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1957 Pittsburgh Pirates season

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Major League Baseball team season
1957 Pittsburgh Pirates
LeagueNational League
BallparkForbes Field
CityPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
OwnersJohn W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas P. Johnson, Branch Rickey (minority shareholders)
General managersJoe L. Brown
ManagersBobby Bragan, Danny Murtaugh
TelevisionKDKA-TV
Bob Prince, Paul Long
RadioKDKA
Bob Prince, Dick Bingham
← 1956 Seasons 1958 →

The 1957 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 76th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 71st in the National League. The Pirates finished tied with the Chicago Cubs for eighth and last in the league standings with a record of 62–92.

The first season to be broadcast on television, the games were aired on KDKA-TV, making them the last of the original MLB teams to debut television broadcasts of its home and away games.

Regular season

The Pittsburgh Pirates played the Brooklyn Dodgers in the final game at Ebbets Field. The game was contested on September 24, 1957, and Brooklyn pitcher Danny McDevitt pitched a complete-game shutout, winning 2–0. He had nine strikeouts while allowing just five hits.

Season standings

National League
Team W L Pct. GB Home Road
Milwaukee Braves 95 59 .617 — 45‍–‍32 50‍–‍27
St. Louis Cardinals 87 67 .565 8 42‍–‍35 45‍–‍32
Brooklyn Dodgers 84 70 .545 11 43‍–‍34 41‍–‍36
Cincinnati Redlegs 80 74 .519 15 45‍–‍32 35‍–‍42
Philadelphia Phillies 77 77 .500 18 38‍–‍39 39‍–‍38
New York Giants 69 85 .448 26 37‍–‍40 32‍–‍45
Pittsburgh Pirates 62 92 .403 33 36‍–‍41 26‍–‍51
Chicago Cubs 62 92 .403 33 31‍–‍46 31‍–‍46

Record vs. opponents

1957 National League record
Sources:
Team BRO CHC CIN MIL NYG PHI PIT STL
Brooklyn — 17–5 12–10 10–12 12–10 9–13 12–10 12–10
Chicago 5–17 — 7–15 9–13 9–13 8–14–1 12–10–1 12–10
Cincinnati 10–12 15–7 — 4–18 12–10 16–6 14–8 9–13
Milwaukee 12–10 13–9 18–4 — 13–9 12–10–1 16–6 11–11
New York 10–12 13–9 10–12 9–13 — 10–12 9–13 8–14
Philadelphia 13–9 14–8–1 6–16 10–12–1 12–10 — 13–9 9–13
Pittsburgh 10–12 10–12–1 8–14 6–16 13–9 9–13 — 6–16
St. Louis 10–12 10–12 13–9 11–11 14–8 13–9 16–6 —


