The Pittsburgh Pirates
Originally known as the Pittsburgh Alleghenys, the team was founded in 1881 as a member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1887. They were a part of the National League East from 1969 to 1993. With five World Series championships, nine National League pennants, nine National League East division titles, and three appearances in the Wild Card Game, the Pittsburgh Pirates, in spite of their struggles in this century, have an impressive record.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Pirates were one of the top teams in baseball. They competed in the first ever World Series in 1903 and claimed their first championship in 1909 with the help of Honus Wagner. Their involvement in the 1960 World Series, where they defeated the New York Yankees on a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski, is considered to be one of the most iconic endings in World Series history. It remains the only time that Game 7 of the World Series has ended with a home run. The Pirates also had victories in 1971, led by Roberto Clemente, the first Latin-American to be inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and in 1979 under the leadership of Willie Stargell.
Following their last World Series win in 1979, the Pirates have faced a long period of hardship. This was especially evident during the 2000s, where they were unable to achieve a winning percentage above 0.463 for the entire decade. Out of their 11 winning seasons (1980, 1982, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2018), they have only made it to the postseason six times (1990, 1991, 1992, 2013, 2014, and 2015) and won three division titles (1990, 1991, and 1992). Their only successful postseason appearance was in 2013 when they won the National League Wild Card Game. Additionally, from 1993 to 2012, the Pirates had a losing record for 20 consecutive seasons, which is a record in both MLB and the four major North American professional sports leagues.
Among the teams that have won a World Series, the Pirates currently hold the fifth-longest drought for a championship title. They are behind the Cleveland Guardians, Milwaukee Brewers, San Diego Padres, and Seattle Mariners. The Mariners, who have yet to appear in a World Series, hold the second-longest drought for a championship appearance in Major League Baseball. Additionally, the Pirates hold the longest drought for a pennant title in the National League and the longest drought for an appearance in the League Championship Series in either league. They are also tied with the Colorado Rockies and Miami Marlins, who both joined as expansion teams after the Pirates’ most recent division title, for the longest drought for a division championship in MLB. From 1882 to 2023, the Pirates have a total record of 10,763-10,733, resulting in a winning percentage of .501.
The Pirates are also referred to as the “Bucs” or “Buccos” (taken from buccaneer, another name for pirates). Starting in 2001, the team has hosted their games at PNC Park, a 39,000-seat stadium located on the Allegheny River on the North Side of Pittsburgh. Prior to this, the Pirates played at Forbes Field between 1909 and 1970, and Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. Since 1948, the Pirates have adopted the colors black, gold, and white, which were inspired by the colors on Pittsburgh’s flag, and are shared by other professional sports teams in the city such as the Steelers and the Penguins.
History of the Pittsburgh Pirates
The origins of professional baseball in Pittsburgh dates back to 1876 when the Allegheny Base Ball Club was formed as an independent team in Allegheny City, a city separate from Pittsburgh, located across the Allegheny River. However, the team’s participation in the minor league International Association only lasted a year before disbanding in 1878. In 1881, a meeting was held by Denny McKnight at the St. Clair Hotel in Pittsburgh to establish a new Allegheny club, which officially began playing in 1882 as a founding member of the American Association. The team was chartered as the Allegheny Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh, but was commonly referred to as “Allegheny” in the standings and sometimes called the “Alleghenys” (occasionally the “Alleghenies”), following the custom of using a city or club’s pluralized name when referring to a team. After several mediocre seasons in the A.A., Pittsburgh made history in 1887 by becoming the first A.A. team to switch to the more established National League. The club’s president at the time was William A. Nimick and Horace Phillips served as manager.
How did the Pittsburgh Pirates Get Their Name?
Prior to the start of the 1890 season, the majority of the Alleghenys’ top players departed to join the Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players’ League. However, when the league collapsed after the season, the players were allowed to return to their previous clubs. Despite this, the Alleghenys also acquired talented second baseman Lou Bierbauer, who had previously played for the Philadelphia Athletics in the American Association. The Athletics were not pleased with this move as they had failed to include Bierbauer on their reserve list, leading to an official complaint against the Alleghenys for their “piratical” actions. This incident, which was extensively discussed in David Nemec’s 1994 book, “The Beer and Whisky League,” ultimately caused a divide between the leagues and contributed to the downfall of the AA. Although the Alleghenys were never found guilty, their actions earned them the nickname “Pirates,” which began to be used by Pittsburgh newspapers in 1891. The team officially adopted this nickname on their uniforms in 1912.
