# 1931 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1931 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 50th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 45th in the National League. The Pirates finished fifth in the league standings with a record of 75–79.

## Offseason

* November 6, 1930: Dick Bartell was traded by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Tommy Thevenow and Claude Willoughby.

## Regular season
### Notable transactions

* June 13, 1931: Rollie Hemsley was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Earl Grace.

### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 101 | 53 | .656 | — | 54‍–‍24 | 47‍–‍29 |
| New York Giants | 87 | 65 | .572 | 13 | 50‍–‍27 | 37‍–‍38 |
| Chicago Cubs | 84 | 70 | .545 | 17 | 50‍–‍27 | 34‍–‍43 |
| Brooklyn Robins | 79 | 73 | .520 | 21 | 46‍–‍29 | 33‍–‍44 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 75 | 79 | .487 | 26 | 44‍–‍33 | 31‍–‍46 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 66 | 88 | .429 | 35 | 40‍–‍36 | 26‍–‍52 |
| Boston Braves | 64 | 90 | .416 | 37 | 36‍–‍41 | 28‍–‍49 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 58 | 96 | .377 | 43 | 38‍–‍39 | 20‍–‍57 |

### Record vs. opponents

1931 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BOS | BR | CHC | CIN | NYG | PHI | PIT | STL |
| Boston | — | 11–11–1 | 8–14–1 | 8–14 | 6–16 | 11–11 | 11–11 | 9–13 |
| Brooklyn | 11–11–1 | — | 14–8 | 10–12 | 10–10 | 13–9 | 11–11 | 10–12 |
| Chicago | 14–8–1 | 8–14 | — | 14–8 | 12–10 | 14–8 | 14–8–1 | 8–14 |
| Cincinnati | 14–8 | 12–10 | 8–14 | — | 7–15 | 9–13 | 6–16 | 2–20 |
| New York | 16–6 | 10–10 | 10–12 | 15–7 | — | 14–8–1 | 12–10 | 10–12 |
| Philadelphia | 11–11 | 9–13 | 8–14 | 13–9 | 8–14–1 | — | 13–9 | 4–18 |
| Pittsburgh | 11–11 | 11–11 | 8–14–1 | 16–6 | 10–12 | 9–13 | — | 10–12 |
| St. Louis | 13–9 | 12–10 | 14–8 | 20–2 | 12–10 | 18–4 | 12–10 | — |

