1956 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1956 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 75th season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise, the 70th in the National League. The Pirates finished seventh in the league standings with a record of 66–88.

1956 Pittsburgh Pirates
Major League affiliations
National League (since 1887)
Location
Forbes Field (since 1909) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[1] (since 1907)
Other information
Owner(s)	John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas P. Johnson, Branch Rickey (minority shareholders)
General manager(s)	Joe L. Brown
Manager(s)	Bobby Bragan
Local television	none
Local radio	KDKA Bob Prince, Dick Bingham
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Regular season

Season standings

National League	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
Brooklyn Dodgers	93	61	0.604	—	52–25	41–36
Milwaukee Braves	92	62	0.597	1	47–29	45–33
Cincinnati Redlegs	91	63	0.591	2	51–26	40–37
St. Louis Cardinals	76	78	0.494	17	43–34	33–44
Philadelphia Phillies	71	83	0.461	22	40–37	31–46
New York Giants	67	87	0.435	26	37–40	30–47
Pittsburgh Pirates	66	88	0.429	27	35–43	31–45
Chicago Cubs	60	94	0.390	33	39–38	21–56

Record vs. opponents

1956 National League Records Sources:
Team	BR	CHC	CIN	MIL	NYG	PHI	PIT	STL
Brooklyn	—	16–6	11–11	10–12	14–8	13–9	13–9	16–6
Chicago	6–16	—	6–16–1	9–13	7–15	13–9	10–12–1	9–13–1
Cincinnati	11–11	16–6–1	—	9–13	14–8	11–11	17–5	13–9
Milwaukee	12–10	13–9	13–9	—	17–5	10–12	14–8–1	13–9
New York	8–14	15–7	8–14	5–17	—	11–11	13–9	7–15
Philadelphia	9–13	9–13	11–11	12–10	11–11	—	7–15	12–10
Pittsburgh	9–13	12–10–1	5–17	8–14–1	9–13	15–7	—	8–14–1
St. Louis	6–16	13–9–1	9–13	9–13	15–7	10–12	14–8–1	—

