# 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 57th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise and their 52nd in the National League. The Pirates maintained a seven-game lead in the NL on September 1, but went 12–16–1 for the rest of the season and relinquished the lead to the Chicago Cubs on September 28, losing to the Cubs on Gabby Hartnett's "Homer in the Gloamin'". The Pirates finished second in the league with an 86–64 record.

## Offseason

* February 22, 1938: Tommy Thevenow was signed as a free agent by the Pirates.

## Regular season
### Season standings

vteNational League :
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
| Chicago Cubs | 89 | 63 | .586 | — | 44‍–‍33 | 45‍–‍30 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 86 | 64 | .573 | 2 | 44‍–‍33 | 42‍–‍31 |
| New York Giants | 83 | 67 | .553 | 5 | 43‍–‍30 | 40‍–‍37 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 82 | 68 | .547 | 6 | 43‍–‍34 | 39‍–‍34 |
| Boston Bees | 77 | 75 | .507 | 12 | 45‍–‍30 | 32‍–‍45 |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 71 | 80 | .470 | 17½ | 36‍–‍41 | 35‍–‍39 |
| Brooklyn Dodgers | 69 | 80 | .463 | 18½ | 31‍–‍41 | 38‍–‍39 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 45 | 105 | .300 | 43 | 26‍–‍48 | 19‍–‍57 |

### Record vs. opponents

1938 National League recordvte Sources: :
| Team | BOS | BR | CHC | CIN | NYG | PHI | PIT | STL |
| Boston | — | 10–12 | 12–10 | 11–9 | 8–14 | 14–8 | 9–13 | 13–9–1 |
| Brooklyn | 10–12 | — | 9–11–1 | 9–13 | 8–14 | 15–7 | 9–11 | 9–12–1 |
| Chicago | 12–10 | 11–9–1 | — | 11–11 | 12–10 | 18–4 | 12–10 | 13–9–1 |
| Cincinnati | 9–11 | 13–9 | 11–11 | — | 12–9 | 14–7 | 10–12 | 13–9–1 |
| New York | 14–8 | 14–8 | 10–12 | 9–12 | — | 16–5 | 9–13–1 | 11–9–1 |
| Philadelphia | 8–14 | 7–15 | 4–18 | 7–14 | 5–16 | — | 8–12–1 | 6–16 |
| Pittsburgh | 13–9 | 11–9 | 10–12 | 12–10 | 13–9–1 | 12–8–1 | — | 15–7 |
| St. Louis | 9–13–1 | 12–9–1 | 9–13–1 | 9–13–1 | 9–11–1 | 16–6 | 7–15 | — |

