1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 53rd season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 48th in the National League. The Pirates finished fifth in the league standings with a record of 74–76.

1934 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)	George Gibson, Pie Traynor
Local television	none
Local radio	none
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Regular season

The roster featured seven future Hall of Famers: player-manager Pie Traynor, pitcher Waite Hoyt, pitcher Burleigh Grimes, shortstop Arky Vaughan, outfielder Freddie Lindstrom, center fielder Lloyd Waner, and right fielder Paul Waner.

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Cardinals	95	58	0.621	—	48–29	47–29
New York Giants	93	60	0.608	2	49–26	44–34
Chicago Cubs	86	65	0.570	8	47–30	39–35
Boston Braves	78	73	0.517	16	40–35	38–38
Pittsburgh Pirates	74	76	0.493	19½	45–32	29–44
Brooklyn Dodgers	71	81	0.467	23½	43–33	28–48
Philadelphia Phillies	56	93	0.376	37	35–36	21–57
Cincinnati Reds	52	99	0.344	42	30–47	22–52

Record vs. opponents

1934 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	16–6–1	12–10	15–7	7–15	14–8	9–11	5–16
Brooklyn	6–16–1	—	8–12	13–9	8–14	13–9	16–6	7–15
Chicago	10–12	12–8	—	14–8	11–10	13–9	14–8–1	12–10
Cincinnati	7–15	9–13	8–14	—	6–16	9–10	7–15	6–16–1
New York	15–7	14–8	10–11	16–6	—	15–7	14–8	9–13
Philadelphia	8–14	9–13	9–13	10–9	7–15	—	7–13	6–16
Pittsburgh	11–9	6–16	8–14–1	15–7	8–14	13–7	—	13–9
St. Louis	16–5	15–7	10–12	16–6–1	13–9	16–6	9–13	—

