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162-632: The following is a history of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball . An early mention of "base ball" in the region is found in an issue of the Pittsburgh Gazette from 1857. After the Civil War, baseball was sufficiently popular that the city fielded several amateur teams considered to be strong: the Enterprise, Xantha, and Olympic clubs. The teams often competed at Union Park in what

324-512: A sacrifice fly and a pop-out, and the Pirates were only one out away from going to the World Series. Pinch hitter Francisco Cabrera singled to left, scoring two runners—including Sid Bream , a former Pirate and one of the slowest players in baseball- to win the series for Atlanta. That offseason, Drabek and Bonds became free agents, and the Pirates' internal replacements were insufficient to keep

486-510: A walk-off home run by Mazeroski, a second baseman better known for defensive wizardry. The 1960 Pirates were the only team between 1945 and 2001 to have not succumbed to the so-called " Ex-Cubs Factor " in the postseason. They also became the first team to win a World Series on a home run, a feat later achieved by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1993 , although Joe Carter 's home run came in Game 6 of

648-839: A .414 Series batting average by Clemente. They also thought they had a genuine superstar pitcher (historically rare for the Pirates) in Steve Blass , who pitched two masterful games in the World Series against Baltimore and had excellent seasons in 1968 and 1972. On September 1, 1971, the Pirates made Major League Baseball history by fielding the first all-black/minority starting lineup: second baseman Rennie Stennett , center fielder Gene Clines , right fielder Roberto Clemente , left fielder Willie Stargell , catcher Manny Sanguillén , third baseman Dave Cash , first baseman Al Oliver , shortstop Jackie Hernández , and pitcher Dock Ellis . Manager Danny Murtaugh had never hesitated using minority players in

810-573: A 3–1 deficit to win the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators , and reached the 1927 World Series before being swept by the New York Yankees , who at that time had built the most dominant team in baseball. The 1927 season was the first for the sharp-hitting combination of brothers Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner , who along with shortstop Arky Vaughan ensured that the Pirates had plenty of Hall of Fame-caliber position players through

972-407: A ball and dove under the water. The Pirates won both games of the doubleheader. Ham Hyatt is believed to be the only person to hit a ball over the right field fence. Monument Hill, which overlooked the field, allowed spectators a free view of the game. In 1906, the Pirates were the first baseball team to cover their field with a tarp during inclement weather, and though the field was kept dry from

1134-512: A contentious relationship with the Detroit front office ended his 12-year career with the Tigers after a .319 batting average , 306 homers and 1,528 hits . With Greenberg a fearsome, right-handed power hitter, the Pirates' new ownership decided to make Forbes Field a more inviting home run destination. They reduced the previously cavernous dimensions of the left field and left-center-field section of

1296-416: A disastrous 51–103 record in 1917; however, veteran outfielder Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler , along with a remarkably deep pitching staff, brought the Pirates back to relevance in the 1920s. The Pirates won their second title in 1925 , becoming the first team to come back from a 3–1 deficit in the World Series. The Pirates returned to the World Series in 1927 but were swept by

1458-577: A founding member of the American Association , which had started up to take on the established National League. Chartered as the Allegheny Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh, the team was listed as "Allegheny" in the standings, and was sometimes called the "Alleghenys" (rarely the "Alleghenies") in that era's custom of referring to a team by its pluralized city or club name. The team played its games at Exposition Park I & II , located between

1620-469: A gold "P" returned in 1987 and has been the team's primary cap ever since. After Kevin McClatchy purchased the team in 1996, the Pirates added a third jersey and utilized red as an accent color, including red brims on the team's caps. A sleeveless white jersey with pinstripes was worn as an alternate home jersey from 2005 to 2010, and a red alternate jersey was added for the 2007 and 2008 seasons. In 2009 ,

1782-511: A half-interest in the Pirates, then after the season sent nearly all of the Colonels' stars up the Ohio River to Pittsburgh. Since the transaction occurred before the Colonels officially folded, it was structured as a trade; the Pirates sent four relatively unknown players to Louisville. Despite their nickname, the Pirates at least waited until after the season to pull off this blockbuster trade. This

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1944-480: A home, away, two alternate uniforms and a City Connect uniform. The Pirates continued to wear the camo cap on occasion with the home white uniform. They also unveiled their City Connect uniform, featuring a gold top and black pants with a gold "P" cap with black brim. The jersey itself features the abbreviation of Pittsburgh "PGH". A closer look of the jersey feature the Three Elements. The inverted "Y", representing

2106-486: A league-low $ 9 million payroll, the 1997 squad —known as the "Freak Show"—remained in contention for the newly created National League Central for most of the summer. The following year, the city pushed through funding for a new, baseball-only stadium on the North Shore. As construction on the new ballpark took place down the street, the Pirates failed to build on their 1997 season. General manager Cam Bonifay sought to have

2268-550: A look, but it quickly became popular throughout the league, and the pullover style would become the prominent look of 1970s and 1980s baseball. The Pirates ditched the pullover style in favor of the traditional button-down style in 1991, one of the last teams to switch. In 1976, the National League celebrated its 100th anniversary. To coincide with it, certain NL teams wore old-style pillbox hats complete with horizontal pinstripes . After

2430-550: A member club of the National League (NL) Central Division . Founded as part of the American Association in 1881 under the name Pittsburgh Alleghenys, the club joined the National League in 1887 and was a member of the National League East from 1969 through 1993. The Pirates have won five World Series championships, nine National League pennants , nine National League East division titles and made three appearances in

2592-564: A mysterious decline in his pitching abilities, posting a 9.85 ERA . To this day, pitchers who suddenly lose the ability to throw strikes are said to have "Steve Blass disease". Blass retired soon after; he has since, for almost two decades, been one of the Pirates' radio and TV announcers. The Pirates made the playoffs in 1974 and 1975, but lost the National League Championship Series to the Los Angeles Dodgers and

2754-407: A new Allegheny club, which began play in 1882 as a founding member of the American Association . Chartered as the Allegheny Base Ball Club of Pittsburgh, the team was listed as "Allegheny" in the standings, and was sometimes called the "Alleghenys" (rarely the "Alleghenies") in that era's custom of referring to a team by its pluralized city or club name. After five mediocre seasons, Pittsburgh became

2916-455: A new, baseball-only stadium was constructed. The Pirates played their final game at Three Rivers on October 1, 2000, and the stadium was demolished the following winter. The site is currently occupied by parking lots and Stage AE , although one of the stadium's entrance markers remains standing near Acrisure Stadium . In 2012, members of the Society for American Baseball Research marked and painted

3078-469: A number of losing seasons and culminated in a disastrous 1917 campaign, in which the Bucs went 51–103 and Wagner retired. However, the seeds of the next competitive Pirates team had already been planted. Veteran outfielder Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler , along with a remarkably deep pitching staff, brought the Pirates back into the spotlight in the early 1920s. The Pirates recovered from

3240-448: A pinstripe jersey that had "Pirates" running vertically down the placket. The team's name would not appear on the club's uniforms again until they were added to the road uniforms in 1933, this time written horizontally in a more ornate style. An image of a pirate's head appeared on the home and road jerseys for the 1940 and 1941 seasons (this image would be reused for the team's logo in the 1980s and 1990s), and "Pittsburgh" first appeared on

3402-435: A re-colored bandana, yellow to match the theme of the jersey, and is worn with a black cap featuring the "P" logo outlined in black and yellow. In addition to these road uniforms, the Pirates continue to wear their white uniforms, the black alternate with the gold "P", and the camo alternate for games played at PNC Park. In 2023, the Pirates retired the camo home alternate to comply with the new "4+1" rule, restricting teams to