Game log

1956 Game Log: 66–88 (Home: 35–43; Away: 31–45)
April: 5–6 (Home: 1–2; Away: 4–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 1 April 17 @ Giants 3–4 Antonelli Friend (0–1) — 12,790 0–1 2 April 18 @ Giants 4–5 McCall Law (0–1) — 2,493 0–2 3 April 19 @ Giants 3–2 Kline (1–0) Worthington — 1,922 1–2 4 April 20 Dodgers 0–5 Craig Hall (0–1) — 23,357 1–3 5 April 21 Dodgers 3–1 Friend (1–1) Lehman — 8,603 2–3 6 April 22 Dodgers 1–4 (6) Newcombe Law (0–2) — 15,264 2–4 7 April 25 @ Phillies 6–5 Law (1–2) Owens King (1) 5,347 3–4 8 April 27 @ Dodgers 2–7 Craig Kline (1–1) — 7,056 3–5 9 April 28 @ Dodgers 2–5 Newcombe Hall (0–2) — 7,806 3–6 10 April 29 @ Dodgers 10–1 Friend (2–1) Drysdale — 4–6 11 April 29 @ Dodgers 11–3 King (1–0) Loes — 22,609 5–6
May: 16–10 (Home: 11–6; Away: 5–4) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 12 May 1 @ Cardinals 4–2 Face (1–0) Mizell Law (1) 6,331 6–6 13 May 2 @ Cardinals 9–10 (10) Collum Munger (0–1) — 6,382 6–7 14 May 3 @ Redlegs 5–1 Friend (3–1) Nuxhall — 2,561 7–7 15 May 4 @ Redlegs 3–4 Fowler Hall (0–3) — 6,438 7–8 16 May 5 @ Redlegs 6–7 (10) LaPalme King (1–1) — 4,481 7–9 17 May 6 @ Cubs 2–1 Kline (2–1) Minner — 8–9 18 May 6 @ Cubs 6–6 (7) — 11,426 8–9 19 May 8 @ Braves 0–5 Spahn Friend (3–2) — 18,466 8–10 20 May 11 Phillies 6–5 Arroyo (1–0) Meyer — 17,605 9–10 21 May 12 Phillies 6–5 Friend (4–2) Roberts King (2) 20,115 10–10 22 May 13 Phillies 11–9 Face (2–0) Meyer Law (2) 11–10 23 May 13 Phillies 2–7 Rogovin Hall (0–4) Roberts 20,435 11–11 24 May 16 Redlegs 9–2 Friend (5–2) Nuxhall — 3,053 12–11 25 May 17 Cubs 1–4 Meyer Kline (2–2) Lown 6,627 12–12 26 May 18 Cubs 2–3 Lown Face (2–1) — 10,382 12–13 27 May 19 Cubs 7–4 King (2–1) Jones Face (1) 6,863 13–13 28 May 20 Braves 6–3 Friend (6–2) Crone — 14–13 29 May 20 Braves 5–0 Kline (3–2) Spahn — 32,346 15–13 30 May 22 Cardinals 3–6 Wehmeier Law (1–3) Collum 19,316 15–14 31 May 23 Cardinals 6–0 Friend (7–2) Schmidt — 19,917 16–14 32 May 25 @ Phillies 8–5 King (3–1) Simmons Munger (1) 10,407 17–14 33 May 26 @ Phillies 6–2 Law (2–3) Miller — 4,614 18–14 34 May 28 Dodgers 3–2 Friend (8–2) Erskine — 32,221 19–14 35 May 29 Dodgers 1–10 Newcombe Kline (3–3) — 11,935 19–15 36 May 30 Giants 5–4 (10) Face (3–1) McCall — 20–15 37 May 30 Giants 3–5 (15) Antonelli Law (2–4) — 27,680 20–16 38 May 31 Giants 3–0 (8) Kline (4–3) Hearn — 15,123 21–16
June: 11–17 (Home: 4–12; Away: 7–5) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 39 June 1 @ Braves 4–1 Friend (9–2) Spahn King (3) 24,528 22–16 40 June 2 @ Braves 4–2 Munger (1–1) Conley Kline (1) 27,650 23–16 41 June 3 @ Braves 3–1 Face (4–1) Crone King (4) 24–16 42 June 3 @ Braves 3–4 Buhl Law (2–5) — 34,915 24–17 43 June 5 @ Cubs 3–7 Hacker Friend (9–3) — 7,847 24–18 44 June 6 @ Cubs 8–2 Kline (5–3) Minner — 7,545 25–18 45 June 7 @ Cubs 2–5 Rush Face (4–2) — 4,535 25–19 46 June 8 @ Cardinals 2–0 (11) Friend (10–3) Dickson — 20,079 26–19 47 June 9 @ Cardinals 3–8 Mizell Law (2–6) Konstanty 12,149 26–20 48 June 10 @ Cardinals 11–3 Arroyo (2–0) Schmidt — 27–20 49 June 10 @ Cardinals 0–3 Wehmeier Kline (5–4) — 28,129 27–21 50 June 12 @ Redlegs 4–3 Face (5–2) Nuxhall King (5) 15,919 28–21 51 June 15 Cardinals 12–1 Kline (6–4) Mizell — 26,276 29–21 52 June 16 Cardinals 2–0 (7) Friend (11–3) Wehmeier — 14,550 30–21 53 June 17 Cardinals 1–3 Poholsky Law (2–7) — 30–22 54 June 17 Cardinals 3–8 Schmidt