"Had 'Em All the Way": The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates

by Thad Mumau

Overview

The 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates were a special team—team being the operative word. There were no superstars, although Roberto Clemente would become one, and nobody had a record season. The Battling Bucs frequently came from behind to win late in the game, with Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince signing off, "We had 'em all the way." Pittsburgh was the Sad Sack of baseball through most of the 1950s, and as the Pirates grabbed the National League lead early in the 1960 season, fans wondered if the guys in vest-shirts and black sleeves could indeed hang on.

And then there was the World Series, the one everybody but the Pirates thought would be won by the Yankees, in which Bill Mazeroski provided the most dramatic finish of all sports championships. This book, featuring interviews with Clemente, Dick Groat, Bob Friend and Dick Schofield, chronicles the Pirates of 1960—a team of friends—and their push through a long and magical season.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786497119
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Publication date:	07/10/2015
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Freelance sportswriter Thad Mumau wrote for the Fayetteville Observer for more than 35 years and for the Atlantic Coast Conference Sports Journal for 22. He lives in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vi

Preface 1

Introduction 5

1 Unlikely Champions 11

2 Baseball's Landscape in 1960 20

3 Building the Roster 28

4 Making Spring Count 36

5 A Fast Start 43

6 The Little Irishman 49

7 Invasion of the Giants 58

8 Heart of the Pirates 69

9 Staying in Front 81

10 A Friend, a Face and the Law 91

11 The Great One, Billy and Bob 104

12 The Road Through Milwaukee 112

13 Dog Days and Doubleheaders 125

14 Bucs' Bench Just Ducky 145

15 Character and Characters 153

16 World Series Mismatch 162

17 Six Games of Sparring 170

18 The Game 192

19 How It All Happened 201

20 What Next? 210

Chapter Notes 219

Bibliography 224

Index 225

Editorial Reviews

A compelling case about an important team in baseball history...will capture the interest of baseball fans”—U.S. Sport History.

From the Publisher