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3564-581: A schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A.A. Although the Pittsburgh club was never found guilty of wrongdoing, its allegedly "piratical" act gained it the occasional nickname "Pirates" starting in 1891. Within a few years, the nickname caught on with Pittsburgh newspapers. Additional nicknames for the team in the 1890s included the Patriots, the Alleghenies (sometimes shortened to Allies) and

3726-529: A shipment of relief supplies to the victims of an earthquake in Nicaragua . Tom Walker , then- Montreal Expos pitcher and future father of Pirates second baseman Neil Walker , offered to join Clemente that day but Clemente insisted that he stay home. Thus, Roberto Clemente had an influence on the 2013 playoff run. He had reached a milestone by rapping his 3,000th career hit , a stand-up double off Jon Matlack of

3888-522: A short-lived attempt to rename the facility Gentlemen's Driving Park, ads for which typically appended "formerly Exposition Park". When the Players' League club began, they reconfigured the former racetrack for baseball purposes, including retaining a couple of the turrets left over from the track's grandstand. While the Alleghenys were playing home games at Recreation Park, owners John Beemer and M. B. Lennon of

4050-474: A voluntary $ 5 "athletic fee" to be paid by students in order to allow the debt to be repaid and the school's football team to play home games at Exposition Park during the next season in order to give the WUP team a more permanent and stable home. Mosse and university officials then obtained a lease to play at Exposition Park during the fall from Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss for 20% of the admission fee. The 1904 WUP team,

4212-445: A white set with black-and-gold pinstripes. The pants, tops and caps could all be worn interchangeably for different looks; the Pirates wore four different uniform combinations in the 1979 World Series . The pinstripes came off the white uniforms in 1980, but the Pirates continued to utilize the three uniform set until the 1985 season, when the team returned to the straightforward home whites/road grays combination. The solid black cap with

4374-505: A winning team in place for the opening of the new stadium in 2001, but the Bucs lost 93 games in 1998 and again in 2000. In 2001, the Pirates opened a new stadium, PNC Park , featuring a simple concept and strategic usage of the Pittsburgh skyline. General manager Dave Littlefield was installed July 13, 2001, midway through the 2001 season, and began overhauling the team to comply with owner Kevin McClatchy 's dictum to drastically reduce

4536-409: Is also the third oldest stadium currently used by a major league team after Fenway Park , built in 1912, and Wrigley Field , built in 1914. Built in a Florida Spanish Mission style, LECOM Park underwent two major renovations in 1993 and 2008, the latter of which added lights. The park was formerly named "McKechnie Field," for Bradenton resident and Baseball Hall of Fame great Bill McKechnie , who led

4698-471: Is remembered for several famous home runs: the final three homers of Babe Ruth 's career on May 25, 1935 and Bill Mazeroski's championship-winning blast in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series . The park also hosted football games for the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh "Pitt" Panthers . Located in a sparsely populated area of the city when it opened in 1909, by the 1960s Forbes Field

4860-573: Is unlike what happened in 1899 to the Cleveland Spiders and, to a lesser extent, the Baltimore Orioles , who were also part of two-team ownerships. Dreyfuss later bought full control of the team and kept it until his death in 1932. Bolstered by former Colonels shortstop and Pittsburgh native Honus Wagner , along with player/manager Fred Clarke , the Pirates completely dominated the National League, in part because they lost few star players to

5022-447: Is widely credited with inventing the concept of the closer by frequently playing Face late in close games. The 1960 team featured eight All-Stars, but was widely predicted to lose the World Series to a powerful New York Yankees team. In one of the most memorable World Series in history, the Pirates were defeated by ten or more runs in three games, won three close games, then recovered from a 7–4 deficit late in Game 7 eventually to win on

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5184-423: The 1947 Pirates , hit 25 home runs (18 at Forbes Field), batted only .249, and then retired from the game. Ralph Kiner —who, as rookie, had led the National League in homers with 23 playing in the old Forbes Field—became the beneficiary of the new left-field configuration, which was quickly renamed " Kiner's Korner ". He slugged 51 home runs in 1947, then followed with seasons of 40, 54, 47, 42 and 37 blasts to lead

5346-413: The 1979 World Series for the franchise's fifth championship. During the 1979 championship season, a Pittsburgh player was designated as Most Valuable Player in every available category: All-Star Game MVP (Dave Parker), NLCS MVP (Willie Stargell), World Series MVP (Willie Stargell), and National League MVP (Willie Stargell, shared with Keith Hernandez of St. Louis). The Pirates sank back into mediocrity in

5508-409: The 2018 season , now white with camo green wordmarks, numbers, piping, and patches. Ahead of the 2020 season , the Pirates revived the script "Pittsburgh" wordmarks on their gray road and new black alternate road jerseys, which were unveiled on January 24, 2020. Script wordmarks had previously been seen on the road jerseys from 1990 until 2000. The alternate road jersey also features a Pirate wearing

5670-557: The Allegheny River in Pittsburgh's North Side . The Pirates previously played at Forbes Field from 1909 to 1970 and at Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000. Since 1948 the Pirates' colors have been black, gold and white, derived from the flag of Pittsburgh and matching the other major professional sports teams in Pittsburgh, the Steelers and the Penguins . Professional baseball in

5832-565: The Americans defeat the favored Pirates in eight games. Deacon Phillippe pitched five complete games, winning three of them, but Pittsburgh was plagued by injuries and a bad performance from Wagner, who batted only 6-for-27 (.222) in the Series and committed six errors. The Pirates remained one of the premier teams in the National League through the first decade of the 1900s, never finishing lower than fourth (and then, only once), but could not get past

5994-490: The Cardinals ). Despite their on-field success, the Pirates struggled to draw fans in the late 1970s, as the steel crisis devastated Pittsburgh's economy and led to a regional population drain. At the same time, payroll costs were rising due to free agency. In 1979, the Pirates had the highest payroll in baseball ($ 4.2 million) but only drew 1.43 million fans, ranking 18th out of MLB's 26 teams. Attendance continued to decline in

6156-575: The Cincinnati Reds , respectively. The speedy Omar Moreno and the power-hitting Dave Parker joined Stargell in the lineup during this period. After the 1976 season, in which the Bucs finished in second place behind the cross-state Philadelphia Phillies , Danny Murtaugh died. The Pirates struck a trade with the Oakland Athletics in which catcher Manny Sanguillén was sent to Oakland for manager Chuck Tanner . The Pirates would finish second to

6318-812: The Cleveland Guardians stems from the close proximity of both cities, and features some carryover elements from the longstanding rivalry in the National Football League between the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers . Because the Guardians' designated interleague rival is the Reds and the Pirates' designated rival is the Tigers, the teams have only played periodically. The teams played one three-game series each year from 1997 to 2001 and periodically between 2002 and 2022, generally only in years in which

6480-550: The Cubs in the final week of the season, thanks to the infamous Homer in the Gloamin . In the 1930s, several teams found sustained success—most notably the St. Louis Cardinals —through the development of farm systems , which provided an endless supply of young, cheap ballplayers. The Pirates were late to developing a farm system and slipped down the standings as a result. Benswanger made comments to

6642-519: The Detroit Tigers . While the Pirates and Tigers only became "natural rivals" because the other AL and NL Central teams were already paired up, it has become popular with fans of both teams, possibly due to the rivalry between the National Hockey League 's Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins . The two teams have several other connections as well. The Tigers' AA Minor League affiliate,

