There have been some great Pirate teams and players in the past. The Pirates have won five World Series. The most recent one was in 1979. Roberto Clemente, one of the greatest Pirates of all-time, hit a lifetime .317 and was a phenomenal defensive in right field. He died in a plane crash going to Nicaragua on December 31, 1972.

Doug Drabek was one of the great Pirate pitchers. He won the 1990 Cy Young award, given to the best pitcher in the league. That season he had a 22-6 record and a 2.74 earned run average. He was the most dominant pitcher in the Major Leagues that season.

Bill Mazeroski is one of the best second basemen to ever play the game. He is most known for his game 7 home run in the World Series to beat the Yankees. He finished his career with over 2000 hits and 138 home runs.

Willie Stargell was one of the all-time greats in baseball. He was part of the 1970s Pirates "family" that was so dominant. He finished his career with over 2000 hits, 475 home runs, a .282 batting average, and 1540 RBI.

Barry Bonds was a good player for the Pirates. He hit 176 home runs with the Pirates and stole 251 bases. He was mostly remembered for his poor postseason play, and most fans were happy when he left. He is now playing for the San Francisco Giants, and he ranks second on the all-time home run list.

Dave Parker was a great hitter for the Pirates. He was part of the 1970s teams that were so good. He hit 166 home runs with the Pirates. He finished his career with over 2700 hits and 339 home runs. He also won 3 Gold Glove Awards.

Honus Wagner was one of the best players to ever play the game. Throughout his career he had over 3400 hits and 101 home runs. He had a lifetime batting average of .327. He had 231 career triples, 556 career doubles, and 639 stolen bases.

Ralph Kiner helped the Pirates franchise survive during the Great Depression. He hit 369 home runs in just 9 seasons in the Major Leagues. He also had over 1400 hits and a batting average of .270.

Pie Traynor was one of the best third basemen ever to play the game. He was one of the most popular Pirates of his time. He hit 58 career home runs and has over 2400 hits. His lifetime batting average is .320.

Steve Blass was a great Pirate pitcher. He finished his career at 103-76 with a 3.63 earned run average. He is most remembered for his great pitching in the 1971 World Series. He is now a broadcaster for the Pirates.