Our All Time Top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates have been revised to reflect the 2024 Season
Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates.
As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.
Please note that our algorithm has changed, which yielded minor changes throughout the baseball lists.
Last year, the small market Pirates again finished in the NL East basement, finishing 76-86. There were three new entrants, though all enter based on the new algorithm and they are players from many years ago.
As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes.
1. Honus Wagner
3. Paul Waner
4. Arky Vaughan
You can find the entire list here.
Andrew McCutchen was unable to get past #11.
The three new entrants are Second Baseman Claude Ritchey at #48, Third Base Richie Hebner at #49 and Pitcher Vic Willis at #50.
We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.
Our All-Time Top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates Have been revised to reflect the 2023 Season
Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out, and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates.
As for all of our top 50 players in baseball, we look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in Major League Baseball.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.
Last year, the Pirates got off to a good start but were unable to hold that momentum, and they again missed the playoffs. There were no new entrants but one small elevation.
As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:
1. Honus Wagner
3. Paul Waner
4. Arky Vaughan
You can find the entire list here.
The only change was the returning Andrew McCutchen, who went up one spot to #11.
We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.
The First Class of the United States Athletics Hall of Fame has been announced!
After more than a year-long process, we are thrilled to announce that your votes have been counted, and we are pleased to unveil who you have chosen as the inaugural United States Athletic Hall of Fame Class.
The nominees were determined by a committee of athletes and writers who came up with the best qualifying athletes (to qualify, the athlete must be at least 50, and be, of course American). Representatives of 17 different sports were nominated, and put forth before the public to decide on and in a pure democratic vote, the top 25 Players, top six Coaches and top six Contributors have been elected.
Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Athletes) in order of their vote total.
1. Muhammad Ali (Boxing): Known as “The Greatest” Ali won the World Heavyweight Boxing Championship three times, Olympic Gold in 1960, and was named the Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated.
2. Michael Jordan (Basketball): Jordan led the Chicago Bulls to six NBA Championships, and was the Finals MVP in all of them. A 14-time All-Star, Jordan won the NBA MVP five times, and led the U.S. Dream Team to Gold in 1992.
3. Hank Aaron (Baseball): Aaron went to 25 All-Star Games, won a World Series, an MVP and is the all-time leader in RBIs, Total Bases and Extra Base Hits.
4. Jim Thorpe (Track & Field, Football & Baseball). Thorpe is also a member of the College Football and Pro Football Hall of Fame.
5. Jim Brown (Football): An NFL Champion with the Cleveland Browns, Brown won eight Rushing Titles over nine years, was a Pro Bowl Selection every year, and was named to the NFL 50th, 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams. He was also named the greatest College Football Player in history.
6. Jesse Owens (Track & Field): Owens won Gold four times at the 1936 Olympics, and set three world records and tied another in the span of under an hour at a Big 10 track meet while representing Ohio State.
7. Jackie Robinson (Baseball): Robinson was the man who broke Baseball’s color barrier, and he was a six-time All-Star and a World Series Champion with the Brooklyn Dodgers. He also was an MVP, and his number 42 was retired by all of MLB.
8. Babe Ruth (Baseball): Ruth was the first megastar in sports, forever altering the game with his power. A seven-time World Series Champion with the New York Yankees, Ruth was a twelve-time Home Run king.
9. Larry Bird (Basketball): Bird won three NBA Championships with Boston, where he was a 12-time All-Star and three-time MVP. He was also on the Dream Team that won Gold in 1992.
10. Bill Russell (Basketball): Russell guided the Boston Celtics to an astounding 11 Championships, was a five-time MVP and 12-time All-Star. He also won two NCAA Titles with San Francisco, and led the U.S. to Gold at the 1956 Olympics.
11. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (Basketball): Abdul-Jabbar was the all-time scoring leader up until last year, won six NBA Titles (five with Los Angeles and one with Milwaukee), and was a six-time league MVP. He also won three NCAA Titles as UCLA.
12. Ted Williams (Baseball): Williams was a 19-time All-Star, six-time Batting Champion and was twice an MVP. He is a member of the MLB All-Time Team and holds the lifetime record in On Base Percentage.
13. Joe Louis (Boxing): Louis held the World Heavyweight Championship from 1937 to 1949, and is recognized as the first black national sports hero.