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6804-589: The Milwaukee Brewers for a Wild Card spot in 2014 and faced off against the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game . The Cubs were major rivals for the Pirates earlier in their history, as both were among the best teams in baseball in the early 1900s and the Cubs eliminated the Pirates from the pennant race in the last week of the 1938 season . The Pirates play an annual interleague series against

6966-453: The Murderer's Row Yankees . The Pirates remained a competitive team through the 1930s but failed to win the pennant, coming closest in 1938 when they were passed by the Chicago Cubs in the final week of the season . Despite the prowess of Ralph Kiner as a slugger, the Pirates were mostly miserable in the 1940s and 1950s. Branch Rickey was brought in to rebuild the team, which returned to

7128-506: The New York Mets on September 30, 1972, in what would prove to be his last regular-season at-bat. The Baseball Hall of Fame waived its usual waiting requirement and inducted Clemente immediately. Pittsburgh would erect a statue and name a bridge and park near the stadium after him, as well as a street in the Oakland neighborhood near the former site of Forbes Field. In 1973, Blass suffered

7290-466: The Pittsburgh Burghers reconfigured the former racetrack into a proper baseball park near the former sites of Exposition Parks I and II, approximately two blocks west of where PNC Park sits today. Exposition Park III included a roofed wooden grandstand around the infield, in the northeast corner of the block, and open bleacher sections extending to the right and left field corners. Total capacity

7452-582: The Pittsburgh drug trials held in the city that summer saw several Pirate players called to the stand to testify on drug use, and even the Pirate Parrot was implicated for buying cocaine and introducing a few of the ballplayers to a local drug dealer. At the end of the 1985 season, the Galbreath family sold the franchise to the Pittsburgh Associates , a consortium of area businesses determined to keep

7614-569: The Reds , and fell to the eventual world champion in six games. The Bucs were even better in 1991, easily winning the National League East by 14 games, but they once again fell in the NLCS despite taking a 3–2 lead in the series. The young, upstart Atlanta Braves won Games 6 and 7 at Three Rivers Stadium, denying the Bucs' bid for their 10th National League pennant. Despite losing Bonilla to free agency in

7776-633: The University of Pittsburgh , played its first official game at Exposition Park on October 11, 1890, when Shadyside Academy failed to show up for their game with the Allegheny Athletic Association . The Allegheny A.A. made a call to WUP team founder Bert Smyers to bring the WUP team to the park as a replacement. The WUP team was subsequently defeated 38–0. The WUP football team began playing games more regularly at Exposition Park around 1900, occasionally playing in other local venues. Prior to

7938-483: The Wild Card Game . The Pirates were among the best teams in baseball at the start of the 20th century, playing in the inaugural World Series in 1903 and winning their first title in 1909 behind Honus Wagner . The Pirates took part in arguably the most famous World Series ending, winning the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees on a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski , the only time that Game 7 of

8100-499: The Wild Card Game . They were eliminated in five games in the next round by the St. Louis Cardinals . That season, the Pirates also became the seventh MLB team to reach 10,000 all-time wins. On Opening Day 2015 the Pirates' loss was the team's 10,000th making the Pirates the fourth MLB team to achieve this distinction, following the Philadelphia Phillies , Atlanta Braves , and the Chicago Cubs . The Pirates returned to

8262-419: The first modern World Series ever played in 1903 but by the end of the decade the wooden structure was too small for the Pirates' growing fanbase. Exposition Park hosted several minor league teams before being razed prior to 1920. The site is currently occupied by a parking lot and several restaurants, although a historical marker near the intersection of West Gen. Robinson Street and Tony Dorsett Drive notes it

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8424-669: The home plate and first base of the former stadium on the 40th Anniversary of Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit. Since 1969, the Pirates have held Spring Training at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida , which is also used for the Pirates' minor league team, the Bradenton Marauders . Constructed in 1923, LECOM Park is the oldest stadium still in use for Spring Training and the second-oldest minor league park, behind only Jackie Robinson Ballpark in Daytona Beach , which dates to 1914. It

8586-463: The 1890 season, when nearly all of their stars jumped to the Pittsburgh Burghers of the Players' League . With a decimated roster, the team experienced what is still the worst season in franchise history, going 23–113. The allegiances of Pittsburgh baseball fans also jumped to Players League, leading to trouble at the box office for the Alleghenys. The Alleghenys ended up playing their last 29 home games on

8748-415: The 1903 season, Arthur Mosse was recruited from the University of Kansas to become the team's new coach. In addition to players that Mosse brought with him, WUP also recruited players from Geneva College to play on the team. Mosse's first season was a disappointment as the WUP football team went 0–8–1 and supporters of the team disbanded leaving the team $ 500 in debt. George Hubbard Clapp then organized

8910-525: The 1903 season, Dreyfuss and Boston Americans owner Henry Killilea organized a best of nine-game series to match the two pennant winners against each other. This first modern World Series held three games in Boston before moving to Exposition Park with the Pirates leading the series 2–1. On October 6, 1903, 7,600 people attended the first World Series game in a National League stadium—the Pirates won by one run. The following day 12,000 people attended

9072-416: The 1930s. Dreyfuss had groomed his son, Samuel, to take over the Pirates upon his death, but Samuel died of pneumonia at age 35 in 1931. When the elder Dreyfuss died the following year, ownership of the Pirates passed on to his widow, Florence . She prevailed upon her son-in-law, William Benswanger , to take over operations as team president. Benswanger inherited a team with a strong foundation that included

9234-485: The 1980s and returned to post-season play in the early 1990s behind young players like Barry Bonds , Bobby Bonilla , and Doug Drabek . The Pirates won three straight division titles from 1990 to 1992 but lost in the National League Championship Series each time, notably coming within one out of advancing to the World Series in 1992 . Several of the team's best players, including Bonds and Drabek, left as free agents after that season. With salaries rising across baseball,

9396-560: The 1991–92 offseason, the Pirates won their third consecutive division title and once again faced off against the Braves in the 1992 National League Championship Series . Atlanta took a 3–1 lead in the series, but the Pirates won Games 5 and 6 to force a deciding Game 7 in Atlanta. Drabek pitched into the 9th inning as the Bucs clung to a 2–0 lead; he was removed after the Braves loaded the bases with no outs. Reliever Stan Belinda retired two Braves on

9558-409: The 1993 Series. Mazeroski's homer remains the only walk-off home run in Game 7 of a World Series. The 1960s would continue with extremely solid defensive play by Bill Mazeroski and the great offensive and defensive abilities of Clemente, baseball's first Puerto Rican superstar. Clemente was regarded as one of the game's best all-time hitters, and possessed a tremendous arm in right field. Although not

9720-529: The 2010s, the two teams frequently hit each other with pitches , occasionally resulting in brawls. From 2013 to 2015, the Pirates battled with the St. Louis Cardinals for the Central Division title, with the Cardinals narrowly winning the division each year. The two teams faced off in the 2013 National League Division Series , which the Cardinals won in five games. The Pirates had a contentious battle with

9882-532: The A.A.'s Philadelphia Athletics . Although the Athletics had failed to include Bierbauer on their reserve list, they loudly protested the Alleghenys' move. In an official complaint, an AA official claimed the Alleghenys' signing of Bierbauer was "piratical". This incident quickly accelerated into a schism between the leagues that contributed to the demise of the A.A. Although the Alleghenys were never found guilty of wrongdoing, their allegedly "piratical" act gained them

