1942 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 61st season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 56th in the National League. The Pirates finished fifth in the league standings with a record of 66–81.

1942 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)	Frankie Frisch
Local radio	WWSW Rosey Rowswell, Jack Craddock
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Offseason

• December 1, 1941: Hank Gornicki was selected off waivers by the Pirates from the St. Louis Cardinals.[2]

Regular season

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
St. Louis Cardinals	106	48	0.688	—	60–17	46–31
Brooklyn Dodgers	104	50	0.675	2	57–22	47–28
New York Giants	85	67	0.559	20	47–31	38–36
Cincinnati Reds	76	76	0.500	29	38–39	38–37
Pittsburgh Pirates	66	81	0.449	36½	41–34	25–47
Chicago Cubs	68	86	0.442	38	36–41	32–45
Boston Braves	59	89	0.399	44	33–36	26–53
Philadelphia Phillies	42	109	0.278	62½	23–51	19–58

Record vs. opponents

1942 National League Records Sources:
Team	BOS	BR	CHC	CIN	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Boston	—	6–16	13–9	5–16–1	8–12	14–8	7–12–1	6–16
Brooklyn	16–6	—	16–6	15–7	14–8–1	18–4	16–6	9–13
Chicago	9–13	6–16	—	13–9	9–13–1	14–8	11–11	6–16
Cincinnati	16–5–1	7–15	9–13	—	9–13	16–6	12–9–1	7–15
New York	12–8	8–14–1	13–9–1	13–9	—	17–5	15–7	7–15
Philadelphia	8–14	4–18	8–14	6–16	5–17	—	6–13	5–17
Pittsburgh	12–7–1	6–16	11–11	9–12–1	7–15	13–6	—	8–14–2
St. Louis	16–6	13–9	16–6	15–7	15–7	17–5	14–8–2	—

