History of the Pittsburgh Pirates facts for kids
This is the story of the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, a club with a long and exciting history in Major League Baseball.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the oldest baseball teams, playing for over 140 years! They started in the 1880s and have had many ups and downs, including winning five World Series championships. From their early days as the "Alleghenys" to becoming the "Pirates," the team has seen legendary players and unforgettable moments. This article will tell you about their journey through the years.
Contents
Early Days and How the Pirates Got Their Name (1870s–1899)
Baseball Begins in Pittsburgh
Baseball started to become popular in Pittsburgh way back in the 1850s. After the Civil War, many strong amateur teams played in the city. Professional baseball arrived in 1876 with the Allegheny Base Ball Club. This team joined a minor league in 1877 and even had a future Hall of Fame pitcher named Pud Galvin.
In 1882, a new Allegheny club was formed and joined the American Association, a league that competed with the older National League. The team was often called the "Alleghenys." They played their games at Exposition Park, which was near where PNC Park (the Pirates' current home) is today.
The Alleghenys had a tough start in the American Association. After five years, they decided to switch to the National League in 1887, hoping for better luck.
Joining the National League and Becoming the Pirates
The team faced big challenges in 1890 when many of their best players left to join a new league called the Players' League. This left the Alleghenys with a very weak team, and they had their worst season ever, winning only 23 games and losing 113. Not many fans came to watch, and the team even had to play some of their home games on the road.
Luckily, the Players' League didn't last long, and the players came back. A new Pittsburgh club was formed. They signed a talented player named Lou Bierbauer. Another team, the Philadelphia Athletics, complained loudly, saying Pittsburgh's actions were "piratical" because they felt Bierbauer was still their player. Even though Pittsburgh wasn't found guilty of anything wrong, this incident led to the team being called the "Pirates" starting in 1891. The name stuck, and by the early 1900s, everyone knew them as the Pirates.
In 1899, the Pirates made one of the best trades in baseball history. They got almost all the star players from the Louisville Colonels, including future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner. This happened because the Colonels team was about to be shut down. This move set the Pirates up for a period of great success.
Winning Years Under the Dreyfuss Family (1900–1950)
National League Champions and World Series Wins
With new stars like Honus Wagner and player/manager Fred Clarke, the Pirates became a powerhouse in the National League. They won their first National League title in 1901, and then again in 1902 and 1903.
In 1903, the Pirates played in the very first modern World Series against the Boston Americans (who are now the Boston Red Sox). Even though the Pirates were favored, Boston won the series in eight games. Wagner, usually a star, didn't play his best in that series.
The Pirates continued to be one of the best teams in the National League for the next few years. In 1909, they moved into a brand new stadium called Forbes Field in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood. This new stadium was much bigger and made of concrete and steel, which was very modern at the time.
The new ballpark seemed to inspire the team. In 1909, the Pirates had their best season ever, winning 110 games! They faced the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. This series was a big matchup between two baseball legends: Honus Wagner and Ty Cobb. Wagner played much better than Cobb, and the Pirates won the series in seven games, earning their first World Series championship!
Back to the Top in the 1920s
After their 1909 win, the Pirates remained competitive for a while but then started to struggle. However, new talented players like Max Carey, Pie Traynor, and Kiki Cuyler helped bring the team back. In 1925, the Pirates made an amazing comeback from being down 3-1 in the 1925 World Series to beat the Washington Senators. They also reached the 1927 World Series but were swept by the powerful New York Yankees.
The 1927 team featured the talented brothers Lloyd Waner and Paul Waner, who, along with shortstop Arky Vaughan, became Hall of Fame players for the Pirates in the 1930s.
Changes in Ownership and New Colors
When owner Barney Dreyfuss passed away in 1932, his widow, Florence, took over. Her son-in-law, William Benswanger, became the team president. The team continued to play well in the 1930s but couldn't quite make it back to the World Series.
In the 1930s, many teams started developing "farm systems" to find and train young players. The Pirates were slow to do this, which hurt them. Benswanger even tried to sign African-American players, but other team owners wouldn't allow it at the time because of baseball's "color barrier."
In 1946, the Dreyfuss family sold the team to a new group of owners, including famous entertainer Bing Crosby. The new owners tried to boost the team by signing slugger Hank Greenberg. To help Greenberg hit more home runs, they made the left field wall at Forbes Field closer to home plate. This new area was called "Greenberg Gardens."