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10044-496: The AA's Philadelphia Athletics . The Athletics failed to include him on their reserve list, and Pittsburgh picked him up. Nonetheless, this led to loud protests by the Athletics, and in an official complaint, an AA official claimed Pittsburgh's actions were "piratical". This incident (which is discussed at some length in The Beer and Whisky League , by David Nemec, 1994) quickly accelerated into

10206-619: The AL Central played the NL Central in the former interleague play rotation. The teams played six games in 2020 as MLB instituted an abbreviated schedule focusing on regional match-ups. Beginning in 2023, the teams will play a three-game series each season as a result of the new "balanced" schedule. The Pirates lead the series 21–18. Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches Exposition Park (Pittsburgh) In 1903,

10368-450: The Braves. By the turn of the century, "Pirates" had become the most popular nickname, and was first acknowledged on the team's uniforms in 1912. The team moved into the reconstructed Exposition Park , built on the site of the previous Exposition parks but now with a capacity of 10,000. The Pirates experience a modicum of success in the early 1890s, finishing just five games back of the pennant-winning Boston Beaneaters in 1893. The rest of

10530-469: The Brotherhood (Players' League) club: "They have the most level grounds in the country. Exposition Park is covered with water." The newly-redubbed Pittsburgh Pirates moved to Exposition Park the following season. On April 24, 1891, Fred Carroll hit the first home run by a Pirate in the stadium. Under the management of Fred Clarke the Pirates won the National League pennant in 1901, 1902, and 1903. After

10692-470: The Cardinals no-hit the Pirates in 1971, at Three Rivers. In 1908, owing to the large numbers of people that attended Pirates games, team owner Barney Dreyfuss began looking for a location to construct a new Pirates stadium. The final Pirates game at Exposition Park was played against the Chicago Cubs on June 29, 1909. The Pirates won the game 8–1 in front of 5,545 people, with George Gibson achieving

10854-493: The Erie SeaWolves, located near Pittsburgh, is a former affiliate of the Pirates and has retained the logo of a wolf wearing a pirate bandanna and eye patch. Additionally, Jim Leyland, former manager of both the Pirates (1986–1996) and the Tigers (2005–2013), remains popular in Pittsburgh where he resides. The Pirates led the regular-season series, 36–29. The two teams played in the 1909 World Series . An on-and-off rivalry with

11016-479: The N.L. contracted from 12 to 8 teams. (The franchises did not formally consolidate; the player acquisitions were separate transactions.) Among those players was Honus Wagner , who would become one of the first players inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame . The Pirates were among the best teams in baseball in the early 1900s, winning three consecutive National League pennants from 1901 to 1903 and participating in

11178-453: The NL, sharing the home run title with Johnny Mize (1947–1948) and Hank Sauer (1952). Kiner led or co-led the National League in home runs for seven consecutive seasons (1946–1952) and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975. Throughout their history, the Pirates' colors had been red, white and blue, which was standard for baseball teams in the early 1900s. In 1948, the Bucs updated their colors to yellow, black and white, matching

11340-552: The Phillies once again in 1977, with Parker winning a batting title. It was also in 1977 that the Pirates began wearing yellow and black uniforms with pillbox caps. Stargell would award teammates with "Stargell Stars" on their caps for excellent plays on the field. The following year, the Pirates turned the end of the 1978 season into an impromptu race for the NL East, as they tried to chase down

11502-435: The Pirates began wearing an alternate black jersey with a gold "P" at both home and on the road. From 2013 to 2019, the Pirates wore throwback uniforms for Sunday home games: the early 70s pullover uniforms from 2013 to 2015, and the gold top/black pants from the late 70s from 2016 to 2019. Since the 2015 season , the Pirates have worn an alternate camo jersey for select home games. The camouflage alternates were updated for

11664-459: The Pirates competitive into the late 1970s. However, all this was not evident when Rickey (then 73) retired due to ill health in 1955, with the Pirates still struggling to escape the NL basement. "Kiner's Korner", meanwhile, was demolished in 1954, restoring Forbes Field to its previous, pitching-friendly contour. The 1948 team was the only postwar Pirates squad with a winning record until 1958, Danny Murtaugh 's first full season as manager. Murtaugh

11826-410: The Pirates helped popularize the look. Coinciding with the move into Three Rivers Stadium in 1970, the team switched to a darker shade of gold and changed their caps from black to gold with a black brim; they also introduced pullover nylon/cotton jerseys and beltless pants as part of their new uniform set (later to become polyester doubleknit). The Pirates became the first team in baseball to sport such

11988-566: The Pirates in 1925 ; since 2017 it has been named for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine , which has its main campus in Erie, Pennsylvania , and also a campus in Bradenton. Pirate City , the site of the Pirates' Spring Training complex, is located a few miles east of LECOM Park. The Pirates have had many uniforms and logo changes over the years, with the only consistency being the "P" on

12150-546: The Pirates. Robert Nutting replaced McClatchy as majority owner, becoming the sixth majority owner in Pirates history. On July 6, 2007, Kevin McClatchy announced he was stepping down as the Pirates CEO at the end of the 2007 season. On September 7, 2007, Nutting fired general manager Dave Littlefield . The Pittsburgh Pirates began to shape their organizational management team late in the 2007 season. On September 13, Frank Coonelly , chief labor counsel for Major League Baseball,

12312-477: The Pittsburgh Pirates entered the NL in 1887, four years after the Phillies. The Phillies and the Pirates remained together after the National League split into two divisions in 1969. During the period of two-division play (1969–1993), the two National League East division rivals won the two highest numbers of division championships, reigning almost exclusively as NL East champions in the 1970s and again in

12474-493: The Pittsburgh area began in 1876 with the organization of the Allegheny Base Ball Club , an independent (non-league) club based in a then-separate city called Allegheny City , across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. The team joined the minor league International Association in 1877, only to fold the following season. On October 15, 1881, Denny McKnight held a meeting at Pittsburgh's St. Clair Hotel to organize

12636-492: The Steelers. Like other multi-purpose stadiums popular at the time, Three Rivers featured extensive box seats, a turf playing field, and moveable seating sections to accommodate both football and baseball. Three Rivers ended up being much better suited for the former than the latter, and the Pirates struggled to draw fans despite their on-field success in the 1970s. By the 1990s, the Pirates were threatening to leave Pittsburgh unless

12798-536: The World Series has ever ended with a home run. They won again in 1971 behind Roberto Clemente , the first Latin-American enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame , and in 1979 under the leadership of Willie Stargell . Since their last World Series in 1979, the Pirates have largely endured a period of great struggle. Since then, they have only had eleven winning seasons, six postseason appearances, three division titles, and have advanced just once in

12960-448: The World Series in 1960 . They were outscored over the course of the series by the Yankees , yet the Pirates won on a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 7. As of 2022, it is the only Game 7 walk-off home run in World Series history. Led by right fielder Roberto Clemente , the Pirates remained a strong team throughout the 1960s but did not return to

13122-410: The World Series until 1971 . Playing in the new Three Rivers Stadium , the Pirates defeated the favored Baltimore Orioles behind Clemente's hitting and the pitching of Steve Blass . In the same year on September 1, the Pirates became the first team to field an all-Black and Latino lineup. Despite Clemente's death after the 1972 season, the Pirates were one of the dominant teams of the decade, winning

13284-428: The ballpark cost $ 216 million to construct and is named for Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services . PNC Park's listed capacity is 38,747 for baseball, although standing-room only space can accommodate more than 40,000 fans; the biggest crowd in stadium history was the 2015 National League Wild Card Game , when 40,889 fans saw the Cubs defeat the Pirates 4–0. Widely considered to be among the best baseball stadiums in

