Pittsburgh Pirates: Examining Some of the Worst Teams in Franchise History

PITTSBURGH - SEPTEMBER 23: Manager John Russell #7 of the Pittsburgh Pirates jobs back to the dugout after relieving Brian Burres #71 during the game against the St Louis Cardinals on September 23, 2010 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH - SEPTEMBER 23: Manager John Russell #7 of the Pittsburgh Pirates jobs back to the dugout after relieving Brian Burres #71 during the game against the St Louis Cardinals on September 23, 2010 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)
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PITTSBURGH, PA – CIRCA 1964: Roy Face #26 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for this photo before the start of a Major League Baseball game circa 1964 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Face played for the Pirates from 1953-68. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PA – CIRCA 1964: Roy Face #26 of the Pittsburgh Pirates poses for this photo before the start of a Major League Baseball game circa 1964 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Face played for the Pirates from 1953-68. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

1953 Pittsburgh Pirates, 50-104 Record

Hi, welcome to the next year!

After the last year and that blood-curdling record, the Pirates saw themselves again in the 100 club marking it the third time in franchise history. The man leading the team that year was first time Pirates manager Fred Haney. Haney had come out of a 12-year hiatus as a skipper, he had previously managed the Cardinals for three years. (We will see Haney again too)

For the first time in a million years, the Pittsburgh Pirates saw someone other than Kiner led the team in multiple categories. Third baseman Danny O’Connell lead the team in batting average with a .294 mark and lead the team in hits with 173. Outfielder Frank Thomas, not the Big Hurt one, lead the team in both homers (30) and RBIs (102.) In fact, Thomas only saw 30+ homers a total of two more times and reached the 100 RBI mark one more time.

Dickson again led the starters in wins (10) and ERA (4.53.) Again Bob Friend had a rough go of things posting an 8-11 record with a 4.90 ERA (Better times Bob, better times.) We did see a fresh face in a Pirates uniform Roy Face. As we know, Roy Face is a Pirates legend who deserves respect. He did, however, suffer from a bad season with a 6.58 ERA in 41 games.

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