14. Magic Johnson (Basketball): A five-time NBA Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers and NCAA Champion at Michigan State, Johnson won three MVPs and was a 12xTime All-Star.
15. Carl Lewis (Track & Field): Lewis is the most successful track star in American history, having won nine Gold Medals over four Olympic Games.
16. Wilt Chamberlain (Basketball): Chamberlain won four MVPs, two NBA Titles and was a 13-time All-Star. The seven-time scoring champion set an unbreakable record with a 100-Point Game in 1962.
17. Willie Mays (Baseball):. Mats was a 24-time All-Star, World Series winner with the Giants, and a two-time MVP>. He is also a 12-time Gold Glove winner
18. Martina Navratilova (Tennis): Born in Czechoslovakia, Navratilova defected to the United States and won 167 Singles Tournaments, 177 Doubles Tournaments, 18 Singles Grand Slams, 31 Doubles Grand Slams and 10 Mixed Doubles Grand Slams.
19. Joe DiMaggio (Baseball): An All-Star in all of his 13 Seasons in the Majors, the career New York Yankee won nine World Series Rings, three MVPs and hold the record for hitting safely in 56 consecutive games.
20. Lou Gehrig (Baseball): Gehrig is a member of the MLB All-Time Team, won six World Series Championships with the New York Yankees, and was the first Iron Man of Baseball.
21. Roberto Clemente (Baseball): Clemente took the Pittsburgh Pirates to two World Series Titles, was an MVP and won four Batting Titles. He died on route to Nicaragua in a plane crash while delivering humanitarian aid to earthquake victims.
22. Jack Nicklaus (Golf)): Nicklaus won 117 Tournaments and a record 18 Majors
23. Arnold Palmer (Golf): Palmer was the first transcendent star of the sport, and he captures seven Majors and 95 overall tournament wins.
24. Babe Didrikson Zaharias (Track & Field & Golf): Didrikson-Zaharias won Gold in the 1932 Olympics in the 80 m Hurdles and Javelin. She would later win 10 Majors on the LPGA.
25. Joe Montana (Football): Montana Quarterbacked the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowls, winning three Super Bowl MVPs and two MVPs. He is also a member of the NFL 75th and 100th Anniversary Teams.
Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Coaches) in order of their vote total.
1. Vince Lombardi (Football): Lombardi coached the Green Bay Packers to five NFL Championships and wins in the first two Super Bowls. It is fitting that the man who is considered the greatest coach of all time has the Super Bowl trophy named after him.
2. Red Auerbach (Basketball): Auerbach coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships, and another seven as an Executive. He had a coaching winning percentage of .662.
3. George Halas (Football): “Papa Bear”, who was a very good player in his day, was the Head Coach of the Chicago Bears for decades and helmed them to eight NFL Championships.
4. John Wooden (Basketball): Wooden is the most successful coach in College Basketball history, winning ten NCAA Championships at UCLA and 15 PAC-12 Championships.
5 (TIE). Bill Belichick (Football): Still active, Belichick took the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl wins, and is a two-time All-Decade Team Coach.
5 (TIE), Herb Brooks (Hockey): Brooks coached the United States National Hockey Team to the biggest upset in Olympic history when they defeated the Soviet Union to advance to the 1980 Gold Medal Game, which they won.
Here are the members of the first United States Athletics Hall of Fame Class (Coaches) in order of their vote total.
1. James Naismith (Basketball): The inventor of Basketball, Naismith took it from the peach basket to the modern day.
2. Al Davis (Football): Davis was the owner of the Oakland Raiders, who helped change the culture of football. His teams won three Super Bowls, and he was twice the NFL Executive of the Year.
3, Lamar Hunt (Football): Hunt was the co-founder of the AFL, and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, that won Super Bowl IV under his tenure.
4. Branch Rickey (Baseball): Rickey was the man who signed Jackie Robinson to integrate baseball, and was the General Manager of four World Series Teams.
5 (TIE) Pete Rozelle (Football): Rozelle was the commissioner of the National Football League from 1960 to 1989, and under him the league exploded in popularity, developed the Super Bowl, and saw unprecedented expansion.