Game log

1957 Game Log: 62–92 (Home: 36–41; Away: 26–51)
April: 4–8 (Home: 3–2; Away: 1–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
1 April 16 Giants 9–2 Friend (1–0) Antonelli — 33,405 1–0
2 April 18 @ Dodgers 1–6 Maglie Arroyo (0–1) — 11,202 1–1
3 April 20 @ Dodgers 0–2 Podres Friend (1–1) — 11,083 1–2
4 April 21 @ Dodgers 6–3 Purkey (1–0) Newcombe Face (1) 2–2
5 April 21 @ Dodgers 4–7 Drysdale Kline (0–1) Labine 19,635 2–3
6 April 22 @ Giants 1–3 Gomez Arroyo (0–2) — 5,403 2–4
7 April 23 @ Giants 0–1 Burnside Kline (0–2) — 3,445 2–5
8 April 24 @ Phillies 5–8 Simmons Friend (1–2) Miller 15,849 2–6
9 April 26 Dodgers 7–1 Purkey (2–0) Podres — 26,918 3–6
10 April 27 Dodgers 2–6 Newcombe Kline (0–3) — 12,926 3–7
11 April 28 Dodgers 3–0 Friend (2–2) Craig — 17,317 4–7
12 April 30 Cardinals 5–6 (13) Jackson Face (0–1) — 19,291 4–8
May: 7–19 (Home: 4–13; Away: 3–6)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
13 May 1 Cardinals 2–9 Schmidt Purkey (2–1) Smith 4,919 4–9
14 May 2 Braves 5–8 (10) Burdette Face (0–2) Murff 14,131 4–10
15 May 3 Braves 7–8 (11) Murff Face (0–3) Spahn 16,621 4–11
16 May 4 Braves 1–0 Law (1–0) Pizarro — 6,398 5–11
17 May 5 Redlegs 2–6 Lawrence Arroyo (0–3) — 5–12
18 May 5 Redlegs 3–7 Gross Purkey (2–2) — 23,629 5–13
19 May 7 Cubs 8–10 (14) Lown Pepper (0–1) Collum 9,957 5–14
20 May 8 Cubs 1–7 Drott Law (1–1) — 7,896 5–15
21 May 10 Phillies 1–3 Sanford Kline (0–4) — 10,027 5–16
22 May 11 Phillies 2–7 Haddix Friend (2–3) — 4,994 5–17
23 May 12 Phillies 2–6 Simmons Arroyo (0–4) Miller 5–18
24 May 12 Phillies 6–1 Law (2–1) Roberts — 10,457 6–18
25 May 14 @ Cubs 8–6 Arroyo (1–4) Drott Face (2) 2,478 7–18
26 May 16 @ Braves 2–1 Friend (3–3) Pizarro — 15,622 8–18
27 May 18 @ Braves 5–6 Burdette Smith (0–1) — 18,850 8–19
28 May 19 @ Redlegs 7–8 Acker Purkey (2–3) — 8–20
29 May 19 @ Redlegs 4–5 Acker Kline (0–5) — 24,564 8–21
30 May 24 @ Phillies 3–7 Sanford Friend (3–4) Farrell 17,340 8–22
31 May 25 @ Phillies 6–8 Haddix Kline (0–6) Farrell 6,445 8–23
32 May 26 @ Phillies 13–5 Face (1–3) Simmons — 9–23
33 May 26 @ Phillies 3–6 Cardwell Arroyo (1–5) — 13,557 9–24
34 May 28 Dodgers 3–2 (11) Face (2–3) Newcombe — 13,259 10–24
35 May 29 Dodgers 0–1 Podres Kline (0–7) — 3,610 10–25
36 May 30 Dodgers 3–4 Maglie Law (2–2) Labine 10–26
37 May 30 Dodgers 2–1 Purkey (3–3) Koufax — 24,263 11–26
38 May 31 Giants 2–3 Worthington Face (2–4) — 13,070 11–27
June: 15–19 (Home: 10–8; Away: 5–11)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
39 June 1 Giants 2–3 Worthington Friend (3–5) — 5,301 11–28
40 June 2 Giants 3–2 Kline (1–7) Barclay Arroyo (1) 12–28
41 June 2 Giants 2–0 Purkey (4–3) Burnside — 12,792 13–28
42 June 3 Giants 6–5 King (1–0) Margoneri Face (3) 7,504 14–28
43 June 4 Cardinals 5–4 Arroyo (2–5) Wilhelm Face (4) 12,178 15–28
44 June 5 Cardinals 1–5 McDaniel Friend (3–6) — 12,570 15–29
45 June 6 Cardinals 0–6 Dickson Kline (1–8) — 4,017 15–30
46 June 7 Braves 0–5 Spahn Purkey (4–4) — 21,762 15–31
47 June 9 Braves 1–2 (11) Trowbridge Friend (3–7) Johnson 15–32
48 June 9 Braves 5–3 Kline (2–8) Pizarro Face (5) 21,888 16–32
49 June 10 Redlegs 5–2 Law (3–2) Nuxhall — 11,471 17–32
50 June 11 Redlegs 8–1 Purkey (5–4) Gross — 10,653 18–32
51 June 12 Redlegs 4–3 (10) Face (3–4) Acker — 14,920 19–32
52 June 13 Redlegs 3–2 Friend (4–7) Jeffcoat — 7,346 20–32
