The complete history of Pittsburgh Pirates championships: Every World Series series win explained

Back in 1903, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Americans met in the first-ever World Series matchup between American League and National League teams. The Pirates lost the best-of-nine series, but that historic appearance set the stage for a franchise to begin a winning tradition.

Pittsburgh captured titles from the early 1900s to the 1970s with rosters full of legendary players. Honus Wagner, Bill Mazeroski, Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell are just a few of the stars who have pushed the Pirates to championship glory.

How much do you know about Pittsburgh’s World Series runs? Here is a full breakdown of the Pirates’ history in the championship series.

How many World Series titles have the Pittsburgh Pirates won?

The Pirates have won five World Series titles, putting them alongside the Reds and behind only the Yankees (27), Cardinals (11), Red Sox (9), Athletics (9), Dodgers (9) and Giants (8) on the all-time list. Pittsburgh has reached the championship series seven times, beating the Orioles in its most recent appearance (1979).

While the Pirates can’t match some other franchises in total appearances, they have the highest winning percentage (.714) of any team to reach the World Series more than twice.

The early champions at the start of the 20th century

After losing to Boston in the inaugural AL vs. NL battle in 1903, Pittsburgh didn’t reach the World Series again until 1909. Led by Wagner, who surprisingly hit just .222 against the Americans six years earlier, the Pirates won their first championship. “The Flying Dutchman” went 8-of-24 at the plate (.333), drove in six runs and stole six bases in the seven-game series.

More than a decade later, the Pirates secured their second trophy in come-from-behind fashion. The Washington Nationals jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the 1925 World Series, but Pittsburgh won Games 5, 6 and 7 behind strong performances from Hall of Famers Max Carey, Kiki Cuyler and Pie Traynor.

Bill Mazeroski’s iconic walk-off home run in 1960

The Yankees swept the Pirates in the 1927 World Series, and Pittsburgh experienced a championship drought that lasted more than three decades. Then, in 1960, Mazeroski snapped that streak with one of the most memorable home runs in baseball history.

New York largely outplayed Pittsburgh, blowing out the Pirates in Game 2 (16-3), Game 3 (10-0) and Game 6 (12-0). But the Pirates were able to escape with narrow victories in the other matchups to force a winner-take-all Game 7.

In the deciding contest, the Yankees and Pirates went back and forth until New York knotted the score at nine runs apiece in the top of the ninth inning. Mazeroski stepped into the batter’s box to start the bottom half of the inning against New York pitcher Ralph Terry.

Mazeroski, known more for his defensive excellence than power at the plate, smacked a 1-0 pitch over the fence in left field, ending the World Series with a walk-off home run for the first time in MLB history. He was mobbed by teammates and fans as he rounded third base and touched home plate, giving the Pirates an iconic, unforgettable moment.

The statue of Mazeroski with his arms spread and cap in his right hand still stands outside of PNC Park’s right field gate along the Allegheny River.

The Roberto Clemente and ‘We Are Family’ eras

In the 1970s, the Pirates and Orioles clashed twice with a title on the line.

Pittsburgh first met Baltimore in 1971, climbing out of a 2-0 hole on the way to a 4-3 series victory. Clemente earned the first World Series MVP award in franchise history, hitting .414 with two doubles, one triple, two home runs and four RBIs.

Before the end of the decade, the Pirates pulled off yet another incredible World Series comeback. In the 1979 battle, Pittsburgh faced a 3-1 deficit before outscoring Baltimore, 15-2, over the final three games of the series to snag its fifth ring.

It was the culmination of an incredible campaign for Stargell, who energized the team and fan base by establishing Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family” as the Pirates’ official theme song earlier in the season. Stargell was an easy pick for World Series MVP, as he hit .400 with four doubles, three home runs and seven RBIs.

Pirates record in World Series

The Pirates have a record of 5-2 in their seven World Series appearances.

The World Series MVP award didn’t exist in the early 1900s, and Bobby Richardson became the only player from a losing team to receive the award after he set the RBI record (12) in 1960. That’s why the Pirates only have two World Series MVP award winners (Clemente and Stargell) despite owning five titles.

Year	Result	MVP	Manager
1903	Americans 5, Pirates 3	—	Fred Clarke
1909	Pirates 4, Tigers 3	—	Fred Clarke
1925	Pirates 4, Senators 3	—	Bill McKechnie
1927	Yankees 4, Pirates 0	—	Donie Bush
1960	Pirates 4, Yankees 3	Bobby Richardson	Danny Murtaugh
1971	Pirates 4, Orioles 3	Roberto Clemente	Danny Murtaugh
1979	Pirates 4, Orioles 3	Willie Stargell	Chuck Tanner

The Pirates legacy: A storied franchise still chasing No. 6

That World Series victory in 1979 marked the last time the Pirates advanced to the final round of the postseason. Pittsburgh lost three straight times in the NLCS from 1990-92, and it made three consecutive playoff appearances from 2013-15.

The franchise is once again in the midst of a rebuild, but the Pittsburgh faithful is hopeful that rising stars like Paul Skenes and Konnor Griffin can eventually lead the Pirates back to glory.