1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 58th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 53rd in the National League. The Pirates finished sixth in the league standings with a record of 68–85.

This article is about the baseball team. For the NFL team, see 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season.

1939 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

• December 16, 1938: Johnny Dickshot, Al Todd and cash were traded by the Pirates to the Boston Bees for Ray Mueller.[2]

Regular season

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Cincinnati Reds	97	57	0.630	—	55–25	42–32
St. Louis Cardinals	92	61	0.601	4½	51–27	41–34
Brooklyn Dodgers	84	69	0.549	12½	51–27	33–42
Chicago Cubs	84	70	0.545	13	44–34	40–36
New York Giants	77	74	0.510	18½	41–33	36–41
Pittsburgh Pirates	68	85	0.444	28½	35–42	33–43
Boston Bees	63	88	0.417	32½	37–35	26–53
Philadelphia Phillies	45	106	0.298	50½	29–44	16–62

Record vs. opponents

1939 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	10–12–1	6–16	6–16	10–11	13–8	9–12	9–13
Brooklyn	12–10–1	—	11–11–2	10–12	12–10	17–4–1	13–9	9–13
Chicago	16–6	11–11–2	—	10–12	11–11	12–10	14–8	10–12
Cincinnati	16–6	12–10	12–10	—	11–11	19–3	16–6	11–11–2
New York	11–10	10–12	11–11	11–11	—	14–7	11–11	9–12
Philadelphia	8–13	4–17–1	10–12	3–19	7–14	—	8–14	5–17
Pittsburgh	12–9	9–13	8–14	6–16	11–11	14–8	—	8–14
St. Louis	13–9	13–9	12–10	11–11–2	12–9	17–5	14–8	—

