1934 Pittsburgh Pirates (NFL) season

Last updated

1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season
Owner Art Rooney
Head coach Luby DiMeolo
Home field Forbes Field
Results
Record2–10
Division place5th NFL Eastern
Playoff finishDid not qualify

The 1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the second season of the Pirates after formation the previous year. The 1934 Pirates (later renamed in 1940) began the season with a new coach, Luby DiMeolo, but once again found themselves finishing in 5th place in the Eastern Division. The Pirates suffered a miserable 2–10 season, in which they were shut out in 6 games and only scored more than 10 points in 2 games.

Contents

One point of interest of the season was the arrival of All-Pro and future Hall of Famer John McNally for one season from the Green Bay Packers. However, he did not have much of an impact for the Pirates before returning to the Packers the next season.

This Pirates team also introduced their "jailbird" uniforms. While these uniforms were worn by the Steelers as throwbacks from 2012 to 2016 (albeit with the current colors, making them "bumblebee" uniforms), this was the only year they were used as the team was constantly made fun of for looking like convicts.

Regular season

Schedule

WeekDateOpponentResultRecord
1September 9 Cincinnati Reds W 13–01–0
2September 16 Boston Redskins L 0–71–1
3September 26 Philadelphia Eagles L 0–171–2
4October 3 New York Giants L 12–141–3
5October 7at Philadelphia Eagles W 9–72–3
6October 10 Chicago Bears L 0–282–4
7October 14at Boston Redskins L 0–392–5
8October 21at New York Giants L 7–172–6
9October 28at Brooklyn Dodgers L 3–212–7
10November 4at Detroit Lions L 7–402–8
11November 11at St. Louis Gunners L 0–62–9
12November 18 Brooklyn Dodgers L 0–102–10

Standings

NFL Eastern Division
WLTPCTDIVPFPASTK
New York Giants 850.6157–1147107L1
Boston Redskins 660.5005–310794W1
Brooklyn Dodgers 470.3644–461153L3
Philadelphia Eagles 470.3643–512785W2
Pittsburgh Pirates 2100.1671–751206L7

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

Game summaries

Week 1 (Sunday September 9, 1934): Cincinnati Reds

1234Total
Reds00000
Pirates070613

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 14,164
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Pittsburgh – Clark 27 lateral from Sorlet after pass from Heller (Kelsch kick)
  • Pittsburgh – FG Kelsch 13
  • Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 13

Week 2 (Sunday September 16, 1934): Boston Redskins

1234Total
Redskins00707
Pirates00000

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 17,171
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Boston – Malone 16 pass from Hokuf (Battles kick)

Week 4 (Wednesday September 26, 1934): Philadelphia Eagles

1234Total
Eagles077317
Pirates00000

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 11,559
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Philadelphia – Hanson 16 run (Hanson kick)
  • Philadelphia – Hanson 34 pass from Kirkman (Hajek kick)
  • Philadelphia – FG Wiener 17

Week 5 (Wednesday October 3, 1934): New York Giants

1234Total
Giants707014
Pirates660012

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 13,020
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • New York – Badgro 25 pass from Newman (Newman kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Skladany 28 pass from Heller (kick failed)
  • Pittsburgh – Heller 2 run (kick failed)
  • New York – Strong 7 run (Newman kick)

Week 5 (Sunday October 7, 1934): Philadelphia Eagles

1234Total
Pirates30069
Eagles00077

at Baker Bowl, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 9,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 28
  • Pittsburgh – Brovelli 5 run (kick blocked)
  • Philadelphia – Gonya 4 pass from Barnhardt (Kirkman kick)

Week 6 (Wednesday October 10, 1934): Chicago Bears

1234Total
Bears7701428
Pirates00000

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 19,386
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Chicago – Ronzani 6 pass from Burmbaugh (Manders kick)
  • Chicago – Feathers 82 run (Manders kick)
  • Chicago – Molesworth 2 run (Manders kick)
  • Chicago – Johnsos 3 pass from Molesworth (Manders kick)

Week 6 (Sunday October 14, 1934): Boston Redskins

1234Total
Pirates00000
Redskins13620039

at Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 15,515
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Boston – Malone pass from Hokuf (kick failed)
  • Boston – Battles run (Wright kick)
  • Boston – Battles 19 run (kick failed)
  • Boston – Wright 59 run (Wright kick)
  • Boston – Pinckert run (kick failed)
  • Boston – McPhail 14 fumble return (McPhail kick)