13446-628: The ballpark's address as 700 South Avenue. South Avenue later became General Robinson Drive, and the 700 address corresponds to the ballpark's main entrance, now part of a parking lot. In an article on the soon-to-be-opened Forbes Field, the Pittsburgh Post for June 27, 1909, stated the Expo Park dimensions as follows: left field 380 feet (115.8 metres), center field 400 feet (121.9 metres), right field 327 feet (99.7 metres). The Western University of Pennsylvania (WUP), which would in 1908 be renamed

13608-675: The ballpark, including the removal of the rooftop turrets, and construction of a roof over the bleachers on the first base side. In 1915, the team, renamed the Pittsburgh Rebels, improved from the previous season, finishing just percentage points behind the first place Chicago Whales . After the season, the club disbanded along with the entire Federal League, due to financial losses. That was the end of major league ball at Exposition Park. The venue continued to host Semi-professional baseball games, circuses, scrap metal drives and other events, but "was eventually razed". The 1917 city directory gave

13770-487: The beginning of Pirates games, was also sounded prior to the opening kickoff of WUP football contests. After parts of 62 seasons in the Oakland district, baseball and football returned to the north side of the Allegheny River when Three Rivers Stadium opened. The site of the final incarnation of Exposition Park, relative to Three Rivers and the later PNC Park, was in between the two venues. Exposition Park had been on

13932-462: The change did not last beyond that season. Along with the San Francisco Giants , the Pirates are one of two pre-expansion National League teams that completely changed their colors, although red returned as an "accent color" in 1997 and remained until 2009. In the late 1950s, the team adopted sleeveless jerseys. While not an innovation by the team (the honor goes to the Cincinnati Reds ),

14094-588: The collapsing Phillies , who ultimately won the division, only to fall short during the final home stand of the season (ironically against the Phillies). Despite this, Parker won another batting title and was named National League MVP to go with it. Adopting the popular song " We Are Family " by the Philadelphia disco group Sister Sledge as their theme song, the 1979 Pirates held off the Montreal Expos to claim

14256-770: The colors of the flag of Pittsburgh . The color scheme was already being used by the city's professional football franchise, the Steelers , and would later be adopted by the Pittsburgh Penguins . While attendance figures at Forbes Field rose to among the top in the NL, the team built around Kiner placed in the first division only once—in 1948—and in 1952 compiled one of the worst records in major league history, winning 42 and losing 112 games (.273) and finishing 54 + 1 ⁄ 2 games out of first place. The new ownership group reorganized during 1950 , when Galbreath, Crosby and Johnson bought out McKinney's investment, and Galbreath became majority owner. His family would control

14418-458: The country, several outlets have praised PNC Park for its location, limestone and steel façade, and views of both the action on the field and the Pittsburgh skyline. PNC Park was the first two-deck ballpark to be built in the United States since Milwaukee County Stadium opened in 1953; as a result, fans in the upper deck are closer to the action than at most ballparks, with the highest seat in

14580-461: The course of the season, 14 players were called up from its Triple-A affiliate. On September 6, manager Lloyd McClendon was fired after 5 losing seasons. On October 11, Jim Tracy was hired as the new manager. The 2006 season got off to a slow start with the Pirates losing their first six games. The Bucs stood at an abysmal 30–60 mark by the time they hosted the All Star Game at PNC Park. During

14742-410: The cramped, wooden Exposition Park, which was prone to flooding from the nearby Allegheny River . The new stadium could seat an additional 7,000 spectators compared to Exposition Park, and was constructed out of concrete and steel, a novel concept at the time. The site was initially labeled "Dreyfuss's Folly" due to its long distance—a 10-minute trolley ride—from downtown Pittsburgh , but the land around

14904-512: The decade was more mediocre, with the club consistently placing in the bottom half of the league. After the 1899 season, the Pirates made what is arguably the best player transaction in franchise history when they picked up nearly all of the star players from the Louisville Colonels . Louisville owner Barney Dreyfuss had been told that the Colonels were slated for elimination when the N.L. contracted from 12 to 8 teams. He secretly purchased

15066-528: The destiny of the Pirates for the next 35 years. Galbreath's first major move, the hiring of Branch Rickey as general manager after the 1950 campaign, was initially a great disappointment to Pittsburgh fans. Rickey had invented the farm system with the Cardinals and broken the baseball color line with the Dodgers , building dynasties with each club. In Pittsburgh, though, he purged the roster of its higher-salaried veterans (including Kiner in 1953) and flooded

15228-522: The direction of the team. LaRoche was later traded to the Red Sox in exchange for minor leaguers Hunter Strickland and Argenis Díaz , while Wilson was sent to the Seattle Mariners for shortstop Ronny Cedeño and several minor leaguers. The Pirates also traded Sanchez to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for Tim Alderson. On September 7, the Pirates were defeated by the Chicago Cubs 4–2, clinching

15390-464: The early 1980s as Pittsburgh's economic woes continued and the Pirates slipped down the standings. Claiming massive losses, Galbreath said he was ready to move on from the Pirates after three decades and was looking to sell. Edward J. Lewis of Oxford Development and Edward J. DeBartolo, Sr. made a serious offer to purchase the team in early 1981. Both the cities of New Orleans, Louisiana and Tampa, Florida put packages together to attempt to lure

15552-467: The early 1990s. The Pirates nine, the Phillies six; together, the two teams' 15 championships accounted for more than half of the 25 NL East championships during that span. After the Pirates moved to the National League Central in 1994, the teams face each other only in two series each year and the rivalry has diminished. However, many fans, especially older ones, retain their dislike for

15714-406: The field, the Pirates would need a new ballpark to replace the aging Three Rivers Stadium and increase revenue streams; on the field, the Bucs would need to cut payroll, trade players for prospects, and build up the farm system. Leyland, unwilling to endure a rebuild, quit after the 1996 season, being replaced in his capacity by Gene Lamont . At first, the plan seemed to be working: despite fielding

15876-539: The final National League hit in the ballpark. The very next day, the Pirates once again played the Cubs as the team opened Forbes Field . The Pittsburgh Filipinos called Exposition Park their home in 1912. The Filipinos lasted just over a month after folding with the United States Baseball League . In 1914, the Pittsburgh Stogies began play at Exposition Park. There were some cosmetic changes to

16038-426: The first A.A. team to switch to the older National League in 1887. Before the 1890 season, almost all of the Alleghenys' best players bolted to the Players' League 's Pittsburgh Burghers . The Players' League collapsed after the season, and the players were allowed to go back to their old clubs. However, the Alleghenys also scooped up highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer , who had previously played with

16200-448: The first black-Hispanic baseball player (an honor belonging to Minnie Miñoso ), Clemente's charisma and leadership in humanitarian causes made him an icon across the continent. During his playing career, Clemente was often overlooked, but today many consider him to have been one of the greatest right fielders in baseball history. Even with Roberto Clemente, however, the Pirates struggled to post winning marks from 1961 to 1964, and Murtaugh

16362-418: The first full season in which WUP played at Exposition Park, saw WUP achieve a remarkable turnaround that included a 10–0 record in which they outscored opponents 407–5 and finished second in the state behind the University of Pennsylvania . Prior to home games at Exposition Park, WUP students would organize parades through downtown streets prior to marching across a bridge to the game. A gong, used to announce