When Did Honus Wagner Join The Pirates?
During the late 19th century, the Pirates struggled in baseball but their fortunes began to improve in the early 20th century. They acquired star players from the Louisville Colonels, who were facing elimination due to the National League contracting from 12 to 8 teams. The player acquisitions were separate transactions and included Honus Wagner, who would later be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Pirates were one of the top teams in the early 1900s, winning three consecutive National League pennants and participating in the first modern World Series, which they lost to Boston. They returned to the World Series in 1909 and won their first-ever world title by defeating the Detroit Tigers. That same year, the Pirates moved from Exposition Park to their new home at Forbes Field, one of the first steel and concrete ballparks.
During the 1910s, as Wagner got older, the Pirates’ position in the National League standings began to decline. This reached its lowest point in 1917 with a dismal record of 51-103. However, the team was able to make a comeback in the 1920s thanks to the contributions of veteran outfielder Max Carey and up-and-coming players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler, as well as a strong pitching staff. In 1925, the Pirates won their second title, making history as the first team to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the World Series. Although they made it to the World Series again in 1927, they were swept by the formidable “Murderer’s Row” Yankees. Throughout the 1930s, the Pirates remained a competitive team but were unable to secure a pennant. They came close in 1938, but were ultimately surpassed by the Chicago Cubs in the final week of the season, in a game known as the “Homer in the Gloamin'”.
Mazeroski’s Walk-Off Homer in 1960
Despite Ralph Kiner being known for his exceptional hitting abilities, the Pirates struggled greatly during the 1940s and 1950s. The arrival of Branch Rickey was a turning point for the team as they were able to make a comeback and reach the World Series in 1960. Despite being outscored by the Yankees throughout the series, the Pirates were victorious in Game 7 thanks to a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski in the 9th inning. This remains the only Game 7 walk-off home run in the history of the World Series as of 2023.
The Arrival Of Roberto Clemente
Roberto Clemente, who became a Hall of Fame outfielder, led the Pirates to a strong performance throughout the 1960s. However, they did not make it back to the World Series until 1971, playing at the newly built Three Rivers Stadium. Despite being the underdogs, the Pirates were able to defeat the favored Baltimore Orioles with Clemente’s impressive hitting and Steve Blass’s pitching. In a historic moment on September 1, 1971, the Pirates made history by fielding an all-Black and Latino lineup. Even after Clemente’s tragic death in 1972, the Pirates continued to dominate the decade, winning the newly formed National League East in 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979. The team was known as “The Lumber Company” due to the powerful hitters on their roster, including Willie Stargell, Dave Parker, and Al Oliver. Stargell’s leadership and the team’s adopted theme song “We Are Family” (a popular disco song) propelled them to victory in the 1979 World Series, again against the Orioles, after being down 3-1. This was the franchise’s fifth championship. It was a remarkable season for the Pirates, as a player was designated as Most Valuable Player in every category available, including Dave Parker for the All-Star Game, Willie Stargell for the NLCS, Willie Stargell again for the World Series, and Willie Stargell (shared with Keith Hernandez of St. Louis) for the National League MVP.
The Pirate’s Decline in the 1980s
In the 1980s, the Pirates fell back into a state of mediocrity before making a comeback in the early 1990s with the help of young talents such as Barry Bonds, Bobby Bonilla, and Doug Drabek. Although they secured three consecutive division titles from 1990 to 1992, they were unable to advance past the National League Championship Series, despite coming close in 1992. Following this season, key players like Bonds and Drabek departed as free agents.
Despite the increasing salaries in the world of baseball, the Pirates, a small-market team, struggled to keep up and maintained a losing record for a record-breaking 20 consecutive seasons, making them the team with the longest losing streak among all North American professional sports teams. Even the construction of their new stadium, PNC Park, in 2001 did not bring about any positive changes for the team. However, in 2013, led by National League MVP Andrew McCutchen, the Pirates finally made it to the postseason. They defeated the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Game, but were unable to advance past the next round, losing in five games to the St. Louis Cardinals. This successful season also marked the Pirates as the seventh MLB team to reach 10,000 all-time wins. Unfortunately, on Opening Day in 2015, the Pirates suffered their 10,000th loss, making them the fourth MLB team to reach this milestone, joining the ranks of the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, and Chicago Cubs. The Pirates made it back to the postseason in both 2014 and 2015, but were unable to get past the Wild Card game, and have not returned to the playoffs since then.
