September 1, 1971

[GeoPoto]

A significant milestone in the evolution of integrated Major League baseball occurred 25 years after Jackie Robinson's debut. In this thread I present a 2018 article by Rich Puerzer that summarizes the 1971 game and cards from my collection featuring the key participants. I hope you enjoy the narrative and would love to see any related items from your collection.

The 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates were a special team in a multitude of ways. They were probably the most diverse team in the major leagues, featuring 13 players of Latin or African American descent on their roster, including their best two players, Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente. That season the Pirates went on to win the World Series, but along the way they also achieved a first in the history of major-league baseball. On September 1, 1971, the Pirates fielded an all-Black lineup of African American and Latino players.

The historic game was played between the Pirates and division rivals the Philadelphia Phillies on a Wednesday night at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. The Pirates entered the game with a record of 81-56 and were in first place in the National League East by 4½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies were a lowly 57-77 and in last place in the division. The attendance for the game was 11,278, all of whom got to see history made.

Leading off and playing second base: Reinaldo A. "Rennie" Stennett Porte. Second Baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971-1979. 1,239 hits and 75 stolen bases in 11 MLB seasons. 1979 World Series champion. In 1975 Stennett became the only player in the 20th century to have seven hits in seven at-bats in a nine-inning game. In 1974 he had 196 hits and a .322 OBP in 721 plate appearance. In 1977 he posted a .376 OBP with 28 stolen bases in 490 plate appearances. He last appeared with the San Francisco Giants in 1981.

[Cliff Bowman]

I guessed what it was from your title, that was cool of Danny Murtaugh to do it.

[Gr8Beldini]

Murtaugh said he was just filling out the lineup card based on the information at hand (who was hot; what pitcher they were facing; who needed rest; who was hurt, etc). He had no idea it was an "all black lineup" until someone asked him about it after the game.

[GeoPoto]

The starting lineup for the Pirates was: batting leadoff and playing second base, Rennie Stennett; batting second and playing center field, Gene Clines; batting third and playing right field, Roberto Clemente; batting cleanup and playing left field, Willie Stargell; batting fifth and catching, Manny Sanguillen; batting sixth and playing third base, Dave Cash; batting seventh and playing first base, Al Oliver; batting eighth and playing shortstop, Jackie Hernandez; and batting ninth and pitching, Dock Ellis.

Aside from the pitcher, the one position and really the only position where a white player was generally more likely to start at this point in the season, was at first base. Bob Robertson generally played first for the Pirates in 1971, especially against left-handed pitching. Despite the fact that the Phillies were starting former-Bucco Woodie Fryman, a lefthander, lefty-swinging Al Oliver got the start at first base for the Bucs.

Batting second and playing center field: Eugene A. "Gene" Clines. Outfielder with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970-1974. 645 hits and 71 stolen bases in 10 MLB seasons. Clines debuted with Pittsburgh and was a member of the September 1971 starting lineup featuring 9 players of color, a first in MLB history. In 1976 he got a career-high 480 plate appearances, posting a .316 OBP, with 52 runs scored. His final stint was 1977-79 with the Chicago Cubs.

[71buc]

I’m more of a memorabilia guy so my contribution here will reflect that quirk. Here are game used bats from each player that day with the exception of Dock Ellis. The scored program is from that game. A ticket stub to this game has long been a white whale for me. I’m aware of only three examples in other collections. Understandably the owners asking prices are a kings ransom and I’m collecting on a peasant’s budget.

[rats60]

It is surprising that it took that long. The Pirates had a roster heavy with Latin and African American players.

P Dock Ellis 31 starts
Bob Veale & Mudcat Grant both long time SP who could have started games.

C Manny Sanguillen 129 starts

1B Al Oliver 21 starts
Willie Stargell at 148 starts at 1B from 63-69 and 99 in 72 could have started games

2B Dave Cash 92 starts
Rennie Stennett 33 starts

3B Jose Pagan 38 starts
Dave Cash 22 starts

SS Jackie Hernandez 65 starts

LF Willie Stargell 137 starts
Gene Clines 12 starts
Vic Davalillo 7 starts

CF Al Oliver 112 starts
Gene Clines 39 starts
Vic Davalillo 11 starts

RF Roberto Clemente 120 starts
Vic Davalillo 30 starts
Gene Clines 10 starts

White Players who had a significant number of starts
Bob Robertson 1B 126 starts
Gene Alley SS 97 starts
Richie Hebner 3B 93 starts
Bill Mazeroski 2B 37 starts
Milt May C 31 starts

[jingram058]

It's a great story, and another interesting thread.

[GeoPoto]

(Thanks to everybody for contributing comments and to Mike for sharing his fantastic collection of items related to the game.)

