History of Pittsburgh Pirates in Timeline

The Pittsburgh Pirates are a professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh, competing in MLB's National League Central Division. Founded in 1881 as the Allegheny Base Ball Club, they joined the National League in 1887. The Pirates were part of the National League East from 1969 to 1993. They've won five World Series championships, nine National League pennants, nine National League East division titles, and have made three Wild Card Game appearances.

1901: National League Pennants

In 1901, the Pittsburgh Pirates started winning three consecutive National League pennants.

1903: World Series at Exposition Park

In 1903, Exposition Park hosted the first modern World Series ever played.

1903: First Modern World Series

In 1903, the Pittsburgh Pirates participated in the first modern World Series.

1903: Inaugural World Series Appearance

In 1903, the Pittsburgh Pirates played in the inaugural World Series.

1909: Play at Forbes Field began

From 1909, the Pittsburgh Pirates played at Forbes Field.

1909: World Series Title

In 1909, the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers for their first-ever world title and moved to Forbes Field.

1909: End of Exposition Park Era

The Pittsburgh Pirates remained at Exposition Park until the middle of the 1909 season.

1912: Fenway Park Built

In 1912, Fenway Park was built.

1912: Nickname Acknowledged on Uniforms

In 1912, the "Pirates" nickname was first acknowledged on the team's uniforms.

1912: Team Name Acknowledged

In 1912, the team's name was first acknowledged with a pinstripe jersey that had "Pirates" running vertically down the placket.

1914: Jackie Robinson Ballpark Date

In 1914 Jackie Robinson Ballpark was opened.

1917: Disastrous Season

In 1917, the Pittsburgh Pirates had a disastrous 51–103 record.

1920: Exposition Park Razed

Exposition Park was razed prior to 1920.

August 5, 1921: First Baseball Game Broadcast

On August 5, 1921, the Pirates broadcast the first-ever baseball game over the radio. Harold Arlin announced the game over KDKA from Forbes Field.

1923: Construction of LECOM Park

LECOM Park was constructed in 1923.

1924: Brief Change to Black and Gold

In 1924, the Pirates made a similar change to black and gold, but it did not last beyond that season.

1925: Bill McKechnie led Pirates

In 1925, Bill McKechnie led the Pirates.

1925: Forbes Field Expansion

In 1925, Forbes Field's capacity was expanded to 41,000, almost double its initial size.

1925: Second World Series Title

In 1925, the Pittsburgh Pirates won their second title.

1927: World Series Appearance

In 1927, the Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the World Series.

1933: Team Name on Road Uniforms

In 1933, the team's name appeared on the club's road uniforms for the first time, written horizontally in a more ornate style.

May 25, 1935: Babe Ruth's Final Home Runs

On May 25, 1935, Forbes Field hosted Babe Ruth's final three home runs of his career.

1936: Rosey Rowswell Joins

In 1936, Rosey Rowswell joined the broadcast team for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1936: Regular Broadcasts Begin

In 1936, regular broadcasts of Pirates games began, with Rosey Rowswell becoming the voice of the Pirates.

1938: Failed to Win Pennant

In 1938, the Pittsburgh Pirates failed to win the pennant, being passed by the Chicago Cubs.

1938: Elimination from Pennant Race

The Cubs eliminated the Pirates from the pennant race in the last week of the 1938 season.

1940: Pirate Head on Jerseys

In 1940, an image of a pirate's head appeared on the home and road jerseys.

1941: Pirate Head on Jerseys

In 1941, an image of a pirate's head appeared on the home and road jerseys.

1942: "Pittsburgh" on Road Uniforms

In 1942, "Pittsburgh" first appeared on the road uniforms.

1947: Bob Prince Joins

In 1947, Bob Prince joined Rosey Rowswell in the booth.

