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{{Short description|American baseball player, broadcaster, and manager (1898–1972)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Pie Traynor
|position=[[Third baseman]]
|image=Traynor-Pie-bain.tif
|caption=Traynor in 1925
|width=225
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{birth date|1898|11|11}}
|birth_place=[[Framingham, Massachusetts]], U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1972|3|16|1898|11|11}}
|death_place=[[Pittsburgh]], Pennsylvania, U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 15
|debutyear=1920
|debutteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=August 14
|finalyear=1937
|finalteam=Pittsburgh Pirates
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[[Batting average (baseball)|Batting average]]
|stat1value=.320
|stat2label=[[Hit (baseball)|Hits]]
|stat2value=2,416
|stat3label=[[Home run]]s
|stat3value=58
|stat4label=[[Runs batted in]]
|stat4value=1,273
|teams=
'''As player'''
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ({{mlby|1920}}–{{mlby|1935}}, {{mlby|1937}})
'''As manager'''
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ({{mlby|1934}}–{{mlby|1939}})
|highlights=
* 2× [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star]] ([[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1933]], [[1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1934]])
* [[World Series champion]] ({{wsy|1925}})
* [[Pittsburgh Pirates#Retired numbers|Pittsburgh Pirates No. 20]] retired
*[[Pittsburgh Pirates#Pirates Hall of Fame|Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame]]
|hoflink = National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
|hoftype = National
|hofdate=[[1948 Baseball Hall of Fame balloting|1948]]
|hofvote=76.9% (eighth ballot)
}}
'''Harold Joseph''' "'''Pie'''" '''Traynor''' (November 11, 1898 – March 16, 1972) was an American [[third baseman]], [[Manager (baseball)|manager]], [[Scout (sports)|scout]] and [[Color commentator|radio broadcaster]] in [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) who played his entire career between 1920 and 1937 for the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]].<ref name="Pie Traynor">{{cite web |title=Pie Traynor |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/traynpi01.shtml |access-date=October 27, 2010 |publisher=Baseball Reference}}</ref> Traynor had a .320 career [[Batting average (baseball)|batting average]], batting over .300 ten times with seven seasons with over 100 [[run batted in|runs batted in]] (RBI). With [[home run]]s limited by playing in [[Forbes Field]], the most difficult park for power hitting in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL), he compensated by reaching double digits in [[triple (baseball)|triples]] eleven times, leading the league in 1923. He batted .346 in the [[1925 World Series]] to help the Pirates take their first championship in 16 years.

Traynor led NL third basemen in [[putout]]s seven times, in [[double play]]s four times, and in [[assist (baseball)|assists]] three times; his 41 double plays in 1925 were an NL record until 1950, and his 226 putouts that year remain the highest NL total since 1905. He set major league records for career double plays (303) and games (1,863) at third base which were broken in 1945 and 1960 respectively, and which remained NL records until [[Eddie Mathews]] broke them in 1964 and 1965; his 2,289 putouts remain the NL record, and his 3,521 assists were the league record until Mathews passed him in 1964. Traynor was inducted into the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]] in [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1948|1948]], becoming the initial third baseman elected by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]].

Following World War II, Traynor was often cited as the greatest third baseman in major league history. In recent years, his renown has diminished, with the modern-era careers of third basemen including Mathews, [[Brooks Robinson]], [[Mike Schmidt]], and [[George Brett]] moving to the forefront in the memories of baseball fans;<ref name="Pie Traynor Greatest of the Third Basemen">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DIDAAAAMBAJ&q=pie+traynor+baseball+digest&pg=PA87 |title=Pie Traynor Greatest of the Third Basemen |author=Kaese, Harold |date=June 1972 |magazine=Baseball Digest |access-date=October 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170113123540/https://books.google.com/books?id=7dIDAAAAMBAJ#v=onepage&q=pie%20traynor%20baseball%20digest&f=false |archive-date=January 13, 2017 |df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract">{{cite book |author=James |first=Bill |author-link=Bill James |title=[[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract]] |publisher=Free Press |year=2001 |isbn=0-684-80697-5 |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/newbilljameshist00jame/page/554 554]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Holmes |first=Dan |date=2023-04-30 |title=In 1969, Experts Thought These Were the Greatest Third Basemen |url=https://baseballegg.com/2023/04/30/in-1969-experts-thought-these-were-the-greatest-third-basemen/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Baseball Egg |language=en-US}}</ref> however, he is still widely regarded as the top third baseman in the National League prior to 1950.

