By Bobster

Friday, September 30, 1960---The Bucs (93-59) dropped a 13-2 game to the Braves at Forbes Field. The game was meaningless but caused considerable concern because Vern Law (20-9), whose ankle was injured in the pennant celebration a few days earlier, lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up 10 hits and 8 runs.

By Bobster

Thursday, September 29, 1960---The Pirates had their second straight day off as they prepared to end the regular season with a 3 game series against the Braves at Forbes Field. Law, Friend and Mizell would work for the Pirates as they tuned up for the World Series. For Law, the game against the Braves would be a chance to test his injured ankle. Meanwhile in Los Angeles, the Dodgers' Norm Larker went 1 for 4 against the Cardinals to drop to .324, just .001 behind Groat for the N.L. batting title.

By Bobster

Wednesday, September 28, 1960---In an odd scheduling quirk, the Pirates had 2 scheduled days off (Wednesday and Thursday) before finishing the regular season with a 3 game series against the Braves at Forbes Field. Dick Groat, who was second in the N.L. batting race when he suffered a broken wrist on September 6, was ready to test the wrist against the Braves. Groat trailed the Dodgers’ Norm Larker, .331 to .325 at the time of the injury but now they were tied. Groat could sit out the remaining 3 games and let his wrist heel further, which would also put pressure on Larker to sustain his average.

By Bobster

Tuesday, September 27, 1960---With the Pirates having clinched the N.L. pennant, some unfamiliar faces made their way into the starting lineup against the Reds before 22,162 fans at Forbes Field. Joe Christopher played CF, Bob Oldis (.200), who had caught two other Tom Cheney starts, started his third game of the season and Dick Barone, a September call-up after Groat’s injury, started at shortstop. Also, Gene Baker replaced Hoak at third base in the fourth inning. It turned out to be a great game.

By Bobster

Monday, September 26, 1960---The Pirates were off and could rest up after celebrating their pennant. The Pirates had hit well all season. And their pitching was now looking sharp as the World Series was only 8 days away. The starting rotation of Law (20-8, 2.84 ERA), Friend (17-12, 2.98), Mizell (12-5, 2.99) and Haddix (11-10, 4.01) was very effective. Face (10-8, 23 Saves, 2.96) had been outstanding all year and Green (7-4, 3 saves, 3.25) had been a good left-handed compliment. Labine (3-0, 3 saves, 0.95) had been practically unhittable since joining the Bucs in mid-August.

By Bobster

Sunday, September 25, 1960---Despite the Pirates’ third straight loss to Milwaukee, a loss by the Cardinals (to the Cubs) handed the Pirates (92-58) their first National League pennant in 33 years. Bill Mazeroski hit his 11th HR in the fifth against Warren Spahn to give Harvey Haddix a 1-0 lead. In the seventh, Hal Smith doubled home Clemente, who had singled, to make it 2-0. But Joe Torre batted for Spahn and singled to ignite a 2-run rally in the eighth that tied it 2-2 as Elroy Face came on to end the rally. Ron Piche (3-5) replaced Spahn and shut down the Pirates in the ninth and tenth innings.

By Bobster

Saturday, September 24, 1960---With the second-place Cardinals (85-62) losing to the Cubs, the Pirates clinched a tie for first place despite a loss to the Braves (85-63). The magic number for clinching sole possession of first place, i.e., the N.L. pennant, was now 1. Lew Burdette (18-12) scattered 11 hits, yielding only 2 runs as the Braves beat the Pirates (92-57), 4-2. The Braves got all 4 of their runs after there were two outs in the first inning off Bob Friend (17-12) when Hank Aaron doubled to score Ed Mathews (who had reached on a force and stole second).

By Bobster

Friday, September 23, 1960---The Pirates (92-56) lost to the third-place Braves (84-63) while the second-place Cardinals (85-61) swept a doubleheader from the Cubs. The Cardinals were 6 games out, and the magic number remained at 2. George Witt (1-2) pitched a strong game for the Pirates, going 7 innings, with 8 hits, 1 walk and 5 Ks. But the Braves Bob Buhl (15-9) was better. Buhl went the distance, giving up just 5 hits, a walk and 5 Ks. Bill Bruton homered off Witt in the third for a 1-0 lead.

By Bobster

Thursday, September 22, 1960---This had been scheduled to be one of 8 off days in September. In fact, the schedule had the Pirates off on consecutive days on September 21 and 22 (after also being off on September 19) and again on September 28 and 29. But on this day, the Pirates met the Cubs in a doubleheader at Forbes Field to make up the doubleheader that had been rained out on September 11. This required the Cubs to fly from Chicago to Pittsburgh for a make up doubleheader and then immediately fly back to Chicago for another make up doubleheader with St. Louis the very next day.

By Bobster

Wednesday, September 21, 1960---The Pirates (90-55) were off as they traveled home to meet the Cubs in a doubleheader. However, the Cardinals (83-61) lost to the Dodgers to slip 6½ games behind. The Pirates’ magic number was now 4. In the A.L., the Yankees won their 6th straight, 10-3 over the Washington Senators.