53 June 14 Cubs 5–11 Drott Kline (2–9) Elston 17,088 20–33
54 June 15 Cubs 1–5 Drabowsky Law (3–3) — 7,495 20–34
55 June 16 Cubs 1–4 Kaiser Arroyo (2–6) Lown 20–35
56 June 16 Cubs 5–4 Law (4–3) Brosnan — 18,525 21–35
57 June 17 @ Braves 7–5 Purkey (6–4) Jolly Law (1) 26,664 22–35
58 June 18 @ Cardinals 8–1 Swanson (1–0) Jackson — 17,694 23–35
59 June 19 @ Cardinals 2–5 Jones Kline (2–10) — 23–36
60 June 19 @ Cardinals 1–5 McDaniel Purkey (6–5) Wilhelm 25,880 23–37
61 June 20 @ Cardinals 4–7 Dickson Arroyo (2–7) Merritt 11,223 23–38
62 June 21 @ Redlegs 3–2 (11) Purkey (7–5) Jeffcoat — 19,648 24–38
63 June 22 @ Redlegs 3–6 (11) Lawrence Purkey (7–6) — 9,299 24–39
64 June 23 @ Redlegs 3–5 Jeffcoat Swanson (1–1) — 24–40
65 June 23 @ Redlegs 2–5 Acker Kline (2–11) Sanchez 22,188 24–41
66 June 25 @ Cubs 3–5 Hillman Friend (4–8) Lown 5,002 24–42
67 June 26 @ Cubs 15–5 Law (5–3) Poholsky — 25–42
68 June 26 @ Cubs 5–5 (11) — 7,460 25–42
69 June 27 @ Cubs 5–4 (10) King (2–0) Lown — 4,900 26–42
70 June 28 @ Braves 2–4 Spahn Friend (4–9) — 27,087 26–43
71 June 29 @ Braves 6–13 Pizarro O'Brien (0–1) — 22,383 26–44
72 June 30 @ Braves 4–7 Johnson Law (5–4) — 26–45
73 June 30 @ Braves 5–6 (13) Jolly Arroyo (2–8) — 36,283 26–46
July: 10–20 (Home: 4–10; Away: 6–10)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
74 July 1 Phillies 4–5 Hearn Smith (0–2) Morehead 14,680 26–47
75 July 4 @ Dodgers 5–1 Friend (5–9) Erskine — 27–47
76 July 4 @ Dodgers 2–8 Newcombe Purkey (7–7) — 20,664 27–48
77 July 5 @ Giants 6–11 Antonelli Trimble (0–1) Grissom 4,998 27–49
78 July 6 @ Giants 3–2 (13) Purkey (8–7) Miller — 5,334 28–49
79 July 7 @ Giants 10–6 Swanson (2–1) Worthington King (1) 29–49
80 July 7 @ Giants 8–1 Friend (6–9) Gomez — 10,825 30–49
81 July 10 Braves 5–2 Purkey (9–7) Buhl — 18,731 31–49
82 July 11 Braves 2–7 Trowbridge Friend (6–10) — 17,278 31–50
83 July 12 Braves 4–5 Spahn Face (3–5) McMahon 20,078 31–51
84 July 13 Braves 3–4 Burdette Kline (2–12) — 9,330 31–52
85 July 14 Redlegs 6–9 Freeman Friend (6–11) — 31–53
86 July 14 Redlegs 4–12 Nuxhall Trimble (0–2) — 24,540 31–54
87 July 16 Cubs 5–3 Friend (7–11) Rush — 11,300 32–54
88 July 17 Cubs 3–4 Drabowsky Kline (2–13) Littlefield 8,534 32–55
89 July 18 Cubs 6–5 Arroyo (3–8) Lown — 3,877 33–55
90 July 19 Cardinals 7–0 Law (6–4) McDaniel — 25,774 34–55
91 July 20 Cardinals 4–9 Dickson Friend (7–12) Merritt 9,230 34–56
92 July 21 Cardinals 3–7 (10) Schmidt Arroyo (3–9) Wilhelm 34–57
93 July 21 Cardinals 2–11 McDaniel Purkey (9–8) — 20,280 34–58
94 July 23 @ Redlegs 6–3 (15) Law (7–4) Lawrence Purkey (1) 17,551 35–58
95 July 24 @ Redlegs 0–2 Nuxhall Friend (7–13) — 11,961 35–59
96 July 25 @ Redlegs 1–9 Fowler Kline (2–14) — 10,997 35–60
97 July 26 @ Cardinals 3–4 (10) Schmidt Kline (2–15) — 15,352 35–61
98 July 27 @ Cardinals 4–2 Purkey (10–8) Dickson — 9,633 36–61
99 July 28 @ Cardinals 0–4 McDaniel Law (7–5) — 36–62
100 July 28 @ Cardinals 8–9 (11) Wilhelm King (2–1) — 21,319 36–63
101 July 29 @ Cardinals 0–4 Mizell Douglas (0–1) — 10,302 36–64
102 July 30 @ Braves 2–5 Burdette Swanson (2–2) — 23,670 36–65
103 July 31 @ Braves 2–4 Buhl Purkey (10–9) — 24,522 36–66
August: 12–13 (Home: 8–6; Away: 4–7)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
104 August 2 @ Cubs 4–6 Hillman Law (7–6) — 5,414 36–67
105 August 4 @ Cubs 0–6 Drabowsky Friend (7–14) — 36–68
106 August 4 @ Cubs 2–3 (11) Hillman Arroyo (3–10) — 14,757 36–69
