The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball and have won five World Series titles in the ball club’s history, but in the few past decades, the team has been looking for a return to the top. A club was formed in 1872 as an independent club based in Allegheny City, across the Allegheny River from Pittsburgh but folded in 1878. In 1882, the new Allegheny club was formed as a founding member of the American Association. In 1887, the team would move to the National League and become the Pittsburgh Alleghenies before it would rename itself as the Pittsburgh Pirates beginning in 1890.
Get the latest Pittsburgh Pirates betting odds and enjoy the best baseball betting bonuses and biggest payouts here at Skybook.ag. Register now to enjoy the best online MLB betting action and get ready to bet on the World Series.
Pirates History
The team first played its games at Exposition Parks I and II between 1882 and 1883 before moving into Recreation Park in 1884. In 1891, the club would move into what was called Exposition Park III, where it would remain until 1909. Beginning in the 1910 season, the Pirates would call Forbes Field in the Oakland neighborhood home, playing their home games there for the next six decades. In 1970, the Pirates would then move into Three Rivers Stadium, which they would share with the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2001, the Pirates moved once more, this time into their Major League ballpark, PNC Park.
Pennants
The Pirates had a lot of early success in their franchise’s history, making an appearance in the inaugural World Series in 1903 and then winning their first world championship six years later in 1909. The Pirates would win again in 1925 in seven games over the Washington Senators. It would take the Pirates another 35 years before winning the title again in 1960, a seven-game series clash against the New York Yankees. The team would win its fourth title in 1971 over the Baltimore Orioles and then its fifth in 1979, also over the Orioles, which was also their last World Series appearance. In total, Pittsburgh has won the NL Pennant nine times and has also won the NL East nine times. The Pirates recently had a three-year run of making the postseason from 2013 to 2015, all three years entering the playoffs as the Wild Card team.
Hall of Famers
One of the early heroes in the club’s history was Honus Wagner, who played shortstop for the Pirates from 1900 to 1917, also serving as a manager in 1917 and then as a coach with the Pirates from 1933 to 1951. Wagner was part of the team’s first World Series championship and won the NL batting title eight times and was the NL RBI leader eight times. Wagner also led the NL in bases stolen five times. He would finish his career batting .329 with 3,430 hits, 101 home runs (in the dead ball era), 1,732 runs batted in and 722 stolen bases.
From 1955 to 1972, Roberto Clemente patrolled right field for the Pirates, striking fear into opposing pitchers whenever he would step into the batting box. Clemente had 13 seasons where he batted above .300 and was named an All-Star 15 times in his career, also earning 12 Gold Gloves and four NL batting champion titles. He would win two World Series with the Pirates and also earned the NL MVP award in 1966 and the World Series MVP in 1971. Clemente died in 1972 in a plane crash that was taking him to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Register now and make a deposit to get started betting on the MLB.