Game log

1942 Game Log: 66–81 (Home: 41–34; Away: 25–47)
April: 9–6 (Home: 6–5; Away: 3–1) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 14 @ Reds 4–2 Butcher (1–0) Walters — 34,104 1–0 2 April 15 @ Reds 6–2 Dietz (1–0) Riddle — 3,628 2–0 3 April 16 @ Reds 7–8 (12) Beggs Wilkie (0–1) — 2,421 2–1 4 April 17 Cardinals 3–2 Sewell (1–0) Warneke — 18,324 3–1 5 April 18 Cardinals 3–0 Heintzelman (1–0) White — 5,945 4–1 6 April 19 Cardinals 2–3 Beazley Dietz (1–1) Gumbert 12,929 4–2 7 April 20 Cubs 2–8 Mooty Butcher (1–1) — 1,752 4–3 8 April 21 Cubs 5–2 Sewell (2–0) Bithorn — 2,397 5–3 9 April 22 Cubs 9–1 Hamlin (1–0) Erickson — 3,517 6–3 10 April 23 Reds 3–5 Vander Meer Lanning (0–1) — 4,533 6–4 11 April 24 Reds 5–9 Starr Dietz (1–2) Beggs 4,971 6–5 12 April 26 @ Cardinals 2–0 Heintzelman (2–0) Warneke — — 7–5 13 April 26 @ Cardinals 4–4 (11) — 14,820 7–5 14 April 28 Phillies 7–1 Butcher (2–1) Naylor — 1,752 8–5 15 April 29 Phillies 7–6 (10) Sewell (3–0) Blanton — 1,567 9–5 16 April 30 Phillies 3–6 Hoerst Lanning (0–2) — 1,826 9–6
May: 10–21 (Home: 6–7; Away: 4–14) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 17 May 1 Dodgers 7–6 Heintzelman (3–0) Allen — 9,199 10–6 18 May 2 Dodgers 10–5 Wilkie (1–1) Davis — 17,210 11–6 19 May 3 Braves 6–2 Butcher (3–1) Javery — — 12–6 20 May 3 Braves 3–12 (8) Earley Sewell (3–1) — 29,030 12–7 21 May 4 Braves 2–1 Klinger (1–0) Tobin — 1,637 13–7 22 May 5 Braves 1–7 Wallace Dietz (1–3) — 2,321 13–8 23 May 7 Giants 2–1 (11) Wilkie (2–1) Carpenter — — 14–8 24 May 7 Giants 2–6 Koslo Heintzelman (3–1) — 4,075 14–9 25 May 8 @ Cubs 6–4 Sewell (4–1) Schmitz — 4,133 15–9 26 May 9 @ Cubs 1–3 Lee Butcher (3–2) — 3,465 15–10 27 May 10 @ Cubs 2–4 Passeau Hamlin (1–1) — 22,042 15–11 28 May 10 @ Cubs 3–2 Klinger (2–0) Erickson — 22,042 16–11 29 May 12 @ Giants 3–7 Melton Heintzelman (3–2) — — 16–12 30 May 13 @ Giants 3–1 Butcher (4–2) Koslo — — 17–12 31 May 14 @ Dodgers 4–7 French Wilkie (2–2) Casey — 17–13 32 May 15 @ Dodgers 3–8 Wyatt Sewell (4–2) — — 17–14 33 May 16 @ Dodgers 1–8 Head Heintzelman (3–3) — — 17–15 34 May 17 @ Phillies 7–2 Hamlin (2–1) Hoerst — — 18–15 35 May 17 @ Phillies 4–5 (11) Melton Klinger (2–1) — — 18–16 36 May 19 @ Phillies 4–5 Podgajny Butcher (4–3) Hoerst 3,366 18–17 37 May 20 @ Braves 3–4 (10) Sain Heintzelman (3–4) — 3,010 18–18 38 May 23 Cubs 5–4 Lanning (1–2) Erickson Sewell (1) 3,090 19–18 39 May 24 Cubs 5–7 (10) Lee Sewell (4–3) — 16,746 19–19 40 May 24 Cubs 4–11 Passeau Heintzelman (3–5) — 16,746 19–20 41 May 25 @ Reds 1–6 Derringer Butcher (4–4) — 16,205 19–21 42 May 27 Cardinals 3–5 Beazley Sewell (4–4) — 1,635 19–22 43 May 28 Cardinals 2–3 (11) Beazley Wilkie (2–3) Gumbert 16,577 19–23 44 May 30 @ Cubs 5–10 Mooty Gornicki (0–1) Pressnell — 19–24 45 May 30 @ Cubs 2–3 Fleming Hamlin (2–2) Pressnell 22,735 19–25 46 May 31 @ Reds 2–8 Walters Sewell (4–5) — — 19–26 47 May 31 @ Reds 0–3 Starr Butcher (4–5) — 16,721 19–27