1948: Adoption of Black & Gold Color Scheme

In 1948, the team broke away from the patriotic "Red, White, & Blue" color scheme and adopted the current black & gold color scheme, to match that of the colors of the Flag of Pittsburgh and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

1948: Team Colors

Since 1948 the Pittsburgh Pirates colors have been black, gold and white.

1953: Milwaukee County Stadium Opening

PNC Park was the first two-deck ballpark to be built in the United States since Milwaukee County Stadium opened in 1953.

February 1955: Prince Lead Play-by-Play

After Rowswell died in February 1955, Bob Prince became the lead play-by-play man.

1957: KDKA-TV Airs Games

In 1957, KDKA-TV began airing Pittsburgh Pirates games.

1960: Prince Calls Championship

In 1960, Bob Prince called the Pirates' championship as part of the national broadcast for NBC.

1960: World Series Winning Home Run

In 1960, Forbes Field was the location for Bill Mazeroski's championship-winning home run in Game 7 of the World Series.

1960: World Series Return

In 1960, The Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the World Series, they won on a walk-off home run by Bill Mazeroski in the bottom of the 9th inning in Game 7.

1961: First African-American Coach

In 1961, Gene Baker broke the color line, becoming the first African-American coach in baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1962: First African-American Manager

In 1962, Gene Baker broke the color line, becoming the first African-American manager in baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

September 21, 1963: First African-American Manager in MLB

On September 21, 1963, Gene Baker became the first African-American manager in MLB, filling in for Danny Murtaugh.

1966: Green Weenie Created

In 1966, Bob Prince created the Green Weenie.

1969: Joined National League East

In 1969, the Pittsburgh Pirates became a member of the National League East.

1969: Spring Training at LECOM Park Begins

Since 1969, the Pirates have held Spring Training at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida.

1969: Phillies and Pirates remain together after National League split

The Phillies and the Pirates remained together after the National League split into two divisions in 1969.

1970: Switch to Darker Gold and New Uniforms

Coinciding with the move into Three Rivers Stadium in 1970, the team switched to a darker shade of gold, changed their caps from black to gold with a black brim, and introduced pullover nylon/cotton jerseys and beltless pants.

1970: Play at Three Rivers Stadium began

From 1970, the Pittsburgh Pirates played at Three Rivers Stadium.

1970: National League East Win

In 1970, the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the dominant teams of the decade, winning the newly created National League East.

1970: Departure from Forbes Field

Midway through the 1970 season, the Pirates left Forbes Field. The stadium was demolished the following year.

September 1, 1971: All-Minority Lineup

On September 1, 1971, manager Danny Murtaugh assembled a starting lineup that was completely composed of minority players, marking a first in MLB history.

1971: Prince Calls Championship

In 1971, Bob Prince called the Pirates' championship as part of the national broadcast for NBC.

1971: Blass Wins Game 7

In 1971, Steve Blass won Game 7 of the World Series.

1971: World Series Win

In 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series, and also became the first team to field an all-Black and Latino lineup on September 1.

1972: National League East Win

In 1972, the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the dominant teams of the decade, winning the newly created National League East.

1974: National League East Win

In 1974, the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the dominant teams of the decade, winning the newly created National League East.

1975: Prince and King Fired

In 1975, Bob Prince and Nellie King were fired, drawing the ire of the Pirates' fanbase.

1975: National League East Win

In 1975, the Pittsburgh Pirates were one of the dominant teams of the decade, winning the newly created National League East.

1976: Hamilton and Frattare Take Over

In 1976, Milo Hamilton and Lanny Frattare took over as the new broadcast team.

1976: National League Centennial Pillbox Hats

In 1976, to coincide with the National League's 100th anniversary, the Pirates and certain NL teams wore old-style pillbox hats complete with horizontal pinstripes.

1977: Switch to Brighter Gold and Third Jerseys

In 1977, the Pirates switched back to a brighter shade of gold and became one of the first teams to wear third jerseys. The team had uniform styles which included two different caps and three different uniforms: an all-black set, an all-gold set, and a white set with black-and-gold pinstripes.

