UNIFORMS AND LOGOS
UNIFORMS: 1900 - PRESENT
1900-1910:
The jersey of this period was short-sleeved with no trim except for a dark blue collar. Stockings were dark blue with red stripes and the cap was blue with a white "P". A "PBC" monogram signifying Pittsburgh Baseball Club was also added to the left sleeve later in the decade.
1910-1920:
The regular collar was replaced by the short, stand-up "cadet" style with a button collar. Pinstriped material was also introduced. As the team nickname became more accepted, "Pirates" was displayed in capital letters down the button lapel (1912). The cadet-style collar soon gave way to a tapered collar extension, but the buttonlapel remained solid dark blue with white buttons and a "P-P" straddling the top button (1913-14). Later in this decade, the cap had piping and also included a "P" in white or red.
1921-1932:
Standard white uniforms were worn at home and gray on the road with simple graphics and solid colors. The 1925 and '27 championship teams wore the standard capital ?P? on its sleeves but not on the jersey. A red ?P? was also placed on the solid blue cap.
1933-1937:
The Pirate uniforms brightened up considerably with added colors, trim features and graphics. The name "Pirates" was placed across the jersey in an arc of fancy red and blue capital letters. Solid blue belts were included and piping trim on the uniforms included blue and red. A red "P" was also placed on the solid blue cap.
1938:
The name "Pirates" appeared on the jersey in script lettering with underline flourish.
1939-1946:
A zipper front replaced the button-down jersey.
1940:
The uniform abandons the traditional "P" or "Pirates" for an emblem of an actual buccaneer. The patch was placed on the left breast of both the home and road jerseys. This was the first time an emblem of the team's nickname was ever worn on a game jersey.
1948:
The team replaced the traditional blue and red with the present day black and gold. The script "Pirates" and "Pittsburgh" was replaced with the block lettering that you still see today. The cap became solid black with a gold "P".
1953:
The word "Pittsburgh" is removed from the road jersey, and replaced with "Pirates".
1957:
The Pirates became the second team to begin wearing sleeveless jerseys.
1962:
Numbers were introduced on the front of the home and road jerseys and have been there ever since.
1970:
The Pirates became the first major league club to adopt the new double-knit fabric uniforms, which they debuted at the first game at the new Three Rivers Stadium. The jersey became a pullover with no button or zipper. The pants contained a built-in sash belt. The cap crown was mustard yellow with a black bill. Within two years, nearly every other club was wearing a double-knit uniform.
1976:
The Pirates, as well as other clubs, commemorate the National League's centennial by wearing the old striped, pill-box style caps. The Bucs wore yellow caps with a black bill and black stripes.
1977-1979:
Abandoned were the traditional white and gray uniforms in exchange for combinations of white, gold, black iand pinstriping. The caps became black with yellow stripes. Players' last names appear on the back of the jerseys for the first time.
1985:
The Pirates returned to the basic white and gray uniform.
1987:
The Pirates replaced the striped cap in favor of the traditional standard black round crown type.
1990:
A script "Pittsburgh" is added to the gray road uniform for the first time since 1952.
1991:
The Pirates return to button-down jerseys and belted pants.
1995:
Going back to a more traditional look, the Pirates removed the names from the back of the jerseys.
1996:
That change lasted only one year, as the Pirates return the names to the back of the jerseys.
1997:
The organization introduce a complete new look by introducing an alternate home jersey as well as bringing the color "red" back into the uniform for the first time since 1946.
2001:
With the opening of PNC Park, the club enters a "New Era of Baseball." The team re-introduces the sleeveless jersey as part of both the home and road uniform. The Pirates also become the first team ever to wear a cap with a red underbill (cap worn with the alternate home jersey only).
2005:
The Pirates re-introduce pinstripes to the uniform. The alternate uniforms are worn on Sunday home games.
2007:
The club introduces a red, sleeveless jersey to be worn on selected home dates.
2009:
The Pirates re-introduce sleeves to their home and road jerseys and added a black alternate jersey. The sleeveless pinstriped jersey are worn on Sundays through the end of 2010.
2013:
The club introduces an alternate uniform mustard gold cap which was worn on Sunday home games throughout the season. The pullover style jersey was similar to the one from the early 1970's. The front of the jersey featured black "Pirates" lettering outlined in mustard gold on the chest, as well as the player's number below the lettering on the left hand side of the jersey. The players' names were added to the back of the jerseys to go along with their number, as opposed to the 1970 jerseys that did not feature the names. These jerseys were worn through the end of 2015.
2015:
The club introduces camouflage jerseys to be worn on selected home dates.
2016:
The Pirates unveil a new Sunday alternate uniform, a replica of the iconic 1979 World Champion Pirates uniform. The gold v-neck pullover jersey is accompanied by black pants, designed with two gold stripes running down the outside of each leg. The uniform is completed with a Pirates pillbox cap, designed with three gold stripes and the classic Pirates gold "P."
2020:
The Pirates re-introduce the script "Pittsburgh" to the road uniform in both gray and black uniforms.
2023:
The Pirates wore their City Connect uniforms for the first time on June 27, 2023.
Baseball uniform illustrations from 1900-1994 are from Marc Okkonen's Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century; from 1995-today are courtesy of Major League Baseball Properties.