Honus Wagner — The Flying Dutchman

Honus Wagner (1897–1917, Pirates 1900–1917) is widely regarded as the greatest shortstop in baseball history. Barrel-chested and bow-legged, he didn't look like an athlete — but he could do everything. Wagner won eight National League batting titles, stole 722 bases, and led the Pirates to their first World Series title in 1909. His 3,420 hits and career .328 average place him among the game's immortals. He was among the inaugural class inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1936.

Roberto Clemente — The Great One

Roberto Clemente (1955–1972) was more than a baseball player. Born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Clemente played 18 seasons for the Pirates, collecting exactly 3,000 hits, winning four batting titles, earning 12 consecutive Gold Glove Awards, and capturing the 1966 NL MVP award. His arm from right field was legendary — baserunners simply stopped testing it.

In the 1971 World Series, Clemente was unstoppable, hitting .414 with two home runs and delivering a masterpiece on baseball's biggest stage. He was named World Series MVP and used his postgame interview — in Spanish — to speak directly to his parents and the people of Puerto Rico.

On December 31, 1972, Clemente died in a plane crash off the coast of Puerto Rico while delivering aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. He was 38 years old. The Hall of Fame waived its waiting period and inducted him in 1973. The Pirates retired his No. 21, and MLB's annual award for sportsmanship and community involvement bears his name. Clemente's legacy transcends baseball — he was a humanitarian and a hero, and Pittsburgh will never forget him.

Willie Stargell — Pops

Willie Stargell (1962–1982) spent his entire 21-year career with the Pirates. He hit 475 home runs, many of them towering blasts that cleared the right-field roof at Forbes Field and later found the upper decks at Three Rivers Stadium. In 1979, at age 39, he won the NL MVP, the NLCS MVP, and the World Series MVP — the only player ever to sweep all three in a single postseason.

As the leader of the "We Are Family" Pirates, Stargell handed out gold stars to teammates after good performances and kept the clubhouse loose with his warmth and humor. His No. 8 was retired by the team, and a statue of "Pops" stands outside PNC Park — bat extended, ready to launch another one into the Pittsburgh night.

Bill Mazeroski — Mr. October

Bill Mazeroski (1956–1971) is best remembered for one swing: the Game 7 walk-off home run that won the 1960 World Series. It remains the only Game 7 walk-off homer in World Series history. But Mazeroski was far more than one moment — he was arguably the greatest defensive second baseman ever to play the game, winning eight Gold Glove Awards, turning the double play with unmatched precision, and earning induction into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

Ralph Kiner — Home Run King

Ralph Kiner (1946–1953) played just 10 seasons — cut short by back injuries — but in that time he led the National League in home runs seven consecutive years, a feat matched only by Babe Ruth. Kiner hit 369 career homers and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1975. He later became one of baseball's most beloved broadcasters, calling Mets games for over five decades.

Paul Waner — Big Poison

Paul Waner (1926–1940) was one of the purest hitters in baseball history. A career .333 hitter with 3,152 hits, Waner won three batting titles and was the offensive engine of the 1927 NL champion Pirates. His younger brother Lloyd — "Little Poison" — also collected over 2,400 hits as a Pirate. Together, they remain one of the most prolific sibling duos in sports history.

Barry Bonds — The Phenom

Before he became baseball's all-time home run king in San Francisco, Barry Bonds (1986–1992) was a Pirates phenom. In seven seasons in Pittsburgh, he won two NL MVP awards(1990, 1992), three Gold Gloves, and led the Pirates to three consecutive NL East titles. His combination of power, speed, and defensive brilliance made him the most complete player in the game during his Pittsburgh years. His departure in free agency following the 1992 season marked the beginning of the franchise's long downturn.

Andrew McCutchen — Cutch

Andrew McCutchen (2009–2017, 2023–present) brought the Pirates back from the wilderness. The 2013 NL MVP led Pittsburgh to its first winning season and playoff berth in 21 years, ending the longest streak of futility in North American professional sports. With his signature dreadlocks flying, McCutchen became the face of a franchise revival — and returned to Pittsburgh in 2023 to finish his career where it began.

Other Pirates Greats