# 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1921 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 40th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 35th in the National League. The Pirates finished second in the league standings with a record of 90–63. It would be the first that games would be aired on radio via the then new station KDKA-AM to listeners all over Pittsburgh, making that team the first in MLB to employ radio broadcasters for game broadcasts on the then new medium.

## Regular season
### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| New York Giants | 94 | 59 | .614 | — | 53‍–‍26 | 41‍–‍33 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 90 | 63 | .588 | 4 | 45‍–‍31 | 45‍–‍32 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 87 | 66 | .569 | 7 | 48‍–‍29 | 39‍–‍37 |
| Boston Braves | 79 | 74 | .516 | 15 | 42‍–‍32 | 37‍–‍42 |
| Brooklyn Robins | 77 | 75 | .507 | 16½ | 41‍–‍37 | 36‍–‍38 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 70 | 83 | .458 | 24 | 40‍–‍36 | 30‍–‍47 |
| Chicago Cubs | 64 | 89 | .418 | 30 | 32‍–‍44 | 32‍–‍45 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 51 | 103 | .331 | 43½ | 29‍–‍47 | 22‍–‍56 |

### Record vs. opponents

1921 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BOS | BR | CHC | CIN | NYG | PHI | PIT | STL |
| Boston | — | 11–11 | 14–8 | 13–9 | 8–13 | 14–8 | 9–13 | 10–12 |
| Brooklyn | 11–11 | — | 10–11 | 10–11 | 12–10 | 16–6 | 10–12 | 8–14 |
| Chicago | 8–14 | 11–10 | — | 13–9 | 8–14 | 11–11 | 5–17 | 8–14 |
| Cincinnati | 9–13 | 11–10 | 9–13 | — | 8–14 | 13–9 | 8–14 | 12–10 |
| New York | 13–8 | 10–12 | 14–8 | 14–8 | — | 16–6 | 16–6 | 11–11 |
| Philadelphia | 8–14 | 6–16 | 11–11 | 9–13 | 6–16 | — | 4–18 | 7–15 |
| Pittsburgh | 13–9 | 12–10 | 17–5 | 14–8 | 6–16 | 18–4 | — | 10–11–1 |
| St. Louis | 12–10 | 14–8 | 14–8 | 10–12 | 11–11 | 15–7 | 11–10–1 | — |