### Game log

1931 Game Log: 75–79 (Home: 44–33; Away: 31–46) :
April: 6–8 (Home: 1–2; Away: 5–6)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
1April 14@ Cubs2–6RootFrench (0–1)—45,0000–1
2April 15@ Cubs5–6SmithWilloughby (0–1)——0–2
3April 16@ Cubs4–3Spencer (1–0)Blake——1–2
4April 17@ Cubs4–5BushWood (0–1)Smith30,0001–3
5April 18@ Reds9–6French (1–1)Wysong——2–3
6April 19@ Reds5–1Kremer (1–0)Johnson——3–3
7April 20@ Reds5–7LucasMeine (0–1)——3–4
8April 24Cubs6–10SweetlandFrench (1–2)——3–5
9April 25Cubs3–8MaloneKremer (1–1)May—3–6
10April 26@ Cardinals1–0Meine (1–1)Hallahan——4–6
11April 27@ Cardinals5–3French (2–2)Rhem——5–6
12April 28@ Cardinals2–8GrimesWood (0–2)——5–7
13April 29@ Cardinals1–7HainesKremer (1–2)——5–8
14April 30Reds8–3Meine (2–1)Rixey——6–8 :
May: 11–14 (Home: 2–6; Away: 9–8)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
15May 1Reds5–4 (11)Spencer (2–0)Carroll——7–8
16May 2Reds11–5Osborn (1–0)Ogden——8–8
17May 3@ Reds6–3Kremer (2–2)Lucas——9–8
18May 3@ Reds5–10KolpWood (0–3)——9–9
19May 6Cardinals5–6 (13)GrimesMeine (2–2)Lindsey—9–10
20May 7Cardinals5–11HainesFrench (2–3)——9–11
21May 9Cardinals2–4JohnsonKremer (2–3)——9–12
22May 10@ Robins3–1French (3–3)Phelps—28,00010–12
23May 11@ Robins4–2Meine (3–2)Vance—5,00011–12
24May 15@ Giants3–2 (10)French (4–3)Mitchell—8,00012–12
25May 16@ Braves2–9ZacharyKremer (2–4)—15,00012–13
26May 17@ Braves5–3Meine (4–2)Seibold——13–13
27May 18@ Braves1–3BrandtBrame (0–1)——13–14
28May 19@ Phillies2–3ElliottFrench (4–4)Elliott—13–15
29May 20@ Phillies7–11ShieldsWilloughby (0–2)——13–16
30May 23@ Cubs4–3Meine (5–2)MaloneSpencer (1)—14–16
31May 24@ Cubs10–7Brame (1–1)RootSpencer (2)—15–16
32May 25@ Cubs6–9SweetlandKremer (2–5)——15–17
33May 26@ Cardinals9–11DerringerSpencer (2–1)——15–18
34May 27@ Cardinals4–0Meine (6–2)Johnson——16–18
35May 28@ Cardinals11–8 (7)Osborn (2–0)Rhem——17–18
36May 29Cubs3–4 (10)RootKremer (2–6)——17–19
37May 30Cubs2–9SweetlandSpencer (2–2)—10,00017–20
38May 30Cubs5–6MayBrame (1–2)Root18,00017–21
39May 31@ Cubs0–5SmithMeine (6–3)—30,00017–22 :
June: 8–18 (Home: 4–7; Away: 4–11)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
40June 2Braves4–3Osborn (3–0)Brandt——18–22
41June 3Braves3–4 (10)SeiboldBrame (1–3)——18–23
42June 4Braves2–1 (13)Spencer (3–2)Haid——19–23
43June 5Braves0–4ZacharyMeine (6–4)——19–24
44June 6Phillies3–2Kremer (3–6)Elliott——20–24
45June 9Phillies3–7DudleyBrame (1–4)Elliott—20–25
46June 10Giants5–1French (5–4)Walker——21–25
47June 11Giants6–8 (11)BerlySpencer (3–3)—5,00021–26
48June 12Giants2–8FitzsimmonsKremer (3–7)——21–27
49June 13Giants4–6MitchellBrame (1–5)——21–28
50June 14@ Robins3–6ShauteFrench (5–5)Quinn15,00021–29
51June 17Robins0–2ClarkMeine (6–5)——21–30
52June 18@ Giants1–3HubbellFrench (5–6)——21–31
53June 19@ Giants4–1Kremer (4–7)Mitchell——22–31
54June 20@ Giants1–3WalkerSpencer (3–4)—30,00022–32
55June 20@ Giants0–10FitzsimmonsBrame (1–6)—30,00022–33
56June 21@ Giants5–4 (11)French (6–6)Heving——23–33
57June 22@ Robins2–3 (10)ClarkWood (0–4)——23–34
58June 24@ Robins4–6ShauteFrench (6–7)——23–35
59June 24@ Robins3–5HeimachKremer (4–8)—20,00023–36
60June 25@ Phillies1–5DudleyBrame (1–7)——23–37
61June 26@ Phillies2–13WattMeine (6–6)——23–38
62June 27@ Phillies10–6Wood (1–4)ElliottSwetonic (1)15,00024–38
63June 27@ Phillies4–5BengeFrench (6–8)Collins15,00024–39
64June 29@ Braves4–2Kremer (5–8)Zachary——25–39
65June 30@ Braves1–5FrankhouseBrame (1–8)——25–40 :
July: 19–10 (Home: 16–8; Away: 3–2)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
66July 1@ Braves4–1Spencer (4–4)Seibold——26–40
67July 2@ Braves1–0Meine (7–6)Cunningham——27–40
68July 4Cardinals9–8 (11)Osborn (4–0)Lindsey——28–40
69July 4Cardinals3–4 (12)HallahanKremer (5–9)——28–41
70July 5@ Reds6–4Brame (2–8)Johnson——29–41
71July 8Cubs5–2Meine (8–6)Warneke——30–41
72July 9Cubs4–2Kremer (6–9)Teachout——31–41
73July 11Cubs2–9SweetlandSpencer (4–5)——31–42
74July 11Cubs5–5 (10)——31–42
75July 12@ Reds7–14LucasMeine (8–7)——31–43
76July 12@ Reds5–6 (11)BentonSwetonic (0–1)——31–44
77July 13Phillies0–1ElliottKremer (6–10)——31–45
78July 14Phillies9–4Meine (9–7)Dudley——32–45
79July 14Phillies4–3 (10)Spencer (5–5)Collins——33–45
80July 15Phillies4–2French (7–8)Benge——34–45
81July 16Phillies12–8Brame (3–8)Bolen——35–45
82July 17Phillies1–4ElliottKremer (6–11)——35–46
83July 18Braves9–3Meine (10–7)Seibold——36–46