1979: Hamilton Leaves

In 1979, Milo Hamilton left to join the Chicago Cubs.

1979: World Series Win

In 1979, the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Orioles in the World Series, with a Pittsburgh player being designated as Most Valuable Player in every available category. The team also adopted the disco song "We Are Family" as its theme song.

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1979: Last World Series Championship

In 1979, the Pittsburgh Pirates won their last World Series championship.

1979: Four Uniform Combinations in World Series

The Pirates wore four different uniform combinations in the 1979 World Series.

1980: Pinstripes Removed from White Uniforms

In 1980, the pinstripes came off the white uniforms.

1983: Blass Analyst

In 1983, Steve Blass began working as a color analyst for the team.

1985: Pittsburgh Drug Trials

In 1985, the Pittsburgh drug trials occurred, contributing to a dip in the team's popularity.

1985: Return to Home Whites/Road Grays

In 1985, the team returned to the straightforward home whites/road grays combination.

1986: Jim Leyland Becomes Pirates Manager

In 1986, Jim Leyland became the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1986: Cable Television Outlet

In 1986, SportsNet Pittsburgh, known as KBL at the time, became the Pirates' cable television outlet.

1987: Return of Solid Black Cap

In 1987, the solid black cap with a gold "P" returned and has been the team's primary cap ever since.

1990: Division Title

In 1990, the Pittsburgh Pirates won one of three straight division titles.

1990: Script wordmarks on road jerseys

Script wordmarks had previously been seen on the road jerseys from 1990 until 2000.

1991: Return to Button-Down Style

In 1991, the Pirates ditched the pullover style in favor of the traditional button-down style.

1991: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

In 1991, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

1992: Stanley Cup Celebration

In 1992, after winning the Stanley Cup, the Pittsburgh Penguins held a celebration in the Pirates' old home, Three Rivers Stadium.

1992: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

In 1992, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

1992: National League Championship Series Loss

In 1992, the Pittsburgh Pirates lost in the National League Championship Series, coming within one out of advancing to the World Series.

1993: Phillies and Pirates remain together after National League split

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 the early 1990s.

1993: Start of Losing Streak

In 1993, the Pittsburgh Pirates began a losing record streak that lasted for 20 consecutive seasons.

1993: Left National League East

In 1993, the Pittsburgh Pirates left the National League East.

1993: LECOM Park Renovation

LECOM Park underwent a major renovation in 1993.

1994: Pirates Move to National League Central

After the Pirates moved to the National League Central in 1994, the rivalry between the Phillies and the Pirates has diminished.

1994: Greg Brown and Bob Walk Join Broadcast Booth

In 1994, Greg Brown and Bob Walk joined the Pittsburgh Pirates broadcast booth.

1994: KDKA-TV Ends Airing Games

In 1994, KDKA-TV stopped airing Pittsburgh Pirates games.

1994: Rivalry Considered One of the Best until 1994

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.

1995: WPXI Airs Games

In 1995, WPXI began airing Pittsburgh Pirates games.

1996: Third Jersey and Red Accent Color Added

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.

1996: Jim Leyland Leaves Pirates

In 1996, Jim Leyland's tenure as manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates came to an end.

1996: WPXI Ends Airing Games

In 1996, WPXI stopped airing Pittsburgh Pirates games.

1997: WPGH-TV and WCWB Air Games

In 1997, WPGH-TV and WCWB began airing Pittsburgh Pirates games.

1997: Return of Red as Accent Color

In 1997, red returned as an "accent color".

1997: Annual Series Begins

In 1997, the Pirates and Cleveland Guardians began playing a three-game series each year.

October 1, 2000: Final Game at Three Rivers Stadium

The Pirates played their final game at Three Rivers Stadium on October 1, 2000. The stadium was demolished the following winter.

