As Pirates honor inaugural 19-member Hall of Fame class, ceremony disrupted by protester

The Pittsburgh Pirates celebrated their 135-year history Saturday afternoon by inducting their long-awaited hall of fame, which involved the historic gesture of signing four Negro Leagues players to honorary contracts and including them in the inaugural class.

The Pirates unveiled plaques for each honoree on the wall inside the Roberto Clemente Gate at PNC Park. They also presented gold jackets to the living inductees, Steve Blass, Bill Mazeroski and Dave Parker.

“The Pirates have been part of the fabric of this community since 1887, and during that 135 years, Pittsburgh has been the home to some of the greatest players who have ever played the game and hosted some of baseball’s greatest moments,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said. “Perhaps no team has a richer history in baseball than the Pirates.

“This hall of fame is dedicated to honoring, remembering and celebrating those players and those stories. And perhaps no other city has a deeper or prouder legacy of greatness from the era of the Negro Leagues. The Crawfords and Grays were historic teams and had some of the greatest players from any era or from any league. We’re proud to recognize their history and fully welcome these great players into our Pirates family.”

1960 World Series hero Bill Mazeroski presented his gold jacket as an inaugural member of the Pirates Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/YbwNdtPbQF

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) September 3, 2022

Outside the gates, a protester disrupted the hour-long ceremony.

As Pirates broadcaster Greg Brown introduced National Baseball Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, a man with a megaphone repeatedly asked what Nutting would do for the Black community. The Pirates tried to quell the situation by offering for the man, who identified himself as Will Parker, to meet with with Nutting afterward but were rebuffed.

“I didn’t (hear it). I was listening to Josh and Greg, and I really wanted to celebrate these 19 incredible players that we were putting into the hall,” said Nutting, who declined to discuss the Pirates clinching their fourth consecutive losing season, sixth in seven years and 26th in 30. “I really think today is a day to celebrate the hall of fame. I really don’t want to have anything that distracts from that or takes us away from that.”

As the Pirates unveil their inaugural Hall of Fame class, a protestor with a microphone outside PNC Park gates repeatedly asks what team chairman Bob Nutting is doing for the Black community. pic.twitter.com/kyCeOg4uCO

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) September 3, 2022

The Pirates honored their hall of fame class Saturday night before their game against the Toronto Blue Jays. The class features 12 Pirates inducted the National Baseball Hall of Fame – Honus Wagner, Lloyd Waner, Paul Waner, Jake Beckley, Max Carey, Fred Clarke, Arky Vaughan, Pie Traynor, Ralph Kiner, Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell and Mazeroski – and four hall of famers from the Negro Leagues in Ray Brown and Buck Leonard of the Homestead Grays and Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson, who played for both the Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords.

Sean Gibson, Josh’s great-grandson and director of the foundation in his name, said there were concerns from the Negro Leagues families about being included in a hall of fame class on a team for which their ancestors didn’t play. Gibson said the Pirates “graciously accepted” their request that the families sign contracts with the team at the ceremony.

“It’s a great honor,” Sean Gibson said. “These guys never had a chance to play for another Major League Baseball team, especially the Pirates being that they had two great teams right here in Pittsburgh. So for the Pirates to actually step up to the plate and sign these guys to a contract — and we understand that these guys didn’t play for the Pirates, and it’s more of a symbolic thing for our families.

“If it came with some money, it would be good!”

Gibson said it was “terrible” that the ceremony was disrupted by the protester — although he made clear that he didn’t know or question whether it was for a good cause — while the Pirates were honoring African-American Pirates players like Parker and Stargell, a Puerto Rican in Clemente and the four Negro Leagues legends.

“Yeah, maybe he might have a point. Maybe the Pirates should do more for the African American community. I don’t know,” Gibson said. “All I know is what they do for the Josh Gibson Foundation, which is they’ve got us on the wall right now, and that’s important for us..”

Steve Blass was honored and humbled to be inducted into the Pirates inaugural Hall of Fame class. pic.twitter.com/D44P3wmZCb

— Kevin Gorman (@KevinGormanPGH) September 3, 2022

The Pirates also honored three players who are franchise legends: Blass, Parker and Danny Murtaugh, manager of their 1960 and ’71 World Series champions. Murtaugh led the Pirates to nine winning seasons and five division titles in 12 seasons before his death at age 59 in 1976.

“It’s nice that he gets his recognition,” said Tim Murtaugh, Danny’s son. “The people of Pittsburgh have been so good to our family. Among the other people inducted today, he certainly deserves it.”

Parker was a two-time NL batting champion, three-time Gold Glove winner and four-time All-Star in 11 seasons with the Pirates who still ranks in their top 10 in home runs, RBIs, doubles and extra-base hits. He finished his 19-year career with 2,712 hits and 339 homers.

“The Pirates were the most elite team I used to play for,” said Parker, who fainted while posing for a photograph at the end of the ceremony but conducted interviews while seated. “They had unique players — Dock Ellis, Willie Stargell, myself. I used to come in the clubhouse and tell people there’s only three things that are gonna happen today: The sun’s gonna shine, the wind’s gonna blow and Big Dave’s gonna go 4 for 4.”

More impressive is that Parker followed Clemente in right field, maintaining the elite defensive play for the Pirates.

“Dave Parker, all they asked you to do was replace Roberto Clemente,” Blass said. “All you did was take ownership of right field. Boy did you ever.”

Blass spent 60 years with the organization, winning 78 games between 1968-72, tossing complete-game victories over the Baltimore Orioles in Games 3 and 7 of the 1971 World Series and 34 seasons as a Pirates broadcaster. He said he was honored and humbled to be inducted.

“I was very honest when I said I was somewhat intimidated seeing my name on that list,” Blass said. “I’m just proud to be a part of this group and every group that comes in.”

Perhaps the biggest ovations came for Mazeroski, who won eight Gold Gloves and is regarded as the best defensive second baseman in baseball history but is more famous for the walk-off home run at Forbes Field that beat the New York Yankees in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series.

“I was just a ballplayer. That’s all I’ve ever been, just an old ballplayer. I tried to play good, and things worked out: a few World Series, a few All-Star games, a statue and (the Pirates) retired my number,” Mazeroski said. “All that kind of stuff — that doesn’t happen often. That’s living the dream. Doesn’t happen too often, and I’m thrilled to death over it. I’m happy to be in this hall of fame.”