16524-415: The first modern World Series ever played , which they lost to Boston . The Pirates returned to the World Series in 1909 , defeating the Detroit Tigers for their first-ever world title. That year, the Pirates moved from Exposition Park to one of the first steel and concrete ballparks, Forbes Field . As Wagner aged, the Pirates began to slip down the National League standings in the 1910s, culminating in

16686-466: The first-level concourse. PNC Park has a reputation as a pitcher's park, with a deep left field that juts out to more than 410 feet from home plate. Right field is closer, but the wall is 21 feet high, nicknamed the Clemente Wall after former right-fielder Roberto Clemente , who wore number 21. Statutes of Clemente, Willie Stargell , Bill Mazeroski and Honus Wagner are located at several entrances to

16848-427: The five elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame's inaugural class , but Wagner was the better player in 1909. Atoning for his bum performance in 1903, he hit .333 to Cobb's .231 as the Pirates took the series in seven games, winning their first world title. The Pirates remained a competitive team in the early part of the 1910s but began to slip down the standings as their stars aged and declined. This downward trend led to

17010-428: The future hall of famer Waner brothers, Vaughan, and player/manager Traynor. Between 1932 and 1938 the Pirates consistently finished in the National League's first division, posting only one losing season during that span. But the club never returned to the World Series in that stretch, finishing in second place three times. In 1938, the Pirates entered September with a seven-game lead for the NL pennant, but were passed by

17172-481: The game, forcing some spectators to stand behind a rope in the outfield. The Pirates lost three of four games at Exposition Park and eventually the Series. During a July 4, 1902 doubleheader against the Brooklyn Superbas (whose roster included a player named Flood ), an Allegheny flood caused water to rise to thigh level in center and right fields, and about head level in deep center. Players occasionally caught

17334-453: The game. Pirates broadcaster (and former pitcher) Jim Rooker famously vowed that if the team blew the lead, he would walk home from Philadelphia—a vow he fulfilled after the season while raising money for charity. The Pirates would win the first three NL East titles of the 1990s, but failed to advance to the World Series each time. In 1990 , the Pirates faced off against their old rivals,

17496-558: The group also included entertainer Bing Crosby , Pittsburgh attorney Thomas P. Johnson , and Columbus, Ohio -based real estate tycoon John W. Galbreath . The new owners seemingly scored a coup when they purchased veteran slugger Hank Greenberg from the Detroit Tigers for the 1947 season. The Hall-of-Fame-bound Greenberg, then 36, had led the American League in home runs (44) and runs batted in (127) in 1946 , his first full season after almost five years in military service. But

17658-471: The last week of August, 1884, where the struggling Union Association club dubbed the Pittsburgh Stogies finished out their schedule after moving from Chicago. During 1884 through 1889, the ballpark was primarily a racetrack used for many types of events: horse racing, bicycle racing, foot racing, and various exhibitions such as circuses. The grandstand ran roughly west-to-east, bordering South Avenue. The roof included five pyramid-shaped turrets. In 1887 came

17820-440: The lineup, but even the players took notice when he posted the lineup that day. Blass later recalled, "The thing I remember about it, when he was interviewed afterwards, Murtaugh said, 'I put the nine best athletes out there. The best nine I put out there tonight happened to be black. No big deal. Next question. ' " The sports world was stunned and saddened when Clemente died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972, while accompanying

17982-426: The longest League Championship Series appearance and division championship drought in all of baseball. From 1882 to 2024, the Pirates have an overall record of 10,839–10,819–140 (.500 winning 'percentage'). The Pirates are also often referred to as the "Bucs" or the "Buccos" (derived from buccaneer , a synonym for pirate ). Since 2001 the team has played its home games at PNC Park , a 39,000-seat stadium along

18144-570: The longest streak of consecutive losing seasons in any North American professional sport. The Pirates fared even worse in 2010, going 57–105. It was the worst record in baseball, the first time the Pirates had lost at least 100 games since 2001, and the most losses for the team since 1985. Russell was fired after the season. Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh . The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as

18306-488: The minor league International Association in 1877 and posted a decent 13–6 record, featuring future Hall of Fame pitcher Pud Galvin . But the Allegheny was hit hard in 1878 by player defections and competition from other, better-established teams in Pittsburgh, and the club folded. On October 15, 1881, Denny McKnight held a meeting at Pittsburgh's St. Clair Hotel to organize a new Allegheny club, which began play in 1882 as

18468-459: The newly created National League East in 1970 , 1971 , 1972 , 1974 , 1975 , and 1979 . Powered by sluggers such as Willie Stargell , Dave Parker , and Al Oliver , the team was nicknamed "The Lumber Company." Behind Stargell's leadership and the disco song "We Are Family" (which the team adopted as its theme song), the Pirates came back from a 3–1 deficit to once again defeat the Orioles in

18630-422: The occasional nickname "Pirates" starting in 1891. Within a few years, the nickname caught on with Pittsburgh newspapers. The nickname was first acknowledged on the team's uniforms in 1912. After almost two decades of mediocre baseball, the Pirates' fortunes began to change at the turn of the 20th century. The Pirates acquired several star players from the Louisville Colonels , who were slated for elimination when

18792-402: The other team, with regional differences between Eastern and Western Pennsylvania still fueling the rivalry. The Pirates' biggest divisional rival is the Cincinnati Reds , given the two teams' proximity, the carryover of the cities' football rivalry , and the fact that the Reds and Pirates have met six times in the postseason, most recently in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game . In

18954-399: The park by 30 feet (9.1 m) by moving the bullpens to the base of the old left field wall, behind a new fence that was 335 feet (102 m) from home plate down the left-field line. The shorter porch was immediately dubbed "Greenberg Gardens" in honor of the former Tiger. As events turned out, however, Greenberg's playing career was winding down rapidly. He played only 125 games for

19116-460: The park developed and criticisms were dropped. Spurred by the new ballpark, the Pirates finished first in the National League with a 110–42 record , which as of 2022 remains the best record in franchise history. Pittsburgh faced off against the Detroit Tigers , who were making their third consecutive appearance in the World Series. The series was billed as a matchup between the major leagues' two superstars, Wagner and Ty Cobb . Both men would be among

19278-577: The payroll. Enigmatic but talented third baseman Aramis Ramírez was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2003 for a fairly minimal return under pressure to dump his $ 6 million salary for 2004, and he proceeded to become a star for the Cubs. Brian Giles was one of the National League 's best hitters for several years, but he and his $ 9 million salary were also traded in 2003 to the San Diego Padres for youngsters Óliver Pérez , Jason Bay , and Cory Stewart . Pirate fans found this trade much more palatable in

19440-684: The pennant. "We Are Family" was elevated from theme song to anthem status (and is still nearly synonymous with the '79 Pirates), with fans chanting "Fam-a-lee!" from the stands. The Pirates faced the Baltimore Orioles again in the World Series , which (like 1971) they won in seven games, on October 17, 1979 . During the 1979 championship season, a Pirate player was designated as Most Valuable Player in every available category: All-Star Game MVP (Dave Parker), NL Championship Series MVP (Willie Stargell), World Series MVP (Willie Stargell), and National League MVP (Willie Stargell, shared with Keith Hernandez of

19602-532: The postseason in 2014 and 2015 and lost the Wild Card game both times and have not qualified for the playoffs since then. Since 2001, the Pirates have played their home games at PNC Park , located on the banks of the Allegheny River in Pittsburgh's North Side neighborhood. The park was built as a replacement for the aging Three Rivers Stadium , a dual-purpose stadium that had been designed for functionality rather than aesthetics. Funded mainly through taxpayer money,