==Early life==
Traynor was born in [[Framingham, Massachusetts]], to parents who had emigrated from Canada.<ref name=sabrbio>{{sabrbio|85500ab5|James Forr|October 30, 2010}}</ref> He received his nickname as a child in [[Somerville, Massachusetts]], because he frequented a grocery store and often asked for pie. The store owner called him "Pie Face", which was later shortened to Pie by his friends.<ref name="Pie Traynor Greatest of the Third Basemen"/>

In 1919, he played in what is now the [[Cape Cod Baseball League]] (CCBL). Playing for both the [[Falmouth Commodores|Falmouth]] and [[Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts|Oak Bluffs]] town teams, he batted .447 for Falmouth and had a combined batting average of .322 for the two teams. In 2009, he was inducted into the [[Cape Cod Baseball League#Hall of Fame and Museum|CCBL Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Garner, Jr. |first=John |date=19 January 2006 |title=CCBL Legends Special : Pie Traynor |url=https://ism3.infinityprosports.com/ismdata/2012030201/std-sitebuilder/sites/201201/www/en/news/league/index.html?article_id=692 |access-date=August 30, 2019 |publisher=[[Cape Cod Baseball League]] |via=infinityprosports.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Class of 2009 Elected to Cape League's Hall of Fame |url=https://ism3.infinityprosports.com/ismdata/2012030201/std-sitebuilder/sites/201201/www/en/news/league/?article_id=206 |access-date=August 30, 2019 |publisher=Cape Cod Baseball League |via=infinityprosports.com}}</ref>

==Playing career==
Traynor began his [[professional baseball]] career in 1920 as a [[shortstop]] for the [[Portsmouth Truckers]] of the [[Virginia League]].<ref name="Pie Traynor Minor League Statistics">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=trayno001har |title=Pie Traynor Minor League Statistics |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> He was asked by a [[Boston Braves (baseball)|Boston Braves]] [[Scout (sports)|scout]] to work out with the team at [[Braves Field]], but the scout forgot to tell Braves manager [[George Stallings]]. Stallings ran Traynor off the field, telling him not to return.<ref name="On Seeing Pie Traynor Again">{{cite magazine |author=Graham, Frank |date=October 1954 |title=On Seeing Pie Traynor Again |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5TIDAAAAMBAJ&q=pie+traynor+baseball+digest&pg=PA79 |access-date=October 27, 2010 |magazine=Baseball Digest}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Kieran |first=John |date=1934-07-12 |title=Sports of the Times; A Rolling Pie Gathers No Moss. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1934/07/12/archives/sports-of-the-times-a-rolling-pie-gathers-no-moss.html |access-date=2025-03-13 |work=[[The New York Times]] |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> 

Traynor made his major league debut with the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] at the age of 21 on September 15, [[1920 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1920]], appearing in 17 games that season.<ref name="Pie Traynor" /> He appeared in 10 games for the Pirates in [[1921 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1921]], but spent the majority of the season playing for the [[Birmingham Barons]].<ref name="Pie Traynor Minor League Statistics" /> He posted a .336 [[batting average (baseball)|batting average]] in 131 games for the Barons, but he committed 64 [[Error (baseball)|errors]] as a shortstop.<ref name="sabrbio" /><ref name="Pie Traynor Minor League Statistics" />

Traynor became the Pirates' regular third baseman in [[1922 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1922]], hitting for a .282 batting average with 81 [[runs batted in]] (RBI).<ref name="Pie Traynor" /> Following the advice of [[Rogers Hornsby]], he began using a heavier [[Baseball bat|bat]] in [[1923 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1923]] and blossomed into one of the best hitters in the [[National League (baseball)|National League]] (NL). He hit above .300 for the first time with a .338 batting average along with 12 [[home run]]s and 101 runs batted in.<ref name="Pie Traynor" /><ref name="sabrbio" /> With tutoring provided by teammate [[Rabbit Maranville]], his defense also began to improve, leading National League third basemen in [[putout]]s and [[Assist (baseball)|assists]].<ref name="sabrbio" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1923-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1923 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 30, 2010 }}</ref>

In [[1925 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1925]], Traynor posted a .320 average with six home runs, 106 runs batted in and led the league in [[fielding percentage]] as the Pirates won the NL [[Pennant (sports)|pennant]] by {{fract|8|1|2}} games over the [[1925 New York Giants (MLB) season|New York Giants]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leagues/NL/1925-fielding-leaders.shtml |title=1925 National League Fielding Leaders |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 30, 2010 }}</ref> In the [[1925 World Series]], he hit .346 including a home run off future Hall of Fame [[pitcher]] [[Walter Johnson]] as the Pirates defeated the [[1925 Washington Senators season|Washington Senators]] in a seven-game series.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1925_WS.shtml |title=1925 World Series |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/traynpi01.shtml#batting_postseason::none |title=Pie Traynor Post-Season Batting Statistics |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 26, 2010 }}</ref> Traynor ended the season eighth in [[Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award]] balloting.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/awards_1925.shtml#NLmvp |title=1925 Most Valuable Player Award Balloting Results |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> His 41 double plays in 1925 set an NL record for third basemen that stood for 25 years.<ref name=sabrbio/>