84July 18Braves0–1CantwellSpencer (5–6)——36–47
85July 22Robins10–6French (8–8)Shaute——37–47
86July 22Robins2–3HeimachKremer (6–12)—8,00037–48
87July 23Robins17–6Brame (4–8)Vance—3,00038–48
88July 24Robins8–7Osborn (5–0)ClarkFrench (1)—39–48
89July 25Robins5–2Wood (2–4)Luque—12,00040–48
90July 25Robins3–2 (14)French (9–8)Heimach—17,00041–48
91July 27Giants8–6Kremer (7–12)MitchellSpencer (3)—42–48
92July 28Giants2–6HubbellBrame (4–9)——42–49
93July 29Giants4–5WalkerMeine (10–8)——42–50
94July 30Giants9–0French (10–8)Morrell——43–50
95July 31Reds5–0Kremer (8–12)Benton——44–50 :
August: 15–20 (Home: 6–4; Away: 9–16)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
96August 1Reds1–0Spencer (6–6)Rixey——45–50
97August 2@ Reds3–0Brame (5–9)Lucas——46–50
98August 4Cardinals1–7HainesMeine (10–9)——46–51
99August 5Cardinals5–4 (12)French (11–8)Lindsey——47–51
100August 5Cardinals2–16HallahanWood (2–5)——47–52
101August 6Reds2–3BentonSpencer (6–7)——47–53
102August 7Reds9–3Kremer (9–12)Lucas——48–53
103August 8Reds4–3Meine (11–9)Johnson——49–53
104August 9@ Reds2–6BentonFrench (11–9)——49–54
105August 9@ Reds8–4Brame (6–9)Frey——50–54
106August 10Cubs4–3Spencer (7–7)Sweetland——51–54
107August 12@ Giants6–4Kremer (10–12)Hubbell——52–54
108August 12@ Giants0–9WalkerMeine (11–10)——52–55
109August 13@ Giants7–5Brame (7–9)Fitzsimmons——53–55
110August 13@ Giants1–6MitchellFrench (11–10)—10,00053–56
111August 14@ Giants1–2MooneySpencer (7–8)——53–57
112August 15@ Phillies4–5DudleyWood (2–6)Collins—53–58
113August 15@ Phillies1–3BolenMeine (11–11)Watt—53–59
114August 17@ Phillies4–2French (12–10)Blake——54–59
115August 17@ Phillies0–3CollinsBrame (7–10)——54–60
116August 18@ Phillies14–5Spencer (8–8)Bolen——55–60
117August 20@ Braves1–2 (10)BrandtSwetonic (0–2)——55–61
118August 20@ Braves5–4Meine (12–11)Sherdel——56–61
119August 21@ Braves1–2CantwellBrame (7–11)——56–62
120August 22@ Braves1–2ZacharySpencer (8–9)——56–63
121August 23@ Robins4–5ShauteMeine (12–12)——56–64
122August 23@ Robins4–5QuinnOsborn (5–1)—15,00056–65
123August 25@ Robins5–3Meine (13–12)Clark——57–65
124August 25@ Robins0–5HeimachKremer (10–13)—25,00057–66
125August 27Cubs3–2Spencer (9–9)Sweetland——58–66
126August 27Cubs4–11WelchBrame (7–12)——58–67
127August 28@ Cardinals4–6LindseyFrench (12–11)Hallahan25,00058–68
128August 29@ Cardinals8–2Meine (14–12)Johnson—7,50059–68
129August 30@ Cardinals0–5DerringerKremer (10–14)——59–69
130August 30@ Cardinals1–4HallahanSpencer (9–10)——59–70 :
September: 16–9 (Home: 15–6; Away: 1–3)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
131September 3Cardinals6–4Osborn (6–1)Grimes——60–70
132September 4Cardinals3–1Meine (15–12)Hallahan——61–70
133September 5Cardinals8–5Kremer (11–14)Lindsey——62–70
134September 6@ Cubs5–4Spencer (10–10)Root——63–70
135September 7Reds6–1French (13–11)Carroll——64–70
136September 7Reds4–2Brame (8–12)Rixey——65–70
137September 8Reds3–0Harris (1–0)Ogden——66–70
138September 9Robins5–1Meine (16–12)Heimach——67–70
139September 10Giants1–6HubbellKremer (11–15)——67–71
140September 11Giants3–2French (14–11)Parmelee——68–71
141September 12Giants5–1Harris (2–0)Mooney——69–71
142September 13@ Robins5–6HeimachSpencer (10–11)—10,00069–72
143September 15Robins5–2Meine (17–12)Clark——70–72
144September 15Robins2–1French (15–11)Vance—4,00071–72
145September 16Robins5–11ClarkBrame (8–13)——71–73
146September 17Braves0–1ZacharyHarris (2–1)——71–74
147September 17Braves4–2 (8)Spencer (11–11)Brown——72–74
148September 18Braves2–6BrandtFrench (15–12)——72–75
149September 18Braves4–1Meine (18–12)Sherdel——73–75
150September 19Braves7–0Brame (9–13)Frankhouse——74–75
151September 21Phillies4–6ElliottHarris (2–2)Benge—74–76
152September 22Phillies3–2 (13)Meine (19–12)Collins——75–76
153September 24Phillies1–5ElliottFrench (15–13)——75–77
154September 27@ Cubs1–3RootMeine (19–13)Smith—75–78
155September 27@ Cubs4–8MaloneSpencer (11–12)——75–79 :
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 | Eddie Phillips | 106 | 353 | 82 | .232 | 7 | 44 |
| 1B | George Grantham | 127 | 465 | 142 | .305 | 10 | 46 |
| 2B | Tony Piet | 44 | 167 | 50 | .299 | 0 | 24 |
| SS | Tommy Thevenow | 120 | 404 | 86 | .213 | 0 | 38 |
| 3B | Pie Traynor | 155 | 615 | 183 | .298 | 2 | 103 |
| OF | Lloyd Waner | 154 | 681 | 214 | .314 | 4 | 57 |
| OF | Paul Waner | 150 | 559 | 180 | .322 | 6 | 70 |
| OF | Adam Comorosky | 99 | 350 | 85 | .243 | 1 | 48 |