PNC Park is Built
In 2001, the Pirates began playing their home games at PNC Park in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood, situated on the shores of the Allegheny River. The stadium was built to replace the outdated Three Rivers Stadium, which was a multi-purpose facility designed for practicality rather than visual appeal. The construction of the ballpark, costing $216 million, was primarily funded by taxpayers and was named after PNC Financial Services, based in Pittsburgh. The listed capacity of PNC Park is 38,747 for baseball, but there is additional standing room that can accommodate over 40,000 fans; the largest crowd ever at the stadium was during the 2015 National League Wild Card Game, with 40,889 attendees witnessing the Cubs defeat the Pirates 4-0.
PNC Park is widely acknowledged as one of the top baseball stadiums in the nation. Its location, limestone and steel façade, and views of both the Pittsburgh skyline and the on-field action have earned it the reputation as the most beautiful park in the league. It was the first two-deck ballpark to be constructed in the United States since Milwaukee County Stadium opened in 1953, resulting in fans in the upper deck having a closer view of the game compared to most other stadiums. The highest seat in the stadium is only 88 feet above the playing surface. In the lower deck, fans are also closer to the action, with the batter being closer to the seats behind home plate than to the pitcher. Along the baselines, the seats are only 45 feet away from the bases at their closest point. A steel rotunda, spanning four levels, is located down the left field line and offers ample standing room. The first-level concourse also provides a view of the on-field action. PNC Park is known for being a pitcher’s park, with the left field stretching out to 410 feet from home plate. The right field is comparatively closer, but it is protected by a 21-foot-high wall, famously known as the Clemente Wall in honor of former right-fielder Roberto Clemente, who wore the number 21. Statues of Clemente, Willie Stargell, Bill Mazeroski, and Honus Wagner can be found at various entrances to the stadium. Along with hosting Pirate games, PNC Park has also been the venue for the 2006 MLB All-Star Game and multiple concerts.
PNC Park can be reached easily through various major highways and there are multiple parking options around the stadium. Another alternative is to walk from downtown Pittsburgh to the ballpark via the Roberto Clemente Bridge or to take the Pittsburgh Light Rail to the North Side station, which is located just outside the stadium’s home plate entrance.
Where did the Pittsburgh Pirates Play Before PNC Park?
The first home of the Pirates was Exposition Park, situated a few blocks west of its current location at PNC Park. During their early years, the Pirates split their time between Exposition Park and Recreation Park, which was located further inland due to the risk of floods from the Allegheny River. In 1891, the Pirates permanently returned to Exposition Park and remained there until 1909. During this time, the park hosted the first ever modern World Series in 1903. However, as the Pirates’ fanbase grew, the wooden structure of Exposition Park became too small and the team moved to a new location. Before its demolition in 1920, Exposition Park was used by various minor league teams. Today, the site is occupied by a parking lot and restaurants, but a historical marker near the intersection of West Gen. Robinson Street and Tony Dorsett Drive recognizes its significance as the location of the inaugural World Series.
During the 1909 season, the Pirates relocated to Forbes Field in Oakland, which became their home for the next six decades. The construction of the park cost $1 million and it was the first three-tiered steel-and-concrete stadium in the country. Over the years, Forbes Field underwent several expansions, increasing its capacity from 23,000 to 41,000 in 1925 (although it was later reduced to 35,000). Owner Barney Dreyfuss disliked cheap home runs and made sure that his park had a large playing field. In the 1920s, a grandstand was built along the right field line, bringing the distance to home plate down to 300 feet. To prevent an increase in home runs, Dreyfuss had a 28-foot screen installed. However, Forbes Field is most remembered for two famous home runs: Babe Ruth’s final three homers on May 25, 1935 and Bill Mazeroski’s game-winning hit in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. The stadium also hosted football games for the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh “Pitt” Panthers. When it first opened in 1909, Forbes Field was located in a sparsely populated area of the city, but by the 1960s, it was surrounded by the University of Pittsburgh campus. The Pirates left the stadium during the 1970 season and it was demolished the following year. Parts of the outfield wall can still be seen along Roberto Clemente Drive, and the home plate used in the final game of the stadium is now on display in the University of Pittsburgh’s Posvar Hall.
