History of the Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates have one of the richest histories in all of major league baseball, with some of the most historic moments and greatest players in the history of the game.
They began their storied history on April 30, 1887 when they played their first game as the Pittsburgh Alleghenies in a victory against the Chicago White Stockings (6-2) at Pittsburgh’s Recreation Park. In December 1891, they changed their name to the Pirates when they were accused of stealing (pirating) second baseman Louis Bierbauer from the Philadelphia Athletics. On 22 April of 1891, the Pirates played their first game at Exposition Park which was located not far from the current site of PNC Park, the Pirates current home. In 1900, the old era closed with Barney Dreyfuss acquiring controlling interest and bringing with him 14 players from his old Louisville team. Two of them were future Hall of Famers Honus Wagner and Fred Clarke.
The modern era of baseball began with Pittsburgh as the dominant team in the first decade of the 20th century. In 1901, led by Honus Wagner, the Pirates captured their first National League pennant. In 1902 they repeated while compiling a remarkable 103-36 record. In 1903, they won the National League for a 3rd straight year and played in the first ever World Series against the Boston Americans. On 1 Oct, Decon Phillippe defeated legendary Cy Young in the first ever World Series game. The Pirates; however, would go on to lose the series 5 games to 3.
On 6 May, 1906, the Pirates became the first team to use a canvas tarp to cover the infield when in rains and on 20 September, 1907, Nicholas Maddox became the first Pirate to throw a no-hitter by defeating Brooklyn, 2-1, at Exposition Park.
In 1909, the Pirates moved to newly constructed Forbes Field, which was the marvel of the baseball world at that time and on 30 June, they lost to the Chicago Cubs 3-2 in the first game ever played at Forbes. Forbes Field was the first ballpark made completely of poured concrete and steel. 1909 closed out as a banner year for the Pirates as they defeated Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers in 7 games in the World Series. The hero of the series was rookie Babe Adams, who won 3 games, including the decisive seventh game shutout. In 1911, Honus Wagner closed out the season with a .334 average, good enough to earn him his National League record eighth, and final, batting title. Later, in 1915, Fred Clarke, who led the Pirates to four pennants, a World Championship and more than 1,400 victories as a player-manager, retired after 16 years at the helm. In 1921, KDKA aired the first broadcast of a Major League game as Harold Arlin described the action of the Pirates’ 8-5 win over the Phillies at Forbes Field.
In 1925, the Pirates faced Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators in the World Series. On 15 October, 1925, in Game seven at Forbes Field, Kiki Cuyler laced an 8th inning, two out, bases loaded double off Johnson to lead the Pirates to a 9-7 victory and their second World Series Championship. The Pirates again made it to the series in 1927, but lost in four straight games to Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the New York Yankees. On 25 May, 1935, Ruth went on to stroke the last three home runs of his career. The final blow was the first ever to clear the then 10-year-old right field roof.
In 1936, Honus Wagner joined Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson in being elected to the first class of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1937, first baseman Gus Suhr set the Pirates’ record by playing in his 822nd consecutive game. On 15 September, 1938, Lloyd and Paul Waner hit back-to-back homers in the fifth inning at the Polo Grounds to become the first brothers to accomplish the feat in a major league game. On 9 July, 1941, the Pirates’ Arky Vaughan became the first player to hit two home runs in an All-Star Game. On 26 April, legendary announcer Bob Prince broadcasted his first Pirates game, joining another Pirate favorite, Rosey Rowswell. Prince went on to describe Pirates’ action for 28 years.
On 6 May, 1951, Cliff Chambers pitched the second no-hitter in Pirates’ history, a 3-0 victory in the second game of a doubleheader at Boston. On 27 September, 1952, Ralph Kiner finished the season with a league-leading 37 homers to clinch his seventh consecutive N.L. home run crown. On 13 April, 1954, seven years after Jackie Robinson broke baseballs’ color barrier, Pittsburgh rookie second baseman Curt Roberts makes his major league debut during the season opener at Forbes Field to become the first African American to play for the Pirates. On 17 April, 1955, Roberto Clemente made his Major League debut in right field at Forbes Field. On 28 May, 1956, first baseman Dale Long set a major league record by hitting a home run in his eighth consecutive game, a 3-2 win over the Brooklyn Dodgers at Forbes Field. On 4 August, 1957, former Pirates’ second baseman DANNY MURTAUGH made his managerial debut after being hired by Genearal Manager Joe L. Brown to replace Bobby Bragan at the helm. MURTAUGH turned the team around in just one half season of play. On 26 May, 1959, in baseball’s most remarkable pitching performance, Harvey Haddix threw 12 perfect innings against the Braves in Milwaukee, only to lose the game 1-0 in the 13th on an error, a sacrifice bunt, intentional walk, and a double. On 13 October, 1960, Bill Mazeroski shocked the baseball world by hitting a game-seven home run in the 9th inning to beat the New York Yankees in the World Series by a score of 10-9. On 20 September, 1969, at New York’s Shea Stadium, Bob Moose stops the pennant-bound Mets, 4-0, with a no-hitter, just the third in franchise history. Then on 12 June, 1970, at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, Dock Ellis no hit the Padres, 2-9, to become the fourth Pirate pitcher to accomplish the feat. On 28 June, 1970, the Pirates swept a doubleheader from the Chicago Cubs, 3-2 and 4-1, in the final games at 61-year-old Forbes Field. Of note, a no hitter was never thrown by anyone at Forbes Field. On 16 July, 1971, in the first game at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates took to the field in revolutionary double knit uniforms, but lost 3-2 to the Cincinnati Reds.
