1938 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season

The 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season was their sixth as a professional football club in the National Football League (NFL). The '38 Pirates welcomed back John McNally as head coach after finishing with a 4-10 record the previous year. McNally coached the team's second 2-win season in 3 years, as they placed last in the NFL Eastern Division.

1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season
OwnerArt Rooney
Head coachJohn McNally
Home fieldForbes Field
Results
Record2–9
Division place5th NFL Eastern
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersStu Smith
Byron Gentry

The '38 team welcomed one of the Steelers' best players during their tenure as "the Pirates" (1933-1940). Art Rooney signed college phenom Byron "Whizzer" White for one season and was given a huge contract. White led the league in rushing that year, and became the first player to do so whilst playing for a losing team. He left the team the next year to pursue his studies overseas, he did however return as a Lion in 1940.

Preseason

1938 NFL Draft
Main article: 1938 NFL Draft
Pittsburgh Pirates 1938 NFL Draft selections
Draft order Player name Position College Notes
Round Choice Overall
1 4 4 Byron White Back Colorado Played 1 season with Pirates in 1938
2 4 14 Frank Filchock Back Indiana Played 1 season for Pirates in 1938
3 4 19 Hugh Wolfe Back Texas Played for Giants
4 4 29 Tony Matisi Tackle Pittsburgh Played for Lions
5 4 34 Lou Midler Tackle Minnesota Played 2 seasons for Pirates
6 4 44 George Platukis End Duquesne Played 4 season for Pirates/Steelers
7 4 54 Ray King End Minnesota
8 4 64 Tom Burnette Halfback North Carolina
9 4 74 Paul McDonough End Utah Played 1 season for Pirates in 1938
10 4 84 Paul McCarty Center Notre Dame
11 4 94 Bill Krause Guard Baldwin-Wallace
12 4 104 Joe Kuharich Guard Notre Dame Never played for Pirates

The Pirates selected one of their best draft picks of that era in Byron "Whizzer" White from Colorado. He was given a large $15,000 contract to play in 1938. White finished the season with 152 rushes for 567 yards, 4 TD, and 7 catches for 88 yards. After the season, he continued his studies overseas. He did return and play for the Detroit Lions in 1940 and 1941.

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result
1 September 9, 1938 @ Detroit Lions L 7-16
2 September 11, 1938 New York Giants L 14-27
3 September 16, 1938 Philadelphia Eagles L 7-27
4 September 23, 1938 @ Brooklyn Dodgers W 17-3
5 October 3, 1938 @ New York Giants W 13-10
6 October 9, 1938 Brooklyn Dodgers L 7-17
7 October 23, 1938 @ Green Bay Packers L 0-20
8 November 6, 1938 Washington Redskins L 0-7
9 November 20, 1938 @ Philadelphia Eagles L 7-14
10 November 27, 1938 @ Washington Redskins L 0-15
11 December 4, 1938 Cleveland Rams L 7-13

Week 1 (Friday September 9, 1938): Detroit Lions
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 7 7
Lions 9 7 0 0 16

at Titan Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 17,000
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Detroit – FG Shepherd 27
  • Detroit – Caddel 5 run (kick failed)
  • Detroit – Cardwell 5 run (Moscrip kick)
  • Pittsburgh – White 3 run (Niccolai kick)

Week 2 (Sunday, September 11, 1938): New York Giants
1 2 3 4 Total
Giants 6 14 0 7 27
Pirates 7 7 0 0 14

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 17,340
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Pittsburgh – White 4 run (Niccolai kick)
  • New York – Leemans 1 run (kick blocked)
  • Pittsburgh – Manske 23 pass from Filchock (Niccolai kick)
  • New York – Shaffer 3 pass from Danowski (Soar kick)
  • New York – Shaffer 11 pass from Danowski (Cuff kick)
  • New York – Soar 1 run (Soar kick)

Week 3 (Friday September 16, 1938): Philadelphia Eagles
1 2 3 4 Total
Eagles 7 13 7 0 27
Pirates 0 0 0 7 7

at Civic Stadium, Buffalo, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 19,749
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Philadelphia – Arnold 20 fumble run (Smukler kick)
  • Philadelphia – Arnold 34 pass from Riffle (Reese kick)
  • Philadelphia – Arnold 23 interception (kick failed)
  • Philadelphia – Riffle 44 run (Smukler kick)
  • Pittsburgh – White 1 run (Niccolai kick)

Week 4 (Friday September 23, 1938): Brooklyn Dodgers
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 7 10 17
Dodgers 3 0 0 0 3

at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 21,494
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Brooklyn – FG Reissig 18
  • Pittsburgh – Manske 27 fumble run (Niccolai kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Thompson 5 run (Niccolai kick)
  • Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 18

Week 5 (Monday October 3, 1938): New York Giants

Prior to this game, the Pirates played an exhibition against the Boston Shamrocks, winning 16–6.

