18 Captured Moments in Pittsburgh Baseball History

1)    Jake Beckley was a powerhouse player of the Pittsburgh Burghers. When the team disbanded, he went on to play for the Pittsburgh Alleghenys for 5 years.

2)    The Pittsburgh Alleghenys baseball team photo in 1889.

3)    In 1890, Lou Bierbauer was playing second base for the Philadelphia Athletics. When the team forgot to add him to their reserved list, the Alleghenys swooped in and picked him up to play for them. This brought on their accusation of “pirating players.”

4)    Moses Yellowhorse was the first Native American to play major league baseball. He was born into the Pawnee Tribe in 1898. He joined the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1921.

5)    The Homestead Grays were the most successful team in the Negro League. They won a whopping 13 national titles!

6) The Pittsburgh Pirates in the dugout at the first World Series at the Huntington Ave Grounds in Boston, 1903.

Left to right: utility player Joe Marshall, infielder Otto Krueger, outfielder Jimmy Sebring, shortstop Honus Wagner, unidentified, catcher Eddie Phelps, the bat-boy, pitcher Gus Thompson, pitcher Deacon Phillippe, first baseman Kit Bransfield, outfielder Ginger Beaumont, pitcher Sam Leever, second baseman Claude Ritchey, and pitcher Brickyard Kennedy.

7)    The 1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords!

Standing: Benny Jones, L.D. Livingston, Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Ray Williams, Walter Cannady, Cy Perkins, Oscar Charleston.

Kneeling: Sam Streeter, Chester Williams, Harry Williams, Harry Kincannon, Henry Spearman, Jimmie Crutchfield, Bobby Williams, Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe.

(Original B&W photo restored by "Baseball in Color")

8)    Ticket to the first World Series from 1903. A ticket to the series only cost 50 cents. (Baseball Hall of Fame)

9)    The Pittsburgh Pirates in the dugout at the first World Series.

10)  A rare photo of Honus Wagner almost being tagged out while sliding into 3rd Base, against Brooklyn Dodgers on May 19, 1909 (Associated Press)

11)  Game 4 of the 1903 World Series between the Pittsburgh Pirates & the Boston Americans, at Exposition Park on October 6, 1903.

12)  A crowd gathered at the City-County Building in Pittsburgh to hear results from Game 3 of the World Series on October 7, 1920.

13)  Gene Alley and Bill Mazeroski scooping grounders with a Hoover Vacuum between them. The dup played for the Pirates in 1966.

14)  A view of the 1st baseball game at Three Rivers Stadium on July 16, 1970. (Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs)

15)  This incredible image (taken at Forbes Field) shows the ball getting past a young Jackie Robinson while Pittsburgh Pirates Danny Murtaugh slides into third during a game on June 9, 1948. Murtaugh would later become the Pirates manager from 1957-1976.

16)  Students watch the Pirates defeat the Yankees in the 1960 World Series from atop the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh. Photo taken by George Silk.

17)  Tony Pena was known for his unique position as an umpire. He kept one leg tucked under him and one leg sticking out on the side. He could also throw in that same position.

18)  The Bucs celebrating after winning the 1960 World Series.