# 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.

## Offseason

* December 1, 1941: Hank Gornicki was selected off waivers by the Pirates from the St. Louis Cardinals.

## Regular season
### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 106 | 48 | .688 | — | 60‍–‍17 | 46‍–‍31 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 104 | 50 | .675 | 2 | 57‍–‍22 | 47‍–‍28 |
| New York Giants | 85 | 67 | .559 | 20 | 47‍–‍31 | 38‍–‍36 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 76 | 76 | .500 | 29 | 38‍–‍39 | 38‍–‍37 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 66 | 81 | .449 | 36½ | 41‍–‍34 | 25‍–‍47 |
| Chicago Cubs | 68 | 86 | .442 | 38 | 36‍–‍41 | 32‍–‍45 |
| Boston Braves | 59 | 89 | .399 | 44 | 33‍–‍36 | 26‍–‍53 |
| Philadelphia Phils | 42 | 109 | .278 | 62½ | 23‍–‍51 | 19‍–‍58 |

### Record vs. opponents

1942 National League recordvte 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)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
1April 14@ Reds4–2Butcher (1–0)Walters—34,1041–0
2April 15@ Reds6–2Dietz (1–0)Riddle—3,6282–0
3April 16@ Reds7–8 (12)BeggsWilkie (0–1)—2,4212–1
4April 17Cardinals3–2Sewell (1–0)Warneke—18,3243–1
5April 18Cardinals3–0Heintzelman (1–0)White—5,9454–1
6April 19Cardinals2–3BeazleyDietz (1–1)Gumbert12,9294–2
7April 20Cubs2–8MootyButcher (1–1)—1,7524–3
8April 21Cubs5–2Sewell (2–0)Bithorn—2,3975–3
9April 22Cubs9–1Hamlin (1–0)Erickson—3,5176–3
10April 23Reds3–5Vander MeerLanning (0–1)—4,5336–4
11April 24Reds5–9StarrDietz (1–2)Beggs4,9716–5
12April 26@ Cardinals2–0Heintzelman (2–0)Warneke——7–5
13April 26@ Cardinals4–4 (11)—14,8207–5
14April 28Phillies7–1Butcher (2–1)Naylor—1,7528–5
15April 29Phillies7–6 (10)Sewell (3–0)Blanton—1,5679–5
16April 30Phillies3–6HoerstLanning (0–2)—1,8269–6 :
May: 10–21 (Home: 6–7; Away: 4–14)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
17May 1Dodgers7–6Heintzelman (3–0)Allen—9,19910–6
18May 2Dodgers10–5Wilkie (1–1)Davis—17,21011–6
19May 3Braves6–2Butcher (3–1)Javery——12–6
20May 3Braves3–12 (8)EarleySewell (3–1)—29,03012–7
21May 4Braves2–1Klinger (1–0)Tobin—1,63713–7
22May 5Braves1–7WallaceDietz (1–3)—2,32113–8
23May 7Giants2–1 (11)Wilkie (2–1)Carpenter——14–8
24May 7Giants2–6KosloHeintzelman (3–1)—4,07514–9
25May 8@ Cubs6–4Sewell (4–1)Schmitz—4,13315–9
26May 9@ Cubs1–3LeeButcher (3–2)—3,46515–10
27May 10@ Cubs2–4PasseauHamlin (1–1)—22,04215–11
28May 10@ Cubs3–2Klinger (2–0)Erickson—22,04216–11
29May 12@ Giants3–7MeltonHeintzelman (3–2)——16–12
30May 13@ Giants3–1Butcher (4–2)Koslo——17–12
31May 14@ Dodgers4–7FrenchWilkie (2–2)Casey—17–13
32May 15@ Dodgers3–8WyattSewell (4–2)——17–14
33May 16@ Dodgers1–8HeadHeintzelman (3–3)——17–15
34May 17@ Phillies7–2Hamlin (2–1)Hoerst——18–15
35May 17@ Phillies4–5 (11)MeltonKlinger (2–1)——18–16
36May 19@ Phillies4–5PodgajnyButcher (4–3)Hoerst3,36618–17
37May 20@ Braves3–4 (10)SainHeintzelman (3–4)—3,01018–18
38May 23Cubs5–4Lanning (1–2)EricksonSewell (1)3,09019–18
39May 24Cubs5–7 (10)LeeSewell (4–3)—16,74619–19
40May 24Cubs4–11PasseauHeintzelman (3–5)—16,74619–20
41May 25@ Reds1–6DerringerButcher (4–4)—16,20519–21
42May 27Cardinals3–5BeazleySewell (4–4)—1,63519–22
43May 28Cardinals2–3 (11)BeazleyWilkie (2–3)Gumbert16,57719–23
44May 30@ Cubs5–10MootyGornicki (0–1)Pressnell—19–24
45May 30@ Cubs2–3FlemingHamlin (2–2)Pressnell22,73519–25