2000: Script wordmarks on road jerseys

Script wordmarks had previously been seen on the road jerseys from 1990 until 2000.

2000: Play at Three Rivers Stadium ended

Until 2000, the Pittsburgh Pirates played at Three Rivers Stadium.

2001: PNC Park Opens

In 2001, PNC Park opened, improving the team's standing among fans.

2001: Move to PNC Park

Since 2001, the Pittsburgh Pirates have played their home games at PNC Park.

2002: Periodic Games

From 2002, the Pirates and Cleveland Guardians played periodically.

2002: No Over-the-Air Coverage

Since 2002, there has been no over-the-air coverage of the Pittsburgh Pirates besides games aired nationally on Fox.

2005: Sleeveless White Pinstripe Alternate Jersey

From 2005 to 2010, a sleeveless white jersey with pinstripes was worn as an alternate home jersey.

2005: Jim Leyland Becomes Tigers Manager

In 2005, Jim Leyland became the manager of the Detroit Tigers.

2005: John Wehner Joins Broadcast Crew

In 2005, former Pirate and Pittsburgh native John Wehner joined the broadcast crew as an analyst.

2006: MLB All-Star Game

In 2006, PNC Park hosted the MLB All-Star Game.

2007: Red Alternate Jersey Added

For the 2007 and 2008 seasons, a red alternate jersey was added.

2007: Radio Station Change

In 2007, the Pirates ended their relationship with KDKA and moved to FM talk radio station WPGB to reach a broader audience.

2008: Red Alternate Jersey added

For the 2007 and 2008 seasons, a red alternate jersey was added.

2008: Frattare Ends

In 2008, Lanny Frattare's tenure as the Pirates' play-by-play man ended.

2008: LECOM Park Renovation and Lights Added

LECOM Park underwent a major renovation in 2008, adding lights.

2009: Neverett Replaces Frattare

In 2009, Tim Neverett replaced Lanny Frattare, calling Pirate games.

2009: Stanley Cup at PNC Park

In 2009, after winning the Stanley Cup, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby brought the cup to PNC Park.

2009: End of Red as Accent Color

In 2009, red remained as an "accent color" until this year.

2009: Black Alternate Jersey

In 2009, the Pirates began wearing an alternate black jersey with a gold "P" at both home and on the road.

2009: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

In 2009, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2010: Sleeveless White Pinstripe Alternate Jersey end

From 2005 to 2010, a sleeveless white jersey with pinstripes was worn as an alternate home jersey.

October 1, 2011: Clear Channel Deal Ends

On October 1, 2011, Clear Channel announced that they would not renew their deal with the Pirates.

2012: Home Plate and First Base Marked at Former Stadium

In 2012, members of the Society for American Baseball Research marked and painted the home plate and first base of the former Three Rivers Stadium on the 40th Anniversary of Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit.

2012: End of Losing Streak

In 2012, the Pittsburgh Pirates ended a losing record streak that had started in 1993.

2013: National League Division Series

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.

2013: Throwback Uniforms Begin

From 2013 to 2015, the Pirates wore throwback uniforms for Sunday home games: the early 70s pullover uniforms.

2013: Jim Leyland Leaves Tigers

In 2013, Jim Leyland's tenure as manager of the Detroit Tigers came to an end.

2013: Winning Season

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Pirates ended their 20-season losing streak with a winning season, boosting fan support.

2013: National League Wild Card Game Victory

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Pirates had a victory in the National League Wild Card Game.

2013: Postseason Return

In 2013, the Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the postseason, defeating the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Game and also became the seventh MLB team to reach 10,000 all-time wins.

2014: Lost Wild Card Game

In 2014 the Pittsburgh Pirates returned to the postseason and lost the Wild Card game.

2014: Contention Battle for Wild Card Spot

The Pirates had a contentious battle with the Milwaukee Brewers for a Wild Card spot in 2014.