5 (TIE) David Stern (Basketball): Stern was the NBA’s commissioner from 1984 to 2014, and is credited for the world-wide growth in popularity and the shifting focus on making stars of the individual players.
In order to keep transparency, here is the order the order nominees and where they finished in the vote:
Athletes:
26. Mike Tyson (Boxing)
27. Jack Johnson (Boxing)
28. Walter Payton (Football)
29. Eric Heiden (Speed Skating)
30. Bonnie Blair (Speed Skating)
31. Florence Griffith-Joyner (Track & Field)
32. Julius Erving (Basketball)
33. Josh Gibson (Baseball)
34. Joe Greene (Football)
35. Lawrence Taylor (Football)
36. Jerry Rice (Football)
37. Ty Cobb (Baseball)
38. Mickey Mantle (Baseball)
39. Althea Gibson (Tennis)
40. Cy Young (Baseball)
41. Michael Johnson (Track & Field)
42. Rocky Marciano (Boxing)
43. Bob Gibson (Baseball)
44. Wilma Rudolph (Track & field)
45. John McEnroe (Tennis)
46. Jack Dempsey (Boxing)
47. Dick Butkus (Football)
48. Chris Evert (Tennis)
49. Mark Spitz (Swimming)
50. Sandy Koufax (Baseball)
51. Pete Rose (Baseball)
52. Jimmy Connors (Tennis)
53. Sugar Ray Leonard (Boxing)
54. Satchel Paige (Baseball)
55. Michelle Akers (Soccer)
56. Arthur Ashe (Tennis)
57. Jerry West (Basketball)
58. Jackie Joyner-Kersee (Basketball)
59. Billie Jean King (Tennis)
60. Bob Beamon (Track & Field)
61. Edwin Moses (Track & Field)
62. Barry Bonds (Baseball)
63. Sugar Ray Leonard (Boxing)
64. Emmitt Smith (Football)
65. Reggie White (Football)
66. Bo Jackson (Football & Baseball)
67. Nolan Ryan (Baseball)
68. Henry Armstrong (Boxing)
69. Stan Musial (Baseball)
70. Gail Devers (Track & Field)
71. Rafer Johnson (Track & Field)
72. Honus Wagner (Baseball)
73. Johnny Unitas (Football)
74. Sammy Baugh (Football)
75. Red Grange (Football)
76. Barry Sanders (Football)
77. Richard Petty (Auto Racing)
78. Cynthia Cooper (Basketball)
79. Oscar Robertson (Basketball)
80. Evelyn Ashford (Track & Field)
81. Dale Earnhardt (Auto Racing)
82. Al Oerter (Track & Field)
83. Mario Andretti (Auto Racing)
84. Dan Marino (Football)
85. Deion Sanders (Football & Baseball)
86. Otto Graham (Football)
87. Chris Chelios (Hockey)
88. Rogers Hornsby (Baseball)
89. Don Hutson (Football)
90. Peggy Fleming (Figure Skating)
91. Greg Louganis (Diving)
92. Brett Hull (Hockey)
93. Sam Snead (Golf)
94. Caitlyn (Bruce) Jenner (Track & Field)
95. Rickey Henderson (Baseball)
96. Ben Hogan (Golf)
97. Dorothy Hamill (Figure Skating)
98. Walter Johnson (Baseball)
99. Chuck Lidell (Mixed Martial Arts)
100. Bob Mathias (Track & Field)
101. Mike Modano (Hockey)
102. A.J. Foyt (Auto Racing)
103. Dick Button (Figure Skating)
104. Ray Ewry (Track & Field)
105. Dan Gable (Wrestling)
106. Scott Hamilton (Figure Skating)
107. Randy Couture (Mixed Martial Arts)
108. Eddie Arcaro (Horse Racing)
109. George Blanda (Football)
110. Bobby Jones (Golf)
111. Mary Lou Retton (Gymnastics)
112. Greg LeMond (Cycling)
113. Earl Anthony (Bowling)
114. Joan Benoit (Track & Field)
115. Tracy Caulkins (Swimming)
116. Matt Biondi (Swimming)
117. Dara Torres (Swimming)
118. Dennis Connor (Sailing)
119. Nancy Lopez (Golf)
120. Mark Allen (Triathlon)
121. Phil Mahre (Skiing)
122. Kathy Whitworth (Golf)
123. Dave Scott (Triathlon)
124. Debbie Meyer (Swimming)
125. Bill Shoemaker (Horse Racing)
126. Mickey Wright (Golf)
127. Don Budge (Tennis)
128. Bill Tilden (Tennis)
129. Tracie Ruiz (Synchronized Swimming)
130. Willie Mosconi (Billiards)
Coaches:
7. Paul “Bear” Bryant (Football)
8. Phil Jackson (Basketball)
9. Curly Lambeau (Football)
10. Paul Brown (Football)
11. Knute Rockne (Football)
12. Pat Summitt (Basketball)
