The mascot for the Pittsburgh Pirates since the 1979 season has been Pirate Parrot. Pirate Parrot was hired by Pittsburgh in response to Philadelphia hiring Phillie Phanatic. Pirate Parrot is a large green parrot who wears a Pirate cap and jersey. The idea of a parrot came from the book Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson and the parrot, Captain Flint who belonged to the pirate Long John Silver. This modern-day pirate does not board ships to take treasure but rather shoots hotdogs into the stands with a cannon, dances on dugouts, and waves a Jolly Roger flag. When Pirate Parrot is not busy at the ballpark he is active in the Pittsburgh community.
Pirate Parrot hatched on April Fool’s Day of 1979 and cheered the Pittsburgh Pirates all the way to a World Series win that year.
Pirate Parrot is proud to be with a baseball team whose history goes back to 1887 and the National League of the 19th century. Pittsburgh won its first World Series in 1909 with a team that featured baseball great Honus Wagner. They won the 1960 World Series over the Yankees with a “walk-off” homer by Bill Mazeroski in game seven, the only time this ever happened in World Series play. Their 1971 team that won the World Series featured Roberto Clemente and the 1979 team that won the World Series had Willie Stargell (and, of course, the rookie Pirate Parrot).
Sadly, for the Pirates in general, and Pirate Parrot in particular, the Pirates have not returned to the World Series since Pirate Parrot’s rookie year in 1979. Nevertheless, our swashbuckling parrot never gives up, continues to entertain fans and torment visiting players and coaches, and keep up his good work in the community. Like any good pirate, he believes that the next ship will be carrying treasure and the next season will include a World Series victory.