The occasion of the first all-Black lineup came without any warning. Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh posted the lineup, and may not have realized himself that he had started the game with all Black players. The players themselves did not realize until the game was underway. Al Oliver stated that he had not noticed the lineup until an inning or two into the game when Dave Cash came up to him and said, “Hey Scoop, we’ve got all brothers out there.”

Batting Third and playing right field: Roberto E. Clemente Walker. Outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1955-1972. 3,000 hits and 240 home runs in 18 MLB seasons. 15-time All-Star. 2-time World Series champion. 1966 NL Most Valuable Player. 1971 World Series Most Valuable Player. 12-time Gold Glove Award. 4-time NL batting Champion. Pittsburgh Pirate #21 retired. 1973 MLB Hall of Fame. Died in a plane crash while still an active player.

[71buc]

That 71 Clemente is spectacular! I had my first grandchild two years ago. I give him a card for each birthday and Christmas. The first card I gave him was my 1971 Topps Roberto.

I wish I could say this was mine but unfortunately it is not. It’s on loan to my friends at the Clemente Museum in Pittsburgh. On September 1, 1971 a young fan went to his first MLB game. He was a huge Clemente fan. He waited with his father outside the player’s entrance to meet his hero and obtained his autograph on that historic day. Here is his ticket, that cherished autograph, and a snapshot of the Great One signing his autograph book on that amazing day.

[GeoPoto]

The first inning started out very poorly for Dock Ellis as he walked the first two Phillie batters, Ron Stone and Larry Bowa, to lead off the game. Ellis then righted the ship, getting Tim McCarver to fly out, and striking out Deron Johnson. Ellis was not able to get out of the inning unscathed however, as shortstop Jackie Hernandez was not able to handle a groundball hit by Willie Montanez. The play ended with Stone scoring, Montanez at first, and Bowa at third. Oscar Gamble then singled down the third-base line, allowing Bowa to score. Ellis finally got out of the inning after Terry Harmon, flied out to center. The Pirates roared back in the bottom of the first, with six of the first seven batters reaching base on singles or doubles. By the end of the inning, the Pirates had batted around, knocked out starter Fryman who was replaced by Bucky Brandon, and scored five runs.

Batting cleanup and playing left field: Wilver D. "Willie" Stargell. "Pops". Left fielder/first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1962-1982. 2,232 hits and 475 home runs in 21 MLB seasons. Although he won the NL MVP in 1979, his best season was 1973 as he posted 44 home runs and a .392 OBP in 609 plate appearances. 7-time All-Star. 2-time World Series champion. 1979 NL Most Valuable Player. 1979 World Series and NLCS MVP. 2-time NL home run leader. 1973 NL RBI leader. Pittsburgh Pirates #8 retired. Was inducted to the MLB Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1988.

[GeoPoto]

Ellis was not very sharp in the second inning either, walking leadoff batter John Vukovich and giving up a home run to Ron Stone for his second long-ball of the season. After walking Larry Bowa, Ellis was relieved by Bob Moose. Moose had started the game the previous night, but had gone only two and one-third innings. Two batters later, Moose gave up a two-run home run to Deron Johnson, allowing the Phillies to take the lead, 6-5 on the slugger’s 29th blast of the year. Once more, the Pirates came back. After a Gene Clines single, stolen base, and advance to third on an errant throw by McCarver, and a Roberto Clemente walk, Willie Stargell hit a sacrifice fly scoring Clines and Manny Sanguillen hit a home run scoring Clemente. The Pirates finished the inning leading 8-6.

Batting fifth and catching: Manuel D. "Manny" Sanguillen Magan. Catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1967-1976. 1,500 hits and 65 home runs in 13 MLB seasons. 3-time All-Star. 1971 and 1979 World Series champion. His best year was 1975 for the Pittsburgh Pirates as he posted a .391 OBP and 9 home runs in 537 plate appearances. In all, he had 9 seasons with at least 425 plate appearances, including 7 seasons with at least 500.

[GeoPoto]

In the third, after Moose gave up a two-out single to Phillies pitcher Brandon putting runners on first and second, Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh chose to replace him with hard-throwing reliever Bob Veale. With Veale’s entrance into the game, the Pirates once more fielded an all-Black lineup in the field. Veale struck out Phillies batter Ron Stone to get out of the inning. In the bottom of the third, the Pirates manufactured yet another run on a single by Al Oliver, fielder’s choice by Jackie Hernandez, sacrifice bunt by Veale, and single by Stennett. The Phillies brought in veteran reliever Dick Selma, who got them out of the inning. The Pirates now led the game by a score of 9-6.

Batting sixth and playing third base: David "Dave" Cash, Jr. Second baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1969-1973. 1,571 hits and 21 home runs in 12 MLB seasons. 3-time All-Star. 1971 World Series champion. His best season came in 1975 for the Philadelphia Phillies as he posted a .356 OBP with 213 hits and 111 runs scored in a league-leading 766 plate appearances. He finished his career with the San Diego Padres in 1980.