Week 7 (Sunday October 21, 1934): New York Giants

1234Total
Pirates00077
Giants307717

at Polo Grounds, New York, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 11,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • New York – FG Strong 44
  • New York – Strong 2 run (Strong kick)
  • New York – Smith 3 run (Molenda kick)
  • Pittsburgh – Sortet 21 pass from Vaughn (Kelsck kick)

Week 8 (Sunday October 28, 1934): Brooklyn Dodgers

1234Total
Pirates30003
Dodgers7001421

at Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 8,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Brooklyn – Grossman 72 punt return (Kercheval kick)
  • Pittsburgh – FG Niccolai 50
  • Brooklyn – Grossman 26 pass from Cagle (Kercheval kick)
  • Brooklyn – Kercheval 15 pass from Montgomery (Kercheval kick)

The game is the first in NFL history to not feature any penalties by either team. [1]

Week 9 (Sunday November 4, 1934): Detroit Lions

1234Total
Pirates700613
Lions71313740

at University of Detroit Stadium, Detroit, Michigan

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 6,000
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Pittsburgh – Skladany 62 pass from Vaughn (Niccolai kick)
  • Detroit – F. Christensen 1 run (Clark kick)
  • Detroit – Clark 45 run (kick failed)
  • Detroit – Ebding 37 pass from Caddel (Clark kick)

Week 10 (Sunday November 11, 1934): St. Louis Gunners

1234Total
Pirates00000
Gunners06006

at Sportsman's Park, St. Louis, Missouri

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 13,678
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • St. Louis – FG Senn 35
  • St. Louis – FG Alford 12

Week 11 (Sunday November 18, 1934): Brooklyn Dodgers

1234Total
Dodgers0010010
Pirates00000

at Forbes Field, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Game time:
  • Game weather:
  • Game attendance: 9,087
  • Referee:
  • TV announcers:

Scoring drives:

  • Brooklyn – Kercheval 23 pass from Cagle (Kercheval kick)
  • Brooklyn – FG Kercheval 22

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References

  1. "Fact or Fiction? There's never been a NFL game without any penalties". Pro Football Hall of Fame . Retrieved October 27, 2013.

Roster

PlayerAgePosGGSWtHtCollege/UnivBirth DateYrs
Angelo Brovelli 24B551936’0St. Mary's (CA)August 21, 19101
Ben Ciccone 25C1101975’10DuquesneOctober 10, 1909R
James Clark B931705’9Pittsburghunknown1
Jack Dempsey 22T112256’2BucknellMarch 12, 1912R
Jap Douds 29T-G-C1182165’10Washington & JeffersonApril 21, 19054
Norm Greeney 24G1132125’11Notre DameMay 7, 19101
Warren Heller 24HB-TB12121955’11PittsburghNovember 24, 1910R
George Kavel 24HB111705’11Carnegie MellonMarch 3, 1910R
Mose Kelsch 37FB-HB802235’10noneJanuary 31, 18971
Zvonimir Kvaternik 23G102105’11KansasOctober 18, 1911R
Jim Levey 28B111565’10noneSeptember 13, 1906R
Basilio Marchi 25G-C542206’2NYUJuly 14, 1909R
Harry Marker 24B101555’6West VirginiaSeptember 17, 1910R
Johnny McNally 31TB-HB-WB-BB-DB511886’1N.D., St. John's (MN), Wis-River FallsNovember 27, 19039
Buster Mott 25B101935’8GeorgiaJune 21, 19091
Armand Niccolai 23T-G12122266’2DuquesneNovember 8, 1911R
Cap Oehler 24C-LB12122046’0PurdueAugust 5, 19101
Bill Potts HB10200VillanovaunknownR
Jess Quatse 26T12122265’11PittsburghApril 4, 19081
Alex Rado 23HB-DB842006’1West Virginia TechJuly 19, 1911R
Peter Rajkovich 23FB-LB331905’10Detroit MercyJanuary 17, 1911R
Dave Ribble 27G-T1082256’1Hardin-SimmonsMarch 28, 19072
Jack Roberts 24B602106’0GeorgiaSeptember 27, 19102
Pete Saumer 24B301956’1St. OlafApril 30, 1910R
Joe Skladany 23E12122105’10PittsburghMay 25, 1911R
Ben Smith 23E-BB-DE11102086’3AlabamaJune 16, 19111
Bull Snyder 23G502306’2OhioOctober 29, 1911R
Bill Sortet 22E1211876’1West VirginiaJune 25, 19121
Ray Tesser 22E-DE1212046’2Carnegie MellonJune 2, 19121
Harp Vaughan 31B1171505’7noneNovember 19, 19031
Henry Weinberg 24G-T811905’7DuquesneMarch 4, 1910R
Silvio Zaninelli 21B11112075’10DuquesneDecember 9, 1913R