Throwback Thursday: A Pirates game without food, drinks, or umps

• Others opted against crossing the picket line, meaning there was more missing than hot dogs and peanuts.
• Stadium ushers stayed home, as did the TV crew, ticket sellers and bus drivers — forcing players to walk from the hotel.

Six years earlier, umpires went on strike during playoff games in Pittsburgh and local concessionaires honored it.

• Umps repaid the favor and sat the Friday game out.
• "Pirate management was able to line up four area sandlot arbiters to take their place," the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

The intrigue: Team management filled in other roles as well.

• General manager Joe Brown handled electronic scoreboard duties, while a promotions director became the public address announcer.

Yes, but: Pirates players showed up to play — angering the umpires union — and lost the unusual contest, 5-4.

• Concession stands were closed the next day, too, which probably made the ensuing 16-inning marathon a tough watch.
• The vendors then reached a contract agreement, returning for a Sunday doubleheader.