### Game log

1921 Game Log: 90–63 (Home: 45–31; Away: 45–32) :
April: 11–3 (Home: 3–1; Away: 8–2)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
1April 13@ Reds3–5LuqueAdams (0–1)—30,4440–1
2April 14@ Reds7–2Cooper (1–0)Marquard——1–1
3April 15@ Reds3–1Hamilton (1–0)RixeyYellow Horse (1)—2–1
4April 16@ Reds7–3Ponder (1–0)Brenton——3–1
5April 18@ Cubs4–7TylerZinn (0–1)——3–2
6April 19@ Cubs14–2Hamilton (2–0)Martin——4–2
7April 20@ Cubs6–5Carlson (1–0)FreemanGlazner (1)—5–2
8April 21Reds8–7Yellow Horse (1–0)Brenton——6–2
9April 22Reds6–1Zinn (1–1)Luque——7–2
10April 23Reds4–5MarquardHamilton (2–1)——7–3
11April 24@ Reds7–2Adams (1–1)Rixey——8–3
12April 25@ Cardinals6–5 (10)Ponder (2–0)Pertica——9–3
13April 27@ Cardinals7–4Hamilton (3–1)MayZinn (1)—10–3
14April 29Cubs3–0Cooper (2–0)York——11–3 :
May: 18–7 (Home: 7–2; Away: 11–5)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
15May 1@ Cubs2–0Adams (2–1)Vaughn——12–3
16May 2@ Cubs4–3Glazner (1–0)Martin——13–3
17May 5Cardinals8–3Cooper (3–0)Pertica——14–3
18May 6Cardinals10–6Hamilton (4–1)HainesZinn (2)—15–3
19May 7Cardinals2–1Glazner (2–0)Sherdel——16–3
20May 8@ Reds0–1RixeyAdams (2–2)——16–4
21May 10@ Braves5–2Cooper (4–0)Oeschger——17–4
22May 11@ Braves0–1 (13)FillingimHamilton (4–2)——17–5
23May 12@ Braves3–1Glazner (3–0)Watson——18–5
24May 14@ Phillies6–4 (10)Cooper (5–0)Smith——19–5
25May 16@ Phillies0–3CauseyHamilton (4–3)Ring—19–6
26May 17@ Phillies6–4Glazner (4–0)Hubbell——20–6
27May 18@ Robins11–2Cooper (6–0)Ruether—10,00021–6
28May 19@ Robins7–5Adams (3–2)Smith—10,00022–6
29May 20@ Robins3–2Hamilton (5–3)Cadore—8,00023–6
30May 21@ Robins13–6Zinn (2–1)MitchellCarlson (1)20,00024–6
31May 22@ Giants8–6Cooper (7–0)Sallee—40,00025–6
32May 24@ Giants3–5NehfAdams (3–3)——25–7
33May 26Reds1–4MarquardHamilton (5–4)——25–8
34May 27Reds5–4Cooper (8–0)Rixey——26–8
35May 28Reds4–3Adams (4–3)Luque——27–8
36May 29@ Reds3–4 (13)RixeyCarlson (1–1)——27–9
37May 30Cubs13–0Zinn (3–1)York——28–9
38May 30Cubs6–3Yellow Horse (2–0)Tyler——29–9
39May 31Cubs6–7 (12)FreemanHamilton (5–5)——29–10 :
June: 17–12 (Home: 11–7; Away: 6–5)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
40June 1Cubs4–2Glazner (5–0)Martin——30–10
41June 2Giants0–7NehfZinn (3–2)—20,00030–11
42June 3Giants1–4ToneyHamilton (5–6)—15,00030–12
43June 4Giants0–12DouglasCooper (8–1)—25,00030–13
44June 6Giants5–4Adams (5–3)Barnes—9,00031–13
45June 7Braves7–10OeschgerYellow Horse (2–1)——31–14
46June 8Braves16–4Hamilton (6–6)McQuillan——32–14
47June 9Braves5–3Cooper (9–1)Fillingim——33–14
48June 10Braves1–4ScottGlazner (5–1)——33–15
49June 11Phillies10–3Adams (6–3)Hubbell——34–15
50June 13Phillies12–5Hamilton (7–6)Baumgartner——35–15
51June 14Phillies8–3Zinn (4–2)Ring——36–15
52June 15Robins3–7GrimesCooper (9–2)—7,00036–16
53June 16Robins6–5 (17)Yellow Horse (3–1)Mamaux—5,00037–16
54June 17Robins3–8CadoreHamilton (7–7)—8,00037–17
55June 18Robins4–3Cooper (10–2)Ruether—18,00038–17
56June 20Phillies3–2Yellow Horse (4–1)MeadowsZinn (3)—39–17
57June 22@ Reds5–2 (12)Cooper (11–2)Rixey——40–17
58June 23@ Cardinals2–3 (12)WalkerCarlson (1–2)——40–18
59June 23@ Cardinals3–4DoakZinn (4–3)——40–19
60June 24@ Cardinals4–3 (10)Glazner (6–1)Bailey——41–19
61June 25@ Cardinals4–7PfefferYellow Horse (4–2)North—41–20
62June 25@ Cardinals5–2Cooper (12–2)Pertica——42–20
63June 26@ Cubs11–3Adams (7–3)Alexander——43–20
64June 27@ Cubs10–3Morrison (1–0)Vaughn——44–20
65June 28@ Cubs1–2MartinZinn (4–4)——44–21
66June 28@ Cubs6–8TylerCarlson (1–3)——44–22
67June 29@ Cubs3–1Cooper (13–2)Cheeves——45–22
68June 30Reds5–3Yellow Horse (5–2)Luque——46–22 :
July: 14–13 (Home: 5–6; Away: 9–7)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
69July 1Reds5–2Morrison (2–0)Rixey——47–22
70July 2Reds9–0Adams (8–3)Brenton——48–22
71July 3@ Reds2–8MarquardHamilton (7–8)——48–23
72July 4Cardinals5–2Glazner (7–1)Bailey——49–23
73July 4Cardinals3–6PerticaCooper (13–3)——49–24
74July 5Cardinals2–8WalkerYellow Horse (5–3)——49–25
75July 6Cardinals3–2 (13)Morrison (3–0)North——50–25
76July 8@ Robins5–3Cooper (14–3)Schupp——51–25
77July 9@ Robins4–2Glazner (8–1)Cadore—8,00052–25
78July 10@ Robins3–7GrimesMorrison (3–1)—10,00052–26
79July 11@ Robins8–9MiljusHamilton (7–9)—8,00052–27
80July 12@ Phillies9–4Cooper (15–3)Baumgartner——53–27
81July 14@ Phillies5–4 (10)Carlson (2–3)Ring——54–27
82July 16@ Giants4–13DouglasCooper (15–4)—33,00054–28
83July 17@ Giants4–2 (10)Hamilton (8–9)Causey—36,00055–28
84July 18@ Giants1–12NehfMorrison (3–2)—10,00055–29
85July 19@ Giants10–1Adams (9–3)Ryan—18,00056–29