[GeoPoto]

Luke Walker replaced Veale on the mound to start the fourth inning, and the seasoned southpaw promptly loaded the bases with a walk, single, and walk to the first three Phillie batters. Willie Montanez then hit a sacrifice fly allowing Larry Bowa to score. However, Tim McCarver was thrown out attempting to advance to third base on the sacrifice resulting in a double play. Walker got out of the inning, and the Pirates remained ahead of the Phillies by a score of 9-7. The Pirates were held in check in the bottom of the fourth, the first time in the game that they did not score in an inning. Neither team scored in the fifth inning, but the Pirates put together another rally in the sixth, with Gene Clines reaching base on a double, and scoring on a Clemente single, bringing the score to 10-7. Luke Walker then took control of the game, not allowing a Phillie batter to reach base in the seventh, eighth, or ninth innings.

Batting seventh and playing first base: Albert "Al" Olliver, Jr. Outfielder/first baseman for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1968-1977. 2,743 hits and 219 home runs in 18 MLB seasons. 7-time All-Star. 1971 World Series champion. 3-time Silver Slugger Award. 1982 NL batting champion. 1982 NL RBI leader. His best season was 1982 for the Montreal Expos as he posted a .392 OBP with 204 hits and 22 home runs in 687 plate appearances. He finished his career with the Toronto Blue Jays in 1985.

[GeoPoto]

Luke Walker got the win, his seventh of the season, after pitching the final six innings of the game. Bucky Brandon took the loss for the Phillies. Six Pirates batters had two hits apiece, but it was Manny Sanguillen’s two-run home run during the second frame, just his sixth of the season, that put the Pirates ahead for good in this rollicking game.

Batting eighth and playing shortstop: Jacinto "Jackie" Hernandez Zulueta. Shortstop with the Kansas City Royals in 1969-1970 and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1971-1973. 308 hits and 12 home runs in 9 MLB seasons. 1971 World Series champion. He debuted with the California Angels in 1965-1966. His most productive season was 1969 with the Royals as he posted a .278 OBP with 54 runs scored and 17 stolen bases in 550 plate appearances. In 1971 with the Pirates, was part of the first MLB starting line-up comprised entirely of players of color.

[GeoPoto]

Immediate recognition of the unprecedented event by the press was mixed. There was no newspaper coverage of the event in Pittsburgh as all of the papers were closed due to a strike. The Philadelphia papers did not really recognize the event either. It was not mentioned in the game account in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the only allusion to the unique Pirates lineup in the Philadelphia Daily News was reporter Bill Conlin’s reference to Danny Murtaugh’s “all-soul lineup,” with no further explanation.

However, a United Press International story that focused upon the all-Black lineup was published in several newspapers around the country. In that article, Danny Murtaugh was quoted as saying, “When it comes to making out the lineup, I’m colorblind, and my athletes know it. They don’t know it because I told them. They know it because they’re familiar with how I operate. The best men in our organization are the ones who are here. And the ones who are here all play, depending on when the circumstances present themselves.”

Batting ninth and pitching: Dock P. Ellis, Jr. Pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1968-1975 and 1979. 138 wins and a career ERA of 3.46 in 12 MLB seasons. 1971 All-Star. 1971 World Series champion. Pitched no-hitter in 1970. Claimed that he never pitched in MLB (317 career games started) without using drugs (particularly amphetamines), including pitching his no-hitter while high on LSD. His best season was probably 1971 for the Pittsburgh Pirates as he posted a 19-9 record with a 3.06 ERA in 226.2 innings pitched.

[GeoPoto]

Pirates pitcher Steve Blass commented on Murtaugh’s approach to the game, stating, “He treated it with the respect it deserved, but didn’t act like it was as big of a deal as they were making — he just put out the nine best Pirates and didn’t care if they were white, Black, Latino, whatever. It was a tremendous response to that whole thing, which was a big deal.”

With the win, the Pirates improved to a record of 82 and 56. They completed the season with a record of 97-65. They went on to defeat the San Francisco Giants in the National League Championship Series three games to one, and then defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series in seven games. Historically, the fielding of an all-Black team certainly ranks with that World Series victory.

Managing the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates: Daniel E. "Danny" Murtaugh. Second baseman with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1948-1951. 661 hits and 49 stolen bases in 9 MLB seasons. He debuted with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1941-1943 and 1946. 1960 and 1971 World Series champion. 1941 NL stolen base leader. Pittsburgh Pirates #40 retired. His best season as a player was 1948 with Pittsburgh as he posted a .365 OBP with 71 RBIs in 579 plate appearances. He managed the Pirates in 1957-1964, 1967, 1970-1971, and 1973-1976. In 1971 he was the first manager to field a starting lineup consisting of 9 black players.