Pittsburgh Pirates
(baseball), professional baseball team and one of six teams in the
Central Division of the National League (NL). Formerly called the
Alleghenies and the Innocents, the club adopted its current name in
1890 after it was accused of pirating a player from a competing
franchise. The Pirates play at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
and wear uniforms of white, yellow, and black.
The Pirates have assembled powerful teams in virtually every era of
their 100-plus year history. The club won its first World Series
championship in 1909 and claimed its fifth in 1979. Pittsburgh has
fielded many great players, from early stars Jim Pud Galvin, Rabbit
Maranville, Pie Traynor, Arky Vaughan, Honus Wagner, and Lloyd Waner
and Paul Waner (the only pair of brothers in the Baseball Hall of
Fame) to modern-day heroes Barry Bonds, Roberto Clemente, Ralph
Kiner, Bill Mazeroski, and Willie Stargell.
Many Pittsburgh standouts were known for their consistency. Wagner
was a seven-time batting champion and career .327 hitter. The Waner
brothers batted .300 or better in 25 of their combined 29 complete
seasons with the Pirates. Vaughan hit at least .300 in each of his
10 seasons in Pittsburgh, while Traynor bettered .300 in 10 of 13
seasons. In each of his seven years with the Pirates, Kiner led or
tied for the NL lead in home runs. Clemente, Wagner, and Paul Waner
each eclipsed the prestigious 3000-hit milestone during their
careers. With sluggers Clemente, Stargell, and Dave Parker the
Pirates were a formidable power during the 1970s, capturing six
division titles, two NL pennants, and two World Series
championships.
Professional baseball in Pittsburgh dates to April 15, 1876, when
the Alleghenies played their first organized game at Union Park. The
team disbanded in 1877 and re-formed in 1882 as part of the new
American Association, established as a rival to the NL. The club
joined the NL in 1887 and three years later became known as the
Pirates, after coaxing Philadelphia Athletics second baseman Louis
Bierbauer to move to Pittsburgh.
Three future Hall of Famers joined the Pirates in 1900—outfielder
and player-manager Fred Clarke, pitcher Rube Waddell, and shortstop
Honus Wagner. The three formed the core of Pittsburgh’s
pennant-winning teams of 1901, 1902, and 1903. Manager Barney
Dreyfuss became known as the Father of the World Series after
challenging the American League—champion Boston Pilgrims to a
best-of-nine-game series in 1903, which the Pirates lost, five games
to three.
The addition of right-handed pitcher Babe Adams helped Pittsburgh
capture its first World Series championship in 1909. Adams won three
games in the series, which featured a matchup of batting champions
Wagner and Ty Cobb of the Detroit Tigers.
In 1925 Pittsburgh put together a lineup of outfielders Max Carey
and Kiki Cuyler and third baseman Pie Traynor to win the NL pennant
and defeat the Washington Senators in the World Series. By 1927
brothers Lloyd and Paul Waner had joined the team. The Pirates won
the NL pennant that year but were swept in the World Series by the
New York Yankees, who fielded star sluggers Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.
Along with the Waners, shortstop Arky Vaughan helped keep the
Pirates in contention during the 1930s. But Pittsburgh’s power
declined in the late 1940s, despite the addition of outfielder Kiner
in 1946. The club continued to lose through the 1950s.
Pittsburgh rebounded in 1960, when pitcher Harvey Haddix led the
Pirates to their first NL pennant in 33 years. Shortstop Dick Groat
was named NL most valuable player (MVP) and Danny Murtaugh was named
manager of the year. The Pirates beat the New York Yankees in the
World Series.
Roberto Clemente, a young outfielder on Pittsburgh’s championship
team of 1960, became one of baseball’s most talented and admired
players in the 1960s, consistently batting above .300 and winning
four batting titles. Clemente led the Pirates to an NL pennant in
1971 as well as a seven-game victory over the Baltimore Orioles in
the World Series. Pittsburgh’s domination continued throughout the
1970s. Sluggers Dave Parker, NL MVP in 1978, and Stargell, NL MVP in
1979, powered the Pirates to the another NL pennant in 1979 and
helped erase a two-game deficit to defeat Baltimore in the World
Series.
After a string of losing seasons in the 1980s, the Pirates began to
rebuild under manager Jim Leyland. A series of trades brought third
baseman Bobby Bonilla, shortstop Jay Bell, pitcher Doug Drabek, and
outfielder Andy Van Slyke on to the Pirates’ roster to join
outfielder Barry Bonds. From 1990 to 1992 the Pirates won three
straight division crowns. In both 1990 and 1992, Leyland was named
NL manager of the year and Bonds was NL MVP. By the mid-1990s,
however, Pittsburgh had dropped out of contention.CHAMPIONSHIPS
1909 - d. Detroit in 7 games
1925 - d. Washington in 7 games
1960 - d. NY Pirates in 7 games
1971 - d. Baltimore in 7 games
1979 - d. Baltimore in 7 games.
Won the NL Pennant in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1909, 1925, 1927,
1960, 1971, 1979
TOP MANAGER
Danny Murtaugh managed the pirates from 1957-1964, 1967, 1970-71,
1973-76, and finished with a 1115-950 record. Jim Leyland managed
from 1986-96 and finished with an 851-863 record. Frank Frisch was
manager from 1940-46 and has a 538-528 record. Fred Clarke was the
Pirates manager from 1900-1915 and has a record of 1422-969. Leyland
was named NL Manager of the Year in 1990 and 1992.
MVPS
Dick Groat (1960), Roberto Clemente (1966), Dave Parker (1978),
Willie Stargell (1979 co-winner), Barry Bonds (1990, 1992)
CY YOUNG
Vernon Law (1960), Doug Drabek (1990)
ROOKIE OF YEAR
The franchise has no Rookies of the Year. The Pirates are the only
franchise that was in existence at the time the award was initiated
that hasn't had at least one Rookie of the Year.
RETIRED NUMBERS
1 - Billy Meyer (Mgr)
4 - Ralph Kiner (OF)
8 - Willie Stargell (1B)
9 - Bill Mazeroski (2B)
20 - Pie Traynor (3B)
21 - Roberto Clemente (OF)
33 - Honus Wagner (SS)
40 - Danny Murtaugh (Mgr) |
