1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season

The 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the 91st season of the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise; the 86th in the National League. The defending World Series champion Pirates finished first in the National League East with a record of 96–59. The team was defeated three games to two by the Cincinnati Reds in the 1972 National League Championship Series. Despite losing the series, the Pirates put up a good fight, unlike the last time the two teams met in the playoffs. In game 5, the Pirates led 3-2 in the 9th inning, and were 3 outs away from pulling off a major upset over the Reds. All looked good until the Pirates collapsed in the 9th inning and allowed 2 runs to score, with the walk off run coming on a wild pitch.

1972 Pittsburgh Pirates
1972 NL East Champions
Major League affiliations
Location
Results
Record96–59 (.619)
Divisional place1st
Other information
Owner(s)John W. Galbreath (majority shareholder); Bing Crosby, Thomas P. Johnson (minority shareholders)
General manager(s)Joe L. Brown
Manager(s)Bill Virdon
Local televisionKDKA-TV
Bob Prince, Nellie King
Local radioKDKA
Bob Prince, Nellie King
< Previous season     Next season >

Offseason

Regular season

Season standings
NL East W L Pct. GB Home Road
Pittsburgh Pirates 9659 0.619 — 49–29 47–30
Chicago Cubs 8570 0.548 11 46–31 39–39
New York Mets 8373 0.532 13½ 41–37 42–36
St. Louis Cardinals 7581 0.481 21½ 40–37 35–44
Montreal Expos 7086 0.449 26½ 35–43 35–43
Philadelphia Phillies 5997 0.378 37½ 28–51 31–46

Record vs. opponents
1972 National League Records

Sources:
Team ATL CHC CIN HOU LAD MON NYM PHI PIT SD SF STL
Atlanta —5–7–19–97–77–84–87–56–66–66–117–116–6
Chicago 7–5–1—8–43–98–410–510–810–73–129–37–510–8
Cincinnati 9–94–8—11–69–58–48–410–28–48–1010–510–2
Houston 7–79–36–11—7–118–46–69–33–912–213–54–8
Los Angeles 8–74–85–911–7—6–67–57–57–513–59–98–4
Montreal 8–45–104–84–86–6—6–1210–66–126–66–69–8
New York 5–78–104–86–65–712–6—13–58–67–58–47–9
Philadelphia 6-67–102–103–95–76–105–13—5–136–66–68–7
Pittsburgh 6–612–34–89–35–712–66–813–5—10–29–310–8
San Diego 11–63–910–82–125–136–65–76–62–10—4–104–8
San Francisco 11–75–75–105–139–96–64–86–63–910–4—5–7
St. Louis 6–68–102–108–44–88–99–77–88–108–47–5—

Detailed records

Game log
1972 Game Log: 96–59 (Home: 49–29; Away: 47–30)
April: 5–8 (Home: 3–6; Away: 2–2)
May: 19–7 (Home: 12–2; Away: 7–5)
June: 16–10 (Home: 5–6; Away: 11–4)
July: 20–10 (Home: 12–4; Away: 8–6)
August: 17–11 (Home: 8–5; Away: 9–6)
September: 18–11 (Home: 8–4; Away: 10–7)
October: 1–2 (Home: 1–2; Away: 0–0)
Legend:        = Win        = Loss
Bold = Pirates team member

Opening Day lineup
Opening Day Starters
NamePosition
Rennie Stennett2B
Al OliverCF
Roberto ClementeRF
Willie StargellLF
Richie Hebner3B
Manny SanguillénC
Bob Robertson1B
Jackie HernándezSS
Dock EllisSP

[5]

Notable transactions

Roster
1972 Pittsburgh Pirates
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders

Other batters

 Manager

Coaches

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
CManny Sanguillén136520155.298771
1BWillie Stargell138495145.29333112
2BDave Cash99425120.282330
SSGene Alley11934786.248336
3BRichie Hebner124427128.3001972
LFVic Davalillo117368117.318428
CFAl Oliver140565176.3121289
RFRoberto Clemente102378118.3121060

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
Rennie Stennett109370106.286330
Bob Robertson11530659.1931241
Gene Clines107311104.334017
Jackie Hernández7217633.188114
Milt May5713939.281014
José Pagán5312732.25238
Bill Mazeroski346412.18803
Richie Zisk17377.18904
Chuck Goggin572.28600
Frank Taveras430.00000
Fernando González320.00000
Charlie Sands110.00000

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
Steve Blass33249.21982.49117
Bob Moose3122613102.91144
Nelson Briles28195.214113.08120
Dock Ellis25163.11572.7096
Bruce Kison32152973.26102

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
Bob Johnson31115.2442.9679
Luke Walker2692.2463.4048
Bob Veale59006.006
Gene Garber46.1007.113
Jim McKee25100.004

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
Dave Giusti5474221.9354
Ramón Hernández5350141.6747
Bob Miller365232.6518

National League Championship Series
Main article: 1972 National League Championship Series

Awards and honors

1972 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

Farm system
See also: Minor League Baseball
Level Team League Manager
AAA Charleston Charlies International League Red Davis
AA Sherbrooke Pirates Eastern League Steve Demeter
A Salem Pirates Carolina League Tim Murtaugh
A Gastonia Pirates Western Carolinas League Tom Saffell
A-Short Season Niagara Falls Pirates New York–Penn League Chuck Cottier
Rookie GCL Pirates Gulf Coast League Ed Napoleon

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Salem, Niagara Falls

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
  3. Larry Demery at Baseball Reference
  4. José Martínez at Baseball Reference
  5. 1972 Opening Day lineup at "Baseball-Almanac"
  6. John Candelaria at Baseball Reference
  7. Ken Macha at Baseball Reference
  8. Willie Randolph at Baseball Reference
  9. Bob Veale at Baseball Almanac

References
  • 1972 Pittsburgh Pirates at Baseball Reference
  • 1972 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.
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