In 1970, completion of multi-purpose Three Rivers Stadium saw the Pirates leave Forbes Field. This stadium, like others of its kind at the time, had box seats, a turf field, and movable seating to accommodate both football and baseball. However, it was more suitable for football than baseball, which resulted in low attendance despite the Pirates’ success in the 1970s. In the 1990s, the team threatened to relocate unless a new stadium specifically for baseball was built. On October 1, 2000, the Pirates played their final game at Three Rivers and the stadium was demolished the following winter. Today, the site is mainly used for parking and Stage AE, with one entrance marker still standing near Heinz Field. In 2012, members of the Society for American Baseball Research commemorated the 40th anniversary of Roberto Clemente’s 3,000th hit by marking and painting the former stadium’s home plate and first base.
Where Do The Pirates Hold Spring Training?
The Pirates have been conducting their Spring Training at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida since 1969. This stadium is also used by the Pirates’ minor league team, the Bradenton Marauders. LECOM Park, built in 1923, is the oldest stadium currently in use for Spring Training and the second-oldest minor league park. The only park that is older is Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach, which dates back to 1914. Among all major league teams, LECOM Park ranks as the third oldest stadium, after Fenway Park (1912) and Wrigley Field (1914). The park was designed in a Florida Spanish Mission style and underwent major renovations in 1993 and 2008, with the latter including the installation of lights. Previously known as “McKechnie Field,” the park was named after Bradenton resident and Baseball Hall of Fame player Bill McKechnie, who led the Pirates in the 1925 World Series. In 2017, the park was renamed after the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, which has its main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania and a campus in Bradenton. The Pirates’ Spring Training complex, Pirate City, is located a few miles east of LECOM Park.
The Pirates Uniform and Logo Throughout the Years
Over the years, the Pirates have undergone numerous changes to their uniforms and logos, with the only constant being the presence of the “P” on their caps. Like many other teams in the Major League Baseball, the Pirates primarily used a patriotic color scheme of red, white, and blue during the first half of the 20th century. During this period, the team’s caps were mostly blue with either a red or white “P”, and the uniforms were simple and often featured just the letter “P”. The team’s name was initially introduced in 1912 through a pinstripe jersey with “Pirates” running down the placket. It wasn’t until 1933 that the team’s name appeared again on the road uniforms, this time written horizontally in a more elaborate style. The home and road jerseys in the 1940 and 1941 seasons featured an image of a pirate’s head (which would later become the team’s logo in the 1980s and 1990s), and “Pittsburgh” was first added to the road uniforms in 1942.
In 1948, the team abandoned the patriotic “Red, White, & Blue” color scheme and adopted the current black & gold color scheme, which matched the colors of the Flag of Pittsburgh. This change was also influenced by the then-unknown Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. The Pirates had previously experimented with black and gold in 1924, but this change was short-lived. Along with the San Francisco Giants, the Pirates are one of only two pre-expansion National League teams to completely alter their colors. However, in 1997, red was reintroduced as an “accent color” and remained until 2009.
During the 1950s, the team started wearing sleeveless jerseys, which became popularized by the Pirates despite not being their original idea (credit goes to the Cincinnati Reds). In 1970, when the team moved to Three Rivers Stadium, they changed their uniform to a darker shade of gold and switched their caps from black to gold with a black brim. They also introduced new uniform elements such as pullover nylon/cotton jerseys and beltless pants, which were later made of polyester doubleknit. This unique look was first seen in baseball by the Pirates and soon became a trend throughout the league during the 1970s and 1980s. However, the Pirates were one of the last teams to switch to the traditional button-down style in 1991, abandoning the pullover style.
The commemoration of the National League’s 100th anniversary in 1976 brought about changes in certain teams’ uniforms, including the use of old-fashioned pillbox hats with horizontal pinstripes. The Pirates were the only team to permanently adopt this style, alternating between black and gold hats for several seasons. They were also among the first teams to introduce third jerseys, following the lead of the Oakland Athletics. The Pirates’ uniform styles in 1977 included two different caps and three different uniforms: all-black, all-gold, and white with black and gold pinstripes. These could be mixed and matched for different looks, as demonstrated during the 1979 World Series when the team wore four different combinations. The white uniforms lost their pinstripes in 1980, but the Pirates continued to use the three uniform set until 1985 when they returned to their traditional white and gray home and away uniforms. The black cap with a gold “P” became the team’s primary cap in 1987 and has remained so ever since.