2015: Throwback Uniforms End

From 2013 to 2015, the Pirates wore throwback uniforms for Sunday home games: the early 70s pullover uniforms.

2015: Neverett Ends

In 2015, Tim Neverett's tenure calling Pirate games ended.

2015: Record Crowd at PNC Park

In 2015, the biggest crowd in stadium history at PNC Park was during the National League Wild Card Game, with 40,889 fans.

2015: 10,000 Losses Milestone

On Opening Day 2015, the Pittsburgh Pirates' loss marked the team's 10,000th loss, making them the fourth MLB team to achieve this distinction.

2015: Alternate Camo Jersey

Since the 2015 season, the Pirates have worn an alternate camo jersey for select home games.

2015: National League Wild Card Game

The Pirates faced off against the Chicago Cubs in the 2015 National League Wild Card Game.

March 2, 2016: Deal to Remain on KDKA-FM

On March 2, 2016, a new deal was reached for the Pirates to remain on KDKA-FM, with KDKA-AM returning as the AM flagship.

2016: Pirates Average Rating

During the 2016 season, the Pirates averaged a 7.22 rating and 83,000 viewers on primetime TV broadcasts.

2016: Throwback Uniforms start

From 2016 to 2019, the Pirates wore throwback uniforms for Sunday home games, the gold top/black pants from the late 70s.

2016: Joe Block Announcer

In 2016, Joe Block became the Pittsburgh Pirate's second play-by-play announcer.

2016: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

In 2016, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2017: Stanley Cup at PNC Park

In 2017, after winning the Stanley Cup, the cup was brought to PNC Park and the Penguins threw out the first pitch.

2017: Penguins Win Stanley Cup

In 2017, the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup.

2017: LECOM Park Renamed

Since 2017, the park has been named for the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.

2018: Andrew McCutchen Trade

In 2018, the Andrew McCutchen trade led to deteriorated fan relations and the team ranked 27th in attendance.

2018: Camo Jersey Updated

The camouflage alternates were updated for the 2018 season, now white with camo green wordmarks, numbers, piping, and patches.

June 12, 2019: Bill Mazeroski Lone Survivor

As of June 12, 2019, Bill Mazeroski is the lone survivor of the Pittsburgh Pirates whose numbers are retired.

2019: Throwback Uniforms End

From 2016 to 2019, the Pirates wore throwback uniforms for Sunday home games, the gold top/black pants from the late 70s.

2019: Blass Ends Analyst

In 2019, Steve Blass's tenure as a color analyst for the team came to an end.

January 24, 2020: Revival of Script "Pittsburgh" Wordmarks

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.

2020: Six Games Played

In 2020, MLB instituted an abbreviated schedule focusing on regional match-ups, resulting in the Pirates and Cleveland Guardians playing six games.

2022: Periodic Games

In 2022, the Pirates and Cleveland Guardians played periodically.

2022: Team Hall of Fame Established

In 2022, the Pirates formally established a team Hall of Fame to honor influential figures in Pittsburgh baseball history. 19 individuals, including former players and broadcasters, were part of the first class. The Hall of Fame also inducted players from the Negro league teams Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords, with a ceremony dedicated to "signing" them to Pirates contracts. All inductees were honored with a plaque displayed in the concourse by the entrance with the statue of Roberto Clemente.

December 16, 2023: Pirates Joint Owners of Channel

On December 16, 2023, the Pirates became joint owners of SportsNet Pittsburgh, with operations to be produced by NESN.

2023: Balanced Schedule

Beginning in 2023, the Pirates and Cleveland Guardians will play a three-game series each season due to the new "balanced" schedule.

2023: City Connect Uniform Unveiled

In 2023, the Pirates retired the camo home alternate to comply with the new "4+1" rule. The Pirates continued to wear the camo cap on occasion with the home white uniform and unveiled their City Connect uniform, featuring a gold top and black pants with a gold "P" cap with black brim.