Greenberg didn't play long for the Pirates, but another player, Ralph Kiner, became the biggest star. He hit many home runs in the newly shortened left field, which was quickly renamed "Kiner's Korner." Kiner led the National League in home runs for seven years in a row!
In 1948, the Pirates changed their team colors to yellow, black, and white, matching the colors of the flag of Pittsburgh. These colors were already used by the city's football team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and later by the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team.
The Galbreath Era: A Pirates Dynasty (1950–1985)
Building a Champion Team and Mazeroski's Famous Home Run
Even with Ralph Kiner, the Pirates struggled in the early 1950s, having one of the worst seasons in baseball history in 1952. John W. Galbreath became the main owner in 1950. He hired Branch Rickey as general manager, who was famous for building winning teams. Rickey brought in many young players, and even though it took time, his choices paid off. Players like Roberto Clemente, Bill Mazeroski, Dick Groat, and pitchers Vern Law, Bob Friend, and Elroy Face became the core of a future championship team.
In 1960, the Pirates, led by manager Danny Murtaugh, were predicted to lose the World Series to the powerful New York Yankees. But in one of the most exciting World Series ever, the Pirates won in seven games! The final game was decided by a dramatic walk-off home run by second baseman Bill Mazeroski. This was the first time a World Series Game 7 was won with a home run.
Roberto Clemente became a superstar in the 1960s. He was an amazing hitter and had a powerful arm in right field. Clemente was also a great leader and a humanitarian, making him an icon across North and South America. Many people today consider him one of the greatest right fielders in baseball history.
A Decade of Dominance: The 1970s and "The Family"
With slugger Willie Stargell leading the way, the Pirates returned to greatness in the 1970s. They moved into a new stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, in 1970. The Pirates won their division five times in seven years and captured their fourth World Series title in 1971. Roberto Clemente was the star of that series, hitting an amazing .414!
On September 1, 1971, the Pirates made history by having the first all-black/minority starting lineup in Major League Baseball. Manager Danny Murtaugh simply said, "I put the nine best athletes out there. The best nine I put out there tonight happened to be black. No big deal."
Tragically, Clemente died in a plane crash on December 31, 1972, while delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He had just reached 3,000 career hits in his last regular-season at-bat. The Baseball Hall of Fame immediately inducted him. Pittsburgh honored him with a statue, a bridge, and a park named after him.
The Pirates continued to be strong, with speedy Omar Moreno and power-hitter Dave Parker joining Willie Stargell. After manager Danny Murtaugh passed away, Chuck Tanner took over. In 1977, the Pirates started wearing their famous yellow and black uniforms with pillbox caps. Stargell would give "Stargell Stars" to teammates for great plays.
The "We Are Family" Team of 1979
The 1979 Pirates adopted the popular song "We Are Family" as their theme song. This team truly felt like a family, and fans chanted "Fam-a-lee!" from the stands. They won the National League pennant and then faced the Baltimore Orioles in the 1979 World Series. Just like in 1971, they won in seven games! Willie Stargell had an incredible year, winning the MVP awards for the All-Star Game, the National League Championship Series, the World Series, and the National League MVP award (shared with Keith Hernandez).
Tough Times and the End of Galbreath Ownership
Even after their World Series win, the Pirates faced challenges. Pittsburgh's economy was struggling, and fewer fans came to games. Player salaries were also getting very high. The team's owner, John Galbreath, decided it was time to sell. There were even rumors that the team might move out of Pittsburgh.
The 1985 season was one of the worst in team history, with the Pirates losing 104 games. Fans tried to show their support, but the team's future in Pittsburgh seemed uncertain.
An Uncertain Future (1985–2000)
The Leyland Era: Three Division Titles, No World Series
At the end of 1985, a group of local businesses called the Pittsburgh Associates bought the team to keep it in Pittsburgh. Jim Leyland became the new manager in 1986. Under his leadership, the team slowly improved with exciting young players like Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds, and Andy Van Slyke.
The Pirates became very strong in the early 1990s, winning their division three years in a row (1990, 1991, 1992). However, they couldn't make it to the World Series. In 1990, they lost to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1991 and 1992, they lost to the Atlanta Braves in very close series, especially the dramatic Game 7 in 1992 where the Braves won with a single in the last inning.
