Roberto Clemente once asked a mirror how long the Pirates' win streak would be

Roberto Clemente, a fast man in the field, squeezed in a quick shave in the Pittsburgh Pirate dressing room, June 2, 1965, during a rain spell that interrupted the Pirates 4-0 victory over Philadelphia. It was the Pirates 12th straight victory, but at the time, the victory was still in doubt. That?s the meaning of the ?12? and question mark Clemente squirted on the mirror with shaving cream. (AP Photo/Spencer Jones) (Spencer Jones/AP)

By Gemma Kaneko

January 20, 2016

On May 21, 1965, the Pirates beat the Milwaukee Braves, 6-1. This was good news, because Pittsburgh had lost its previous eight games. Even better news was that the Pirates beat the Braves again the next day, and the day after that. Then they won two against the Cubs, one against the Phillies and swept a four-game series with the Mets. After a 5-2 victory over Philadelphia on May 31, they had an 11-game win streak.
Obviously, Roberto Clemente wanted to know if they were going to make it to 12. That's why, amid a rain delay during June 1's game against the Phillies, he asked the magic mirror in the Pirates' dressing room. To make sure he was still the fairest of them all, he also snuck in a quick shave.
We'll never know if the mirror actually answered the question Clemente had written in shaving cream, but we do know that the Pirates won anyway, 4-0. That was the longest win streak they'd put together that season (they lost to the Mets the next day, 8-6). With a 90-72 record, the Pirates finished third in the National League. Of course, Clemente finished first in rocking that clean-shaven look:

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