Before the Tampa Bay Devil Rays arrived on the scene I was a Pirates fan. I am speaking of the Pittsburgh Pirates-back in the 70s when I got my first Pirates cap you didn’t have to specify. Now if you tell someone you are a Pirates fan they think you are talking about Seton Hall. I still do love the Bucs. I get mad at the team, but I still have a special place for them. I root for them because somebody has to. It hasn’t done any good though… Still as any good baseball fan, I remember my team’s worst moments. I will never forget the game I saw on October 14, 1992. I wasn’t at the game; I was at my friend Bryzan’s house watching it on TV. It was
game 7 of the NLCS and Doug Drabek started for the Bucs. He also started and lost game 1 and game 4, but not because he pitched poorly. Anyway, he got the call for game 7 and outdueled John Smoltz. Going into the 9th the Pirates has the lead and looked like they were on their way to their first World Series since 1979, but then Francisco Cabrera came up to pinch hit for Jeff Rearden. Cabrera, the backup catcher who only had 10 at-bats that whole year. Cabrera who was the last guy on the bench for Bobby Cox. Cabrera who should have been an easy out. Cabrera who hit the game winning 2 RBI walk-off single. Freaking
Francisco Cabrera. I repeat, Freaking Francisco Cabrera. You ruined a once proud franchise Mr. Cabrera. He delivered the game winning hit, gave Drabek his 3rd loss of the NLCS and effectively ended his time in Pittsburgh. The Pirates 3-time MVP left fielder Barry Bonds left for San Francisco. Andy Van Slyke and Tim Wakefield both left the following year. Jay Bell and Kevin Young stayed for a little while longer, but had nothing around them.
Anyway, this was an awful long introduction for tonight’s Nitty Gritty Card of the Day. It is from the 1972 Topps set, card #1. It celebrates the Pirates being World Champions in 1971. They won it all again in 1979-that was the first time that “my team” won it all and I was too young to realize how special it really was. I don't remember much about the '79 season, but the '92 playoffs remain clear in my memory. In 1992 they came close, but couldn’t get past Francisco Cabrera and the Braves. After that, the team was dismantled and hasn’t been rebuilt since. I keep on bringing up 1992 for a reason. That was the last year that the Bucs had a winning season. Yep, last season made 17 straight losing seasons. I think that is a record. I don’t see it changing any time soon either. It isn’t the same team that Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Bill Mazeroski spent their entire Hall of Fame careers with. Sure, they have had some decent players pass through over years. I have become a fan of Al Martin, Jason Kendall, Tony Womack, Aramis Ramirez, Freddy Sanchez, Xavier Nady, Nyjer Morgan, Brian Giles and Jason Bay. They all brought hope, but they were all just passing through on their way to bigger and better things. None of them were there long enough to build a team around either.
Nowadays I get excited about Andrew McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Aki Iwamura and Lastings Milledge. If they do live up to their potential, they won’t be in the ‘Burgh for long. So enjoy the card of the day and remember a time, 30 seasons ago, when the Pittsburgh Pirates were Kings and no one laughed when you said their name. LATER!
From 1972 Topps, card #219 of Rennie Stennett. This card rocks for several reasons. It is Stennett’s rookie card and the young infielder from Panama hit .353 in 51 games for the Bucs in 1971. He wasn’t a part of the postseason roster, but of course Pittsburgh went on to win the World Series that year. Stennet remained with the Bucs for 9 seasons and was a part of the We Are Family team that won it all in 1979. You can read his complete Wicked-Bio here so I won’t rehash all that. What I really love about this card is that it shows Stennett in Pirate City at the practice fields that are just a few miles from my home. This has long been the spring home of the Pirates and so many players got their first taste of the pros right there. 
Stennett first arrived at Pirate City in 1969 as an 18 year old. From there he went on to play for two teams that would win it all and set a modern day record that may never be broken. It all started in my hometown. I love this game, I love this hobby!!! 38 years LATER!
I have been avoiding posting this card because I can’t remember which generous blogger/reader sent it to me, so if you did, let me know cuz I owe you a huge thank you. I have had this card in my stack of vintage cards lying in wait to become Nitty Gritty Cards of the Day. As I flipped through the stack this card would not be silenced. Sweet Swingin’ Billy from Whistler was a good guy, but a bad ass hitter. I really doubt that the photographer told Billy that he would be framed in day glow pink with the Cubs light up marquee style in yellow. Like I said, this card screams! Williams’ bat screamed too. In ’72 he hit 20+ homers for the 12th season in a row. 
He also won his first and only batting title with a .333 mark. He was an All Star and swatted 37 homers driving in 122. He finished second in the MVP vote for the second time in his career. Always the bride’s maid, never the bride… Yeah, this card rocks! I could go on, but I will never say it as well as these thousand words framed in pink. I love this game, I love this hobby! 38 years LATER!
