RICHMOND, Va. -- It's always a thrill to stumble upon some little piece of Pirates history of which I wasn't previously aware, and to discover that Pittsburgh baseball luminary 'Uncle Al' Pratt, founder of the Alleghenys and honored guest at Forbes Field for the opening of the 1909 World Series actually took the mound for the first game in MLB history definitely fits the bill!
For those keeping score, this marks the earliest event I've covered in Cartoon Canon... and at well over a century and a half ago, it'll be a difficult one to top!
Special thanks, as well, to Pittsburgh baseball historian John Dreker for helping me get all the details right!
ROB ULLMAN / DKPS
For prints and books, visit my site and/or the new DK Pittsburgh Sports HQ/shop at 224 Fifth Avenue, Downtown!