Game log

1939 Game Log: 68–85 (Home: 35–42; Away: 33–43)
April: 1–8 (Home: 0–2; Away: 1–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 17 @ Reds 7–5 Blanton (1–0) Walters Brown (1) 30,644 1–0 2 April 18 Cardinals 2–3 Weiland Klinger (0–1) Shoun 15,783 1–1 3 April 22 @ Reds 2–4 Derringer Blanton (1–1) — — 1–2 4 April 23 @ Reds 2–7 Walters Klinger (0–2) — 23,339 1–3 5 April 24 @ Cubs 2–6 Whitehill Tobin (0–1) Russell 15,844 1–4 6 April 25 @ Cubs 3–5 Lee Sewell (0–1) — 9,913 1–5 7 April 26 @ Cubs 1–3 Lillard Blanton (1–2) — 9,516 1–6 8 April 27 @ Cardinals 5–6 (11) McGee Brown (0–1) — 1,994 1–7 9 April 29 Reds 3–5 Walters Tobin (0–2) — 5,913 1–8
May: 18–10 (Home: 8–6; Away: 10–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 10 May 1 Reds 2–1 Sewell (1–1) Moore — 2,724 2–8 11 May 2 @ Dodgers 3–2 Klinger (1–2) Fitzsimmons — 9,269 3–8 12 May 4 @ Phillies 6–4 Bauers (1–0) Butcher — 3,500 4–8 13 May 5 @ Phillies 10–7 Sewell (2–1) Hollingsworth Brown (2) 2,000 5–8 14 May 6 @ Phillies 0–1 Passeau Brown (0–2) — 7,000 5–9 15 May 7 @ Bees 9–2 Klinger (2–2) Posedel — 21,336 6–9 16 May 8 @ Bees 3–2 Tobin (1–2) Frankhouse — 2,303 7–9 17 May 10 @ Giants 5–0 Sewell (3–1) Gumbert — 6,030 8–9 18 May 11 @ Giants 1–4 Melton Bowman (0–1) — 4,041 8–10 19 May 13 Cubs 2–6 Lee Klinger (2–3) — 6,948 8–11 20 May 14 Cubs 5–2 Tobin (2–2) Lillard — 15,397 9–11 21 May 15 Cubs 2–6 French Sewell (3–2) — 3,941 9–12 22 May 16 Phillies 8–5 Bowman (1–1) Passeau — 1,823 10–12 23 May 17 Phillies 3–7 Mulcahy Klinger (2–4) — 2,075 10–13 24 May 18 Phillies 5–4 (10) Tobin (3–2) Hollingsworth — 2,183 11–13 25 May 19 Bees 2–5 Errickson Sewell (3–3) — 2,672 11–14 26 May 20 Bees 12–6 Bowman (2–1) Earley Brown (3) 4,643 12–14 27 May 21 Giants 4–1 Klinger (3–4) Hubbell — 20,976 13–14 28 May 22 Giants 2–9 Schumacher Tobin (3–3) — 2,886 13–15 29 May 23 Giants 13–4 Sewell (4–3) Melton — 3,823 14–15 30 May 24 Dodgers 6–3 Bowman (3–1) Tamulis — 2,490 15–15 31 May 25 Dodgers 2–8 Pressnell Klinger (3–5) — 5,600 15–16 32 May 26 @ Cubs 14–5 Tobin (4–3) Lee Brown (4) 5,982 16–16 33 May 27 @ Cubs 9–1 Sewell (5–3) Higbe — 8,035 17–16 34 May 28 @ Cubs 2–6 Dean Bowman (3–2) — 26,511 17–17 35 May 29 @ Cardinals 7–0 Klinger (4–5) Weiland — 1,736 18–17 36 May 30 @ Cardinals 2–7 Warneke Tobin (4–4) — — 18–18 37 May 30 @ Cardinals 14–8 Swift (1–0) Davis — 14,178 19–18
June: 8–13 (Home: 4–4; Away: 4–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 38 June 1 @ Phillies 5–2 Sewell (6–3) Higbe — — 20–18 39 June 3 @ Phillies 10–7 Brown (1–2) Hollingsworth Swift (1) 2,000 21–18 40 June 4 @ Dodgers 7–3 Tobin (5–4) Hamlin — — 22–18 41 June 4 @ Dodgers 1–14 Casey Klinger (4–6) — 24,257 22–19 42 June 5 @ Dodgers 2–6 Tamulis Sewell (6–4) — 6,680 22–20 43 June 6 @ Dodgers 2–5 Fitzsimmons Bowman (3–3) — 6,907 22–21 44 June 7 @ Bees 2–0 Swift (2–0) MacFayden — 2,795 23–21 45 June 8 @ Bees 0–2 Fette Tobin (5–5) — 1,894 23–22 46 June 9 @ Bees 1–4 Posedel Klinger (4–7) — 2,062 23–23 47 June 10 @ Giants 2–6 Schumacher Sewell (6–5) — 6,815 23–24 48 June 11 @ Giants 3–7 Gumbert Bowman (3–4) — — 23–25 49 June 11 @ Giants 4–5 Melton Klinger (4–8) Coffman 34,749 23–26 50 June 15 Bees 5–6 (11) Lanning Tobin (5–6) — 2,900 23–27 51 June 16 Bees 4–2 Klinger (5–8) Posedel Brown (5) 2,491 24–27 52 June 17 Phillies 2–11 Johnson Sewell (6–6) — 3,741 24–28 53 June 21 Giants 4–6 Melton Tobin (5–7) Hubbell 5,194 24–29 54 June 22 Giants 8–7 Bowman (4–4) Coffman — 3,869 25–29 55 June 23 Dodgers 2–1 Bauers (2–0) Hamlin — 2,419 26–29 56 June 24 Dodgers 6–2 Tobin (6–7) Pressnell — 5,582 27–29 57 June 25 Dodgers 5–6 Hamlin Klinger (5–9) Fitzsimmons 14,543 27–30 58 June 27 @ Reds 0–6 Derringer Bauers (2–1) — 5,181 27–31
July: 19–11 (Home: 8–6; Away: 11–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 59 July 1 @ Cardinals 4–3 Brown (2–2) Davis — 2,336 28–31 60 July 2 @ Cardinals 8–5 Klinger (6–9) Weiland Bauers (1) — 29–31 61 July 2 @ Cardinals 6–3 Tobin (7–7) Warneke — 10,449 30–31 62 July 4 Reds 4–7 Grissom Swift (2–1) — — 30–32 63 July 4 Reds 4–3 Brown (3–2) Vander Meer — 41,937 31–32 64 July 5 Cubs 10–1 Bowman (5–4) Root — 2,201 32–32 65 July 6 Cubs 7–2 Klinger (7–9) Dean — 6,257 33–32 66 July 7 Cubs 4–5 (11) Lee Bauers (2–2) — 4,438 33–33 67 July 9 Cardinals 3–7 Cooper Brown (3–3) — — 33–34 68 July 9 Cardinals 8–6 Tobin (8–7) Weiland — 29,000 34–34 69 July 12 @ Dodgers 3–0 Brown (4–3) Wyatt — 29,481 35–34 70 July 14 @ Dodgers 4–14 Hamlin Bowman (5–5) — 20,735 35–35 71 July 15 @ Dodgers 2–6 Fitzsimmons Tobin (8–8) — 6,814 35–36 72 July 16 @ Phillies 2–3 Mulcahy Brown (4–4) — — 35–37 73 July 16 @ Phillies 7–3 Klinger (8–9) Butcher Swift (2) 12,958 36–37 74 July 17 @ Phillies 7–4 Bowman (6–5) Harrell — 2,500 37–37 75 July 18 @ Phillies 3–8 Johnson Swift (2–2) — 6,000 37–38 76 July 19 @ Giants 10–3 Brown (5–4) Lohrman — 3,331 38–38 77 July 20 @ Giants 8–4 Klinger (9–9) Gumbert Bowman (1) 4,310 39–38 78 July 21 @ Giants 4–3 Sewell (7–6) Melton Swift (3) 5,355 40–38 79 July 22 @ Bees 9–3 Swift (3–2) MacFayden — 2,583 41–38 80 July 23 @ Bees 3–2 Brown (6–4) Shoffner Sewell (1) — 42–38 81 July 23 @ Bees 0–1 Fette Klinger (9–10) — 15,558 42–39 82 July 25 Phillies 5–4 (10) Klinger (10–10) Pearson — 2,539 43–39 83 July 26 Phillies 3–1 Swift (4–2) Higbe Brown (6) — 44–39 84 July 26 Phillies 5–3 Bowman (7–5) Beck — 10,611 45–39 85 July 27 Phillies 8–9 Harrell Sewell (7–7) Higbe 2,610 45–40 86 July 28 Bees 1–7 Turner Brown (6–5) — 3,137 45–41 87 July 29 Bees 6–5 Bowman (8–5) Shoffner Brown (7) 4,962 46–41 88 July 30 Bees 5–7 Posedel Swift (4–3) Sullivan 27,099 46–42