1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 7 0 6 13
Giants 7 0 3 0 10

at Polo Grounds, New York, NY

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 18,805
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • New York – Cuff 18 pass from Danowski (Cuff kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Sortet 24 pass from Filchock (Niccolai kick)
  • New York – FG Cuff 10
  • Pittsburgh – Sortet 13 pass from Filchock (kick failed)

Week 6 (Sunday October 9, 1938): Brooklyn Dodgers
1 2 3 4 Total
Dodgers 0 10 0 7 17
Pirates 0 7 0 0 7

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance:
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Brooklyn – FG Kercheval 34
  • Pittsburgh – Sortet 50 pass from White (Niccolai kick)
  • Brooklyn – Barreturnt 54 pass from Parker (Kercheval kick)
  • Brooklyn – Parker 77 run (Parker kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 23, 1938): Green Bay Packers
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0
Packers 7 0 6 7 20

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 12,142
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Green Bay – Isbell 38 run (Hinkle kick)
  • Green Bay – Laws 38 interception (kick failed)
  • Green Bay – Mullenaux 19 pass from Monnett (Monnett kick)

Week 8: Bye week

During their bye week, the Pirates scheduled two exhibition games, both wins against the Warren Redjackets (23–0 on Sunday, October 30) and McKeesport Olympics (21–6 on Monday, October 31).

Week 9 (Sunday November 6, 1938): Washington Redskins
1 2 3 4 Total
Redskins 0 0 0 7 7
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 12,910
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Washington – Karamatic 39 pass from Baugh (Manton kick)

Week 10: Bye week

During a second bye week, the Pirates scheduled a two-legged tie against the Los Angeles Bulldogs. The first game, an Armistice Day special, was held at Will Rogers Memorial Stadium in Colorado Springs, Colorado (in Pirates star Byron White's home state) on November 11. The Pirates lost that game, 17–6, in front of a crowd of 15,000 fans. The second leg of the series was held at the Bulldogs' home field, Gilmore Stadium, at which the Pirates and Bulldogs played to a 14–14 draw in front of 18,000 fans.

Week 11 (Sunday November 20, 1938): Philadelphia Eagles
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 7 0 7
Eagles 7 0 0 7 14

at Laidley Field, Charleston, West Virginia

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 6,500
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Philadelphia – Hewitt pass from Smukler (Smukler kick)
  • Pittsburgh – White 79 run (Niccolai kick)
  • Philadelphia – Carter 11 pas from Smukler (Reese kick)

Week 12 (Sunday November 27, 1938): Washington Redskins
1 2 3 4 Total
Pirates 0 0 0 0 0
Redskins 3 0 0 12 15

at Griffith Stadium, Washington, DC

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 22,000
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Washington – FG Manton 23
  • Washington – Millner pass from Baugh
  • Washington – McChesney 52 pass from Baugh (kick failed)

Week 13 (Tuesday December 4, 1938): Cleveland Rams
1 2 3 4 Total
Rams 7 0 6 0 13
Pirates 0 0 0 7 7

at Tulane Stadium, New Orleans, Louisiana

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 7,500
  • Referee:

Scoring Drives:

  • Cleveland – Benton 28 pass from Snyder (Snyder kick)
  • Cleveland – Benton 11 pass from Snyder (kick failed)
  • Pittsburgh – Sortet 8 pass from White (Niccolai kick)

Standings
NFL Eastern Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
New York Giants 8 2 1 .800 5–2–1 194 79 W1
Washington Redskins 6 3 2 .667 4–2–2 148 154 L1
Brooklyn Dodgers 4 4 3 .500 3–2–3 131 161 T1
Philadelphia Eagles 5 6 0 .455 3–5 154 164 W2
Pittsburgh Pirates 2 9 0 .182 2–6 79 169 L6

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References
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