The Pirates won the pennant again in [[1927 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1927]] with Traynor hitting .342 with five home runs and 106 runs batted in, but they lost to the [[1927 New York Yankees season|New York Yankees]] in the [[1927 World Series]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/postseason/1927_WS.shtml |title=1927 World Series |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 30, 2010 }}</ref> In November of that year, members of the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] selected him as the third baseman for the 1927 all-star major league team.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball Scribes Name All-Stars Of 1927 Season |work=Beaver Falls Tribune |page=14 |date=November 30, 1927 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=iJtkAAAAIBAJ&pg=3040,3412520&dq=pie+traynor&hl=en}}</ref> Traynor hit .337 and produced a career-high 124 runs batted in during the [[1928 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1928 season]] despite hitting only three home runs and finished in sixth place in the NL MVP Award balloting.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> He continued to be a cornerstone for the Pirates, posting a .356 batting average in [[1929 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1929]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/>

Traynor hit for a career-high .366 average in [[1930 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1930]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> A different baseball was used in MLB in 1931, and Traynor's batting average decreased to .298. Despite the decline in his average, Traynor supported the use of the new ball, saying that the 1930 ball had caused too large of an advantage for hitters and had led to lopsided games that had ultimately decreased interest in the sport.<ref name="Hample">{{cite book |last1=Hample |first1=Zack |author-link=Zack Hample |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=psLACnN8CYMC&pg=PA123 |title=The Baseball: Stunts, Scandals, and Secrets Beneath the Stitches |date=2011 |publisher=Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group |isbn=9780307742087 |page=123 |access-date=August 12, 2016}}</ref> In 1933 MLB held its inaugural [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] and, Traynor was selected as a reserve player for the [[1933 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|NL team]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/ALS/ALS193307060.shtml |title=1933 All-Star Game |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Baseball Stars Meet In 'Game Of Century' At Chicago Tomorrow |agency=Associated Press |work=The Evening Independent |page=6 |date=July 5, 1933 |access-date=April 5, 2011 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gpwLAAAAIBAJ&pg=3208,1694221&dq=pie+traynor&hl=en}}</ref>

Traynor's last full season was in [[1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1934]] when he hit over .300 for the ninth time in ten seasons, and was named as the starting third baseman for the NL in the [[1934 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1934 All-Star Game]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NLS/NLS193407100.shtml |title=1934 All-Star Game |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> During the 1934 season, his throwing arm was injured in a play at [[home plate]], and his defense began to suffer as a result.<ref name=sabrbio/> That June, he became the Pirates' manager.<ref name=":0" /> After playing in only 55 games in 1935, Traynor was a full-time manager in 1936. He played his final game on August 14, [[1937 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1937]], scoring the game-winning run as a pinch runner in the ninth inning.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/><ref>{{Cite web |title=Pittsburgh Pirates vs St. Louis Cardinals Box Score: August 14, 1937 |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/SLN/SLN193708140.shtml |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="sabrbio" />

==Career statistics==

[[File:Pie Traynor.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Traynor was regarded as one of the greatest third basemen of his generation.]]
In a 17-year major league career, Traynor played in 1,941 [[Games played|games]], accumulating 2,416 [[Hit (baseball)|hits]] in 7,559 [[at bat]]s for a .320 career batting average along with 58 home runs, 1,273 runs batted in and an [[on-base percentage]] of .362.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> He retired with a .946 [[fielding percentage]].<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> Traynor reached a high of 12 home runs in 1923. He hit more doubles and triples, with 371 doubles and 164 triples lifetime and leading the league in triples in 1923, with 19.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> He hit over .300 ten times and had over 100 runs batted in (RBI) in a season seven times.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/> Traynor accumulated 6 five-hit games and 39 four-hit games in his MLB career.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://retrosheet.org/boxesetc/T/PX_trayp101.htm|title=Pie Traynor Top Performances at Retrosheet|website=retrosheet.org|accessdate= April 25, 2024}}</ref> His seven seasons with more than 100 RBI is tied for second among major league third basemen, behind [[Mike Schmidt]]'s 9 seasons.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Most Seasons With 100 Rbi By A Primary Third Baseman Since 1901 |url=https://www.statmuse.com/mlb/ask/most-seasons-with-100-rbi-by-a-primary-third-baseman-since-1901 |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=StatMuse |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Major League Leaders - Third basemen |url=https://www.fangraphs.com/leaders/major-league?stats=bat&lg=all&qual=y&type=8&season=2024&month=0&season1=1871&ind=1&team=0&rost=0&players=0&pos=3b&sortcol=7&sortdir=default&pagenum=1&pageitems=300 |website=FanGraphs}}</ref> He had 208 hits in 1923, the last Pirate infielder with 200 or more hits until shortstop [[Jack Wilson (shortstop)|Jack Wilson]], who had 201 hits in 2004. Traynor [[Strikeout|struck out]] only 278 times in his career.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/>

