On this day in 1972 in Pirates' history. ..

[HOF Coach]

Back in those days, there was a TV room in The Towers on the ground floor where students could gather to watch sporting events, popular TV shows, etc. because many students didn't have TV's in their dorm room.

The TV room was packed, including me, to watch the defending World Champions, the Pittsburgh Pirates, against the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati. It was an electric environment in the TV room, filled with hope, as the Pirates led going into the bottom of the 9th.

When Bob Moose uncorked that wild pitch, which shocking allowed the winning run to score that eliminated the Pirates from postseason play, you could have heard a pin drop.

No one spoke a word as we slowly filed out of the TV room in shock, resembling a scene from "The Night of the Living Dead."

Some days in our pasts are never forgotten...

 

[mo cheeks]

I did not sleep well that night or the night Sid Bream scored the winning run against the Bucs. 2 of the biggest nightmare games in pittsburgh sports history.

 

[yourhired]

One of my worst sports memories may bob moose rest in peace

 

[wbrpanther]

One of my worst sports memories may bob moose rest in peace

Moose did a hell of a job trying to get out of the mess Guisti left for him. Johnny Bench’s leadoff home run to tie the game in the ninth was the most damaging play in that game.

In my opinion that 1972 Pirate team was the best Pirate team ever.

 

[BFo8]

Moose did a hell of a job trying to get out of the mess Guisti left for him. Johnny Bench’s leadoff home run to tie the game in the ninth was the most damaging play in that game.

In my opinion that 1972 Pirate team was the best Pirate team ever.

I’m assuming you mean the best you’ve seen personally as the 1902 Pirates won the pennant by 27.5 games and were almost assuredly the best Bucco team ever.

They benefited from not losing any players of note to the interleague war unlike nearly all their National League competitors, which accounted for the margin at the end. Their were rumors at the time that the newly formed American League intentionally chose not to target Pirates players in order to create a runaway in the National League and affect attendance, but this has never really been proven.

 

[goalieman]

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Back in those days, there was a TV room in The Towers on the ground floor where students could gather to watch sporting events, popular TV shows, etc. because many students didn't have TV's in their dorm room.

The TV room was packed, including me, to watch the defending World Champions, the Pittsburgh Pirates, against the Big Red Machine from Cincinnati. It was an electric environment in the TV room, filled with hope, as the Pirates led going into the bottom of the 9th.

When Bob Moose uncorked that wild pitch, which shocking allowed the winning run to score that eliminated the Pirates from postseason play, you could have heard a pin drop.

No one spoke a word as we slowly filed out of the TV room in shock, resembling a scene from "The Night of the Living Dead."

Some days in our pasts are never forgotten...

Two years later in 1974, Moose developed an acute thrombosis of his right subclavian and axillary veins, I believe from a thoracic outlet syndrome, and required emergency surgery to remove the clot and a rib ...... they weren't sure he would be able to pitch again but he did make a comeback until he died tragically in an automobile accident in 1976 on his birthday.

 

[HOF Coach]

 

[wbrpanther]

I’m assuming you mean the best you’ve seen personally as the 1902 Pirates won the pennant by 27.5 games and were almost assuredly the best Bucco team ever.

They benefited from not losing any players of note to the interleague war unlike nearly all their National League competitors, which accounted for the margin at the end. Their were rumors at the time that the newly formed American League intentionally chose not to target Pirates players in order to create a runaway in the National League and affect attendance, but this has never really been proven.

Damn, I forgot all about that '02 team.

 

[pittmeister]

I did not sleep well that night or the night Sid Bream scored the winning run against the Bucs. 2 of the biggest nightmare games in pittsburgh sports history.

Two of the most brutal loses in Pittsburgh sports history.

A couple of days after the 1972, most fans shook it off thinking we'll be back next year, but it wasn't to be. Clemente passes away, Blass can't find the plate and Bob Robertson's slump continued into 1973.

After the 1992 loss, everybody knew that the following year everything was going to be dismantled, which made that loss even harder.

 

[BFo8]

Damn, I forgot all about that '02 team.

Sorry I couldn’t help it, have read way, way too much about deadball era baseball.

 

[PittPanther44]

I feel like this is lost a little bit in Pirates history. I know my history pretty well, and you don’t really hear about it much as a horrible moment, etc. Maybe because I wasn’t alive or maybe because ‘92 overshadowed it, and was followed by losing. They had a great decade overall in the 70s.

I lived in an apartment in south Oakland in ‘92. Still my toughest sports moment ever, and one that I still am not completely over

 

[NNFAN]

Put a hole in my bedroom wall when the Pirates lost that game in 1972 (I was 12). The Reds broke our hearts several times during that era. Will never forget opening my front door and seeing the newspaper on the porch with the headline "Clemente Dies In Plane Crash".

 

[NNFAN]

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OMG... was that ticket only $5 ???

 

[sonofabit]

Two of the most brutal loses in Pittsburgh sports history.

A couple of days after the 1972, most fans shook it off thinking we'll be back next year, but it wasn't to be. Clemente passes away, Blass can't find the plate and Bob Robertson's slump continued into 1973.

After the 1992 loss, everybody knew that the following year everything was going to be dismantled, which made that loss even harder.

Yet in '73 they were in it until the final series with the Mets taking the title. Bucs were in it most of the decade until late in the season.

 

[FreeportPanther]

I had great World Series tickets behind third base dugout.
Turned them in for refund at PNC bank in Oakland. Blew the $40 bucks on a drunken binge, ended up peuking in Tower B bathroom so totally wasted exercise with nothing to show for you t!
Bob Moose was my wife’s cousin! Sad ending.

 

[H2P 2003]

I wasn’t alive for this, but my dad said this was worse than the Cabrera hit.

for me, 92 nlcs, 09 nova, 09cincy game, and the loss to butler in the tournament are the worst.

 

[FreeportPanther]

Yep, Guisti hung a big fat palm ball to Bench and he deposited it over the right center field fence to tie the game.
Like slow motion train wreck.
Like eating a piece of steak with a string tied to it. You chew it, taste it, start to swallow it, and they yank it out of your throat!

 

[wbrpanther]

Yet in '73 they were in it until the final series with the Mets taking the title. Bucs were in it most of the decade until late in the season.

'73 was an odd year. They were in it because the leaders were only at or slightly above .500

 

[wbrpanther]

I wasn’t alive for this, but my dad said this was worse than the Cabrera hit.

for me, 92 nlcs, 09 nova, 09cincy game, and the loss to butler in the tournament are the worst.

I was 21 years old and that loss was every bit as bad as those you mentioned. '92 may have been slightly worse because everyone knew it would be the last gasp. The team was breaking up.