107 August 6 Phillies 5–3 Kline (3–15) Sanford — 11,136 37–69
108 August 8 Phillies 3–6 Simmons Law (7–7) Miller 5,238 37–70
109 August 9 Dodgers 2–4 McDevitt Friend (7–15) Labine 14,100 37–71
110 August 10 Dodgers 0–3 Drysdale Purkey (10–10) — 7,751 37–72
111 August 11 Dodgers 4–3 (10) Law (8–7) Labine — 38–72
112 August 11 Dodgers 6–2 Douglas (1–1) Craig Face (6) 18,350 39–72
113 August 13 @ Phillies 6–0 Friend (8–15) Hacker — 14,129 40–72
114 August 14 @ Phillies 10–3 Law (9–7) Simmons — 8,641 41–72
115 August 16 @ Dodgers 1–4 Podres Purkey (10–11) Roebuck 9,592 41–73
116 August 17 @ Dodgers 7–3 Kline (4–15) Koufax — 6,830 42–73
117 August 18 @ Dodgers 1–2 Maglie Friend (8–16) — 14,416 42–74
118 August 18 @ Dodgers 8–6 Face (4–5) Labine Purkey (2) 14,416 43–74
119 August 20 Braves 1–3 Spahn Arroyo (3–11) — 21,328 43–75
120 August 22 Redlegs 8–3 Friend (9–16) Gross — 10,027 44–75
121 August 23 Redlegs 0–6 Nuxhall Purkey (10–12) — 13,223 44–76
122 August 24 Redlegs 4–1 Kline (5–15) Lawrence — 7,037 45–76
123 August 25 Cubs 3–0 Law (10–7) Drabowsky — 46–76
124 August 25 Cubs 2–8 Elston Douglas (1–2) Lown 11,770 46–77
125 August 27 Cardinals 2–1 Friend (10–16) McDaniel — 12,845 47–77
126 August 28 Cardinals 2–0 Kline (6–15) Jackson — 10,367 48–77
127 August 30 @ Phillies 3–4 Sanford Law (10–8) — 8,157 48–78
128 August 31 @ Phillies 1–7 Cardwell Friend (10–17) — 5,141 48–79
September: 14–13 (Home: 7–2; Away: 7–11)
# Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record
129 September 1 @ Phillies 3–11 Roberts Purkey (10–13) — 48–80
130 September 1 @ Phillies 6–3 Douglas (2–2) Simmons Face (7) 11,294 49–80
131 September 2 @ Giants 5–11 Monzant Face (4–6) — 49–81
132 September 2 @ Giants 3–4 Antonelli O'Brien (0–2) Grissom 10,310 49–82
133 September 3 @ Giants 5–6 (12) Miller Smith (0–3) — 49–83
134 September 4 Giants 2–0 Friend (11–17) McCormick — 8,909 50–83
135 September 5 Giants 4–2 Douglas (3–2) Worthington Face (8) 5,189 51–83
136 September 6 Phillies 3–2 Kline (7–15) Haddix — 6,915 52–83
137 September 7 Phillies 6–3 Swanson (3–2) Sanford Face (9) 4,612 53–83
138 September 8 Phillies 4–7 Farrell Purkey (10–14) Roberts 53–84
139 September 8 Phillies 6–2 Smith (1–3) Hacker — 12,021 54–84
140 September 10 @ Braves 3–4 Burdette Douglas (3–3) — 22,257 54–85
141 September 11 @ Braves 2–1 Kline (8–15) Spahn — 14,713 55–85
142 September 13 @ Cubs 4–1 Friend (12–17) Elston — 56–85
143 September 13 @ Cubs 2–1 Smith (2–3) Drabowsky Face (10) 2,197 57–85
144 September 14 @ Cubs 3–1 O'Brien (1–2) Brosnan — 58–85
145 September 14 @ Cubs 3–7 Brosnan O'Brien (1–3) Lown 6,170 58–86
146 September 15 @ Cardinals 6–9 Wehmeier Kline (8–16) Muffett 58–87
147 September 15 @ Cardinals 3–11 Jones Swanson (3–3) Muffett 24,577 58–88
148 September 17 @ Redlegs 5–9 Nuxhall Friend (12–18) Kennedy 3,676 58–89
149 September 18 @ Redlegs 1–2 Lawrence Smith (2–4) — 3,607 58–90
150 September 21 Giants 5–4 Purkey (11–14) Worthington — 59–90
151 September 21 Giants 5–9 Gomez Witt (0–1) Grissom 8,110 59–91
152 September 22 Giants 5–1 Friend (13–18) Monzant — 19,574 60–91
153 September 24 @ Dodgers 0–2 McDevitt Daniels (0–1) — 6,702 60–92
154 September 28 @ Giants 1–0 Kline (9–16) Gomez — 61–92
155 September 29 @ Giants 9–1 Friend (14–18) Antonelli — 11,606 62–92
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup

Notable transactions

Roster

1957 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders Manager

Coaches

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 Hank Foiles 109 281 76 .270 9 36
1B Dee Fondy 95 323 101 .313 2 35
2B Bill Mazeroski 148 526 149 .283 8 54
SS Dick Groat 125 501 158 .315 7 54
3B Gene Freese 114 346 98 .283 6 31
LF Bob Skinner 126 387 118 .305 13 45
CF Bill Virdon 144 561 141 .251 8 50
RF Roberto Clemente 111 451 114 .253 4 30

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
Frank Thomas 151 594 172 .290 23 89
Gene Baker 111 365 97 .266 2 36
Paul Smith 81 150 38 .253 3 11
Román Mejías 58 142 39 .275 2 15
Dick Rand 60 105 23 .219 1 9
Hardy Peterson 30 73 22 .301 2 11
Jim Pendleton 46 59 18 .305 0 9
Danny Kravitz 19 41 6 .146 0 4
Johnny O'Brien 34 35 11 .314 0 1
John Powers 20 35 10 .286 2 8
Dale Long 7 22 4 .182 0 5
Lee Walls 8 22 4 .182 0 0
Buddy Pritchard 23 11 1 .091 0 0
Ken Hamlin 2 1 0 .000 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
Bob Friend 40 277.0 14 18 3.38 143
Ron Kline 40 205.0 9 16 4.04 88
Vern Law 31 172.2 10 8 2.87 55
Whammy Douglas 11 47.0 3 3 3.26 28
Bennie Daniels 1 7.0 0 1 1.29 101
George Witt 1 1.1 0 1 40.50 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
Bob Purkey 48 179.2 11 14 3.86 51
Luis Arroyo 54 130.2 3 11 4.68 2
Red Swanson 32 72.2 3 3 3.72 29
Joe Trimble 5 19.2 0 2 8.24 9
Eddie O'Brien 3 12.1 1 0 2.19 10
Laurin Pepper 5 9.0 0 0 8.00 4

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
Roy Face 59 4 6 10 3.07 53
Nellie King 36 2 1 1 4.50 23
Bob Smith 20 2 4 0 3.11 35
Johnny O'Brien 16 0 3 0 6.08 19
Dick Hall 8 0 0 0 10.80 7
Chuck Churn 5 0 0 0 4.32 4
Bob Kuzava 4 0 0 0 9.00 1

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
Open Hollywood Stars Pacific Coast League Clyde King
AAA Columbus Jets International League Frank Oceak
A Lincoln Chiefs Western League Larry Shepard
B Beaumont Pirates Big State League Monty Basgall
C Douglas Copper Kings Arizona–Mexico League Bob Clear
C San Jose JoSox California League Dick Whitman
C Grand Forks Chiefs Northern League Al Kubski and Jack Paepke
D Salem Rebels Appalachian League Lamar Dorton
D Clinton Pirates Midwest League Stan Wentzel
D Jamestown Falcons New York–Penn League Jack Paepke

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Lincoln
Jamestown club folded, June 25, 1957

Notes

  1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Side in 1907.
  2. Sports Illustrated, December 6, 2010, Volume 113, Number 21, p.24, Published by Time Inc.
  3. Dee Fondy at Baseball Reference
  4. Bob Smith at Baseball Reference

References

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