13. John Heisman (Football)
14. Connie Mack (Baseball)
15. Nick Saban (Football)
16. Amos Alonzo Stagg (Football)
17. Mike Krzyzewski (Basketball)
18. Don Shula (Football)
19. Leo Durocher (Baseball)
20. Casey Stengel (Baseball)
21. Pop Warne (Football)
22. Chuck Noll (Football)
23. Bobby Cox (Baseball)
24. Eddie Robinson (Football)
25. Lou Holtz (Football)
26. Gregg Popovich (Basketball)
27. John Chaney (Basketball)
28. Chuck Daly (Basketball)
29. Tom Flores (Basketball)
30. Joe Gibbs (Football)
31. Bobby Knight (Basketball)
32. John McGraw (Baseball)
33. Lenny Wilkens (Basketball)
34. Sparky Anderson (Baseball)
35. Tom Landry (Football)
36. Dean Smith (Basketball)
37. Geno Auriemma (Basketball)
38. Tony Dungy (Football)
39. Tommy Lasorda (Baseball)
40. Joe Paterno (Football)
41. Phog Allen (Basketball)
42. Pat Riley (Basketball)
43. Joe Torre (Baseball)
44. Walter Camp (Football)
45. Joe McCarthy (Baseball)
46. Adolph Rupp (Basketball)
47. Bo Schembechler (Football)
48. Bill Walsh (Football)
49. Barry Switzer (Football)
50. John Thompson (Basketball)
51. Jim Boeheim (Basketball)
52. Bobby Bowden (Football)
53. Jim Calhoun (Basketball)
54. Bill Cowher (Football)
55. Lefty Driesel (Basketball)
56. Weeb Ewbank (Football)
57. Bud Grant (Football)
58. Tom Heinsohn (Basketball)
59. Henry Iba (Basketball)
60. Jimmy Johnson (Football)
61. Marv Levy (Football)
62. John Maddem (Football)
63. Jack Ramsay (Basketball)
64. Candy Jim Taylor (Baseball)
65. Woody Hayes (Football)
66. Tom Osborne (Football)
67. Larry Brown (Basketball)
68. Mack Brown (Football)
69. Lou Duva (Boxing)
70. Bill Fitch (Basketball)
71. Ara Parseghian (Football)
72. Rick Pitino (Basketball)
73. Steve Spurrier (Football)
74. Eddie Sutton (Football)
75. Rudy Tomjanovich (Basketball)
76. Cus D’Amato (Boxing)
77. Hayden Fry (Football)
78. Whitey Herzog (Baseball)
79. George Karl (Basketball)
80. Lute Olson (Basketball)
81. Bill Self (Basketball)
82. Jerry Tarkanian (Basketball)
83. Dick Williams (Baseball)
84. Roy Williams (Basketball)
85. George Allen (Football)
86. Walter Alston (Baseball)
87. Sid Gllman (Football)
88. Ned Hanlon (Baseball)
89. Bob Huggins (Basketball)
90. Tony LaRussa (Baseball)
91. Urban Meyer (Football)
92. Don Nelson (Basketball)
93. Bill Snyder (Football)
94. Emmanuel Steward (Boxing)
95. Hank Stram (Football)
96. Ed Temple (Track & Field)
97. John Tortorella (Hockey)
98. Jim Tressel (Football)
99. Bob Johnson (Hockey)
100. Al Lopez (Baseball)
101. Pete Newell (Basketball)
102. C. Vivian Stringer (Basketball)
103. Earl Weaver (Baseball)
104. Fielding Yost (Football)
105. Red Holzman (Basketball)
106. Howard Jones (Football)
107. John Kundla (Basketball)
108. Frank Leahy (Football)
109. John McKay (Football)
110. Bo Ryan (Football)
111. Bill Sharman (Basketball)
112. Jerry Sloan (Basketball)
113. Jim Valvano (Basketball)
114. Frank Beamer (Football)
115. Bernie Bierman (Football)
116. Jody Conradt (Basketball)
117. Carlo Fassi (Figure Skating)
118. Eddie Futch (Boxer)
119. Bucky Harris (Baseball)
120. Miller Huggins (Baseball)
121. Bill McKenchie (Baseball)
122. Ron O’Brien (Diving)
123. Wilbert Robinson (Baseball)
124. Darrel Royal (Football)
125. Frank Selee (Baseball)
126. Billy Southworth (Baseball)
127. Tara VanDerveer (Basketball)
128. Abie Grossfeld (Gymnastics)
129. Freddie Roach (Boxing)
130. Bud Wilkinson (Football)
Contributors:
7. Dr. James Andrews (Sports Medicine)
8. Robert Kraft (Football Owner)
9. Roone Arledge (Television Executive)
10. Paul Tagliabue (Football Commissioner)
11. Dick Ebersol (Television Executive)
12. Marvin Miller (Baseball Union Leader)