Traynor was considered the best fielding third baseman of his era, leading the National League in [[fielding percentage]] once, [[double play]]s four times, [[Assist (baseball)|assists]] three times, and [[putout]]s seven times.<ref name="Pie Traynor" /><ref name="sabrbio" /> His 2,289 putouts ranks fifth all-time among third basemen.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/leaders/PO_3b_career.shtml |title=Career Leaders & Records for Putouts as Third Baseman |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 31, 2010 }}</ref> His 1,863 games played at third base was a major league record that stood until 1960 when [[Eddie Yost]] surpassed it.<ref name="17 Years At Third Base!">{{cite magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gy0DAAAAMBAJ&q=eddie+yost+baseball+digest&pg=PA61 |title=17 Years At Third Base! |author=Middlesworth, Hal |date=October 1960 |work=Baseball Digest |access-date=October 25, 2010 }}{{dead link|date=September 2013}}</ref> Traynor is the only MLB player to steal [[home plate]] in an All-Star Game.<ref name=sabrbio/><ref>{{Cite web |title=1934 All-Star Game |url=https://www.baseball-almanac.com/asgbox/yr1934as.shtml |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=Baseball Almanac}}</ref> Traynor finished in the top ten in NL MVP Award voting six times during his career.<ref name="Pie Traynor"/>

==Managing career==

Traynor became the Pirates' [[player-manager]] during the [[1934 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1934 season]].<ref name=":0">{{cite news |title=Harold (Pie) Traynor, Veteran Star of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Named Manager to Succeed George Gibson |work=The St. Petersburg Times |page=8 |date=19 June 1934 |access-date=21 January 2016 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19340619&id=Fi9PAAAAIBAJ&pg=6575,972537&hl=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zerby |first=Jack |title=June 19, 1934: Pie Traynor replaces George Gibson as Pirates manager |url=https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-19-1934-pie-traynor-replaces-george-gibson-as-pirates-manager/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=[[Society for American Baseball Research]]}}</ref> He retired as an active player after the [[1937 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1937 season]], but continued as the Pirates' [[Manager (baseball)|manager]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=trayno001har#standard_managing::none |title=Pie Traynor Manager Statistics |publisher=Baseball Reference |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> Traynor almost won another pennant as a manager in [[1938 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1938]], as the Pirates led the NL for most of the season before faltering to the [[1938 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] in the famous "[[Homer in the Gloamin']]" game at [[Wrigley Field]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070720&content_id=2099223&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=ch |title=Homer in the Gloamin |work=mlb.com |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> The loss of the pennant devastated Traynor.<ref name=sabrbio/> He seemed to lose confidence in his team, and after a sixth-place finish in [[1939 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1939]], he resigned after five seasons as the manager of the Pirates.<ref name=sabrbio/>

==Post-retirement and legacy==
{{MLBBioRet
|Image  = Pirates_20.png
|Name   = Pie Traynor
|Number = 20
|Team   = Pittsburgh Pirates
|Year   = 1972
|}}

