Pittsburgh Pirates…Hoping To Regain Winning Ways
Baseball in Pittsburgh has been going on in one form or another since the late 1800s. From 1876 to 1882 many independent teams could be found in the area, the strongest of which was in a town named Allegheny. The Alleghenys as they were known were a founding member of the American Association and were the team that would later be known as the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates have won five World Series Titles, nine National League Pennants, and nine East Division Titles in their long history. Despite their relative lack of titles, the team has been moderately successful throughout their history, finishing high in the league in many years and maintaining an all-time record of .505.
The Pittsburgh Pirates have also made many firsts in the league and set many records. They were the first ever team to broadcast a game on the radio, wear helmets on offense and defense, sign Indian players, and have an all minority lineup. They were also the first team ever to win a World Series on a homerun in the seventh game of the series.
Their stadium, Three Rivers Stadium, was the first to host a World Series night game, as well as the first and only combined no hitter in extra innings. Another record set by the team is not quite as prestigious. The Pirates are the only team to have ever had 17 consecutive losing seasons.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are in their fifth home, PNC Park. The stadium was opened in 2001 to replace Three Rivers Stadium. Costing 216 million dollars, the stadium has a natural grass playing surface and seats for 38,496 people. In 2008, the stadium began their campaign to go green, instituting a number of practices and ideas to make the stadium more environmentally friendly.