August: 8–22 (Home: 4–10; Away: 4–12) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 89 August 1 Dodgers 3–5 Fitzsimmons Brown (6–6) Tamulis 3,392 46–43 90 August 2 Dodgers 6–0 Bowman (9–5) Hamlin — 3,240 47–43 91 August 3 Dodgers 1–4 Pressnell Butcher (0–1) — 3,112 47–44 92 August 4 Giants 3–2 (11) Sewell (8–7) Melton — 3,477 48–44 93 August 5 Giants 3–4 Hubbell Brown (6–7) — 8,932 48–45 94 August 6 Giants 5–9 Schumacher Bowman (9–6) Melton — 48–46 95 August 6 Giants 6–0 (8) Klinger (11–10) Salvo — 37,665 49–46 96 August 9 @ Cardinals 3–5 Sunkel Bauers (2–3) Shoun 3,334 49–47 97 August 11 @ Cubs 2–3 Lee Sewell (8–8) — 7,296 49–48 98 August 12 @ Cubs 4–6 Bryant Swift (4–4) Passeau 9,223 49–49 99 August 13 @ Cubs 4–5 Dean Klinger (11–11) — 25,180 49–50 100 August 14 @ Reds 8–9 Thompson Brown (6–8) — 23,044 49–51 101 August 15 @ Reds 5–6 Niggeling Bowman (9–7) — 7,941 49–52 102 August 16 Cardinals 3–4 Bowman Klinger (11–12) Shoun — 49–53 103 August 16 Cardinals 0–3 McGee Butcher (0–2) — 7,855 49–54 104 August 17 Cardinals 2–4 Davis Brown (6–9) — 2,737 49–55 105 August 18 Cardinals 0–3 Bowman Bauers (2–4) — 2,586 49–56 106 August 19 Cubs 0–5 Lee Tobin (8–9) — 3,126 49–57 107 August 20 Cubs 5–9 Passeau Klinger (11–13) — — 49–58 108 August 20 Cubs 5–0 (6) Butcher (1–2) Whitehill — 13,076 50–58 109 August 22 @ Bees 8–2 Bowman (10–7) Fette Swift (4) 1,767 51–58 110 August 23 @ Bees 0–1 Posedel Brown (6–10) — 4,691 51–59 111 August 23 @ Bees 1–3 MacFayden Heintzelman (0–1) — 4,691 51–60 112 August 24 @ Giants 4–3 Butcher (2–2) Salvo — 4,341 52–60 113 August 26 @ Giants 2–6 Schumacher Klinger (11–14) Brown — 52–61 114 August 26 @ Giants 0–8 Melton Bowman (10–8) — 10,756 52–62 115 August 27 @ Dodgers 2–3 Fitzsimmons Brown (6–11) Tamulis — 52–63 116 August 27 @ Dodgers 9–5 Blanton (2–2) Hollingsworth — 20,119 53–63 117 August 31 @ Phillies 1–0 Butcher (3–2) Higbe — — 54–63 118 August 31 @ Phillies 6–11 Beck Klinger (11–15) — 8,000 54–64
September: 13–20 (Home: 10–13; Away: 3–7) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 119 September 2 @ Cardinals 11–3 Brown (7–11) Bowman — 2,636 55–64 120 September 3 @ Cardinals 6–14 Davis Bowman (10–9) Shoun — 55–65 121 September 3 @ Cardinals 0–3 Weiland Blanton (2–3) — 11,066 55–66 122 September 4 @ Cubs 2–1 Butcher (4–2) Dean — — 56–66 123 September 4 @ Cubs 6–3 Klinger (12–15) Page — 32,974 57–66 124 September 6 Reds 5–4 (11) Swift (5–4) Johnson — — 58–66 125 September 6 Reds 3–4 (10) Derringer Bowman (10–10) — 7,548 58–67 126 September 7 Reds 8–7 (11) Sewell (9–8) Johnson — 2,484 59–67 127 September 8 Reds 2–5 Walters Butcher (4–3) — 4,479 59–68 128 September 9 Cardinals 2–12 Weiland Brown (7–12) — 3,817 59–69 129 September 10 Cardinals 3–9 Davis Klinger (12–16) — — 59–70 130 September 10 Cardinals 4–11 Bowman Bowman (10–11) — 12,588 59–71 131 September 11 Cardinals 8–6 Tobin (9–9) Andrews — 1,134 60–71 132 September 13 Giants 0–2 Gumbert Swift (5–5) — — 60–72 133 September 13 Giants 7–4 Klinger (13–16) Melton Sewell (2) 3,426 61–72 134 September 14 Dodgers 4–3 Brown (8–12) Tamulis — — 62–72 135 September 14 Dodgers 4–8 Crouch Swigart (0–1) — 3,637 62–73 136 September 15 Dodgers 2–4 (10) Hutchinson Butcher (4–4) — 1,548 62–74 137 September 16 Dodgers 2–3 Fitzsimmons Bowman (10–12) Tamulis 2,457 62–75 138 September 17 Phillies 3–7 Johnson Gee (0–1) — — 62–76 139 September 17 Phillies 10–1 Klinger (14–16) Pearson — 8,008 63–76 140 September 18 Phillies 7–4 Brown (9–12) Bruner — 688 64–76 141 September 19 Bees 5–3 Sewell (10–8) Turner — 702 65–76 142 September 21 Bees 6–4 Gee (1–1) Veigel — 1,980 66–76 143 September 21 Bees 7–0 Swigart (1–1) Posedel — 1,980 67–76 144 September 22 @ Reds 0–6 Thompson Brown (9–13) — — 67–77 145 September 22 @ Reds 9–10 Shoffner Klinger (14–17) — 5,841 67–78 146 September 23 @ Reds 5–6 Walters Swift (5–6) — — 67–79 147 September 23 @ Reds 1–6 Grissom Bowman (10–13) — 20,951 67–80 148 September 24 @ Reds 2–11 Derringer Gee (1–2) — 19,929 67–81 149 September 27 Cubs 8–9 (10) French Sewell (10–9) — — 67–82 150 September 27 Cubs 5–9 (10) Russell Swift (5–7) Whitehill 1,483 67–83 151 September 29 Reds 1–2 Grissom Bowman (10–14) — 1,477 67–84
October: 1–1 (Home: 1–1; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 152 October 1 Reds 1–9 Thompson Clemensen (0–1) — — 67–85 153 October 1 Reds 8–0 Heintzelman (1–1) Moore — 3,859 68–85
Legend:           = Win           = Loss Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Roster

