The Pittsburgh Pirates have had a long history in the world of MLB, and have had countless stars don the iconic gold and black. Pittsburgh has struggled in recent years, as the franchise has made the playoffs just three time since the 1992 season. Yet, the Pirates have had plenty of be proud of over the years. So, how many championships has the city of Pittsburgh won in Major League Baseball? Let’s take a look.
Pittsburgh Pirates World Series history
The Pittsburgh Pirates franchise has won five World Series titles. Those titles came in 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, and 1979.
The Pirates’ first title came in 1909, a season that saw Pittsburgh win 110 games. Led by star shortstop Honus Wagner, who drove in 100 runs for the Pirates that season, Pittsburgh would win its first title by defeating the AL champion Tigers in seven games.
Pittsburgh’s next World Series appearance would come in 1925, a season that saw the Pirates win its second title. The 1925 Pirates were an exciting offensive force, as Pittsburgh that year had nine players that played over 100 games and hit .300 or better. In a seven-game World Series, Pittsburgh would defeat the Washington Senators.
The franchise’s third title came in 1960. Pittsburgh would boast an incredible group of talent, led by pitchers Vern Law and Bob Friend, and a lineup that included Dick Groat, Bill Mazeroski, and Roberto Clemente. Much like in 1909 and 1925, Pittsburgh would once again be involved in a lengthy, seven-game series. This time around, it would be against the New York Yankees. In Game 7, Mazeroski would hit a solo home run off of Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry in the ninth inning to clinch the Pirates’ third title.
Pittsburgh would win two titles in the 1970s. The first won came in 1971, a team that featured two fearsome hitters in Clemente and slugger Willie Stargell. The Pirates would defeat the Giants in the NLCS to move on and face the Orioles in the World Series. In yet another seven-game series, Pittsburgh would come out on top in the final game of the 1971 World Series.
Eight years later, the Pirates would again square off with the O’s in the Fall Classic. Pittsburgh would win that series in seven games and win the franchise’s fifth and last title to date.