After the 1992 season, many of the Pirates' star players, like Doug Drabek and Barry Bonds, left the team. The Pirates then began a long streak of losing seasons, which lasted for 20 years. This was the longest losing streak in major professional sports in North America.
McClatchy Buys the Team
In 1996, Kevin McClatchy led a group of investors to buy the Pirates. He had a plan: build a new ballpark and rebuild the team by trading players for young prospects. Manager Jim Leyland left, and the team started to cut player salaries.
Even with a very low payroll, the 1997 team, nicknamed the "Freak Show," surprisingly stayed in the playoff race for much of the summer. The city approved funding for a new, baseball-only stadium. However, the team struggled again in the late 1990s, losing many games.
A New Ballpark and Continued Challenges (2001–Present)
In 2001, the Pirates opened their beautiful new home, PNC Park. It's known for its great views of the Pittsburgh skyline.
The team continued to rebuild, often trading experienced players for younger ones to save money. This meant the team was very young, with an average age of 26.6 years in 2005. They continued to have losing seasons. In 2007, Robert Nutting became the new majority owner of the Pirates.
The Huntington Era: Rebuilding and Playoff Return
In 2007, the Pirates hired Frank Coonelly as president and Neal Huntington as general manager. They continued to rebuild the team, trading away more veteran players for young prospects. In 2008, the Pirates even signed two pitchers from India, Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel, who were discovered in a contest called "Million Dollar Arm."
The losing streak continued, and in 2009, the Pirates officially had the longest streak of consecutive losing seasons in any North American professional sport. In 2010, they had their worst record since 1985, losing 105 games.
Close Calls and Finally, the Playoffs (2011–2015)
In 2011, Clint Hurdle became the new manager. The team showed promise, even being in first place in their division in July for the first time since 1997. However, they had a tough end to the season and still finished with a losing record.
The 2012 season was similar. The Pirates were in first place at the All-Star break, led by star outfielder Andrew McCutchen. Fans even started doing the "Power of Zoltan" hand gesture from a movie to show support. But again, the team struggled in the second half and ended with another losing season, extending their streak to 20 years.
After these close calls, the Pirates were determined to succeed in 2013. They signed experienced players like catcher Russell Martin and pitcher Francisco Liriano. They also traded for relievers Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli, who became key parts of their strong bullpen, nicknamed the "Shark Tank."
The 2013 season was a breakthrough! The Pirates played great all year. On September 9, 2013, they won their 82nd game, clinching their first winning season in 21 years! Then, they made it to the playoffs for the first time in 21 seasons. They hosted and won their first home playoff game since 1992, beating the Cincinnati Reds in the National League Wild Card Game.
The Pirates then faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Division Series. They won Game 3 at PNC Park, taking a 2-1 lead in the series, but eventually lost the series to the Cardinals.
In 2014, the Pirates made the National League Wild Card game again but lost to the San Francisco Giants. In 2015, the Pirates had an amazing season, winning 98 games, which was the second-best record in baseball! However, their division rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, won 100 games, so the Pirates had to play in the Wild Card game again. They hosted the Chicago Cubs but lost, ending their playoff run.
Changes and More Rebuilding (2016–2019)
After three straight playoff appearances, the Pirates started to decline again. Key players like Gerrit Cole and Andrew McCutchen struggled. In 2016, they finished with a losing record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The team continued to struggle in 2017.
In 2018, the team made big changes, trading away stars like Cole and McCutchen for younger players. While some new players like Bryan Reynolds showed promise, the trades didn't immediately lead to more wins. The team made another big trade for pitcher Chris Archer, but he struggled, while the players they traded away became very successful for other teams. The Pirates finished 2018 with a winning record, but still missed the playoffs.
In 2019, the Pirates started well but then had a very tough second half of the season, finishing with a losing record. Manager Clint Hurdle was fired, and soon after, general manager Neal Huntington also left the team.
The Cherington Era (2020–Present)
In late 2019, the Pirates hired Travis Williams as their new team president and Ben Cherington as the new general manager. They then hired Derek Shelton as the new manager.
The Pirates had a tough first season under the new leadership in the shortened 2020 season, finishing with the worst record in baseball. They also finished last in their division in 2021 and 2022, showing that the team is still in a rebuilding phase, hoping to return to their winning ways in the future.
Images for kids
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A Pirates–Nationals game in 2010
