How About Some Love For Pie Traynor
 

As someone who is a lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fan and for the last 3+ years, someone who covers the organization on a daily basis, I can say that last night was a great night for the fans. Some fans, young and old, admitted to crying when the last out was made last night, ending the 20-year losing streak. A common battle cry the last year, that has grown as a streak came closer to ending, was that it couldn't reach 21 years. That is Roberto Clemente's jersey number and it means a lot to the fans, even ones that never saw him play, still wear his jersey.

Being someone who is into baseball history, it kind of got under my skin a little. I have a Clemente jersey/shirt I wear and obviously respect the hell out of him, but if you're going to correlate the amount of years their streak went to a person who happened to wear that number for the team, why did no one care about Pie Traynor last year? He wore #20 for the team and spent 17 years with the team as a player, six as a manager and then became a scout for the team.

Traynor was voted the best third baseman in the first 100 years of baseball. He managed them to a winning record during his time and he was still popular in the city as a local broadcaster well after his baseball career was done. So while Pirates fans aren't showing him much love today, how about some cards/memorabilia of this great Pittsburgh Pirates player.

http://www.piratesprospects.com/2011...vember-11.html

Pie gets no credit.....

http://luckeycards.com/pr311and12.jpg

http://luckeycards.com/pr327diamondsarsx3.jpg

As a huge Tribe fan, I sympathize with Pirates fans (not Steelers fans!) :) I wish them best of luck in the post season....and who knows, if the Tribe can get rollin' maybe we'll have an Indians/Pirates World Series! Ha!

Here's my only Traynor.....his RC of course:

Great player and person, I agree deserves more love-

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...sTraynor60.jpghttp://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...2Traynor40.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ynor20both.jpghttp://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...gtraynor50.jpg

http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...ynor-sgc20.jpghttp://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n...xtraynor50.jpg

I heart Pie
 

I got to meet him at least twice, and from what I recall, he was a very friendly man. Aside from Wagner, he was the face of the franchise from the 1920's through the 1940's , and he turned up on radio and tv into the 70s. It took me a few years to find a good Traynor bat, but I eventually came up with this:

Traynor piece available for trade first choice or sale
 

Hi All:

A neat piece from 1954 with original envelope! Available for trade first choice or sale.

Fred

My biggest selling regret. In 1993 I sold an almost mint single signed Pie Traynor autographed ball for $100 when I was 17. I thought I was a genius because I only paid $75 for it a month earlier. Sigh.

http://photos.imageevent.com/rgold/r...gtraynor88.jpg

http://photos.imageevent.com/rgold/r...miums/tray.jpg

Who can?

Ameri-can!

Here's a little controversy thrown in. Although Pie is obviously a deserving HOF'er, Ron Santo was better! What a travesty it took Santo so long to get in!

Regards, guys,

Larry

Studio Wrestling!

Ron was good, but he wasn't voted the best third baseman of the first 100 years of baseball.

Pie on a HOF signed ball.

Way back when, I was sure laminating this was the right thing to do.

Here's a 1969 interview with Pie Traynor. Talks about both wrestling and baseball.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgZh...e_gdata_player

I have been a Pirate fan since 1971. It's been a long time since I could smile about that. After they won last night I was almost moved to tears:o It's often embarrassing how important this silly game and that team is to me.

Examples of my Traynor cards have been posted so here is my 1923 Pie Traynor original news photo and another of Pie with a few of his 1923 teammates.

I am hoping you will indulge this over joyed Bucs fan by letting me drift off topic a wee bit to thank Cutch as well:D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7YUnM5apXc

Pie and friends
 

Here is a great Type I photo of Traynor in 1934 being congratulated by his Pirates family as he was named new manager of the Bucs. He is shaking hands with the guy he is succeeding, George Gibson.

Standing to the left of Pie is Honus Wagner...over Pie's shoulder you can see Paul Waner...Little Poison is in he middle waaay in he back.

In a stunning coincidence this one is currently available on eBay. :D I will add a link in BST section tomorrow.

Everyone loves Pie!

Curt

Traynor
 

nice rookie, Jimi -

Here's my example (different from yours only b/c it's in an old GAI holder):

Great job with the thread so far! I'm sure ole Pie is feeling the love.

Mike, I love that photo from 1923 with the Carnegie Museum in the background. But I especially love the new avatar: that is an image that McCutchen posted of himself revisiting the very humble home in which he grew up. Speaks volumes.

Baseball Magazine Supplement

my humble contribution
http://photos.imageevent.com/imoverh...mantraynor.jpg