On 1 September, 1971, Danny Murtaugh fielded what is believed to be baseball’s first all-minority lineup in a 10-7 win over the Phillies at Three Rivers. On 13 Octboer, 1971, at Three Rivers, Milt May drove in the winning run with a pinch hit single in the eighth as the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles in Game Four of the Fall Classic, the first night World Series Game in baseball history. On 17 October, 1971, Steve Blass hurled a four-hitter and Roberto Clemente homered as the Pirates won Game Seven of the World Series, 2-1, at Baltimore, earning Pittsburgh its fourth World Championship. On 30 September, 1972, at Three Rivers Stadium, Roberto Clemente hit a fourth inning double off Jon Matlack and became only the 11th player in major league history to reach the 3,000 hit plateau. It was his last hit as he died in a plane crash en route Nicaragua on 31 December, 1972. On 16 September, 1975, Rennie Stennett set a modern major league record by going 7-for-7 in a nine inning game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field.
On 9 August, 1976, the 500th game in Three Rivers Stadium history turns out to be one of the most memorable as John Candelaria threw the first-ever no-hit, no-run game by a Pirates’ pitcher in Pittsburgh; the fifth in Pirate history overall. Candelaria won 2-0 over the Los Angeles Dodgers. On 17 October, 1979, in Game Seven at Baltimore, Willie Stargell’s third World Series homer lifts the Pirates to a 4-1 win and their fifth World Championship. Stargell is named Series MVP after the Pirates erase a three-games-to-one deficit and ground the Orioles.
On 21 July, 1982, Willie Stargell hit his club record 475th home run, an eighth inning, game winning, pinch hit solo shot at Cincinnati’s Riverfrong Stadium. On 21 September, 1990, Barry Bonds became the first Pirates’ player (and just the second in major league history to hit 30 or more homers and steal 50 or more bases in the same season. In 1991 and 1992, the Pirates lost heartbreaking seven game series to the Atlanta Braves and would be the last time they had a winning record or would go to the playoffs.
On February 14, 1996, Kevin McClatchy and his financial partners purchase the Pirates and save the franchise from a move out of Pittsburgh by other potential buyers. On July 12, 1997, in front of a sellout crowd at Three Rivers, Mark Smith’s pinch-hit, three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th caps off a no-hitter by Francisco Cordova (nine innings) and Ricardo Rincon (one inning), the first combined, extra-inning no-hitter in major league history. On 1 October, 2000, a crowd of 55,351, the largest ever to see a regular season game in Pittsburgh, watched the Pirates fall to the Chicago Cubs, 10-9, in the final game at Three Rivers Stadium.
On 9 April, 2001, PNC Park, the fifth home of the Pirates, opened along the shore of the Allegheny River and adjacent to Federal Street. In 2002, coming off the teams’ first 100-loss season in 16 years, the team showed a marked improvement. In 2004, Jason Bay became the Pirates’ first NL Rookie of the Year. Jack Wilson earned his first All-Star berth and nabbed a Silver Slugger Award after becoming the first Pirates’ shortstop since Honus Wagner to collect 200 or more hits in a season. In 2005, Jason Bay became Pittsburgh’s first player to ever hit .300 with at least 30 homers, 40 doubles, 20 stolen bases, 100 runs scored and 100 RBI in a season. In 2006, the Pirates became the first team to host an All-Star Game at three venues (Forbes Field, Three Rivers Stadium, and PNC Park). 2006 also saw Freddy Sanchez add to the franchise’s record list of batting champions by hitting .344 to win the NL batting crown; the 25th Pirate to lead the league in batting. In 2008, after another losing season, the Pirates announced a change in ownership, as Kevin McClatchy stepped asisde and Bob Nutting moved in as principal owner. General Manager Dave Littlefield was replaced in September by Neal Huntington.