13. Wellington Mara (Football Owner)
14. Art Rooney (Football Owner)
15. Ralph Hay (Football Owner and League Co-Founder)
16. Walter O’Malley (Baseball Owner & Executive)
17. Bert Bell (Football Commissioner)
18. Ed Sabol (Football Media)
19. George Steinbrenner (Baseball Owner)
20. Jack Kent Cooke (Football & Hockey Owner)
21. Mark Cuban (Basketball Owner)
22. Bill France Sr. (NASCAR CEO)
23. Bill James (Baseball Sabremetrician)
24. Ted Turner (Television Executive & Baseball Owner)
25. Frank Zamboni (Hockey Equipment Owner)
26. Bobby Beathard (Football Executive)
27. Pat Bowlen (Football Owner)
28. Jerry Buss (Basketball Executive)
29. Bud Greenspan (Sports Documentarian)
30. Jerry Jones (Football Owner)
31. Peter Ueberroth (Olympic Organizer & Baseball Executive)
32. Walter A. Brown (Basketball & Hockey Owner)
33. James E. Sullivan (Amateur Sports Official)
34. Don King (Boxing Promoter)
35. Dana White (UFC Executive)
36. Billy Beane (Baseball Executive)
37. Joe Carr (NFL Commissioner)
38. Dan Rooney (NFL Owner & Executive
39. Paul Allen (Football, Basketball & Soccer Owner)
40. Ned Irish (Basketball Owner)
41. James E. Norris (Hockey Owner)
42. Tim Nugent (Wheelchair Basketball Pioneer)
43. Bill Veeck (Baseball Owner & Executive)
44. Ron Wolf (Football Executive)
45. Bud Adams (Football Owner & Executive)
46. Pat Gillick (Baseball Executive)
47. Bucko Kilroy (Football Executive & Scout)
48. Tim Mara (Football Owner)
49. Art McNally (Football Official)
50. Bill Polian (Football Executive)
51. Ralph Wilson (Football Owner)
52. Bob Arum (Boxing Promoter)
53. Jerry Colangelo (Basketball Executive)
54. Rube Foster (Negro League Executive)
55. Effa Manley (Negro League Executive)
56. Steve Sabol (Football Filmmaker)
57. Seymour Siwoff (Statistician)
58. Al Spalding (Baseball Equipment Developer)
59. George Young (Football Executive)
60. Gil Brandt (Football Scout)
61. Avery Brundage (Olympic Executive)
62. Wayne Embry (Basketball Executive)
63. Jim Finks (Football Executive)
64. Jerry Krause (Basketball Executive)
65. Lou Lamoriello (Hockey Executive)
66. Bill Nunn (Football Scout)
67. Tex Schramm (Football Owner)
68. Arthur Wirtz (Hockey Owner)
69. Charles Bidwell (Football Owner)
70. Eddie DeBartolo Jr. (Football Owner)
71. Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta (UFC Owners)
72. Ford Frick (MLB Commissioner)
73. Ban Johnson (Baseball Executive)
74. J. Walter Kennedy (NBA Commissioner)
75. Mitch Kupchak (Basketball Executive)
76. Larry MacPhail (Baseball Executive)
77. Jerry Reinsdorf (Basketball Executive)
78. Max Winter (Football Owner)
79. Mike Ilitch (Hockey Owner)
80, Craig Patrick (Hockey Executive)
81. Amy Trask (Football Executive)
82. Leroy T. Walker (Olympic Executive)
83. Clark Griffith (Baseball Owner)
84. Peter Holt (Basketball Owner)
85. Larry O’Brien (NBA Commissioner)
86. Dan Reeves (Football Owner & Executive)
87. George Weiss (Baseball Executive)
88. Weston Adams (Hockey Executive)
89. Ed Barrow (Baseball Executive)
90. Will Harridge (Baseball Executive)
91. Frederic McLaughlin (Hockey Owner)
92. Clint Murchison (Football Owner)
93. Maurice Podoloff (Basketball Executive & Commissioner)
94. Warren Giles (Baseball Executive)
95. Jeremy Jacobs (Hockey Executive)
96. Jack McClosky Basketball Executive)
97. Lee MacPhail (Baseball Executive)
98. Tim Finchen (Golf Executive)
99. Tex Rickard (Hockey Owner & Boxing Promoter)
100. Joe Dey Golf Executive)
We are endeavoring to put forth the 2024 Ballot by December 15.
Thank you to all who have voted and thank you in advance to those who plan to vote next year!