Arroyo (2–1) Konstanty 30,127 30–23 55 June 18 Braves 2–3 Spahn Kline (6–5) — 16,735 30–24 56 June 19 Braves 3–5 Burdette Friend (11–4) Sleater 23,743 30–25 57 June 20 Braves 3–7 Conley Law (2–8) — 19,775 30–26 58 June 21 Braves 2–7 Buhl Kline (6–6) — 8,292 30–27 59 June 23 Cubs 5–9 (10) Davis Face (5–3) — 7,809 30–28 60 June 24 Cubs 3–5 Valentinetti Face (5–4) — 30–29 61 June 24 Cubs 1–0 (6) Pepper (1–0) Jones Arroyo (1) 17,066 31–29 62 June 25 Redlegs 1–2 Fowler Kline (6–7) — 17,007 31–30 63 June 27 Redlegs 2–10 Lawrence Friend (11–5) Freeman 24,353 31–31 64 June 28 Redlegs 3–4 Acker Arroyo (2–2) Fowler 9,915 31–32 65 June 29 Giants 6–3 Law (3–8) Hearn Face (2) 18,797 32–32 66 June 30 Giants 4–6 Gomez Kline (6–8) Wilhelm 8,111 32–33
July: 11–20 (Home: 5–9; Away: 6–11) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 67 July 1 Giants 2–3 Antonelli Friend (11–6) Grissom 32–34 68 July 1 Giants 6–7 McCall Arroyo (2–3) Grissom 23,459 32–35 69 July 3 Phillies 6–5 O'Brien (1–0) Meyer — 5,804 33–35 70 July 4 Phillies 2–4 Haddix Kline (6–9) — 33–36 71 July 4 Phillies 8–4 Face (6–4) Miller — 16,076 34–36 72 July 7 @ Giants 2–3 Antonelli Friend (11–7) Wilhelm 7,151 34–37 73 July 8 @ Giants 1–11 Gomez Law (3–9) — 34–38 74 July 8 @ Giants 5–2 Kline (7–9) Worthington Face (3) 15,406 35–38 75 July 12 @ Cubs 2–1 Kline (8–9) Kaiser — 36–38 76 July 12 @ Cubs 5–4 Face (7–4) Jones — 10,077 37–38 77 July 13 @ Cubs 6–7 Lown Friend (11–8) — 6,958 37–39 78 July 14 @ Cubs 2–6 Rush Law (3–10) — 37–40 79 July 14 @ Cubs 5–6 (10) Lown Face (7–5) — 17,195 37–41 80 July 15 @ Braves 2–3 Spahn Law (3–11) — 37–42 81 July 15 @ Braves 1–4 Phillips Naranjo (0–1) — 35,631 37–43 82 July 16 @ Braves 1–2 Buhl Kline (8–10) — 20,124 37–44 83 July 17 @ Cardinals 4–2 (10) Friend (12–8) Wehmeier Face (4) 12,182 38–44 84 July 18 @ Cardinals 1–1 — 15,195 38–44 85 July 20 @ Redlegs 4–6 (12) Klippstein Waters (0–1) — 19,342 38–45 86 July 21 @ Redlegs 4–3 Face (8–5) Lawrence — 8,859 39–45 87 July 22 @ Redlegs 8–6 Munger (2–1) Freeman — 40–45 88 July 22 @ Redlegs 2–9 Nuxhall Pollet (0–1) Acker 28,505 40–46 89 July 23 @ Redlegs 3–4 Lawrence Face (8–6) Freeman 11,318 40–47 90 July 24 Cubs 6–2 Kline (9–10) Rush — 12,861 41–47 91 July 25 Cubs 9–8 King (4–1) Brosnan — 12,861 42–47 92 July 26 Cubs 4–0 Waters (1–1) Jones Pollet (1) 7,121 43–47 93 July 27 Redlegs 2–3 Fowler Face (8–7) — 31,494 43–48 94 July 28 Redlegs 3–8 Klippstein Pollet (0–2) — 10,166 43–49 95 July 29 Redlegs 1–6 Lawrence Friend (12–9) — 43–50 96 July 29 Redlegs 2–3 Freeman Law (3–12) — 30,429 43–51 97 July 30 Redlegs 2–4 Freeman Pepper (1–1) — 11,256 43–52 98 July 31 Cardinals 0–7 Dickson Munger (2–2) — 10,965 43–53
August: 12–20 (Home: 6–7; Away: 6–13) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 99 August 1 Cardinals 1–4 Schmidt Kline (9–11) — 8,592 43–54 100 August 2 Cardinals 5–7 Wehmeier Friend (12–10) Jackson 5,745 43–55 101 August 3 Braves 4–3 Law (4–12) Spahn — 17,479 44–55 102 August 4 Braves 3–7 Trowbridge Pollet (0–3) — 7,494 44–56 103 August 5 Braves 1–5 Conley Kline (9–12) Johnson 44–57 104 August 5 Braves 0–5 (5) Burdette Friend (12–11) — 18,004 44–58 105 August 7 @ Dodgers 0–3 Newcombe Law (4–13) — 17,504 44–59 106 August 8 Dodgers 8–5 Munger (3–2) Craig Kline (2) 18,612 45–59 107 August 9 Dodgers 3–7 Roebuck Hall (0–5) — 7,486 45–60 108 August 10 Giants 3–2 Friend (13–11) Littlefield — 8,234 