Kiner was the premier power hitter in baseball, having won the previous six National League home run titles.
Kiner received permission to instead negotiate directly with owner John W. Galbreath and agreed to a reported one-year, $90,000 contract, making him the highest-paid player in the National League.
Kiner was signed, but the most famous Pirate of all, 78-year-old Hall of Fame member Honus Wagner, decided to retire from his part-time coaching duties with the team.
[3] Rickey wanted to hold a tryout for dozens of kids from the low minor league levels, and his plan was largely supported by Bing Crosby and the rest of the team's ownership.
Murry Dickson, who had won 21 games in 1951, nearly a third of the entire team's win total, was once again expected to be the anchor of the pitching rotation.
[5] Gus Bell missed training time due to family-related car problems and illness and was sent to the minor leagues.
[7] Thirteen rookies made the Pirates' Opening Day roster, including four teenagers: Bobby Del Greco, Tony Bartirome, Jim Waugh and Lee Walls.
[10] Kiner's hitting was affected by the lack of support as well as back problems and his batting average was under .220 several weeks into the season.
[11][12] 21-year-old Dick Groat was one of the Pirates' few bright spots in the first half with four hits in his first three games, but others went into long slumps like Jack Merson's 0-for-35, Clyde McCullough's 0-for-24 and Tony Bartirome's 0-for-29.
Ralph Kiner, enduring his worst season to date, received a death threat in an attempt to extort $6,200.
[11] Financially, Pittsburgh's attendance was the lowest since World War II, falling more than 30% short of the one million budgeted.
[11][18] Joe Garagiola logged the most playing time of his career and hit .273 with a career-high 54 RBIs, third most on the team behind only Kiner and Gus Bell.
Dick Groat and pitcher Bob Friend were the only players to endure the 1952 season who also played with the 1960 World Series champion Pirates.
Pittsburgh Press writer Les Biederman recalled an earlier humorous practice by giving Dick Groat a dime while he was in an 0-for-19 slump.