### Game log

1938 Game Log: 86–64 (Home: 44–33; Away: 42–31) :
April: 8–3 (Home: 5–2; Away: 3–1)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
1April 19@ Cardinals4–3Klinger (1–0)Weiland—19,8651–0
2April 20@ Cardinals9–4Tobin (1–0)Johnson—1,9572–0
3April 21@ Cardinals6–5Brown (1–0)Bush——3–0
4April 22Reds7–4Lucas (1–0)Vander MeerBauers (1)20,5004–0
5April 23Reds6–2Blanton (1–0)Schott——5–0
6April 24Reds2–1Tobin (2–0)Davis—16,0126–0
7April 25Cubs8–6Brown (2–0)Logan—9,2357–0
8April 26Cubs3–5 (10)CarletonSwift (0–1)—7,5237–1
9April 27Cubs6–5Brown (3–0)FrenchKlinger (1)9,5378–1
10April 28Cardinals3–5WeilandTobin (2–1)McGee8,0338–2
11April 30@ Reds0–2DavisBauers (0–1)——8–3 :
May: 9–15 (Home: 5–7; Away: 4–8)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
12May 1@ Reds1–4HollingsworthSwift (0–2)Schott14,4398–4
13May 2@ Reds6–8Vander MeerBlanton (1–1)Benge—8–5
14May 3Dodgers2–7PressnellTobin (2–2)—2,2668–6
15May 4Dodgers9–5Bowman (1–0)Posedel—2,4319–6
16May 5Dodgers4–2Lucas (2–0)Hoyt—2,03110–6
17May 6Giants7–11MeltonBrown (3–1)Coffman10,64810–7
18May 7Giants5–6BrownBowman (1–1)—16,06410–8
19May 8Bees2–1 (12)Brown (4–1)Fette—7,51211–8
20May 9Bees5–7 (10)HutchinsonBrandt (0–1)Shoffner1,21911–9
21May 13@ Cubs4–1 (10)Brown (5–1)French——12–9
22May 15@ Cubs4–3 (11)Swift (1–2)Root—15,49413–9
23May 17@ Bees0–1ShoffnerBauers (0–2)—2,80013–10
24May 18@ Bees1–2 (14)TurnerBrown (5–2)—2,07013–11
25May 19@ Bees3–4 (11)HutchinsonSewell (0–1)—2,35913–12
26May 20@ Dodgers5–7MungoLucas (2–1)Pressnell4,74913–13
27May 21@ Dodgers5–4Tobin (3–2)Hamlin—14,61014–13
28May 22@ Giants2–18HubbellBrandt (0–2)—30,34314–14
29May 23@ Giants4–3Brown (6–2)GumbertBauers (2)5,36415–14
30May 25@ Phillies1–2WaltersTobin (3–3)—1,00015–15
31May 27Cubs0–5LeeKlinger (1–1)—3,01015–16
32May 28Cubs3–9BryantBauers (0–3)—4,01415–17
33May 29Cubs2–1Lucas (3–1)French—7,05016–17
34May 30Cardinals5–4 (17)Klinger (2–1)McGee——17–17
35May 30Cardinals6–9DavisBowman (1–2)—20,00017–18 :
June: 16–7 (Home: 9–4; Away: 7–3)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
36June 1Giants4–1Bauers (1–3)Melton—4,00118–18
37June 3Giants6–5Klinger (3–1)Gumbert—8,51319–18
38June 4Dodgers4–3 (11)Swift (2–2)Pressnell—4,16820–18
39June 5Dodgers5–10PosedelBowman (1–3)Tamulis6,80020–19
40June 6Dodgers4–9ButcherLucas (3–2)—1,59420–20
41June 8Bees4–1Klinger (4–1)Fette—2,76521–20
42June 9Bees5–3Brown (7–2)Turner—4,41022–20
43June 10Phillies2–3MulcahyBauers (1–4)—1,03422–21
44June 11Phillies4–3Swift (3–2)Walters—3,81123–21
45June 12Phillies11–5Brown (8–2)Passeau—4,82624–21
46June 14@ Giants3–5SchumacherBauers (1–5)—5,33424–22
47June 15@ Giants2–0Tobin (4–3)Melton—5,87425–22
48June 16@ Giants10–2Klinger (5–1)Hubbell—6,88026–22
49June 17@ Phillies4–3 (10)Brown (9–2)Hollingsworth—4,00027–22
50June 18@ Phillies3–5MulcahyBauers (1–6)Passeau—27–23
51June 19@ Phillies14–4Tobin (5–3)Sivess——28–23
52June 19@ Phillies16–3Blanton (2–1)LaMaster—10,00029–23
53June 21@ Dodgers9–3Bauers (2–6)Tamulis—25,52730–23
54June 23@ Dodgers1–8PressnellSwift (3–3)—3,25830–24
55June 25@ Bees8–7Brown (10–2)HutchinsonBauers (3)5,61431–24
56June 28Reds2–5Vander MeerBauers (2–7)——31–25
57June 29Reds5–4Swift (4–3)Cascarella—3,47032–25
58June 30Reds3–1Blanton (3–1)Walters—3,68533–25 :
July: 24–7 (Home: 12–5; Away: 12–2)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
59July 2Cardinals5–1Klinger (6–1)McGee—3,89234–25
60July 3Cardinals6–5 (12)Brown (11–2)Shoun——35–25
61July 3Cardinals6–2 (8)Bauers (3–7)Henshaw—20,00036–25
62July 4@ Reds2–1Blanton (4–1)Davis——37–25
63July 4@ Reds3–2Swift (5–3)Walters—22,40038–25
64July 8@ Cardinals6–2Klinger (7–1)McGee——39–25
65July 9@ Cardinals8–7Brown (12–2)Lanier—2,85940–25
66July 10@ Cardinals5–2Blanton (5–1)Macon——41–25
67July 10@ Cardinals4–3Bauers (4–7)WeilandBowman (1)—42–25
68July 11@ Cubs5–3Tobin (6–3)FrenchBrown (1)—43–25
69July 12@ Cubs14–6Brandt (1–2)CarletonSewell (1)—44–25
70July 13Dodgers5–10PressnellBrown (12–3)—5,56144–26
71July 14Dodgers3–2 (11)Tobin (7–3)Fitzsimmons—7,80245–26
72July 15Dodgers4–9HamlinSwift (5–4)—4,51245–27
73July 16Giants7–3Klinger (8–1)Melton—15,19746–27
74July 17Giants1–2HubbellTobin (7–4)——46–28
75July 17Giants7–7—43,24146–28
76July 18Giants7–4Blanton (6–1)GumbertSwift (1)8,63847–28
77July 19Phillies8–0Brandt (2–2)Mulcahy—2,47248–28
78July 20Phillies0–11HollingsworthKlinger (8–2)——48–29
79July 20Phillies4–1Bauers (5–7)Sivess—6,00049–29
80July 21Phillies5–4Brown (13–3)Smith—10,53550–29
81July 22Bees4–3Blanton (7–1)Turner—4,74951–29
82July 23Bees2–4MacFaydenBauers (5–8)Errickson—51–30
83July 24Bees5–4 (15)Tobin (8–4)Hutchinson——52–30
