BALTIMORE -- The Pirates announced Sunday their inaugural Hall of Fame class, including 19 former players/managers. The club launched their own Hall of Fame to "recognize former players and managers who have made a significant impact on the franchise, the game of baseball and the Pittsburgh community."
“The Pirates have been a part of the fabric of Pittsburgh for more than 135 years. During that time, the game has brought generations of families and friends from our community together to cheer on some of the greatest players who have ever played,” Bob Nutting said in a press release. “We are proud to celebrate these players and managers and provide an avenue to continue to share their stories with our fans for generations to come.”
The inaugural class includes 12 former Pirates who are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame:
• Roberto Clemente (RF, 1955-72)
• Honus Wagner (SS, 1900-1917)
• Willie Stargell (LF/1B, 1962-82)
• Ralph Kiner (LF, 1946-53)
• Bill Mazeroski (2B, 1956-72)
• Jake Beckley (1B, 1888-89, 1891-96)
• Max Carey (OF, 1910-26)
• Fred Clarke (LF, 1900-1911, 1913-15; manager, 1900-1915)
• Lloyd Waner (CF, 1927-41, 1944-45)
• Paul Waner (RF, 1926-40)
• Pie Traynor (3B, 1920-35, 1937; manager, 1934-39)
• Arky Vaughan (SS, 1932-41)
Two former Pirates and one manager not enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame are also included:
• Dave Parker (OF, 1973-83)
• Steve Blass (RHP, 1964-1974)
• Danny Murtaugh (manager, 1957-64, 1967, 1970-71, 1973-76)
As part of the inaugural Pirates Hall of Fame class, the club wanted to celebrate the rich history of the Negro Leagues in Pittsburgh by honoring four all-time greats from the Crawfords and Grays that are also enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame:
• Josh Gibson (Crawfords: C, 1933-36; Grays: C, 1937-40, 1942-46)
• Ray Brown (Grays: RHP/OF, 1933, 1935-45)
• Buck Leonard (Grays: 1B, 1935-48)
• Oscar Charleston (Grays: RF, 1929; Crawfords: 1B/manager, 1933-38)
The Pirates will host an induction ceremony on the afternoon of Sept. 3 on PNC Park's riverwalk, unveiling the club's new Hall of Fame display. The inaugural class will then be honored as part of a special pre-game ceremony on the field prior to the game that evening against the Blue Jays.