Our All-Time Top 50 Pittsburgh Pirates are now up!
Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pittsburgh Pirates first came into existence in 1882, first as the Alleghenys before changing their name to the Pirates in 1892. They played in the first modern World Series in 1903, and won their first in 1909. Since then, they have won four more, 1925, 1960, 1971 & 1979, and was the home of some of the greatest names in the game.
This list is up to the end of the 2022 regular season.
Our Top 50 lists in Baseball look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National League.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.
Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.
This list is updated up until the end of the 2022 Season.
The complete list can be found here, but as always, we announce our top five in this article. They are:
1. Honus Wagner
3. Paul Waner
4. Arky Vaughan
We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.
Look for our more material coming soon!
As always, we thank you for your support.
The Pittsburgh Pirates announce 19 names for their first Hall of Fame class
Regular visitors of Notinhalloffame.com know that we are slowly working on the top 50 of every major team in the NHL, NBA, NFL and MLB. Once that is done, we intend to look at how each team honor their past players, coaches and executives. As such, it is news to us that the Pittsburgh Pirates have FINALLY announced the creation of a franchise Hall of Fame and announced 19 members to the inaugural class.
The franchise, which is well over 100 years old, boasts five World Series Championships, but this Hall also recognizes the contributions from the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawford of the Negro Leagues.
The Hall of Fame will be unveiled on September 3, and will be honored before their home game against the Toronto Blue Jays:
The inaugural class comprises:
Jake Beckley: Beckley played for the Pirates in the late 1880s and 1890s where he batted an even .300 for the team. The First Baseman entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
Steve Blass: Blass pitched ten years for Pittsburgh, going 103-76, and picked up a World Series Ring in 1971. He would later serve 34 years as a broadcaster for the team.
Ray Brown: Brown led the Grays to eight Pennants and was a six-time league leader in Wins with two ERA Titles.
Max Carey: Carey holds the team record with 690 Stolen Bases and was an 11-time league leader. Collecting 2,416 Hits for the club, Carey aided the Pirates in their 1925 World Series win, and was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.
Oscar Charleston: Charleston joined the Crawfords in 1933 as a Player/Manager, where he was a three-time All-Star. He was selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1976.
Fred Clarke: Clarke played 15 seasons with Pittsburgh, compiling 1,638 Hits with a .299 Batting Average, but he was also their Manager, leading Pittsburgh to their first World Series win in 1909. He entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
Roberto Clemente: Clemente is one of the most important figures in sports, and was one the most complete baseball players ever. The Puerto Rican helped Pittsburgh win the 1960 and 1971 World Series, while individual winning the 1966 MVP, four Batting Titles and 12 Gold Gloves. He is still the all-time leader in Hits with 3,000, and would have had more had he not died tragically in a plane clash while delivery humanitarian aid. After his death, he was posthumously elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973.