19764-399: The postseason with a victory in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game. The Pirates additionally posted a losing record in 20 consecutive seasons from 1993 to 2012 , a record streak in both MLB and the four major North American professional sports leagues. The Pirates currently have the fifth-longest World Series championship drought, the longest pennant drought in the National League, and

19926-525: The present-day site of Heinz Field and the Pirates' current home, PNC Park , before persistent flooding forced a move in 1884 to higher ground at Union (Recreation) Park . The Alleghenys had limited success during their five years in the American Association. A .500 inaugural season was followed by two inept campaigns, including a disastrous 1884 effort in which the Alleghenys went 30–78 and used five different managers. The next year's team, aided by

20088-457: The press that he sought to improve the Pirates by signing African-American players during the 1930s and 1940s, going as far as planning a tryout, but the other owners refused to break baseball's color barrier . In August 1946, the long era of ownership by the Barney Dreyfuss family came to an end when Benswanger sold the team to a syndicate led by Indianapolis businessman Frank McKinney ;

20250-400: The rain, the Allegheny River still caused problems. Flooding sometimes covered the entire outfield with inches of standing water, causing ground rules that gave any ground ball hit into the outfield an automatic single. In 1907, Pittsburgh's pitcher Nick Maddox threw a no-hitter at Exposition Park. That would prove to be the last no-hitter thrown at a Pirates home field until Bob Gibson of

20412-464: The rest of the 1960s. Slugger Willie Stargell became a fixture in the Pittsburgh lineup in the late 1960s, and the Pirates returned to prominence in 1970. Murtaugh returned as manager and the Pirates' home field, Forbes Field , was demolished in favor of the multi-purpose Three Rivers Stadium . In 1970, the Pirates won their first of five National League East division titles over the next seven years, and won their fourth World Series in 1971 behind

20574-434: The rival American League . A .500 team in 1899, the Pirates immediately saw improvement in the new century, finishing with a 79–60 record in 1900 and just 4½ games behind the Brooklyn Superbas . The following season, the Pirates won their first National League title, and followed that up with pennants in 1902 and 1903. Dreyfuss had taken a leading role amongst baseball owners and helped the National League broker peace with

20736-486: The road uniforms in 1942. In 1948, the team broke away from the patriotic "Red, White, & Blue" color scheme when they adopted the current black & gold color scheme, to match that of the colors of the Flag of Pittsburgh and, to a lesser extent at the time, the colors of the then-relatively unknown Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . The Pirates had made a similar change to black and gold in 1924, but

20898-569: The road, and finished the season with a total attendance of about 16,000 fans. Fortunately for the Alleghenys, the Players' League collapsed after a single season and the players were allowed to return to their former teams. A reorganized Pittsburgh club, formed from a merger of the Alleghenys and the Burghers, recovered the services of several players who had jumped to the upstart league a year earlier. The new owners also signed highly regarded second baseman Lou Bierbauer , who had previously played with

21060-465: The season, the Pirates were the only team to adopt the hats permanently, alternating between a black hat and a gold hat for several seasons. The Pirates switched back to a brighter shade of gold for the 1977 season, and became one of the first teams to wear third jerseys , following the Oakland Athletics . Starting in 1977 , the Pirates had uniform styles which included two different caps and three different uniforms: an all-black set, an all-gold set, and

21222-406: The second half of the season, however, the Pirates made a successful turnaround and finished the second half with a 37–35 record. This is the first time the Pirates have finished the second half of the season with a winning record since 1992. Third baseman Freddy Sanchez won the National League batting title for the 2006 season with an average of .344. The 2007 season was a year of transition for

21384-559: The short run, as Pérez led the majors in strikeouts per inning and Bay won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2004, while Giles put up a subpar season by his standards. After the 2004 season, Jason Kendall went to the Oakland Athletics in a cross-exchange of high-salary players. Illustrating the Pirates' rebuilding efforts, at the close of the 2005 season, the team fielded the youngest roster in baseball, with an average age of 26.6 years. During

21546-444: The signing of many players from the disbanded Columbus Buckeyes , rebounded to a marginally winning record and a third-place league mark. Following their best showing in the A.A.—an 80–57 record and a second-place finish—Pittsburgh became the first A.A. team to switch to the older National League in 1887. At the time, William A. Nimick was club president and Horace Phillips manager. The Alleghenys were severely crippled during

21708-415: The small-market Pirates struggled to keep pace with the sport and they posted a losing record for 20 consecutive seasons, a record among North American professional sports teams. Even the opening of a new stadium in 2001, PNC Park , did little to change the team's fortunes. The Pirates finally returned to the postseason in 2013 behind National League MVP Andrew McCutchen , defeating the Cincinnati Reds in

21870-413: The southwest corner of South Avenue (later Robinson) to the north (first base) and School Street (later Scotland) to the east (third base). To the south (left field) was some open space and railroad tracks and the Allegheny. To the west (right field) was some open space and then Grant Street (later Galveston). That open space would eventually be the site of Three Rivers. Therefore, the site of Exposition Park

22032-399: The stadium 88 feet (27 m) above the playing surface. Fans in the lower deck are also closer to the field: the batter is closer to the seats behind home plate than to the pitcher, and seating along the baselines is 45 feet from the bases at their closest point. A four-level steel rotunda down the left field line offers extensive standing room only space, and action on the field can be seen from

22194-420: The stadium's home plate entrance. The Pirates' first home was Exposition Park , located a couple blocks west of the current location of PNC Park. The Pirates split their early years between that ballpark and Recreation Park , which was located further inland from the flood-prone Allegheny River. The Pirates moved back to Exposition Park for good in 1891, and remained there until the 1909 season. The park hosted

22356-483: The stadium. In addition to hosting Pirate games, PNC Park hosted the 2006 MLB All-Star Game and has been the site of several concerts. PNC Park is located near several major highways and parking is available in the blocks around the ballpark. Fans can also walk to the stadium from downtown Pittsburgh via the Clemente Bridge , or take Pittsburgh Light Rail to the system's North Side station , located just outside

22518-560: The stronger Chicago Cubs or New York Giants . In 1908, the Pirates played in Pittsburgh for the first time, as the team's several parks had all been located in Allegheny City , which was a separate city until annexed by Pittsburgh in December 1907. In 1909, the Bucs moved out of their longtime home at Exposition Park to the new Forbes Field in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. The increasingly large crowds coming to see games overwhelmed

22680-473: The team competitive. The Bucs finished with a below-.500 record in 1993, the first of 20 consecutive losing seasons that would become a record for the four major professional North American sports leagues. As the team slipped down the standings in the mid-1990s, the Pittsburgh Associates looked to find a buyer for the team, and rumors once again circulated that the team would be moved. The ownership group

22842-455: The team from relocating. Jim Leyland took over as manager in 1986, and under his guidance the Pirates gradually climbed out of the cellar. They featured young and exciting players such as the "outfield of dreams" consisting of Bobby Bonilla , Barry Bonds , and Andy Van Slyke ; infielders Jay Bell , Steve Buechele , Sid Bream , and José Lind ; catcher Mike LaValliere , and pitchers Doug Drabek , John Smiley , and Stan Belinda . In 1988,

23004-456: The team out of Pittsburgh, and the team's future in the city it had called home for more than 100 years seemed seriously in doubt. The 1985 season was one of the lowest points in team history. Amidst rumors that the team would relocate, the Pirates lost 104 games, their most since 1954. Efforts to show fans support like "Ballot by Ballpark" day—in which local media encouraged fans to pack Three Rivers Stadium—did little to move ownership. Meanwhile,