After spending time as a [[scout (sport)|scout]] for the Pirates, Traynor eventually took a job as a sports director for Pittsburgh radio station [[KQV]] in 1944. His radio broadcasts became popular with Pittsburgh sports fans and he remained at the job for 21 years.<ref name=sabrbio/> Traynor retired from broadcasting in 1965. In [[Baseball Hall of Fame balloting, 1948|1948]], Traynor was selected to the [[Baseball Hall of Fame]], being the first third baseman to be chosen by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]].<ref name="Pie Traynor at the Baseball Hall of Fame">{{cite web |title=Pie Traynor |url=http://baseballhall.org/hof/traynor-pie |access-date=October 27, 2010 |website=[[Baseball Hall of Fame]] |publisher=}}</ref> In 1969, as part of the observance of the centennial of professional baseball, Traynor was named the third baseman on MLB's all-time team.<ref name=sabrbio/> In 1971, he threw out the first pitch of Game 3 of the [[1971 World Series]] at [[Three Rivers Stadium]].<ref name=sabrbio/> He died in 1972 in Pittsburgh, not long after the Pirates moved into Three Rivers Stadium. His #20 was retired posthumously at the Pirates home opener<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.memorabilia.expert/shop/1972-pirates-retire-20-pie-traynor-a-photo-tribute/|title=1972 - Pirates Retire #20 (Pie Traynor) - A Photo Tribute - Memorabilia Expert}}</ref> on [[April 18]], 1972.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_T/Traynor.Pie.Obit.html |title=Pie Traynor New York Times Obituary |publisher=TheDeadBallEra.com |access-date=October 30, 2010 |archive-date=November 23, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191123194437/http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_T/Traynor.Pie.Obit.html |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/pit/history/retired_numbers.jsp |title=Pittsburgh Pirates Retired Numbers |work=mlb.com |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> Traynor was buried in [[Homewood Cemetery]] in Pittsburgh.

In 1999, ''[[The Sporting News]]'' ranked him 70th on its list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and he was a finalist for the [[Major League Baseball All-Century Team]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/ |title=100 Greatest Baseball Players |publisher=sportingnews.com |access-date=October 27, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090227144518/http://archive.sportingnews.com/baseball/100/ |archive-date=February 27, 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/history/mlb_history_moreinfo.jsp |title=The Major League Baseball All-Century Team |work=mlb.com |access-date=October 27, 2010 }}</ref> Baseball historian [[Bill James]] ranked Traynor 15th all-time among third baseman in his [[The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract|New Historical Baseball Abstract]] in 2001.<ref name="The Bill James Historical Baseball Abstract"/>

The television series ''[[The Simpsons]]'' made a brief visual reference to Traynor in the 1992 episode "[[Homer at the Bat]]." [[Mr. Burns]] slotted Traynor to play third base for his nuclear power plant's all-star softball team, but his assistant [[Waylon Smithers|Smithers]] points out that all the players he selected have long since retired and died.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Homer at the Bat |url=https://frinkiac.com/caption/S03E17/400126 |website=Frinkiac}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sherlock |first=Ben |date=2020-08-07 |title=The Simpsons: 10 Classic Moments In "Homer At The Bat" |url=https://screenrant.com/simpsons-best-classic-moments-homer-bat-episode/ |access-date=2025-03-13 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> Traynor was also mentioned by Mr. Burns in the 1990 episode "[[Dancin' Homer]]."<ref>{{Cite web |title="Dancin' Homer" |url=https://frinkiac.com/caption/S02E05/539514 |website=Frinkiac}}</ref>

The sketch comedy series ''[[Second City Television]]'' (''SCTV'') contains a character of a burlesque dancer named "Honey Pie" Traynor, in likely homage to Traynor.{{cn|date=July 2025}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Biography|Baseball}}
*[[List of Major League Baseball career hits leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career triples leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career runs scored leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball career runs batted in leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball annual triples leaders]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball player-managers]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball players who spent their entire career with one franchise]]
*[[List of Major League Baseball players to hit for the cycle]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{sabrbio|85500ab5|James Forr|October 30, 2010}}

==External links==
*{{Baseball Hall of Fame profile|traynor-pie}}
*{{baseballstats|mlb=123446|espn=18582|br=t/traynpi01|fangraphs=1013165|brm=trayno001har|retro=T/Ptrayp101}}
*{{baseball-reference manager|traynpi01}}
*{{SABR Baseball Biography Project|85500ab5}}
*{{find a Grave|3695}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box| before = [[Bob Meusel]] | title = [[Hitting for the cycle]]| years = July 7, 1923 | after = [[Baby Doll Jacobson]]}}
{{S-end}}

{{1925 Pittsburgh Pirates}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates HOF}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates retired numbers}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates managers}}
{{1948 Baseball HOF}}
{{Baseball Hall of Fame members}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Traynor, Pie}}
[[Category:1898 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:National Baseball Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:National League All-Stars]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players]]
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[[Category:Major League Baseball third basemen]]
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[[Category:Major League Baseball player-managers]]
[[Category:Portsmouth Truckers players]]
[[Category:Birmingham Barons players]]
[[Category:Falmouth Commodores players]]
[[Category:Cape Cod Baseball League players (pre-modern era)]]
[[Category:Baseball players from Framingham, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:American people of Canadian descent]]
[[Category:Burials at Homewood Cemetery]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]
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