Josh Gibson: Gibson was one of the most prolific sluggers in Baseball, and he led the Negro Leagues in Home Runs 11 times, all either while playing for the Crawfords or Grays. Gibson entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Ralph Kiner: Kiner made history as the first (and only) player in MLB history to win the Home Run Title in his first seven seasons, and he blasted 301 total for Pittsburgh, which is second all-time for the club. A three-time Slugging and OPS Champion, Kiner entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975.
Buck Leonard: Leonard played 15 years with Homestead, where he went to 13 All-Star Games, won three Negro League World Series, and was a two-time Batting and five-time OBP Champion. He was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
Bill Mazeroski: Mazeroski was a seven-time All-Star who hit the game and series-ending Home Run that won the 1960 World Series. The eight-time Gold Glove recipient went into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2001.
Danny Murtaugh: Murtaugh managed the Prates for 12 seasons and was at the helm when they won the World Series in 1960 and 1971.
Dave Parker: The “Cobra” played 11 years in Pittsburgh where he helped them win the 1979 World Series. Individually, he went to four All-Star Games as a Pirate, won two Batting Titles and won the 1978 MVP.
Willie Stargell: Stargell played all 21 of his seasons with Pittsburgh where he led them to two World Series Titles (1971 & 1979), with the latter year seeing him win the MVP, NLCS MVP and World Series MVP. His 475 Home Runs are a franchise record, and he was selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988.
Pie Traynor: Traynor played at Third Base for 17 years in Pittsburgh, amassing 2,416 Hits while batting .320. Part of the 1925 World Series Champions, Traynor was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1948.
Arky Vaughan: In 1935, Vaughan won the Batting Title with what is still a franchise record .385, and he would also be a three-time league leader in On Base Percentage. An eight-time All-Star, Vaughan entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985.
Honus Wagner: Wagner is one of the best players in Baseball history, and any discussion of the game’s top Shortstops has to include him. Winning eight Batting Titles, Wagner also stole 723 Bases, a franchise record. A member of the 1909 World Series Championship Team, he also still holds franchise marls for Runs (1,521) and Triples (231), and his 2,970 Hits are second behind only Clemente. Wagner was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame as part of their first class in 1936.
Lloyd Waner: Accumulating 2,317 Hits for Pittsburgh, Waner batted .319 for the team, while also leading the NL in At Bats three times. Waner was selected for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967.
Paul Waner: Waner won three Batting Titles with Pittsburgh, while batting .340 with 2,868 Hits for the team. Named the MVP in 1927, Waner entered the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1952.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate the new members of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame.
2. Roberto Clemente
If there were going to be anyone who would have supplanted Honus Wagner as the greatest Pittsburgh Pirate of all time, it would have been Roberto Clemente.
The Pirates did not discover Clemente, as he was signed initially by the Brooklyn Dodgers. The Pirates plucked him in 1954 via the Rule 5 Draft, and he played all 18 of his MLB seasons in Pittsburgh. Capturing the starting Rightfield job as a rookie, Clemente blossomed into a star and was one of the top Outfielders in baseball throughout the 1960s. From 1960 to 1967, the Puerto Rican was a perennial All-Star, and he began a new streak in 1969, with four more appearances. He would take the Pirates to a World Series win in 1961, and he would have the first of four Batting Titles, with the others coming in 1964, 1965, and 1967. Finishing in the top ten in MVP voting eight times, he won the coveted trophy in 1966; in a year, he batted .317 with a career-high 29 Home Runs and 119 RBIs.
Clemente was as good with his glove as he was with his bat. From 1961 to 1972, Clemente was a Gold Glove winner, and he was a four-time league leader in Total Zone Runs. The Pirates won it all again in 1971, mainly because of Clemente, making him a two-time champion.
By the end of the 1972 season, Clemente accumulated an even 3,000 Hits (a franchise record) with 240 Home Runs and 1,305 RBIs, and a Slash Line of .317/.359/.475. It should have been more.
On December 31, 1972, he died in a plane crash while on route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Following his death, the Baseball Hall of Fame waived the five-year wait, and he was inducted into the Class of 1973, and the Pirates retired his number 21 the same year. He is considered by many to be the most important Hispanic athlete in American history.