23166-570: The team with young players. Many of those youngsters faltered, but those who fulfilled Rickey's faith in them—pitchers Vern Law , Bob Friend and Elroy Face , shortstop Dick Groat , second baseman Bill Mazeroski , and especially outfielder Roberto Clemente , drafted from Brooklyn after his only minor league season (1954)—would form the nucleus of the Pirates' 1960 championship club . Moreover, as in St. Louis and Brooklyn, Rickey put into place one of baseball's most successful farm and scouting systems, keeping

23328-464: The team's cap. Like other teams in Major League Baseball, the Pirates predominantly favored a patriotic red, white and blue color scheme through the first half of the 20th Century. During this time, the Pirates predominantly wore a blue cap, with either a red or white P. The uniforms were plain, often including a simple "P" if anything at all. The team's name was first acknowledged in 1912, with

23490-524: The team's only 2008 All-Star Nate McLouth was traded to the Atlanta Braves for prospects Jeff Locke , Charlie Morton and Gorkys Hernández . On June 30, the team dealt Nyjer Morgan and Sean Burnett to the Washington Nationals , as well as sending utility player Eric Hinske to the New York Yankees . This upset some Pirates players, including Adam LaRoche and Jack Wilson , who questioned

23652-455: The third base coach under prior manager Lloyd McClendon from 2003 to 2005. Under Huntington, the team began another round of rebuilding. Prior to the 2008 trade deadline, the Pirates made several deals that sent several accomplished veterans to other franchises: left fielder Xavier Nady and pitcher Dámaso Marte were sent to the New York Yankees in return for José Tábata , Ross Ohlendorf , Dan McCutchen , and Jeff Karstens ; Jason Bay

23814-610: The third incarnation of Exposition Park was the first National League ballpark to host a World Series game. The Western University of Pennsylvania (WUP)—known today as the University of Pittsburgh —played home football games at Exposition Park, and also used the park as a home field for the university's baseball team . Local newspapers referred to the general area along the Allegheny waterfront as "the Exposition grounds", named for other "expositions" that would be shown there, including horse racing and circuses . Exposition Park I

23976-546: The three rivers that meet in Pittsburgh ( Allegheny , Monongahela , and Ohio ). The astroid, or the diamond shape star represents the famous "Steelmark" logo and the Check or the Checkbox, represents the Seal of Pittsburgh. The rivalry between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pirates was considered by some to be one of the best rivalries in the National League until 1994. It began when

24138-510: The upstart American League, recognizing both leagues as major leagues and instituting one set of rules. With Dreyfuss' 1903 squad well on its way to another NL pennant, he asked Henry Killilea , owner of the American League-leading Boston Americans , if he would be interested in scheduling a postseason series between the champions of each league. That series, recognized as the first modern World Series ever played , saw

24300-489: The young team finished 85–75 and seemed ready to compete for a pennant. However, the 1989 season was a major setback, with injuries depleting the squad and leading to a fifth-place finish. Among the low points of the season was a game against rival Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia on June 8, 1989 , where the Pirates became the first team in major-league history to score 10 runs in the first inning and nevertheless lose

24462-550: Was about 10,000 spectators. The seats faced the Allegheny River and the Point . The Burghers played at the stadium during the 1890 Players' League season —both the team and league's only season in existence. On June 10, 1890, Jocko Fields of the Pittsburgh Burghers hit the first home run at Exposition Park III. The recurrent flooding which plagued the location through its entire existence led to this editorial comment about

24624-428: Was built closer to the river. The Alleghenys played at the second incarnation of the park for the first part of the 1883 season, but after the game of June 9, the club decided to return to Exposition Park I, starting with the game of June 12. The Allegheny club abandoned Expo II in 1884, moving to Recreation Park , which was several blocks north and out of the flood plain. The final usage of Expo II for baseball came in

24786-400: Was introduced as the team's new president. On September 25, 2007, the Pirates announced the hiring of Neal Huntington , formerly a scout in the Cleveland Guardians organization, as the team's new general manager. On October 5, 2007, Jim Tracy was fired by the Pirates and replaced by Ottawa Lynx manager John Russell , who was named the new manager a month later. Russell had originally been

24948-452: Was only intended to be a short-term steward of franchise to ensure its future in Pittsburgh, but the Associates ended up owning the Pirates for more than a decade. In 1996, McClatchy publishing company chairman Kevin McClatchy led a group of investors to purchase the Pirates for $ 95 million. McClatchy immediately moved forward with a two-pronged plan to return the Pirates to relevance: off

25110-407: Was reduced to 35,000 in its later years). Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss "hated cheap home runs and vowed he'd have none in his park", which led him to design a large playing field for Forbes Field. When a large grandstand was constructed down the right field line in the early 1920s, reducing the distance to 300 feet from home plate, Dreyfuss had a 28-foot screen erected. Despite this, Forbes Field

25272-608: Was replaced by Harry Walker in 1965. With Walker, a renowned batting coach, at the helm, and the hitting of Clemente, Matty Alou , Manny Mota and others, the Bucs fielded contending, 90+ win teams in both 1965 and 1966, with Clemente claiming the National League MVP Award in the latter year. However, Pittsburgh had no answer for the pitching of the Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants , and finished third both seasons. In 1967, they fell back to .500, and did not contend through

25434-515: Was surrounded by the University of Pittsburgh campus. The Pirates left the ballpark midway through the 1970 season and the stadium was demolished the following year. Sections of the outfield wall remain standing along Roberto Clemente Drive, and the home plate used in the stadium's final game remains preserved in the University of Pittsburgh's Posvar Hall . The Pirates moved into the multipurpose Three Rivers Stadium in 1970, which they shared with

25596-439: Was the first venue in Pittsburgh that hosted major league baseball. In 1882, the club now known as the Pittsburgh Pirates —then known simply as Allegheny, or informally as "the Alleghenys"—began play at Exposition Park as a member of the American Association ; however, after one season a fire and flooding of the field from the nearby river forced a second park to be built. Despite its reason for construction, Exposition Park II

25758-501: Was the location of the first World Series. In the middle of the 1909 season, the Pirates moved into Forbes Field in Oakland , which would serve as the club's home for the next 61 years. Built at a cost of $ 1 million, the park was the first three-tiered steel-and-concrete ballpark in the nation. Forbes Field was expanded several times over the decades, with capacity almost doubled from its initial 23,000 in 1909 to 41,000 in 1925 (although it

25920-474: Was the northeast corner of the parking lot east of Three Rivers. In 1995, members of the Society for American Baseball Research marked and painted the location where home plate is believed to have been located, in honor of one of the two sites of the first World Series (the other being in Boston). At the time, the location of home plate was in a Three Rivers Stadium parking lot. In 2018, the faded home plate paint

26082-524: Was then known as Allegheny City , across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh. Recognized professional baseball in the Pittsburgh area began in 1876, when organizers formed the Allegheny Base Ball Club , an independent (non-league) club, as the ownership group lost their bid in February to join the newly created National League . The now-pro Allegheny played their first game in April of that year. The team joined

26244-629: Was traded to the Boston Red Sox in a three-team deal that brought Andy LaRoche , Bryan Morris , Brandon Moss and Craig Hansen to Pittsburgh. On November 24, the Pirates signed Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel as undrafted free agents, making them the first Indian citizens to sign a contract with any American professional sports team. Both men are pitchers, who were first spotted in the "Million Dollar Arm" contest organized in India by J.B. Bernstein earlier in 2008. The roster teardown continued in 2009, as

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