 112 August 23 Bees 4–3 (14) Brown (14–6) Errickson — 12,294 68–43 113 August 24 Bees 6–2 Bauers (9–10) Hutchinson — 4,040 69–43 114 August 25 Phillies 1–2 Butcher Blanton (10–4) — — 69–44 115 August 25 Phillies 1–2 (11) Hallahan Lucas (4–3) — 3,093 69–45 116 August 26 Phillies 4–6 Smith Tobin (11–7) Sivess — 69–46 117 August 27 Phillies 6–1 Brandt (5–2) Hollingsworth — 5,889 70–46 118 August 28 Dodgers 5–8 Pressnell Bauers (9–11) — 16,045 70–47 119 August 29 Dodgers 10–1 Blanton (11–4) Posedel — 3,425 71–47 120 August 30 Giants 7–1 Tobin (12–7) Coffman — — 72–47 121 August 31 Giants 5–6 Wittig Bauers (9–12) — — 72–48 122 August 31 Giants 12–3 Lucas (5–3) Melton — 43,586 73–48
September: 13–14 (Home: 4–5; Away: 9–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 123 September 1 Giants 6–0 Klinger (9–5) Schumacher — 28,839 74–48 124 September 2 Cardinals 10–11 Weiland Blanton (11–5) McGee 4,480 74–49 125 September 3 Cardinals 0–6 Macon Tobin (12–8) — 7,759 74–50 126 September 4 Cardinals 5–3 Bauers (10–12) Henshaw — 12,187 75–50 127 September 5 Cubs 0–3 Lee Brandt (5–3) — — 75–51 128 September 5 Cubs 3–4 Bryant Tobin (12–9) — 42,545 75–52 129 September 7 @ Reds 7–1 Klinger (10–5) Derringer — 8,839 76–52 130 September 8 @ Reds 3–5 Vander Meer Blanton (11–6) — 29,043 76–53 131 September 10 @ Cardinals 14–7 Brown (15–6) Macon — 3,632 77–53 132 September 11 @ Cardinals 4–6 Dean Bauers (10–13) — 15,739 77–54 133 September 14 @ Giants 0–3 Schumacher Blanton (11–7) — — 77–55 134 September 14 @ Giants 3–10 Gumbert Brandt (5–4) — 28,185 77–56 135 September 15 @ Giants 7–2 Tobin (13–9) Melton — 4,978 78–56 136 September 16 @ Bees 7–6 (11) Swift (7–5) MacFayden — 8,296 79–56 137 September 16 @ Bees 4–5 Errickson Bowman (3–4) — 8,296 79–57 138 September 17 @ Bees 2–1 Klinger (11–5) Shoffner — — 80–57 139 September 18 @ Phillies 1–0 Bauers (11–13) Hollingsworth — — 81–57 140 September 18 @ Phillies 1–1 (5) — 1,500 81–57 141 September 22 @ Dodgers 6–0 Tobin (14–9) Fitzsimmons — — 82–57 142 September 22 @ Dodgers 11–6 Klinger (12–5) Hamlin Brown (5) — 83–57 143 September 23 Reds 4–5 (12) Walters Brown (15–7) — 7,429 83–58 144 September 24 Reds 4–1 Bauers (12–13) Vander Meer — 11,318 84–58 145 September 25 Reds 5–3 Lucas (6–3) Derringer Swift (4) 27,147 85–58 146 September 27 @ Cubs 1–2 Dean Tobin (14–10) Lee 42,238 85–59 147 September 28 @ Cubs 5–6 Root Brown (15–8) — 34,465 85–60 148 September 29 @ Cubs 1–10 Lee Bauers (12–14) — — 85–61 149 September 30 @ Reds 1–7 Derringer Tobin (14–11) — — 85–62 150 September 30 @ Reds 4–2 Bauers (13–14) Moore — 8,361 86–62
October: 0–2 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 151 October 1 @ Reds 6–9 Weaver Brown (15–9) — 6,351 86–63 152 October 2 @ Reds 4–5 Vander Meer Tobin (14–12) — 14,007 86–64
Legend:           = Win           = Loss           = Tie Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1938 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 51 Russ Bauers 46 Cy Blanton 48 Joe Bowman 49 Ed Brandt 47 Mace Brown 53 Ken Heintzelman 41 Bob Klinger 40 Red Lucas 44 Rip Sewell 45 Bill Swift 50 Jim Tobin		Catchers 32 Ray Berres 30 Al Todd Infielders 25 Bill Brubaker 20 Lee Handley 24 Gus Suhr 22,54 Tommy Thevenow 21 Arky Vaughan 26 Pep Young		Outfielders 17 Johnny Dickshot 16 Woody Jensen 12 Johnny Rizzo 10 Lloyd Waner 11 Paul Waner Other batters 36 Heinie Manush		Manager 35 Pie Traynor Coaches 36 Jewel Ens 34 Johnny Gooch 33 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	Al Todd	133	491	130	.265	7	75
1B	Gus Suhr	145	530	156	.294	3	64
2B	Pep Young	149	562	156	.278	4	79
SS	Arky Vaughan	148	541	174	.322	7	68
3B	Lee Handley	139	570	153	.268	6	51
OF	Johnny Rizzo	143	555	167	.301	23	111
OF	Lloyd Waner	147	619	194	.313	5	57
OF	Paul Waner	148	625	175	.280	6	69

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
Woody Jensen	68	125	25	.200	0	10
Bill Brubaker	45	112	33	.295	3	19
Ray Berres	40	100	23	.230	0	6
Johnny Dickshot	29	35	8	.229	0	4
Tommy Thevenow	15	25	5	.200	0	2
Heinie Manush	15	13	4	.308	0	4

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
Russ Bauers	40	243	13	14	3.07	117
Jim Tobin	40	241.1	14	12	3.47	70
Cy Blanton	29	172.2	11	7	3.70	80
Bob Klinger	28	159.1	12	5	2.99	58
Red Lucas	13	84	6	3	3.54	19

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
Bill Swift	36	150	7	5	3.24	77
Ed Brandt	24	96.1	5	4	3.46	38

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
Mace Brown	51	15	9	5	3.80	55
Joe Bowman	17	3	4	1	4.65	25
Rip Sewell	17	0	1	1	4.23	17
Ken Heintzelman	1	0	0	0	9.00	1

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AA	Montreal Royals	International League	Rabbit Maranville and Alex Hooks
A1	Knoxville Smokies	Southern Association	Neil Caldwell
B	Savannah Indians	Sally League	Chick Autry
C	Hutchinson Larks	Western Association	Hugh McMullen
D	Carthage Pirates	Arkansas–Missouri League	Buzz Arlitt

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Carthage

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

References

• 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1938 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.