June: 13–9 (Home: 8–3; Away: 5–6) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 48 June 2 Dodgers 2–17 Webber Wilkie (2–4) — 3,257 19–28 49 June 5 Phillies 6–5 Heintzelman (4–5) Hoerst Dietz (1) 1,195 20–28 50 June 6 Phillies 3–1 Sewell (5–5) Hughes — 2,184 21–28 51 June 7 Phillies 5–4 (10) Heintzelman (5–5) Johnson — — 22–28 52 June 7 Phillies 8–6 (7) Lanning (2–2) Melton Wilkie (1) 8,461 23–28 53 June 9 Braves 10–2 Heintzelman (6–5) Tost — 1,871 24–28 54 June 10 Braves 3–0 Sewell (6–5) Tobin — 11,533 25–28 55 June 13 Giants 8–2 Klinger (3–1) Melton — 4,096 26–28 56 June 14 Giants 3–4 Carpenter Heintzelman (6–6) — 16,719 26–29 57 June 14 Giants 8–3 (8) Sewell (7–5) Sunkel — 16,719 27–29 58 June 15 Giants 2–6 Schumacher Butcher (4–6) — — 27–30 59 June 16 @ Phillies 1–5 Podgajny Hamlin (2–3) — 1,196 27–31 60 June 17 @ Phillies 6–1 Klinger (4–1) Hoerst — — 28–31 61 June 19 @ Braves 7–6 (11) Dietz (2–3) Sain — 3,304 29–31 62 June 20 @ Braves 0–4 Javery Heintzelman (6–7) — — 29–32 63 June 21 @ Braves 7–3 (10) Butcher (5–6) Errickson — 5,000 30–32 64 June 23 @ Dodgers 2–6 French Klinger (4–2) — 16,080 30–33 65 June 26 @ Giants 2–4 Melton Sewell (7–6) — 7,585 30–34 66 June 27 @ Giants 2–5 Carpenter Heintzelman (6–8) — 4,100 30–35 67 June 28 @ Giants 8–7 Wilkie (3–4) Adams — — 31–35 68 June 28 @ Giants 9–3 Klinger (5–2) Schumacher — 31,505 32–35 69 June 30 @ Cardinals 2–4 Cooper Sewell (7–7) — 13,252 32–36
July: 11–16 (Home: 8–7; Away: 3–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 70 July 1 @ Cardinals 0–4 White Heintzelman (6–9) — 1,439 32–37 71 July 2 @ Cardinals 1–3 Beazley Klinger (5–3) — 8,699 32–38 72 July 3 @ Cardinals 5–4 Lanning (3–2) Warneke Dietz (2) 1,169 33–38 73 July 4 Reds 0–2 Walters Butcher (5–7) — 18,000 33–39 74 July 5 Reds 4–3 Sewell (8–7) Derringer — — 34–39 75 July 5 Reds 2–5 Starr Hamlin (2–4) — 11,365 34–40 76 July 9 Phillies 9–0 Sewell (9–7) Melton — 29,488 35–40 77 July 11 Phillies 12–5 Wilkie (4–4) Pearson — 2,034 36–40 78 July 12 Dodgers 1–2 French Lanning (3–3) — — 36–41 79 July 12 Dodgers 6–4 Heintzelman (7–9) Higbe Sewell (2) 29,543 37–41 80 July 14 Dodgers 1–5 Wyatt Klinger (5–4) — 21,254 37–42 81 July 15 Giants 6–2 Sewell (10–7) Carpenter — 2,394 38–42 82 July 16 Giants 1–3 Hubbell Butcher (5–8) — 9,098 38–43 83 July 17 Giants 2–11 Schumacher Lanning (3–4) Adams 2,083 38–44 84 July 18 Braves 3–0 Heintzelman (8–9) Javery — — 39–44 85 July 19 Braves 8–7 Dietz (3–3) Errickson — — 40–44 86 July 19 Braves 9–0 (8) Klinger (6–4) Salvo — 7,425 41–44 87 July 20 Dodgers 0–5 French Lanning (3–5) — 13,600 41–45 88 July 21 @ Giants 5–6 Hubbell Wilkie (4–5) — 8,937 41–46 89 July 23 @ Giants 4–6 McGee Sewell (10–8) — 5,555 41–47 90 July 24 @ Dodgers 4–6 Wyatt Heintzelman (8–10) — 10,798 41–48 91 July 25 @ Dodgers 4–1 Gornicki (1–1) Davis — 11,314 42–48 92 July 26 @ Dodgers 2–3 Allen Klinger (6–5) Head — 42–49 93 July 26 @ Dodgers 3–5 Macon Lanning (3–6) Head 31,844 42–50 94 July 28 @ Braves 3–4 Tost Dietz (3–4) — 1,527 42–51 95 July 29 @ Braves 3–0 Sewell (11–8) Javery — — 43–51 96 July 29 @ Braves 5–6 Tobin Klinger (6–6) — 4,064 43–52
