Pittsburgh Pirates History: Waner Brothers Hit Back to Back Homers
By David Hill
There have been a few pairs of brothers to play in the Majors, and to even spend time together on the same team. However, it was not until this day in 1938 when Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famers Paul and Lloyd Waner hit consecutive home runs for the first time in MLB history.
Paul Waner, and his brother Lloyd, made their marks during their time with the Pittsburgh Pirates. During the late 1920’s and into the 1930’s, both were amongst the best at their positions. Patrolling the outfield together for 14 years, the Waner brothers are considered inseparable in the minds of baseball fans.
While there had been other brothers who played in the Majors, and even some that appeared on the same team together, none had ever homered in the same game. That is, until this day in 1938, when the Waner brothers not only homered in the same contest, but hit back to back home runs.
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The historic moment came in the top of the fifth inning. Lloyd, who was hitting leadoff that day, belted Giants starter Cliff Melton‘s offering for a home run. Paul followed with a home run of his own, one of two that he hit that day. The Waners had homered in the same game twice before, but had never done so back to back previously.
While other brothers would hit home runs in the same game, the Pittsburgh Pirates did not have another set of brothers homer in the same game until 2009. In that game, both Andy LaRoche and Adam LaRoche went deep, victimizing the Minnesota Twins on June 19. It would also be the only time that brothers hit consecutive homers until Justin Upton and B.J. Upton turned the trick on April 23, 2013.
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The only set of brothers in the Hall of Fame, Lloyd and Paul Waner certainly made their mark upon the game of baseball. On this day in 1938, they became the first brothers to hit consecutive homers, a feat that would be theirs alone until 2013.