On July 31, 1939, the Pirates made a major acquisition from the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League. As Lester Biederman put it in The Pittsburgh Press of August 1, "the Pirates proudly announced the purchase of John Gee, a lefthander with Syracuse of the International League.
"Gee won't be availabue [sic] until next year, although he may check in here in mid-September, if the Chiefs do not get into the play-offs.
"That the Pirates mean business when a good player is on the open market was indicated when it was revealed that the Buccos had to beat the Giants, Cubs, Yankees (yes, the Yankees), Reds and Senators to Gee's services.
"The Buccos laid it on the line with a big chunk of cash and also four players to be delivered next spring.
"Gee is the biggest fellow in baseball, physically, standing six feet nine, weighing 215 pounds. He's 23 years old and is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he starred in basketball and baseball."
"Manager (Pie) Traynor and President Bill Benswanger made a special trip to Syracuse yesterday, where they met with Joe Schultz, head of the Pirate farm system, and closed the deal with Syracuse officials. Schultz had been scouting Gee and was enthusiastic over him."
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