Kevin McClatchy took ownership of the team in 1996, leading to the addition of a third jersey. The Pirates also incorporated red as an accent color, with red brims on their caps. An alternate home jersey, featuring pinstripes and no sleeves, was introduced in 2005 and worn until 2010. In 2007 and 2008, the team also debuted a red alternate jersey. In 2009, the Pirates started wearing a black alternate jersey with a gold “P” both at home and on the road. From 2013 to 2019, the team donned throwback uniforms for Sunday home games, including the pullover uniforms from the early 70s and the gold top/black pants from the late 70s.
Beginning in the 2015 Pittsburgh Pirates season, the team has sported a different camo jersey for certain home games. In the 2018 season, the camo alternates were revamped to feature white jerseys with camo green wordmarks, numbers, piping, and patches.
In preparation for the 2020 season, the Pirates brought back the “Pittsburgh” wordmarks on their gray away jerseys and introduced a new black alternate away jersey. These jerseys were revealed on January 24, 2020. The use of script wordmarks on away jerseys had previously been seen during the years 1990 to 2000. The new black alternate away jersey also features a Pirate wearing a re-colored bandana in yellow to match the jersey’s theme. It is paired with a black cap featuring the “P” logo outlined in black and yellow. Along with these away uniforms, the Pirates also continue to wear their white uniforms, the black alternate with the gold “P”, and the camo alternate for games at PNC Park.
In 2023, the Pirates retired their camo home alternate uniform in accordance with the new “4+1” regulation, which limits teams to a home, away, two alternative jerseys, and a City Connect uniform. However, the team occasionally still dons the camo cap with their white home uniform. They also introduced their City Connect uniform, which includes a gold top, black pants, and a gold “P” cap with a black brim. The jersey itself displays the abbreviation “PGH” for Pittsburgh and upon closer inspection, showcases the Three Elements: an inverted “Y” representing the convergence of the three rivers in the city (Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio), an astroid resembling the iconic “Steelmark” logo, and a checkmark representing the Pittsburgh seal.
The Phillies/Pirates Cross-State Rivalry
The competition between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pirates was widely regarded as a top rivalry in the National League until 1994. This rivalry dates back to 1887 when the Pittsburgh Pirates joined the NL, four years after the Phillies.
In 1969, the National League split into two divisions, but the Phillies and the Pirates continued to compete against each other. From 1969 to 1993, when the league had two divisions, these two teams dominated the National League East division, winning the most division championships in the 1970s and early 1990s. The Pirates won nine titles and the Phillies won six, making up more than half of the 25 NL East championships during that time period.
Following the relocation of the Pirates to the National League Central in 1994, the two teams now only play against each other twice a year, resulting in a decrease in the intensity of their rivalry. Despite this, there are still a number of fans, particularly older ones, who hold a strong dislike for the opposing team, as the regional differences between Eastern and Western Pennsylvania continue to fuel the animosity between them.
The Cincinnati Reds
One main rival of the Pirates within their division is the Cincinnati Reds. This can be attributed to the close proximity of the two teams, the carryover of the rivalry between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the fact that they have faced off in the postseason six times, with the most recent being in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game. In the 2010s, there have been instances where players from both teams have been hit by pitches, sometimes leading to physical altercations.
The St. Louis Cardinals
For two consecutive years, from 2013 to 2015, the Pirates were in a fierce competition with the St. Louis Cardinals for the Central Division championship. However, the Cardinals managed to narrowly claim the title each time. The two teams met in the 2013 National League Division Series, which resulted in a five-game victory for the Cardinals. In 2014, the Pirates had a heated battle with the Milwaukee Brewers for a Wild Card spot, while in 2015, they faced off against the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game. The Cubs have been a long-standing rival for the Pirates, dating back to their early days in the baseball world. In fact, the two teams were among the top teams in the league in the early 1900s, and in 1938, the Cubs eliminated the Pirates from the pennant race in the final week of the season, known as the “Homer in the Gloamin'”.