46–60 109 August 11 Giants 2–4 Antonelli Kline (9–13) Hearn 5,655 46–61 110 August 12 Giants 3–2 Law (5–13) Gomez — 47–61 111 August 12 Giants 11–3 Waters (2–1) McCall — 9,552 48–61 112 August 14 @ Phillies 0–3 Haddix Friend (13–12) — 48–62 113 August 14 @ Phillies 2–11 Simmons Munger (3–3) — 32,873 48–63 114 August 15 @ Phillies 5–1 Kline (10–13) Meyer — 12,337 49–63 115 August 16 @ Phillies 4–1 Law (6–13) Roberts — 7,070 50–63 116 August 17 @ Giants 3–5 Margoneri Munger (3–4) McCall 5,998 50–64 117 August 18 @ Giants 9–1 Friend (14–12) Gomez — 4,955 51–64 118 August 19 @ Giants 6–7 Wilhelm Hall (0–6) — 51–65 119 August 19 @ Giants 2–3 Antonelli Kline (10–14) McCall 8,587 51–66 120 August 21 @ Redlegs 4–7 Freeman Pollet (0–4) — 8,267 51–67 121 August 22 @ Redlegs 3–6 Nuxhall Friend (14–13) Jeffcoat 8,076 51–68 122 August 23 @ Cardinals 0–3 Mizell Kline (10–15) — 51–69 123 August 23 @ Cardinals 2–3 Collum Face (8–8) — 11,935 51–70 124 August 24 @ Cardinals 2–6 Dickson Waters (2–2) — 9,317 51–71 125 August 25 @ Cardinals 5–8 Blaylock Law (6–14) Jackson 8,976 51–72 126 August 26 @ Cubs 2–0 Friend (15–13) Rush — 10,631 52–72 127 August 26 @ Cubs 2–1 Kline (11–15) Jones Friend (1) 10,631 53–72 128 August 28 @ Braves 5–4 Face (9–8) Trowbridge — 25,778 54–72 129 August 29 @ Braves 1–4 Burdette Face (9–9) — 24,861 54–73 130 August 30 @ Braves 1–1 (9) — 17,783 54–73 131 August 31 Phillies 6–3 Kline (12–15) Hamner Pollet (2) 11,147 55–73
September: 11–15 (Home: 8–7; Away: 3–8) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record 132 September 1 Phillies 2–3 Rogovin Hall (0–7) — 5,071 55–74 133 September 2 Phillies 10–6 Law (7–14) Simmons — 56–74 134 September 2 Phillies 5–1 Naranjo (1–1) Roberts — 12,470 57–74 135 September 3 @ Dodgers 3–4 Bessent Friend (15–14) — 57–75 136 September 3 @ Dodgers 3–2 Face (10–9) Drysdale Friend (2) 29,045 58–75 137 September 5 @ Dodgers 3–4 Maglie Kline (12–16) Bessent 10,332 58–76 138 September 7 @ Phillies 2–5 Roberts Friend (15–15) — 7,835 58–77 139 September 8 @ Phillies 5–4 Face (11–9) Flowers Hall (1) 4,806 59–77 140 September 9 @ Phillies 4–1 (10) Kline (13–16) Miller Face (5) 60–77 141 September 9 @ Phillies 5–6 (10) Roberts Naranjo (1–2) — 11,104 60–78 142 September 11 Cubs 4–3 Face (12–9) Lown — 3,987 61–78 143 September 12 Cubs 0–3 Jones Law (7–15) — 3,689 61–79 144 September 13 Redlegs 4–5 Nuxhall Face (12–10) Freeman 8,765 61–80 145 September 15 Redlegs 4–6 Lawrence Friend (15–16) Freeman 2,654 61–81 146 September 16 Cardinals 2–3 (10) Dickson Face (12–11) — 61–82 147 September 16 Cardinals 9–3 Law (8–15) Wehmeier — 8,742 62–82 148 September 18 Braves 4–6 Sleater Face (12–12) Spahn 9,786 62–83 149 September 20 Braves 2–1 (10) Friend (16–16) Crone — 1,691 63–83 150 September 21 Dodgers 2–1 Kline (14–16) Maglie — 10,872 64–83 151 September 22 Dodgers 5–1 Arroyo (3–3) Erskine Friend (3) 6,452 65–83 152 September 23 Dodgers 3–8 Newcombe Face (12–13) Labine 44,932 65–84 153 September 24 Dodgers 6–5 Friend (17–16) Craig — 17,252 66–84 154 September 25 @ Giants 0–10 Antonelli Kline (14–17) Surkont 1,275 66–85 155 September 29 @ Dodgers 2–6 Maglie Friend (17–17) — 26,340 66–86 156 September 29 @ Dodgers 1–3 Labine Kline (14–18) — 26,340 66–87 157 September 30 @ Dodgers 6–8 Newcombe Law (8–16) Bessent 31,983 66–88
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Tie Bold = Pirates team member