84July 24Bees4–2 (6)Brandt (3–2)Lanning——53–30
85July 26@ Phillies5–6SivessBrown (13–4)—1,50053–31
86July 27@ Phillies4–2Bauers (6–8)Hallahan——54–31
87July 28@ Phillies9–2Tobin (9–4)Hollingsworth—2,00055–31
88July 29@ Dodgers7–6Bowman (2–3)PressnellSwift (2)2,58256–31
89July 30@ Dodgers9–2Blanton (8–1)TamulisBrown (2)8,52357–31
90July 31@ Dodgers3–4PosedelSwift (5–5)—27,71957–32 :
August: 16–16 (Home: 9–10; Away: 7–6)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
91August 2@ Bees1–3LanningTobin (9–5)—2,45157–33
92August 3@ Bees9–4Blanton (9–1)TurnerBrown (3)7,84458–33
93August 3@ Bees5–3Bowman (3–3)Reis—7,84459–33
94August 4@ Bees3–4MacFaydenBrown (13–5)—1,83459–34
95August 5@ Giants3–5BrownKlinger (8–3)—18,53559–35
96August 7@ Giants5–1Tobin (10–5)Gumbert——60–35
97August 7@ Giants13–3Brandt (4–2)Hubbell—50,46861–35
98August 9Cardinals1–0Bauers (7–8)Henshaw—5,00062–35
99August 10Cardinals0–5 (7)WarnekeKlinger (8–4)—14,00062–36
100August 12Cubs3–9LeeTobin (10–6)—14,96262–37
101August 13Cubs5–11DeanBlanton (9–2)Page15,33262–38
102August 14Cubs2–0Bauers (8–8)RootBrown (4)24,19363–38
103August 15Reds2–6CascarellaBrown (13–6)Davis6,14363–39
104August 16Reds10–0Blanton (10–2)Davis—6,25364–39
105August 17@ Cardinals4–3 (10)Swift (6–5)Henshaw—2,72565–39
106August 18@ Cardinals1–5WeilandBauers (8–9)——65–40
107August 20@ Cubs5–2Lucas (4–2)DeanSwift (3)—66–40
108August 21@ Cubs4–6LeeBlanton (10–3)Russell—66–41
109August 21@ Cubs1–6CarletonBauers (8–10)—40,40266–42
110August 22@ Cubs4–2Tobin (11–6)Bryant——67–42
111August 23Bees0–6LanningKlinger (8–5)—12,29467–43
112August 23Bees4–3 (14)Brown (14–6)Errickson—12,29468–43
113August 24Bees6–2Bauers (9–10)Hutchinson—4,04069–43
114August 25Phillies1–2ButcherBlanton (10–4)——69–44
115August 25Phillies1–2 (11)HallahanLucas (4–3)—3,09369–45
116August 26Phillies4–6SmithTobin (11–7)Sivess—69–46
117August 27Phillies6–1Brandt (5–2)Hollingsworth—5,88970–46
118August 28Dodgers5–8PressnellBauers (9–11)—16,04570–47
119August 29Dodgers10–1Blanton (11–4)Posedel—3,42571–47
120August 30Giants7–1Tobin (12–7)Coffman——72–47
121August 31Giants5–6WittigBauers (9–12)——72–48
122August 31Giants12–3Lucas (5–3)Melton—43,58673–48 :
September: 13–14 (Home: 4–5; Away: 9–9)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
123September 1Giants6–0Klinger (9–5)Schumacher—28,83974–48
124September 2Cardinals10–11WeilandBlanton (11–5)McGee4,48074–49
125September 3Cardinals0–6MaconTobin (12–8)—7,75974–50
126September 4Cardinals5–3Bauers (10–12)Henshaw—12,18775–50
127September 5Cubs0–3LeeBrandt (5–3)——75–51
128September 5Cubs3–4BryantTobin (12–9)—42,54575–52
129September 7@ Reds7–1Klinger (10–5)Derringer—8,83976–52
130September 8@ Reds3–5Vander MeerBlanton (11–6)—29,04376–53
131September 10@ Cardinals14–7Brown (15–6)Macon—3,63277–53
132September 11@ Cardinals4–6DeanBauers (10–13)—15,73977–54
133September 14@ Giants0–3SchumacherBlanton (11–7)——77–55
134September 14@ Giants3–10GumbertBrandt (5–4)—28,18577–56
135September 15@ Giants7–2Tobin (13–9)Melton—4,97878–56
136September 16@ Bees7–6 (11)Swift (7–5)MacFayden—8,29679–56
137September 16@ Bees4–5ErricksonBowman (3–4)—8,29679–57
138September 17@ Bees2–1Klinger (11–5)Shoffner——80–57
139September 18@ Phillies1–0Bauers (11–13)Hollingsworth——81–57
140September 18@ Phillies1–1 (5)—1,50081–57
141September 22@ Dodgers6–0Tobin (14–9)Fitzsimmons——82–57
142September 22@ Dodgers11–6Klinger (12–5)HamlinBrown (5)—83–57
143September 23Reds4–5 (12)WaltersBrown (15–7)—7,42983–58
144September 24Reds4–1Bauers (12–13)Vander Meer—11,31884–58
145September 25Reds5–3Lucas (6–3)DerringerSwift (4)27,14785–58
146September 27@ Cubs1–2DeanTobin (14–10)Lee42,23885–59
147September 28@ Cubs5–6RootBrown (15–8)—34,46585–60
148September 29@ Cubs1–10LeeBauers (12–14)——85–61
149September 30@ Reds1–7DerringerTobin (14–11)——85–62
150September 30@ Reds4–2Bauers (13–14)Moore—8,36186–62 :
October: 0–2 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–2)
#DateOpponentScoreWinLossSaveAttendanceRecord
151October 1@ Reds6–9WeaverBrown (15–9)—6,35186–63
152October 2@ Reds4–5Vander MeerTobin (14–12)—14,00786–64 :
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 Todd | 133 | 491 | 130 | .265 | 7 | 75 |
| 1B | Gus Suhr | 145 | 530 | 156 | .294 | 3 | 64 |
| 2B | Pep Young | 149 | 562 | 156 | .278 | 4 | 79 |
| SS | Arky Vaughan | 148 | 541 | 174 | .322 | 7 | 68 |
| 3B | Lee Handley | 139 | 570 | 153 | .268 | 6 | 51 |
| OF | Johnny Rizzo | 143 | 555 | 167 | .301 | 23 | 111 |
| OF | Lloyd Waner | 147 | 619 | 194 | .313 | 5 | 57 |
| OF | Paul Waner | 148 | 625 | 175 | .280 | 6 | 69 |