46May 31@ Reds2–8WaltersSewell (4–5)——19–26
47May 31@ Reds0–3StarrButcher (4–5)—16,72119–27 :
June: 13–9 (Home: 8–3; Away: 5–6)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
48June 2Dodgers2–17WebberWilkie (2–4)—3,25719–28
49June 5Phillies6–5Heintzelman (4–5)HoerstDietz (1)1,19520–28
50June 6Phillies3–1Sewell (5–5)Hughes—2,18421–28
51June 7Phillies5–4 (10)Heintzelman (5–5)Johnson——22–28
52June 7Phillies8–6 (7)Lanning (2–2)MeltonWilkie (1)8,46123–28
53June 9Braves10–2Heintzelman (6–5)Tost—1,87124–28
54June 10Braves3–0Sewell (6–5)Tobin—11,53325–28
55June 13Giants8–2Klinger (3–1)Melton—4,09626–28
56June 14Giants3–4CarpenterHeintzelman (6–6)—16,71926–29
57June 14Giants8–3 (8)Sewell (7–5)Sunkel—16,71927–29
58June 15Giants2–6SchumacherButcher (4–6)——27–30
59June 16@ Phillies1–5PodgajnyHamlin (2–3)—1,19627–31
60June 17@ Phillies6–1Klinger (4–1)Hoerst——28–31
61June 19@ Braves7–6 (11)Dietz (2–3)Sain—3,30429–31
62June 20@ Braves0–4JaveryHeintzelman (6–7)——29–32
63June 21@ Braves7–3 (10)Butcher (5–6)Errickson—5,00030–32
64June 23@ Dodgers2–6FrenchKlinger (4–2)—16,08030–33
65June 26@ Giants2–4MeltonSewell (7–6)—7,58530–34
66June 27@ Giants2–5CarpenterHeintzelman (6–8)—4,10030–35
67June 28@ Giants8–7Wilkie (3–4)Adams——31–35
68June 28@ Giants9–3Klinger (5–2)Schumacher—31,50532–35
69June 30@ Cardinals2–4CooperSewell (7–7)—13,25232–36 :
July: 11–16 (Home: 8–7; Away: 3–9)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
70July 1@ Cardinals0–4WhiteHeintzelman (6–9)—1,43932–37
71July 2@ Cardinals1–3BeazleyKlinger (5–3)—8,69932–38
72July 3@ Cardinals5–4Lanning (3–2)WarnekeDietz (2)1,16933–38
73July 4Reds0–2WaltersButcher (5–7)—18,00033–39
74July 5Reds4–3Sewell (8–7)Derringer——34–39
75July 5Reds2–5StarrHamlin (2–4)—11,36534–40
76July 9Phillies9–0Sewell (9–7)Melton—29,48835–40
77July 11Phillies12–5Wilkie (4–4)Pearson—2,03436–40
78July 12Dodgers1–2FrenchLanning (3–3)——36–41
79July 12Dodgers6–4Heintzelman (7–9)HigbeSewell (2)29,54337–41
80July 14Dodgers1–5WyattKlinger (5–4)—21,25437–42
81July 15Giants6–2Sewell (10–7)Carpenter—2,39438–42
82July 16Giants1–3HubbellButcher (5–8)—9,09838–43
83July 17Giants2–11SchumacherLanning (3–4)Adams2,08338–44
84July 18Braves3–0Heintzelman (8–9)Javery——39–44
85July 19Braves8–7Dietz (3–3)Errickson——40–44
86July 19Braves9–0 (8)Klinger (6–4)Salvo—7,42541–44
87July 20Dodgers0–5FrenchLanning (3–5)—13,60041–45
88July 21@ Giants5–6HubbellWilkie (4–5)—8,93741–46
89July 23@ Giants4–6McGeeSewell (10–8)—5,55541–47
90July 24@ Dodgers4–6WyattHeintzelman (8–10)—10,79841–48
91July 25@ Dodgers4–1Gornicki (1–1)Davis—11,31442–48
92July 26@ Dodgers2–3AllenKlinger (6–5)Head—42–49
93July 26@ Dodgers3–5MaconLanning (3–6)Head31,84442–50
94July 28@ Braves3–4TostDietz (3–4)—1,52742–51
95July 29@ Braves3–0Sewell (11–8)Javery——43–51
96July 29@ Braves5–6TobinKlinger (6–6)—4,06443–52 :
August: 15–15 (Home: 8–7; Away: 7–8)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
97August 1@ Phillies1–2 (12)HughesSewell (11–9)——43–53
98August 2@ Phillies4–2Hamlin (3–4)Melton——44–53
99August 2@ Phillies3–2Dietz (4–4)HoerstButcher (1)—45–53
100August 4Cubs2–1 (11)Klinger (7–6)Bithorn—2,04246–53
101August 5Cubs3–0Sewell (12–9)Fleming—8,82647–53
102August 7Cardinals13–6Wilkie (5–5)Lanier—10,43048–53
103August 8Cardinals5–5 (16)—2,12848–53
