9 must-see Pirates artifacts at Hall of Fame
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It’s Bill Mazeroski in 1960. It’s Roberto Clemente in '71. It’s Willie Stargell in '79.
No matter when, no matter who, the Pittsburgh Pirates have given baseball some of its most memorable heroes in history. And with their great moments have come great memorabilia.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s collection of more than 40,000 three-dimensional pieces contains artifacts that tell the story of the game’s legendary players, moments and triumphs. Whether you’ve visited before or you’ve always wanted to check it out, this is another great reason to plan a visit to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum -- the spiritual home of America’s Pastime in beautiful Cooperstown, N.Y.
1) The Great One, never to be forgotten
Fun facts: This game-worn jersey of Clemente’s was given to the Hall of Fame by the Pirates on Opening Day, 1973. Months earlier, the peerless right fielder died in a plane crash while delivering relief supplies to earthquake-ravaged Nicaragua.
2) Perfection denied
Fun facts: Left-hander Harvey Haddix maintained a perfect game through 12 innings but ultimately lost to the Milwaukee Braves, 1-0, in the 13th. This is the glove that he wore during his unforgettable performance.
3) Hats off to a hero
Fun facts: Mazeroski was known much more for his defensive wizardry around second base than for his slugging. But he came up with a tremendous long ball at exactly the right time, swatting Ralph Terry’s 1-0 pitch over the left-field wall at Forbes Field to break a ninth-inning tie in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series to win the Fall Classic for the Bucs.
4) Cutch stays in the swing of things
Fun facts: Andrew McCutchen wore this jersey on the last day of one of his best seasons -- 2012, when he led the National League with 194 hits. One year later, he won the NL Most Valuable Player Award.
5) Pops could pop ‘em
Fun facts: Stargell ranked among baseball's finest team leaders, as well as one of its greatest sluggers. He drove Pittsburgh to greater heights in 1979, sharing NL MVP Award honors and winning the MVP Award in the World Series, where he used this bat to help the Pirates triumph.
6) Seven for Stennett
Fun facts: In a remarkable offensive display, Rennie Stennett used this bat in a 7-for-7 performance (four singles, two doubles and a triple) at Chicago’s Wrigley Field on Sept. 16, 1975, in a 22-0 rout of the Cubs.
7) The ‘Holy Grail’
Fun facts: Every serious baseball card collector would love to get their hands on this jewel -- the Honus Wagner T206. It’s so rare because Wagner demanded that the cards must be recalled when he learned that they were being printed without his permission.
8) Near-instant success
Fun facts: This is a well-deserved medal that Paul “Big Poison” Waner won for earning NL Most Valuable Player Award honors in 1927, only his second full big league season. Waner led the Major Leagues with 237 hits and paced the NL with 18 triples.
9) There's nothing like the first time
Fun facts: This trophy commemorates the Pirates’ first pennant, which they captured in 1901. Led by future Hall of Fame manager Fred Clarke, Pittsburgh finished 90-49.