Inter-League Rivals
Every year, the Pirates and the Detroit Tigers engage in an interleague matchup. Though they were not originally considered natural rivals, they have gained a strong following among fans, possibly due to the intense rivalry between the National Hockey League’s Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins. The two teams also have other connections, such as the Tigers’ minor league affiliate, the Erie SeaWolves, which was previously affiliated with the Pirates and still uses a logo of a wolf wearing a pirate bandanna and eye patch. Additionally, Jim Leyland, who managed both the Pirates (1986-1996) and the Tigers (2005-2013), is still beloved in Pittsburgh, where he currently resides. The Pirates hold a 36-29 lead in the regular-season series. The two teams also faced off in the 1909 World Series.
The rivalry between the cities of Cleveland and the Cleveland Guardians is an on-and-off one, often influenced by elements carried over from the long-standing Browns-Steelers rivalry in the National Football League. Due to the designated interleague rivals of the Guardians being the Reds and the Pirates’ being the Tigers, the two teams have only faced each other sporadically. From 1997 to 2001, they played a three-game series each year, and occasionally between 2002 and 2022, usually coinciding with the interleague play rotation between the AL Central and NL Central. In 2020, they played six games as part of MLB’s shortened schedule focused on regional matchups. Starting in 2023, they will play a three-game series every season due to the new “balanced” schedule. The Pirates currently lead the series 21-18 .
The Pirates Hall of Fame
In 2022 the Pirates officially created a team Hall of Fame to recognize the most influential ballplayers in Pittsburgh baseball history chosen by an internal committee, with the assistance of team historian Jim Trdinich. The first class consisted of 19 individuals, including all Pittsburgh Pirates who were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as former players, broadcasters, and coaches. Similar to the Washington Nationals’ Ring of Honor, the Pirates also inducted players from the Homestead Grays, a Negro league baseball team that played at Forbes Field and Greenlee Field in Pittsburgh, and two players from the Pittsburgh Crawfords. These four players were “signed” to Pirates contracts in a special ceremony. Each inductee was commemorated with a plaque displayed in the concourse near the statue of Roberto Clemente.
Despite having notable fans such as former part-owner Bing Crosby, Michael Keaton, and Regis Philbin, the Pirates are considered by most to be the least popular of Pittsburgh’s major professional sports teams, behind the Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Penguins. However, due to their long history dating back to 1882, the team still maintains a strong following among older residents in the region. In 2013, the Pirates ended their 20-season losing streak and gained renewed fan support, but they remain in a distant third compared to the city’s more successful franchises over the past 50 years.
Despite the team’s recent struggles, which can be partly attributed to the success of Pittsburgh’s other two teams, the Pirates have not won a World Series since 1979. Meanwhile, the Steelers have won the Super Bowl three times (XIV, XL, and XLIII) and the Penguins have won the Stanley Cup five times (1991, 1992, 2009, 2016, and 2017). However, the team’s popularity in the city has also declined due to off-field distractions. While the Pirates were once the top-ranked team in Pittsburgh in the late 1970s, the Pittsburgh drug trials in 1985 and two relocation threats have caused their popularity to decline. Fortunately, their standing among fans has improved with the team’s on-field performance and the opening of PNC Park in 2001. However, after the trade of Andrew McCutchen in 2018, fan relations worsened despite the Pirates’ success in the NL Central that season, with many blaming owner Robert Nutting. As a result, the team ranked 27th out of 30 MLB teams in attendance that year.
In 2009, after the Penguins emerged as the winners of the Stanley Cup, their captain Sidney Crosby took the cup to PNC Park on the following Sunday, following their victory in Detroit. In 2017, when they were victorious once again, the cup was once again displayed at PNC Park and the team had the honor of throwing the first pitch. Similarly, when the team had won the cup in 1992, they celebrated at Three Rivers Stadium, the former home of the Pirates.
The Pirates Make History
In 1921, the Pirates made history by broadcasting the first ever baseball game on the radio. The announcement was made by Harold Arlin, a foreman at Westinghouse Electric Corporation, from a box seat next to the dugout at Forbes Field. This broadcast was made possible by KDKA, the first commercially licensed radio station in the world, which had received its broadcasting license only nine months earlier. The Pirate games were only periodically broadcasted on the radio for the next ten years, but regular broadcasts began in the mid-1930s with Rosey Rowswell as the voice of the Pirates. With the exception of a brief period on WWSW in the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Pirates remained on KDKA for 61 years. The powerful 50,000-watt clear channel of KDKA allowed Pirates fans across the eastern half of North America to listen to the games at night.