86July 20@ Braves2–0Cooper (16–4)Oeschger——57–29
87July 22@ Braves1–2 (10)McQuillanHamilton (8–10)——57–30
88July 22@ Braves4–3 (13)Glazner (9–1)Fillingim——58–30
89July 23@ Braves3–2Cooper (17–4)Watson——59–30
90July 23@ Braves1–3ScottCarlson (2–4)——59–31
91July 25Giants6–3Adams (10–3)Douglas—20,00060–31
92July 26Giants8–9 (10)BarnesGlazner (9–2)—15,00060–32
93July 27Giants1–4NehfCooper (17–5)——60–33
94July 28Giants4–6DouglasGlazner (9–3)Ryan15,00060–34
95July 30Braves0–1OeschgerCooper (17–6)——60–35 :
August: 18–12 (Home: 9–3; Away: 9–9)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
96August 1Braves7–3Adams (11–3)McQuillan——61–35
97August 3Phillies9–5Cooper (18–6)Winters——62–35
98August 4Phillies5–0Hamilton (9–10)Meadows——63–35
99August 5Phillies8–5Zinn (5–4)Ring——64–35
100August 6Robins2–3CadoreGlazner (9–4)—18,00064–36
101August 8Robins2–4GrimesCooper (18–7)—8,00064–37
102August 9Robins4–2Adams (12–3)MitchellZinn (4)8,00065–37
103August 10Robins0–1CadoreMorrison (3–3)—6,00065–38
104August 11Cubs7–3Hamilton (10–10)Alexander——66–38
105August 11Cubs5–4 (11)Zinn (6–4)Martin——67–38
106August 12Cubs12–9Cooper (19–7)Cheeves——68–38
107August 13Cubs4–3Glazner (10–4)Freeman——69–38
108August 14@ Cubs1–0Morrison (4–3)Martin——70–38
109August 16@ Phillies5–6BettsCooper (19–8)——70–39
110August 16@ Phillies8–6 (11)Zinn (7–4)Smith——71–39
111August 18@ Phillies4–3Hamilton (11–10)RingCarlson (2)—72–39
112August 18@ Phillies3–2Glazner (11–4)Winters——73–39
113August 19@ Phillies14–3Morrison (5–3)Meadows——74–39
114August 19@ Phillies1–4HubbellZinn (7–5)——74–40
115August 20@ Braves6–4 (13)Cooper (20–8)Fillingim——75–40
116August 22@ Braves10–8Hamilton (12–10)McQuillanCarlson (3)—76–40
117August 23@ Braves3–4WatsonGlazner (11–5)——76–41
118August 24@ Giants2–10NehfAdams (12–4)——76–42
119August 24@ Giants0–7DouglasCooper (20–9)——76–43
120August 25@ Giants2–5ToneyMorrison (5–4)—12,00076–44
121August 26@ Giants1–2DouglasHamilton (12–11)—15,00076–45
122August 27@ Giants1–3NehfCarlson (2–5)—36,00076–46
123August 28@ Robins2–0Morrison (6–4)Grimes—20,00077–46
124August 29@ Robins0–1RuetherCooper (20–10)—4,50077–47
125August 30@ Robins8–2Glazner (12–5)Cadore——78–47 :
September: 11–16 (Home: 10–12; Away: 1–4)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
126September 1Cardinals4–10PerticaHamilton (12–12)——78–48
127September 1Cardinals0–8SherdelMorrison (6–5)——78–49
128September 2Cardinals0–1HainesCarlson (2–6)——78–50
129September 4@ Reds2–1 (12)Glazner (13–5)Luque——79–50
130September 5Reds1–2 (13)RixeyHamilton (12–13)——79–51
131September 5Reds2–1Cooper (21–10)Markle——80–51
132September 9Cubs5–8FreemanCooper (21–11)Alexander—80–52
133September 10Cubs8–0Morrison (7–5)Alexander—10,00081–52
134September 11@ Reds1–4MarquardHamilton (12–14)—3,00081–53
135September 12Braves5–4 (15)Adams (13–4)Scott—8,00082–53
136September 12Braves3–4MorganZinn (7–6)——82–54
137September 13Braves5–3Carlson (3–6)McQuillan—5,00083–54
138September 14Braves5–2Morrison (8–5)Fillingim——84–54
139September 15Braves3–6ScottCooper (21–12)—5,00084–55
140September 16Giants0–5ToneyHamilton (12–15)—25,00084–56
141September 17Giants1–6NehfCarlson (3–7)—25,00084–57
142September 19Giants2–1Adams (14–4)Douglas—10,00085–57
143September 21Robins0–2 (7)MitchellMorrison (8–6)—3,00085–58
144September 22Robins3–1Glazner (14–5)GrimesCarlson (4)8,00086–58
145September 22Robins0–2CadoreCooper (21–13)Smith12,00086–59
146September 23Phillies2–0Hamilton (13–15)Meadows—2,50087–59
147September 24Phillies4–3Morrison (9–6)Ring—6,00088–59
148September 26Phillies1–2HubbellAdams (14–5)—1,50088–60
149September 27Phillies9–6Carlson (4–7)Winters—30089–60
150September 29@ Cardinals4–5 (10)NorthCooper (21–14)—5,00089–61
151September 29@ Cardinals1–3 (6)SherdelMorrison (9–7)——89–62
152September 30@ Cardinals4–12HainesCarlson (4–8)——89–63 :
October: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Away: 1–0)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
153October 1@ Cardinals4–4——89–63
154October 2@ Cardinals4–3Cooper (22–14)North——90–63 :
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 | Walter Schmidt | 114 | 393 | 111 | .282 | 0 | 38 |
| 1B | Charlie Grimm | 151 | 562 | 154 | .274 | 7 | 71 |
| 2B | George Cutshaw | 98 | 350 | 119 | .340 | 0 | 53 |
| SS | Rabbit Maranville | 153 | 612 | 180 | .294 | 1 | 70 |
| 3B | Clyde Barnhart | 124 | 449 | 116 | .258 | 3 | 62 |
| OF | Carson Bigbee | 147 | 632 | 204 | .323 | 3 | 42 |
| OF | Max Carey | 140 | 521 | 161 | .309 | 7 | 56 |
| OF | Possum Whitted | 108 | 403 | 114 | .283 | 7 | 63 |

