The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the National League Central division. Originally known as the Alleghenys, they played in the American Association from 1882 through 1886, and have played in the National League since 1887. The first game of the new baseball season for a team is played on Opening Day, and being named the Opening Day starter is an honor, which is often given to the player who is expected to lead the pitching staff that season, though there are various strategic reasons why a team's best pitcher might not start on Opening Day. The Pirates have used 71 Opening Day starting pitchers since they began to play as a Major League team in 1882. The Pirates have a record of 69 wins and 60 losses in their Opening Day games.
The Pirates have played in several different home ball parks. Between 1882 and 1909 they played in two parks called Exposition Park and in Recreation Park. They played in Forbes Field from 1909 to 1970 and Three Rivers Stadium from 1970 to 2000 and they have played in their current stadium, PNC Park, since 2001. They had a record of no wins and one loss in the first Exposition Park, four wins and no losses in Recreation Park and no wins and two losses in the second Exposition Park. They had a record of four wins and two losses at Forbes Field and a record of five wins and eight losses at Three Rivers Stadium. Through 2010, they have a record of two wins and one loss at PNC Park. That gives the Pirates an overall Opening Day record of 15 wins and 14 losses at home. They have a record of 54 wins and 46 losses in Opening Day games on the road.
Bob Friend has made the most Opening Day starts for the Pirates, with seven. Babe Adams and Frank Killen each made five Opening Day starts for the Pirates, and Deacon Phillippe, Howie Camnitz, Cy Blanton and Bob Veale each made four Opening Day starts. Ed Morris, Pud Galvin, Wilbur Cooper, Ray Kremer, Rip Sewell, Steve Blass, Dock Ellis, Rick Rhoden, Doug Drabek and Francisco Liriano all made three Opening Day starts for the Pirates. Several Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day starting pitchers have been elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, including Galvin, Burleigh Grimes, Waite Hoyt, Jim Bunning, and Bert Blyleven. Bunning was elected as both a United States congressman and senator from Kentucky after retiring from baseball.
The Pirates have won nine National League titles, in 1901, 1902, 1903, 1909, 1925, 1927, 1960, 1971 and 1979. They went on to win the World Series in 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971 and 1979 (the modern World Series began in 1903). Sam Leever was the Pirates Opening Day starting pitcher in 1901, Phillippe was the Opening Day starting pitcher in both 1902 and 1903, Camnitz was the Opening Day starting pitcher in 1909, Emil Yde in 1925, Kremer in 1927, Friend in 1960, Ellis in 1971 and Blyleven in 1979.
Key SeasonEach year is linked to an article about that particular Pirates season.Pitcher Number of appearances as Opening Day starter with the Pirates WWinLLossTTieND (W)No decision by starting pitcher; Pirates won gameND (L)No decision by starting pitcher; Pirates lost game(W)Pirates won game; no information on starting pitcher's decision(L)Pirates lost game; no information on starting pitcher's decision*Advanced to the post-season**NL Champions⁂World Series Champions
Pitchers
SeasonPitcherDecisionFinalscoreOpponentLocationRef(s)1882(W)Cincinnati Red StockingsBank Street Grounds1883(L)Philadelphia AthleticsExposition Park I 1884(L)Philadelphia AthleticsRecreation Park 1885(W)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park 1886 (L)St. Louis BrownsSportsman's Park 1887(W)Chicago White StockingsRecreation Park 1888 (W)Detroit WolverinesRecreation Park 1889 (W)Chicago White StockingsRecreation Park 1890(W)Cleveland SpidersRecreation Park 1891 (L)Chicago ColtsExposition Park III 1892(W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park 1893(L)Cleveland SpidersExposition Park III 1894 (L)St. Louis BrownsRobison Field 1895 (L)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park 1896(W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park 1897 (W)St. Louis BrownsRobison Field 1898 (L)Louisville ColonelsEclipse Park 1899(W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park 1900(L)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1901** (W)Cincinnati RedsLeague Park 1902**(W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1903** (W)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans 1904 (W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1905(W)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans 1906(W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1907 (L)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans 1908(W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1909⁂ (W)Cincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans 1910 (W)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1911WCincinnati RedsPalace of the Fans 1912 (L)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1913 (W)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field 1914 (L)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1915(W)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field 1916(L)St. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1917(L)Chicago CubsWeeghman Park 1918(L)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field 1919 (L)Chicago CubsWeeghman Park 1920 WSt. Louis CardinalsRobison Field 1921 LCincinnati RedsRedland Field 1922 LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1923WChicago CubsCubs Park 1924 ND (L)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field 1925⁂LChicago CubsCubs Park 1926LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1927**WCincinnati RedsRedland Field 1928 LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1929WChicago CubsWrigley Field 1930 ND (W)Cincinnati RedsRedland Field 1931(L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field 1932 (L)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1933WCincinnati RedsRedland Field 1934(L)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1935WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1936ND (W)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1937 WChicago CubsWrigley Field 1938 ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1939 WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1940WSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1941 (L)Chicago CubsWrigley Field 1942WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1943WChicago CubsWrigley Field 1944(L)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1945(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1946 ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1947 WChicago CubsWrigley Field 1948(L)Cincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1949 WChicago CubsWrigley Field 1950(L)St. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1951WCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1952LSt. Louis CardinalsSportsman's Park 1953 LBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field 1954ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesForbes Field 1955LBrooklyn DodgersEbbets Field 1956 LNew York GiantsPolo Grounds 1957 WNew York GiantsForbes Field 1958 ND (W)Milwaukee BravesCounty Stadium 1959LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1960⁂ ND (L)Milwaukee BravesCounty Stadium 1961 ND (W)San Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park 1962 WPhiladelphia PhilliesForbes Field 1963LCincinnati RedsCrosley Field 1964ND (L)Chicago CubsForbes Field 1965 WSan Francisco GiantsForbes Field 1966 ND (W)Atlanta BravesAtlanta–Fulton County Stadium 1967 WNew York MetsShea Stadium 1968ND (L)Houston AstrosAstrodome 1969ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 1970* ND (L)New York MetsForbes Field 1971⁂ WPhiladelphia PhilliesThree Rivers Stadium 1972* LNew York MetsShea Stadium 1973 ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsThree Rivers Stadium 1974*ND (L)St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 1975* ND (W)Chicago CubsWrigley Field 1976ND (W)Philadelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium 1977 LSt. Louis CardinalsThree Rivers Stadium 1978WChicago CubsThree Rivers Stadium 1979⁂ ND (L)Montreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 1980 LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 1981ND (L)Montreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 1982ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 1983 WSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 1984 LSan Diego PadresJack Murphy Stadium 1985 LChicago CubsWrigley Field 1986LNew York MetsThree Rivers Stadium 1987LNew York MetsShea Stadium 1988WPhiladelphia PhilliesVeterans Stadium 1989ND (L)Montreal ExposOlympic Stadium 1990*WNew York MetsShea Stadium 1991* LMontreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 1992* WMontreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 1993WSan Diego PadresThree Rivers Stadium 1994LSan Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park 1995LMontreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 1996WFlorida MarlinsJoe Robbie Stadium 1997 ND (W)San Francisco GiantsCandlestick Park 1998WMontreal ExposOlympic Stadium 1999 LMontreal ExposThree Rivers Stadium 2000LHouston AstrosThree Rivers Stadium 2001LCincinnati RedsCinergy Field 2002LNew York MetsShea Stadium 2003WCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park 2004WPhiladelphia PhilliesPNC Park 2005LMilwaukee BrewersPNC Park 2006 ND (L)Milwaukee BrewersMiller Park 2007ND (W)Houston AstrosMinute Maid Park 2008ND (W)Atlanta BravesTurner Field 2009ND (W)St. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium 2010 WLos Angeles DodgersPNC Park2011 WChicago CubsWrigley Field2012 LPhiladelphia PhilliesPNC Park2013* LChicago CubsPNC Park 2014* ND (W)Chicago CubsPNC Park 2015* ND (L)Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2016 WSt. Louis CardinalsPNC Park2017 LBoston Red SoxFenway Park2018 ND (W)Detroit TigersComerica Park2019 LCincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2020LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium2021ND (W)Chicago CubsWrigley Field2022LSt. Louis CardinalsBusch Stadium2023ND (W)Cincinnati RedsGreat American Ball Park2024 ND (W) Miami MarlinsLoanDepot Park2025 ND (L) Miami MarlinsLoanDepot Park2026 (2) L New York MetsCiti Field
References
External links Pittsburgh Pirates Opening Day Starters and Results – Baseball-Reference.com