1939 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 51 Russ Bauers 46 Cy Blanton 48 Joe Bowman 47 Mace Brown 40 Max Butcher 40 Bill Clemensen 24 Johnny Gee 53 Ken Heintzelman 41 Bob Klinger -- Pep Rambert 44 Rip Sewell 45 Bill Swift -- Oad Swigart 50 Jim Tobin		Catchers 32 Ray Berres 30 Ray Mueller -- Joe Schultz 31 George Susce Infielders 25 Bill Brubaker 16 Elbie Fletcher -- Frankie Gustine 20 Lee Handley 22 Red Juelich 24 Gus Suhr 21 Arky Vaughan 26 Pep Young		Outfielders 17 Fern Bell -- Bob Elliott 16 Woody Jensen 14 Chuck Klein 14 Heinie Manush 12 Johnny Rizzo -- Maurice Van Robays 10 Lloyd Waner 11 Paul Waner Other batters -- Eddie Yount		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	Ray Mueller	86	180	42	.233	2	18

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
George Susce	31	75	17	.227	1	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

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
Russ Bauers	15	53.2	2	4	3.35	12

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

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
A1	Knoxville Smokies	Southern Association	Neil Caldwell
B	Gadsden Pilots	Southeastern League	Yam Yaryan
C	Hutchinson Pirates	Western Association	Jimmy Jordan
D	Carthage Pirates	Arkansas–Missouri League	Buzz Arlitt
D	Valdosta Trojans	Georgia–Florida League	Bill Morrell
D	McKeesport Little Pirates	Pennsylvania State Association	Leo Mackey and Joe Agee
D	Jamestown Jaguars	PONY League	Mickey LaLange

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. Johnny Dickshot page at Baseball Reference

References

• 1939 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1939 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.