#### 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 |
| Cotton Tierney | 117 | 442 | 132 | .299 | 3 | 52 |
| Dave Robertson | 60 | 230 | 74 | .322 | 6 | 48 |
| Tony Brottem | 30 | 91 | 22 | .242 | 0 | 9 |
| Johnny Mokan | 19 | 52 | 14 | .269 | 0 | 9 |
| Bill Skiff | 16 | 45 | 13 | .289 | 0 | 11 |
| Ray Rohwer | 30 | 40 | 10 | .250 | 0 | 6 |
| Johnny Gooch | 13 | 38 | 9 | .237 | 0 | 3 |
| Pie Traynor | 7 | 19 | 5 | .263 | 0 | 2 |
| Mike Wilson | 5 | 4 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| Kiki Cuyler | 1 | 3 | 0 | .000 | 0 | 0 |
| Bill Warwick | 1 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 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 |
| Wilbur Cooper | 38 | 327.0 | 22 | 14 | 3.25 | 134 |
| Whitey Glazner | 36 | 234.0 | 14 | 5 | 2.77 | 88 |
| Earl Hamilton | 35 | 225.0 | 13 | 15 | 3.36 | 59 |
| Babe Adams | 25 | 160.0 | 14 | 5 | 2.64 | 55 |
| Johnny Morrison | 21 | 144.0 | 9 | 7 | 2.88 | 52 |

#### 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 |
| Jimmy Zinn | 32 | 127.1 | 7 | 6 | 3.68 | 49 |
| Hal Carlson | 31 | 109.2 | 4 | 8 | 4.27 | 37 |
| Chief Yellow Horse | 10 | 48.1 | 5 | 3 | 2.98 | 19 |

#### 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 |
| Elmer Ponder | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.19 | 3 |
| Lyle Bigbee | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.13 | 1 |
| Rip Wheeler | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 0 |
| Bill Hughes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.50 | 2 |
| Drew Rader | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 |
| Phil Morrison | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 1 |

## Farm system

| Level | Team | League | Manager |
| A | Wichita Falls Spudders | Texas League | Walter Salm |