Team: Pittsburgh Pirates
Sport: Baseball
Venue: PNC Park
Manager: Lloyd McClendon
Championships: 5 - 1909, 1925, 1960,
1971, 1979
Background: The Pittsburgh Pirates
are a Major League Baseball team based in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. They are in the Central Division of the
National League.
Founded: 1882, as a charter member
of the American Association. Transferred to the National
League in 1887.
Formerly known as: the Alleghenies
in the 1880s, and then the Innocents. In 1891, after
being accused of stealing second baseman Lou Bierbaur
from his previous club in 1891, they were first called
the Pirates. The name stuck.
Home ballpark: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
Uniform colors: Black and gold
Logo design: Pirate caricature superimposed
on crossed baseball bats.
Wild Card titles won (0): none
Division titles won (9): 1970, 1971,
1972, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1992
National League pennants won (9): 1901,
1902, 1903, 1909, 1925, 1927, 1960, 1971, 1979
World Series championships won (5):
1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, 1979
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Pittsburgh Pirates Tickets |
Franchise History
In its early days, the club benefited three times from
mergers with defunct clubs. The AA club picked up a
number of players from a defunct Columbus, Ohio team
in 1885. In 1890, they merged with the Pittsburgh team
from the Players League after that league folded. In
1900, the Pirates picked up star players from the defunct
Louisville, Kentucky club, including greats like Honus
Wagner and Fred Clarke (who also served as the team's
manager from 1900 to 1915), triggering a long string
of pennants.
The 1901-1903 Pirates completely dominated the National
League, in part because they lost few star players to
the rival American League. However, owing to injuries
to their starting pitchers, they lost the first World
Series ever played, in 1903 to Boston. Deacon Phillippe
pitched five complete games, winning three of them;
but it was not enough. With largely the same star players,
the Pirates would continue to be a strong team over
the next few years and got their first World Series
title in 1909, defeating the Detroit Tigers in seven
games.
The decline of Honus Wagner, considered by some to be
the greatest shortstop ever, led to a number of losing
seasons, culminating in a disastrous 51-103 record in
1917, Wagner's last season. However, veteran outfielder
Max Carey and young players Pie Traynor and Kiki Cuyler,
along with a steady if unspectacular pitching staff,
brought the Pirates back into the spotlight. The Pirates
recovered from a 3-1 deficit to win the 1925 World Series
over the Washington Senators, and reached the 1927 World
Series before losing in a sweep to 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 1941.