Notable transactions

• May 17, 1956: Dick Littlefield and Bobby Del Greco were traded by the Pirates to the St. Louis Cardinals for Bill Virdon.[2]
• May 28, 1956: Toby Atwell was traded by the Pirates to the St. Louis Cardinals for cash and a player to be named later. The Cardinals completed the deal by sending Dick Rand to the Pirates on October 14.[3]

Roster

1956 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers 36 Luis Arroyo 45 Lino Donoso 26 Roy Face 19 Bob Friend 25,37 Bob Garber 30 Dick Hall 29 Nellie King 22 Ron Kline 32 Vern Law 27 Dick Littlefield 25 Jack McMahan 20 Red Munger 27 Cholly Naranjo 23 Laurin Pepper 11 Howie Pollet 34 Bob Purkey 35 Max Surkont 17 Red Swanson 35,36 Fred Waters		Catchers 11 Toby Atwell 38 Hank Foiles 31 Bill Hall 17 Danny Kravitz 10 Jack Shepard Infielders 12 Dick Cole  8 Gene Freese 24 Dick Groat  9 Spook Jacobs  3 Dale Long  9 Bill Mazeroski  7 Eddie O'Brien  6 Johnny O'Brien  9 Curt Roberts 15 Frank Thomas  5 Preston Ward		Outfielders 21 Roberto Clemente 18 Bobby Del Greco 14 Jerry Lynch 14 Johnny Powers  4 Bob Skinner 18 Bill Virdon 16 Lee Walls		Manager  2 Bobby Bragan Coaches 40 Danny Murtaugh 43 Sam Narron 41 Clyde Sukeforth

Player stats

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
3B	Frank Thomas	157	588	166	.282	25	80
CF	Bill Virdon	133	509	170	.334	8	37

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
Bobby Del Greco	14	20	4	.200	2	3
Toby Atwell	12	18	2	.111	0	3

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

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
Dick Littlefield	6	12.2	0	0	4.26	10

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
Roy Face	68	12	13	6	3.52	96
Luis Arroyo	18	3	3	0	4.71	17
Red Swanson	9	0	0	0	10.03	5
Lino Donoso	3	0	0	0	0.00	1

Farm system

Level	Team	League	Manager
Open	Hollywood Stars	Pacific Coast League	Clay Hopper
AA	New Orleans Pelicans	Southern Association	Andy Cohen
A	Williamsport Grays	Eastern League	John Fitzpatrick
A	Lincoln Chiefs	Western League	Larry Shepard
B	Waco Pirates	Big State League	Monty Basgall
B	Kinston Eagles	Carolina League	Jack Paepke and Tex Taylor
C	Douglas Copper Kings	Arizona–Mexico League	Jerry Gardner
C	Grand Forks Chiefs	Northern League	Al Kubski
C	Billings Mustangs	Pioneer League	Buck Elliott
D	Dublin Irish	Georgia State League	Robert Clark, Wilbur Caldwell and Wayne Wallace
D	Brunswick Pirates	Georgia–Florida League	Frank Oceak
D	Clinton Pirates	Midwest League	Stan Wentzel

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Lincoln

Notes

1. From 1882–1906, the team played in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which became annexed by Pittsburgh as the North Shore in 1907.
2. Bill Virdon at Baseball Reference
3. Dick Rand at Baseball Reference

References

• 1956 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference
• 1956 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Almanac
• Johnson, Lloyd; Wolff, Miles, eds. (1997). The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball (2nd ed.). Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America. ISBN 978-0-9637189-8-3.