August: 15–15 (Home: 8–7; Away: 7–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 97 August 1 @ Phillies 1–2 (12) Hughes Sewell (11–9) — — 43–53 98 August 2 @ Phillies 4–2 Hamlin (3–4) Melton — — 44–53 99 August 2 @ Phillies 3–2 Dietz (4–4) Hoerst Butcher (1) — 45–53 100 August 4 Cubs 2–1 (11) Klinger (7–6) Bithorn — 2,042 46–53 101 August 5 Cubs 3–0 Sewell (12–9) Fleming — 8,826 47–53 102 August 7 Cardinals 13–6 Wilkie (5–5) Lanier — 10,430 48–53 103 August 8 Cardinals 5–5 (16) — 2,128 48–53 104 August 9 Cardinals 3–4 Dickson Lanning (3–7) — — 48–54 105 August 9 Cardinals 1–2 (8) Krist Klinger (7–7) — 15,561 48–55 106 August 10 Cardinals 6–4 Wilkie (6–5) Cooper Dietz (3) 1,507 49–55 107 August 11 Reds 3–1 Gornicki (2–1) Thompson — 2,108 50–55 108 August 12 Reds 0–3 Vander Meer Sewell (12–10) — 8,114 50–56 109 August 14 @ Cubs 1–7 Warneke Klinger (7–8) — 3,934 50–57 110 August 15 @ Cubs 8–5 Dietz (5–4) Bithorn Lanning (1) — 51–57 111 August 15 @ Cubs 8–7 (11) Sewell (13–10) Errickson — 11,702 52–57 112 August 16 @ Cubs 1–5 Lee Gornicki (2–2) — — 52–58 113 August 16 @ Cubs 1–4 Fleming Sewell (13–11) — 25,930 52–59 114 August 18 @ Reds 3–0 Lanning (4–7) Walters — 6,475 53–59 115 August 19 @ Reds 9–2 Gornicki (3–2) Derringer — 1,338 54–59 116 August 20 @ Reds 3–5 Vander Meer Sewell (13–12) — 1,324 54–60 117 August 21 @ Cardinals 2–10 Beazley Dietz (5–5) — 2,010 54–61 118 August 22 @ Cardinals 6–7 Lanier Klinger (7–9) — 3,067 54–62 119 August 23 @ Cardinals 5–3 Klinger (8–9) Cooper — — 55–62 120 August 23 @ Cardinals 2–5 Dickson Lanning (4–8) — — 55–63 121 August 25 Braves 6–0 Sewell (14–12) Earley — — 56–63 122 August 27 Braves 5–0 Gornicki (4–2) Tobin — 4,106 57–63 123 August 29 Giants 0–2 Schumacher Dietz (5–6) — — 57–64 124 August 29 Giants 4–7 McGee Klinger (8–10) — 5,212 57–65 125 August 30 Dodgers 1–3 Wyatt Heintzelman (8–11) Davis — 57–66 126 August 30 Dodgers 9–5 (8) Sewell (15–12) French — 26,377 58–66 127 August 31 Dodgers 4–5 (11) Davis Gornicki (4–3) — 3,697 58–67
September: 8–14 (Home: 5–5; Away: 3–9) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 128 September 1 Dodgers 2–4 Higbe Klinger (8–11) — 4,437 58–68 129 September 2 Phillies 5–2 Dietz (6–6) Hoerst — 3,712 59–68 130 September 4 Cubs 3–5 Bithorn Sewell (15–13) — 5,218 59–69 131 September 6 Cubs 6–0 Gornicki (5–3) Passeau — — 60–69 132 September 6 Cubs 5–0 Hamlin (4–4) Fleming — 8,610 61–69 133 September 7 Cardinals 11–6 Sewell (16–13) Dickson Klinger (1) — 62–69 134 September 7 Cardinals 4–6 (8) Beazley Dietz (6–7) — 18,785 62–70 135 September 8 @ Dodgers 0–4 Head Wilkie (6–6) — — 62–71 136 September 10 @ Phillies 1–2 (11) Hughes Dietz (6–8) — — 62–72 137 September 12 @ Braves 1–4 Tobin Gornicki (5–4) — — 62–73 138 September 12 @ Braves 2–2 (11) — — 62–73 139 September 13 @ Giants 0–5 Carpenter Sewell (16–14) — — 62–74 140 September 13 @ Giants 3–5 McGee Wilkie (6–7) — 17,794 62–75 141 September 14 @ Giants 1–6 Schumacher Dietz (6–9) — 2,428 62–76 142 September 16 @ Dodgers 3–10 Wyatt Gornicki (5–5) — 11,994 62–77 143 September 17 @ Dodgers 3–2 Sewell (17–14) Head — — 63–77 144 September 18 Reds 1–5 Vander Meer Hallett (0–1) — 5,154 63–78 145 September 19 Reds 3–4 Walters Brandt (0–1) — 1,485 63–79 146 September 20 Reds 2–1 (13) Lanning (5–8) Shoun — — 64–79 147 September 20 Reds 3–3 (7) — 4,161 64–79 148 September 21 @ Cardinals 1–2 White Gornicki (5–6) — 5,000 64–80 149 September 22 @ Cardinals 3–9 Gumbert Sewell (17–15) Dickson 8,823 64–81 150 September 27 @ Reds 8–7 (12) Lanning (6–8) Beggs Gornicki (1) — 65–81 151 September 27 @ Reds 7–4 Brandt (1–1) Vander Meer Gornicki (2) 2,070 66–81
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie Bold = Pirates team member