Game log

1934 Game Log: 74–76 (Home: 45–32; Away: 29–44)
April: 5–5 (Home: 2–3; Away: 3–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 17 @ Cardinals 1–7 Dean Meine (0–1) — — 0–1 2 April 18 @ Cardinals 7–6 French (1–0) Grimes Chagnon (1) — 1–1 3 April 19 @ Cardinals 14–4 Birkofer (1–0) Hallahan — — 2–1 4 April 21 @ Reds 3–8 Stout Swift (0–1) Shaute — 2–2 5 April 22 @ Reds 5–4 Smith (1–0) Shaute — — 3–2 6 April 24 Cardinals 5–4 Chagnon (1–0) Haines — 15,000 4–2 7 April 26 Cardinals 1–10 Hallahan Birkofer (1–1) — — 4–3 8 April 28 Reds 4–7 Frey Swift (0–2) Derringer — 4–4 9 April 29 Reds 9–5 Lucas (1–0) Shaute — 20,000 5–4 10 April 30 Cubs 6–8 (12) Bush French (1–1) — — 5–5
May: 15–11 (Home: 10–2; Away: 5–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 11 May 1 Cubs 4–1 Birkofer (2–1) Root — — 6–5 12 May 2 Cubs 4–2 Meine (1–1) Warneke — — 7–5 13 May 3 Giants 3–5 Bell Smith (1–1) — — 7–6 14 May 4 Giants 4–3 Lucas (2–0) Hubbell — — 8–6 15 May 5 Giants 6–3 Birkofer (3–1) Fitzsimmons — — 9–6 16 May 6 Dodgers 8–5 Meine (2–1) Leonard Hoyt (1) 12,000 10–6 17 May 7 Dodgers 7–6 (10) Chagnon (2–0) Leonard — — 11–6 18 May 8 Dodgers 5–2 Swift (1–2) Mungo — — 12–6 19 May 9 Phillies 2–6 Davis Lucas (2–1) — — 12–7 20 May 11 Phillies 6–4 (10) Hoyt (1–0) Collins — — 13–7 21 May 12 Phillies 11–6 Chagnon (3–0) Holley Hoyt (2) — 14–7 22 May 13 Braves 9–2 Smith (2–1) Brandt — 14,000 15–7 23 May 17 @ Dodgers 1–2 (10) Mungo Swift (1–3) — — 15–8 24 May 18 @ Dodgers 8–3 Birkofer (4–1) Perkins French (1) — 16–8 25 May 19 @ Dodgers 5–8 Herring Lucas (2–2) — — 16–9 26 May 20 @ Phillies 4–16 Davis Smith (2–2) Hansen — 16–10 27 May 21 @ Phillies 11–4 French (2–1) Pearce — — 17–10 28 May 22 @ Phillies 13–4 (7) Birkofer (5–1) Darrow — — 18–10 29 May 23 @ Braves 1–6 Frankhouse Meine (2–2) — — 18–11 30 May 24 @ Braves 7–3 Swift (2–3) Brandt — — 19–11 31 May 27 @ Giants 7–3 Lucas (3–2) Smith — 35,000 20–11 32 May 28 @ Giants 2–3 (11) Luque French (2–2) — — 20–12 33 May 28 @ Giants 0–1 Hubbell Birkofer (5–2) — — 20–13 34 May 30 @ Cubs 2–7 Warneke Meine (2–3) — — 20–14 35 May 30 @ Cubs 4–5 (11) Root French (2–3) — 40,000 20–15 36 May 31 @ Cubs 5–11 Bush Swift (2–4) — — 20–16
June: 14–13 (Home: 11–11; Away: 3–2) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 37 June 1 Cardinals 4–3 Hoyt (2–0) Hallahan — — 21–16 38 June 2 Cardinals 4–13 Dean Lucas (3–3) — — 21–17 39 June 2 Cardinals 6–3 French (3–3) Winford — — 22–17 40 June 3 Cardinals 4–2 Meine (3–3) Carleton Hoyt (3) — 23–17 41 June 6 @ Reds 3–1 Swift (3–4) Derringer — — 24–17 42 June 6 @ Reds 5–1 Birkofer (6–2) Frey — — 25–17 43 June 7 @ Reds 2–1 Lucas (4–3) Kleinhans — — 26–17 44 June 8 @ Cardinals 2–6 Carleton French (3–4) — — 26–18 45 June 10 @ Cardinals 2–3 Dean French (3–5) — — 26–19 46 June 12 Dodgers 7–9 Smythe Hoyt (2–1) — — 26–20 47 June 13 Dodgers 15–2 Swift (4–4) Herring — — 27–20 48 June 14 Dodgers 2–3 (10) Mungo Birkofer (6–3) — — 27–21 49 June 15 Dodgers 4–6 Zachary Lucas (4–4) — — 27–22 50 June 16 Giants 2–5 Hubbell Birkofer (6–4) — — 27–23 51 June 17 Giants 3–9 Bell Meine (3–4) Luque 10,000 27–24 52 June 19 Giants 3–5 Schumacher French (3–6) Hubbell — 27–25 53 June 20 Braves 6–5 Chagnon (4–0) Smith — — 28–25 54 June 21 Braves 1–4 Frankhouse Birkofer (6–5) — — 28–26 55 June 21 Braves 7–8 Mangum French (3–7) Smith — 28–27 56 June 22 Braves 7–6 Birkofer (7–5) Mangum — — 29–27 57 June 23 Braves 4–0 French (4–7) Brandt — — 30–27 58 June 24 Phillies 11–5 Hoyt (3–1) Lohrman — — 31–27 59 June 25 Phillies 7–1 Swift (5–4) Grabowski — — 32–27 60 June 26 Phillies 4–5 Collins Birkofer (7–6) — — 32–28 61 June 26 Phillies 4–2 (6) Lucas (5–4) Holley — — 33–28 62 June 27 Phillies 4–1 French (5–7) Davis — — 34–28 63 June 29 Cubs 8–8 (8) — — 34–28 64 June 30 Cubs 4–6 Lee Birkofer (7–7) — — 34–29
July: 11–19 (Home: 5–2; Away: 6–17) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 65 July 1 Cubs 5–4 Hoyt (4–1) Tinning — — 35–29 66 July 3 Reds 10–0 Lucas (6–4) Kleinhans — — 36–29 67 July 4 Reds 5–1 French (6–7) Johnson — — 37–29 68 July 4 Reds 3–4 Derringer Swift (5–5) — — 37–30 69 July 6 @ Cubs 1–9 Bush Hoyt (4–2) — 27,000 37–31 70 July 7 @ Cubs 2–4 Warneke Lucas (6–5) — — 37–32 71 July 8 @ Cubs 11–4 Birkofer (8–7) Lee — — 38–32 72 July 8 @ Cubs 3–12 Weaver Swift (5–6) — 47,138 38–33 73 July 11 @ Giants 2–3 Schumacher Hoyt (4–3) — — 38–34 74 July 12 @ Giants 3–1 French (7–7) Parmelee — — 39–34 75 July 12 @ Giants 1–11 Hubbell Birkofer (8–8) — — 39–35 76 July 13 @ Giants 6–7 Fitzsimmons Lucas (6–6) Smith — 39–36 77 July 14 @ Braves 4–3 (12) Swift (6–6) Smith — — 40–36 78 July 15 @ Braves 5–0 Hoyt (5–3) Rhem — — 41–36 79 July 15 @ Braves 0–4 Brandt Meine (3–5) — — 41–37 80 July 18 @ Braves 1–3 Frankhouse French (7–8) — — 41–38 81 July 18 @ Braves 5–7 Betts Holley (0–1) Brandt — 41–39 82 July 19 @ Dodgers 2–4 Leonard Swift (6–7) — — 41–40 83 July 21 @ Dodgers 7–8 Carroll Lucas (6–7) — — 41–41 84 July 22 @ Dodgers 2–3 Babich French (7–9) — — 41–42 85 July 22 @ Dodgers 10–13 Benge Holley (0–2) Leonard 15,000 41–43 86 July 23 @ Phillies 2–3 Moore Swift (6–8) — — 41–44 87 July 24 @ Phillies 0–9 Johnson Lucas (6–8) — — 41–45 88 July 26 @ Phillies 3–0 French (8–9) Collins — — 42–45 89 July 26 @ Phillies 3–5 Davis Smith (2–3) — — 42–46 90 July 27 Cardinals 4–0 Swift (7–8) Haines — — 43–46 91 July 28 Cardinals 5–4 Hoyt (6–3) Dean — — 44–46 92 July 29 Cardinals 5–9 Carleton Swift (7–9) Dean — 44–47 93 July 31 @ Reds 4–6 Kleinhans French (8–10) — — 44–48 94 July 31 @ Reds 7–5 (11) Hoyt (7–3) Freitas — 5,500 45–48
August: 14–16 (Home: 11–13; Away: 3–3) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 95 August 1 @ Reds 6–7 Derringer Chagnon (4–1) Johnson — 45–49 96 August 2 @ Reds 13–3 Lucas (7–8) Frey — — 46–49 97 August 3 @ Cardinals 3–9 Dean Hoyt (7–4) — — 46–50 98 August 4 @ Cardinals 4–6 Carleton French (8–11) Dean — 46–51 99 August 5 @ Cardinals 6–4 French (9–11) Dean — — 47–51 100 August 5 @ Cardinals 7–2 Hoyt (8–4) Hallahan — — 48–51 101 August 7 Cubs 4–1 Meine (4–5) Lee — — 49–51 102 August 8 Cubs 4–7 Malone Holley (0–3) Warneke — 49–52 103 August 8 Cubs 3–14 Bush Swift (7–10) — — 49–53 104 August 10 Reds 8–7 Meine (5–5) Derringer — — 50–53 105 August 11 Reds 3–4 Johnson French (9–12) Freitas — 50–54 106 August 11 Reds 8–3 Lucas (8–8) Kleinhans — — 51–54 107 August 12 Reds 9–6 Hoyt (9–4) Derringer — — 52–54 108 August 14 Giants 3–2 Hoyt (10–4) Hubbell — — 53–54 109 August 15 Giants 4–5 Fitzsimmons French (9–13) Smith — 53–55 110 August 15 Giants 4–3 Hoyt (11–4) Bell — 18,000 54–55 111 August 17 Giants 3–7 Parmelee Lucas (8–9) Smith — 54–56 112 August 17 Giants 3–8 Hubbell Meine (5–6) — — 54–57 113 August 18 Dodgers 2–6 Clark Grimes (0–1) — — 54–58 114 August 19 Dodgers 1–2 Benge Hoyt (11–5) — 3,000 54–59 115 August 20 Dodgers 6–2 Swift (8–10) Babich — — 55–59 116 August 21 Dodgers 5–9 Mungo French (9–14) Zachary — 55–60 117 August 23 Phillies 6–5 Meine (6–6) Davis — — 56–60 118 August 25 Phillies 4–1 Hoyt (12–5) Hansen — — 57–60 119 August 25 Phillies 8–12 Moore Swift (8–11) Collins — 57–61 120 August 26 Braves 5–8 Mangum Smith (2–4) Cantwell — 57–62 121 August 27 Braves 8–5 Birkofer (9–8) Smith Hoyt (4) — 58–62 122 August 28 Braves 3–5 Brandt Grimes (0–2) — — 58–63 123 August 29 Braves 0–11 Betts French (9–15) — — 58–64 124 August 29 Braves 7–0 Hoyt (13–5) Mangum — — 59–64
September: 15–12 (Home: 6–1; Away: 9–11) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 125 September 2 @ Reds 1–2 Derringer Birkofer (9–9) — — 59–65 126 September 2 @ Reds 11–4 Swift (9–11) Freitas — 10,147 60–65 127 September 3 Cardinals 12–2 French (10–15) Dean — — 61–65 128 September 3 Cardinals 6–5 Meine (7–6) Dean — — 62–65 129 September 5 @ Braves 8–2 Swift (10–11) Cantwell — — 63–65 130 September 6 @ Braves 4–1 Birkofer (10–9) Brandt — — 64–65 131 September 9 @ Giants 1–0 French (11–15) Fitzsimmons — 20,000 65–65 132 September 10 @ Giants 9–7 Grimes (1–2) Schumacher Birkofer (1) — 66–65 133 September 11 @ Giants 1–3 Parmelee Swift (10–12) — — 66–66 134 September 12 @ Giants 2–3 Hubbell Birkofer (10–10) — — 66–67 135 September 15 @ Phillies 6–1 French (12–15) Davis — — 67–67 136 September 15 @ Phillies 4–1 Hoyt (14–5) Hansen — — 68–67 137 September 18 @ Dodgers 4–9 Leonard Swift (10–13) — — 68–68 138 September 19 @ Dodgers 1–4 Mungo Birkofer (10–11) — — 68–69 139 September 19 @ Dodgers 4–8 Babich French (12–16) — — 68–70 140 September 20 @ Dodgers 1–2 Munns Hoyt (14–6) — — 68–71 141 September 21 Reds 9–3 Lucas (9–9) Richmond — — 69–71 142 September 21 Reds 16–3 Swift (11–13) Johnson — — 70–71 143 September 22 Cubs 2–1 Birkofer (11–11) Lee — — 71–71 144 September 22 Cubs 11–7 Smith (3–4) Tinning Hoyt (5) — 72–71 145 September 23 Cubs 2–3 Weaver Blanton (0–1) — — 72–72 146 September 25 @ Cardinals 2–3 Dean French (12–17) — — 72–73 147 September 26 @ Cardinals 3–0 Hoyt (15–6) Dean — — 73–73 148 September 27 @ Cubs 2–4 Lee Birkofer (11–12) — — 73–74 149 September 29 @ Cubs 6–3 Lucas (10–9) Weaver — — 74–74 150 September 30 @ Cubs 2–8 Warneke French (12–18) — — 74–75 151 September 30 @ Cubs 5–7 Bush Struss (0–1) — 10,000 74–76
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie Bold = Pirates team member

