Pie Traynor

Pie Traynor
Birthdate 11/11/1899
Death Date 3/16/1972
Debut Year 1920
Year of Induction 1948
Teams Pirates
Position Third Base

A 17-year career with the Pirates left Pie Traynor with a .320 career average and 2,416 hits earning him induction as the Hall’s first 3rd baseman.

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In the collection:

Traynor was selected for each of the first two All Star Games

Traynor was selected for each of the first two All Star Games

The date was April 13, 1935 when Pie Traynor posted this letter to his wife Eve. The Pirate third baseman addressed the envelope to “Mrs. Harold J. Traynor” thereby providing his autograph. An outstanding third baseman before World War II, Traynor was selected
Traynor got his nickname for having a

Traynor got his nickname for having a "Pie Face"

Do you know the origin of Harold Traynor’s nickname? A grocery store owner near his childhood home in Somerville, Massachusetts gave him the moniker that would stick with him the rest of his life. Apparently the store owner called Traynor, “Pie Face” which was later
Pie Traynor's autograph is highly desired and widely available

Pie Traynor's autograph is highly desired and widely available

Most of the Traynor autographs that survive today are similar to this index card in which the third baseman has written, “Pie Traynor”. That makes the first image on this page a bit remarkable. Much less common is the more formal, “Harold Traynor” as shown
Elbie Fletcher writes of teammate Pie Traynor's abilities

Elbie Fletcher writes of teammate Pie Traynor's abilities

Elbie Fletcher enjoyed a 12-year Major League career, most of which with the Pirates. Here Fletcher writes about Pie Traynor, “In 1939 I was sold to the Pitts. Pirates and ‘Pie’ Traynor was the manager, a great break for me. He was a ‘Hall of Famer’, an outstanding thir

One response to “Pie Traynor”

  1. ROGER SPARLING says:

    Why do people even consider WAR for players before 1950? I just finished reading a blog from someone who thought Traynor did
    not belong in the HOF because his WAR wasn’t high enough. There is not enough known, statistic wise, about replacement players in
    those early years.

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