In 2007, the Pirates made the decision to end their longstanding partnership with a radio station in American professional sports and instead moved to a FM talk radio station, WPGB. The team’s reasoning was to reach a larger audience, specifically targeting the 25-54 age group that is highly sought after by advertisers. This move also meant that Clear Channel Communications would hold the rights to all major sports teams in Pittsburgh. For many years, the Pirates have had a wide-reaching radio network that spanned across four states, including Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, and Maryland.
Clear Channel stated on October 1, 2011 that they would not be renewing their contract with the Pirates. Shortly after, the team announced their decision to return to CBS Radio through the FM sports radio station KDKA-FM, which was finalized on October 12. On March 2, 2016, it was announced that a new agreement had been reached for the Pirates to continue airing on KDKA-FM. As part of this deal, KDKA-AM has returned as the primary station for the team, broadcasting all weekday afternoon games and select other broadcasts. It will also serve as a backup station for any games that cannot be aired on KDKA-FM due to conflicts with Pittsburgh Panthers football and men’s basketball.
Since 1986, the Pirates’ cable television outlet, known as KBL at the time, has been broadcasting games on SportsNet Pittsburgh. The majority ownership of this network belongs to Fenway Sports Group, who also own the Boston Red Sox and Pittsburgh Penguins. On December 16, 2023, the Pirates acquired joint ownership of the channel and it will be operated by NESN, the Red Sox’s home network. In the 2016 season, the Pirates had an average rating of 7.22 and 83,000 viewers for primetime TV broadcasts. Except for any nationally aired games on Fox, the Pirates have not had any coverage on over-the-air channels since 2002. Previously, KDKA-TV aired games for 38 years (1957-1994), followed by WPXI (1995-1996), and WPGH-TV and WCWB (1997-2002).
The Pirates do not have a designated broadcast team for either radio or TV. Instead, all announcers and analysts rotate between the two platforms throughout the season. The longest-tenured broadcasters include play-by-play announcer Greg Brown and analyst Bob Walk, both of whom have been in the broadcast booth since 1994. In 2005, former Pirate and Pittsburgh native John Wehner joined the crew as an analyst, while Joe Block became the team’s second play-by-play announcer in 2016 after previously working for the Milwaukee Brewers. Additionally, former Pirate players such as Matt Capps, Kevin Young, and Neil Walker have also stepped in as analysts in recent years.
History
In 1921, Harold Arlin, a foreman at Westinghouse Electric, made the first-ever radio broadcast of a baseball game. The game was an 8-5 win for the Phillies over the Pirates. Over the next 15 years, different announcers took turns calling games until 1936 when Rosey Rowswell joined the broadcast team. However, instead of traveling with the team for away games, Rowswell would recreate the action in Pittsburgh from information received through the teleprinter, usually an inning behind. After working alone for 10 years, Rowswell was joined by Bob Prince in 1947. Prince eventually became the lead play-by-play man after Rowswell’s death in February 1955. Prince’s unique broadcasting style made him a fan favorite during his almost 30-year tenure with the team, which coincided with the Pirates’ success as a championship team. Known as “The Gunner,” Prince was famous for his creative nicknames and witty remarks. In 1966, he even created the “Green Weenie.” He also had the honor of calling the Pirates’ victories in the 1960 and 1971 World Series as part of the national broadcast for NBC.
In 1975, the Pirates’ fanbase was disappointed when Prince and his broadcast partner, Nellie King, were let go. The new broadcast team in 1976 consisted of Milo Hamilton and Lanny Frattare. However, Hamilton was not satisfied in Pittsburgh due to his strained relationship with Frattare and feeling unfairly compared to Bob Prince. After the 1979 season, Hamilton left to join the Chicago Cubs, while Frattare became the lead play-by-play announcer. Frattare held this position until the end of the 2008 season, making him the longest-serving play-by-play man in team history. He was then succeeded by Tim Neverett, who called Pirate games from 2009 to 2015.
Some of the previous analysts for the team include Don Hoak, Nelson Briles, and Jim Rooker. Steve Blass, a former Pirate pitcher who was victorious in Game 7 of the 1971 World Series, served as a color analyst for the team between 1983 and 2019.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a long and storied history and stand out as one of the most recognizable MLB franchises in league history. They are forever entwined with the City of Pittsburgh, and still, in spite of recent troubles, loved and revered by fans all over the world. Let’s go Bucs!