Roster

1934 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 49 Ralph Birkofer 43 Cy Blanton 46 Leon Chagnon 42 Larry French -- Burleigh Grimes 44 Bill Harris -- Ed Holley 48 Waite Hoyt 50 Lloyd Johnson 40 Red Lucas 41 Heinie Meine 47 Hal Smith -- Steamboat Struss 45 Bill Swift		Catchers 32 Hal Finney 30 Earl Grace 31 Tom Padden 35 Pat Veltman Infielders 23 Bill Brubaker 22 Cookie Lavagetto 24 Gus Suhr 25 Tommy Thevenow 20 Pie Traynor 21 Arky Vaughan 26 Pep Young		Outfielders 16 Woody Jensen 12 Freddie Lindstrom 14 Wally Roettger 10 Lloyd Waner 11 Paul Waner		Manager 33 George Gibson 20 Pie Traynor Coaches 34 Doc Crandall 36 Honus Wagner

Player stats

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	Earl Grace	95	289	78	.270	4	24
1B	Gus Suhr	151	573	162	.283	13	103
2B	Cookie Lavagetto	87	304	67	.220	3	46
3B	Pie Traynor	119	444	137	.309	1	61
SS	Arky Vaughan	149	558	186	.333	12	94
OF	Paul Waner	146	599	217	.362	14	90
OF	Lloyd Waner	140	611	173	.283	1	48
OF	Freddie Lindstrom	97	383	111	.290	4	49

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
Tommy Thevenow	122	446	121	.271	0	54
Woody Jensen	88	283	82	.290	0	27
Tom Padden	82	237	76	.321	0	22
Wally Roettger	47	106	26	.245	0	11
Pat Veltman	12	28	3	.107	0	2
Pep Young	19	17	4	.235	0	2
Bill Brubaker	3	6	2	.333	0	1
Hal Finney	5	0	0	----	0	0

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
Larry French	49	263.2	12	18	3.58	103
Bill Swift	37	212.2	11	13	3.98	81
Red Lucas	29	172.2	10	9	4.38	44
Cy Blanton	1	8	0	1	3.38	5
Steamboat Struss	1	7	0	1	6.43	3

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
Ralph Birkofer	41	204	11	12	4.10	71
Waite Hoyt	48	190.2	15	6	2.93	105
Heinie Meine	26	106.1	7	6	4.32	22
Hal Smith	20	50	3	4	7.20	15
Burleigh Grimes	8	27.1	1	2	7.24	9
Ed Holley	5	9.1	0	3	15.43	2

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
Leon Chagnon	33	4	1	1	4.81	19
Bill Harris	11	0	0	0	6.63	8
Lloyd Johnson	1	0	0	0	0.00	0

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
A	Little Rock Travelers	Southern Association	Doc Prothro
C	Springfield Pirates	Middle Atlantic League	Al DeVormer and Rube Bressler
D	McKeesport Tubers	Pennsylvania State Association	Leo Mackey

References

1. From 1882-1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.

• 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates Page at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.). Durham, N.C.: Baseball America. ISBN 978-1-932391-17-6.