The dangerously frigid weather and relentless snow sweeping Pittsburgh this weekend bring to mind Pirates games played in wintry weather. Not to the extremes we\u2019re seeing today, mind you. One of the many reasons baseball is the world\u2019s greatest game is that its start is a sign that winter is coming to an end. Even so, occasionally games are played in adverse weather conditions, for several reasons. One is television. Maybe the home team doesn\u2019t want to postpone a game with high ticket sales. Maybe the visiting team isn\u2019t scheduled to come back for the rest of the season. Whatever the reason, professional and college sports organizations stopped caring about the fans in the stands long ago. Let\u2019s relive four such games.<\/p>\n
April 7, 1977: St. Louis Cardinals 12, Pirates 6 at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh<\/strong><\/p>\n There was excitement about the 1977 Pirates. Their string of early-1970s dominance in the National League East Division ended in 1976. In 1977, there was a new manager in Chuck Tanner<\/a>, who hailed from nearby New Castle, new personnel, and, as if to create a visual reminder that things had changed, colorful new uniforms. Unfortunately, for the debut of Tanner and his \u201cLumber \u2018N\u2019 Lightnin\u2019 Gang,\u201d they were greeted by snow and temperatures in the 20s. Moreover, regardless of which players comprised their roster, the Pirates of the 1970s were never a cold-weather team. I was there<\/a>, bundled up in layers as though it were a Steelers game, with three friends.<\/p>\n The game was essentially over in the top of the first inning, when the Cardinals scored four runs thanks to three Pirates errors. However, the only error that might be attributed to the cold was on a double-play ball hit back to pitcher Jerry Reuss<\/a>. The ball slipped out of his hand as he threw toward second base. St. Louis led, 12-3, after the top of the eighth.<\/p>\n It made no sense for my friends and me to be there that long, except that leaving ball games early was against our religion, and we were young and used to the 1970s Pirates coming back from steep deficits. Indeed, they scored a run in the eighth and two in the ninth as snow was falling, but the rally fell short. Cardinals veteran Don Kessinger<\/a>, long a Pirates nemesis during his days as the Chicago Cubs\u2019 shortstop, told Charley Feeney of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette<\/em>, \u201cI don\u2019t remember a game ending under worse conditions anywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n This World Series was to commence on the previous evening, but snow and cold postponed it. The next night was no better, but it was decided to play the game anyway. Snow fell in Baltimore before the start of the game. The game-time temperature was 38 degrees. Pirates general manager Hardy Peterson<\/a> asked traveling secretary Joe O\u2019Toole whether he packed ice skates. Former Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince<\/a>, dispatched to Baltimore to cover the Series for the local ABC-TV affiliate, had the idea to do the pregame show by the hotel\u2019s outdoor pool, clad in swim trunks, drinking cold beer.<\/p>\n Before the game, as commissioner Bowie Kuhn strolled about the muddy outfield in nothing more than a suit, accompanied by an assistant. The outfield looked like a lake, and rain fell, but they told the press that they weren\u2019t seeing what they were seeing. The field was proclaimed \u201cfirm,\u201d even though they acknowledged it didn\u2019t look firm.<\/p>\n There was more pregame controversy when Orioles manager Earl Weaver<\/a> saw two Pirates warming up while wearing stocking caps. Weaver charged at two umpires who were chatting with Kuhn, shouting, \u201cMake them take them off!\u201d Tanner suggested that if Weaver was such a stickler to the rules, then Baltimore outfielder Gary Roenicke<\/a> shouldn\u2019t be permitted to wear the protective mask on his batting helmet. As Tanner and Weaver ranted at each other, and a Kuhn assistant walked away, holding his ears, the umpires ruled that stocking caps would be prohibited, effective with Game 2.<\/p>\n Reminiscent of that 1977 opener, the Orioles scored five runs in the bottom of the first inning. Although the Pirates would make it close, the game was over then. Pirates starter Bruce Kison<\/a>, a 1971 World Series hero, couldn\u2019t get a feel for the ball. He lasted one-third of an inning, gave up three hits and two walks, and uncorked a wild pitch. Second baseman Phil Garner<\/a> threw a double-play grounder into left field. The ball was \u201clike a bar of soap,\u201d Garner told Dan Donovan of The Pittsburgh Press<\/em>. \u201cThe ball was wet and my fingers were numb with cold. I couldn’t feel the stitches and get a grip on the ball.\u201d Warming up between innings, shortstop Tim Foli<\/a> fired three throws into the dugout. \u201cI didn\u2019t have a feel for the ball, so I just tried to throw it as hard as I could,\u201d he explained to Donovan.<\/p>\n It was 37 degrees during the game, but it felt much colder due to what long-time American League center fielder Mickey Rivers<\/a> once called the \u201cwindshield factor.\u201d \u00a0My wife and I were in attendance to celebrate my birthday the day before. Despite my aversion to winter weather, it was a chance to see Twins star Miguel San\u00f3<\/a>, who was going to sign with the Pirates as a teenager, until he didn\u2019t<\/a>.<\/p>\n San\u00f3 and Pirates center fielder Starling Marte<\/a> wore ski masks during the game. The light snow could be seen swirling up in the ballpark lights. The Pirates led, 3-2, after five innings, but unraveled in the top of the sixth. Starter Iv\u00e1n Nova<\/a> walked the Twins\u2019 Brian Dozier<\/a> and wild-pitched him to second base. The next batter, Eddie Rosario<\/a>, popped up near home. Looking into the snow, catcher Francisco Cervelli<\/a> lost the ball, which fell fair in front of the plate. Rosario, who didn\u2019t run, was thrown out anyway. However, Dozier reached third, and Nova later admitted it affected his pitching. Nova gave up two runs, and reliever Dovydas Neverauskas<\/a>, famous as the only Lithuanian-born major leaguer and who Pirates fans nicknamed \u201cNever Again,\u201d gave up two more runs.<\/p>\n In the top of the seventh inning, when Marte played a fly ball into an RBI single, I looked at my wife and said, \u201cI\u2019m good if you\u2019re good.\u201d We violated my religious beliefs, left the game early, and caught the bottom of the ninth on TV. We saw Twins pitcher Fernando Rodney<\/a> catch a snowflake on his tongue.<\/p>\n The fierce hailstorms didn\u2019t affect the outcome of this game, which was unremarkable except for the videos that went viral. Pirates manager Derek Shelton<\/a> told<\/a> Noah Hiles of the Post-Gazette<\/em>, \u201cI\u2019ve played in snow before. I\u2019ve played in rain. I don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve ever played in two hailstorms. You just kind of adapt and adjust to it. Unfortunately, both hailstorms happened when we were hitting. We need to figure out how we can maneuver that next time.\u201dOctober 10, 1979: Baltimore Orioles 5, Pirates 4 at Memorial Stadium, Baltimore (World Series Game 1)<\/h3>\n
\u201cMake Them Take Them Off!\u201d<\/h4>\n
April 4, 2018: Minnesota Twins 7, Pirates 3 at PNC Park, Pittsburgh<\/h3>\n
April 5, 2024: Orioles 5, Pirates 2 at PNC Park<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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