MOTOR KINGS:

When Pittsburgh Pirates manager Danny Murtaugh posted the lineup on Sept. 1, 1971, Gene Clines saw that he was starting in center field. Clines had no idea the Pirates were about to make MLB history, except for the chattering of a clubhouse attendant that stuck in his mind.

"He kept saying that the Homestead Grays are playing tonight, and I said, 'What's he talking about?' " Clines said, referring to one of Pittsburgh's two Negro Leagues teams. "It didn't dawn on me until the national anthem. I turned around and noticed we had nine minorities out there at the same time."

The Pirates fielded the first all-minority starting lineup in baseball history -- composed entirely of African-American and Latin American players -- against the Philadelphia Phillies that night before 11,278 at Three Rivers Stadium. After trailing 6-5 in the top of the second inning, the Pirates took the lead on Manny Sanguillen's two-run home run in the bottom of the second and went on to win 10-7.

Dave Cash insists he brought it to Al Oliver's attention as the team was taking the field that they were about to make major league history.

"We were lined up in the dugout and I looked at Al," Cash said, "and I said, 'Al, it looks like we got nine brothers out here.' "

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