#### 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 |
| Gus Suhr | 87 | 270 | 57 | .211 | 4 | 32 |
| Woody Jensen | 73 | 267 | 65 | .243 | 3 | 17 |
| Howdy Groskloss | 53 | 161 | 45 | .280 | 0 | 20 |
| Earl Grace | 47 | 150 | 42 | .280 | 1 | 20 |
| Ben Sankey | 57 | 132 | 30 | .227 | 0 | 14 |
| Bill Regan | 28 | 104 | 21 | .202 | 1 | 10 |
| Fred Bennett | 32 | 89 | 25 | .281 | 1 | 7 |
| Jim Mosolf | 39 | 44 | 11 | .250 | 1 | 8 |
| Rollie Hemsley | 10 | 35 | 6 | .171 | 0 | 1 |
| Hal Finney | 10 | 26 | 8 | .308 | 0 | 2 |
| Pete McClanahan | 7 | 4 | 2 | .500 | 0 | 0 |
| Bill Steinecke | 4 | 4 | 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 |
| Heinie Meine | 36 | 284.0 | 19 | 13 | 2.98 | 58 |
| Larry French | 39 | 275.2 | 15 | 13 | 3.26 | 73 |
| Ray Kremer | 30 | 230.0 | 11 | 15 | 3.33 | 58 |
| Erv Brame | 26 | 179.2 | 9 | 13 | 4.21 | 33 |
| Bill Harris | 4 | 31.0 | 2 | 2 | 0.87 | 10 |

#### 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 |
| Glenn Spencer | 38 | 186.2 | 11 | 12 | 3.42 | 51 |
| Spades Wood | 15 | 64.0 | 2 | 6 | 6.05 | 33 |
| Claude Willoughby | 9 | 25.2 | 0 | 2 | 6.31 | 4 |

#### 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 |
| Bob Osborn | 27 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5.01 | 9 |
| Steve Swetonic | 14 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3.90 | 8 |
| George Grant | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.41 | 6 |
| Andy Bednar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11.25 | 2 |

## Farm system

| Level | Team | League | Manager |
| A | Wichita Aviators | Western League | Art Griggs & Howie Gregory |