Roster

1942 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers -- Bill Brandt 19 Max Butcher -- Dick Conger 22 Dutch Dietz 27 Hank Gornicki -- Jack Hallett 13 Luke Hamlin 32 Ken Heintzelman 24 Ken Jungels 20 Bob Klinger 29 Johnny Lanning 30 Rip Sewell -- Harry Shuman 25 Nick Strincevich 39 Lefty Wilkie		Catchers  7 Bill Baker 12 Al López 10 Babe Phelps Infielders 15 Alf Anderson  5 Pete Coscarart  8 Bob Elliott  3 Elbie Fletcher  4 Huck Geary 16 Frankie Gustine  4 Stu Martin		Outfielders 18 Johnny Barrett -- Frank Colman  9 Vince DiMaggio 40 Culley Rikard -- Jim Russell 14 Bud Stewart 17 Maurice Van Robays 11 Jimmy Wasdell 23 Johnny Wyrostek Other batters  3 Ed Leip		Manager 35 Frankie Frisch Coaches 36 Spud Davis 34 Jake Flowers 33 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	Al López	103	289	74	.256	1	26
1B	Elbie Fletcher	145	506	146	.289	7	57
2B	Frankie Gustine	115	388	89	.229	2	35
SS	Pete Coscarart	133	487	111	.228	3	29
3B	Bob Elliott	143	560	166	.296	9	89
OF	Johnny Barrett	111	332	82	.247	0	26
OF	Vince DiMaggio	143	496	118	.238	15	75
OF	Jimmy Wasdell	122	409	106	.259	3	38

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
Maurice Van Robays	100	328	76	.232	1	46
Babe Phelps	95	257	73	.284	9	41
Bud Stewart	82	183	40	.219	0	20
Alf Anderson	54	166	45	.271	0	7
Stu Martin	42	120	27	.225	1	12
Culley Rikard	38	52	10	.192	0	5
Frank Colman	10	37	5	.135	1	2
Johnny Wyrostek	9	35	4	.114	0	3
Huck Geary	9	22	5	.227	0	2
Bill Baker	18	17	2	.118	0	2
Jim Russell	5	14	1	.071	0	0
Ed Leip	3	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
Rip Sewell	40	248	17	15	3.41	69
Max Butcher	24	150.2	5	8	2.93	49
Ken Heintzelman	27	130	8	11	4.57	39
Jack Hallett	3	22.1	0	1	4.84	16
Bill Brandt	3	16.1	1	1	4.96	4

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 Klinger	37	152.2	8	11	3.24	58
Dutch Dietz	40	134.1	6	9	3.95	35
Johnny Lanning	34	119.1	6	8	3.32	31
Hank Gornicki	25	112	5	6	2.57	48
Luke Hamlin	23	112	4	4	3.94	38
Lefty Wilkie	35	107.1	6	7	4.19	18
Nick Strincevich	7	22.1	0	0	2.82	10
Dick Conger	2	8.1	0	0	2.16	3

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
Ken Jungels	6	0	0	0	6.59	7
Harry Shuman	1	0	0	0	0.00	1

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
AA	Toronto Maple Leafs	International League	Burleigh Grimes
A	Albany Senators	Eastern League	Ripper Collins
B	Harrisburg Senators	Interstate League	Danny Taylor
C	Hutchinson Pirates	Western Association	Walter Holke
D	Moultrie Packers	Georgia–Florida League	F. M. McVay
D	Oil City Oilers	Pennsylvania State Association	Frank Oceak
D	Hornell Maples	PONY League	Poke Whalen and Leo Mackey

Toronto affiliation shared with Philadelphia Athletics

Notes

1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
2. Hank Gornicki page at Baseball-Reference

References

• 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates team page at Baseball Reference
• 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates Page at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (2007). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (3rd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-1-932391-17-6.