For the 1971 Pirates, it's a band of brothers

Wednesday's game against the White Sox held little significance for the last place Pittsburgh Pirates, who were playing out the string.

What was significant was the date, Sept. 1. It marked the 50th anniversary of a significant milestone not only in the franchise's history, but for all of Major League Baseball.

On that date in 1971, also a Wednesday, at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates fielded MLB's first all-Black and Latino starting lineup.

Willie Stargell was in left field, Gene Clines in center and Roberto Clemente in right. Dave Cash at third base, Jackie Hernandez at shortstop, Rennie Stennett at second and Al Oliver at first.

Catcher Manny Sanguillen and pitcher Dock Ellis formed the battery.

The Pirates were well positioned to accomplish the feat. The roster had six Black and seven Latino players.

The Phillies' starting lineup, with the exception of left fielder Oscar Gamble and center fielder Willie Montanez, was white.

With more than 11,000 watching, the soon-to-be world champion Pirates prevailed in a 10-7 slugfest.

Down 2-0 in the opening frame, the Bucs answered with a five-run outburst in their half of the first inning, highlighted by singles from Clemente and Cash and doubles by Stargell and Oliver off starter Woodie Fryman.

The Phils grabbed a 6-5 lead on Deron Johnson's two-run homer in the top of the second, but Sanguillen's two-run blast put the Pirates ahead 8-6 in their half of the inning.

Run-scoring singles by Stennett and Clemente provided insurance.

In UPI's postgame coverage, avuncular Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh said, "When it comes to making out the lineup, I'm colorblind. And my athletes know it. They don't know it because I told them, but they know it because they're familiar with the way I operate."

Injuries may have influenced circumstances. With third baseman Richie Hebner sidelined by a viral infection, Cash moved from second to third, while Hernandez filled in for Gene Alley, who was nursing a sprained knee.

First baseman Bob Robertson had a knee injury, although later reports said he expected to be in the lineup.

The players seemed initially oblivious to the situation.

Oliver later told National Public Radio that after a few innings he turned to Cash on the bench and said, "Dave, you know, we got all brothers out there on the field."

Luke Walker, a white pitcher who picked up the victory in relief, told UPI he didn't notice, saying, "All I saw in the field were eight men and myself. And I think all the guys on this team feel the same way."

According to the UPI account, in the locker room after the game, Clines, a future Cubs coach, yelled at Cash, "Hey, Dave, we've started nine brothers before, haven't we?"

Stargell interjected, "This is the first time. Back in 1967, in Philadelphia, (former manager) Harry Walker started eight of us, but the pitcher, Denny Ribant, was white."

Newspaper coverage of the landmark game was limited, since Pittsburgh's two dailies were on strike. The Philadelphia Daily News' Bill Conlin buried the information, referring briefly to the Pirates' "all-soul lineup."

The city's Black weekly, the New Pittsburgh Courier, made no mention in its Sept. 4 edition.

The Courier's news coverage offered a glimpse into the racial ferment at the time, revealing issues that resonate today.

Chicago dominated the front page, with Cook County State's Attorney Edward Hanrahan under indictment for obstruction of justice in the investigation of the police raid that claimed the lives of Black Panther party leaders Fred Hampton and Mark Clark.

On page two was coverage of Braves outfielder Rico Carty, the previous year's batting champ, accusing three white Atlanta policemen of beating him and possibly causing permanent eye damage.

In one of his "By the Way" columns, former Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher and Greyhound executive Joe Black, the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game, responded to criticism of his views on "Blacks committing crimes against Blacks."

He wrote, "And, what about the Black mother who dies a thousand deaths each day wondering if Black gangs are going to harm her children - children who want to learn and refuse to burn. Can you appease her anxiety by reminding her that we live in a racist society?"

That day, the Courier also published a photo of Lloyd McClendon circling the bases after hitting a home run in a Little League regional championship game in Harvey.

McClendon's Gary, Ind., team, which reached the 1971 Little League World Series, was the first all Black team to play in the series.

After the 2000 season, when the Pirates named McClendon manager, he was asked about possible scrutiny from fans over his being the team's first Black manager.

He responded with words that might have been uttered by Murtaugh.

"I would like to get their respect, but my responsibility is to the Pittsburgh Pirates to go out and win baseball games."