104August 9Cardinals3–4DicksonLanning (3–7)——48–54
105August 9Cardinals1–2 (8)KristKlinger (7–7)—15,56148–55
106August 10Cardinals6–4Wilkie (6–5)CooperDietz (3)1,50749–55
107August 11Reds3–1Gornicki (2–1)Thompson—2,10850–55
108August 12Reds0–3Vander MeerSewell (12–10)—8,11450–56
109August 14@ Cubs1–7WarnekeKlinger (7–8)—3,93450–57
110August 15@ Cubs8–5Dietz (5–4)BithornLanning (1)—51–57
111August 15@ Cubs8–7 (11)Sewell (13–10)Errickson—11,70252–57
112August 16@ Cubs1–5LeeGornicki (2–2)——52–58
113August 16@ Cubs1–4FlemingSewell (13–11)—25,93052–59
114August 18@ Reds3–0Lanning (4–7)Walters—6,47553–59
115August 19@ Reds9–2Gornicki (3–2)Derringer—1,33854–59
116August 20@ Reds3–5Vander MeerSewell (13–12)—1,32454–60
117August 21@ Cardinals2–10BeazleyDietz (5–5)—2,01054–61
118August 22@ Cardinals6–7LanierKlinger (7–9)—3,06754–62
119August 23@ Cardinals5–3Klinger (8–9)Cooper——55–62
120August 23@ Cardinals2–5DicksonLanning (4–8)——55–63
121August 25Braves6–0Sewell (14–12)Earley——56–63
122August 27Braves5–0Gornicki (4–2)Tobin—4,10657–63
123August 29Giants0–2SchumacherDietz (5–6)——57–64
124August 29Giants4–7McGeeKlinger (8–10)—5,21257–65
125August 30Dodgers1–3WyattHeintzelman (8–11)Davis—57–66
126August 30Dodgers9–5 (8)Sewell (15–12)French—26,37758–66
127August 31Dodgers4–5 (11)DavisGornicki (4–3)—3,69758–67 :
September: 8–14 (Home: 5–5; Away: 3–9)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
128September 1Dodgers2–4HigbeKlinger (8–11)—4,43758–68
129September 2Phillies5–2Dietz (6–6)Hoerst—3,71259–68
130September 4Cubs3–5BithornSewell (15–13)—5,21859–69
131September 6Cubs6–0Gornicki (5–3)Passeau——60–69
132September 6Cubs5–0Hamlin (4–4)Fleming—8,61061–69
133September 7Cardinals11–6Sewell (16–13)DicksonKlinger (1)—62–69
134September 7Cardinals4–6 (8)BeazleyDietz (6–7)—18,78562–70
135September 8@ Dodgers0–4HeadWilkie (6–6)——62–71
136September 10@ Phillies1–2 (11)HughesDietz (6–8)——62–72
137September 12@ Braves1–4TobinGornicki (5–4)——62–73
138September 12@ Braves2–2 (11)——62–73
139September 13@ Giants0–5CarpenterSewell (16–14)——62–74
140September 13@ Giants3–5McGeeWilkie (6–7)—17,79462–75
141September 14@ Giants1–6SchumacherDietz (6–9)—2,42862–76
142September 16@ Dodgers3–10WyattGornicki (5–5)—11,99462–77
143September 17@ Dodgers3–2Sewell (17–14)Head——63–77
144September 18Reds1–5Vander MeerHallett (0–1)—5,15463–78
145September 19Reds3–4WaltersBrandt (0–1)—1,48563–79
146September 20Reds2–1 (13)Lanning (5–8)Shoun——64–79
147September 20Reds3–3 (7)—4,16164–79
148September 21@ Cardinals1–2WhiteGornicki (5–6)—5,00064–80
149September 22@ Cardinals3–9GumbertSewell (17–15)Dickson8,82364–81
150September 27@ Reds8–7 (12)Lanning (6–8)BeggsGornicki (1)—65–81
151September 27@ Reds7–4Brandt (1–1)Vander MeerGornicki (2)2,07066–81 :
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie Bold = Pirates team member :

### Roster
## Player stats
### Batting
#### 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 |

### Pitching
#### 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 | 248.0 | 17 | 15 | 3.41 | 69 |
| Max Butcher | 24 | 150.2 | 5 | 8 | 2.93 | 49 |
| Ken Heintzelman | 27 | 130.0 | 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 | 112.0 | 5 | 6 | 2.57 | 48 |
| Luke Hamlin | 23 | 112.0 | 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