#### 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 |
| Woody Jensen | 68 | 125 | 25 | .200 | 0 | 10 |
| Bill Brubaker | 45 | 112 | 33 | .295 | 3 | 19 |
| Ray Berres | 40 | 100 | 23 | .230 | 0 | 6 |
| Johnny Dickshot | 29 | 35 | 8 | .229 | 0 | 4 |
| Tommy Thevenow | 15 | 25 | 5 | .200 | 0 | 2 |
| Heinie Manush | 15 | 13 | 4 | .308 | 0 | 4 |

### 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 |
| Russ Bauers | 40 | 243.0 | 13 | 14 | 3.07 | 117 |
| Jim Tobin | 40 | 241.1 | 14 | 12 | 3.47 | 70 |
| Cy Blanton | 29 | 172.2 | 11 | 7 | 3.70 | 80 |
| Bob Klinger | 28 | 159.1 | 12 | 5 | 2.99 | 58 |
| Red Lucas | 13 | 84.0 | 6 | 3 | 3.54 | 19 |

#### 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 |
| Bill Swift | 36 | 150.0 | 7 | 5 | 3.24 | 77 |
| Ed Brandt | 24 | 96.1 | 5 | 4 | 3.46 | 38 |

#### 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 |
| Mace Brown | 51 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 3.80 | 55 |
| Joe Bowman | 17 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 4.65 | 25 |
| Rip Sewell | 17 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4.23 | 17 |
| Ken Heintzelman | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.00 | 1 |

## Farm system

| Level | Team | League | Manager |
| AA | Montreal Royals | International League | Rabbit Maranville and Alex Hooks |
| A1 | Knoxville Smokies | Southern Association | Neil Caldwell |
| B | Savannah Indians | Sally League | Chick Autry |
| C | Hutchinson Larks | Western Association | Hugh McMullen |
| D | Carthage Pirates | Arkansas–Missouri League | Buzz Arlitt |
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Carthage