Tonight, the Pittsburgh Pirates will honor long-time usher Phil Coyne on his 100th birthday during a special on-field pregame ceremony. Coyne recently announced that 2017, his 81st season as an usher, was his last. His career with the Pirates began in 1936 and spanned three ballparks, over 6,000 games and an innumerable number of magical moments in Pirates history.
Phil and nearly 180 of his family and friends will be honored guests of the Pirates tonight, as the Club takes the opportunity to pay tribute to the man who served sections 26 and 27 at PNC Park since the ballpark opened.
"Phil is truly a Pittsburgh legend and, as we have said, legends never retire. Phil is an historic figure not only with the Pirates, but also within the great game of Major League Baseball," said Pirates President Frank Coonelly. "We are honored to host Phil and his family tonight to celebrate his 100th birthday and to thank him for his long-time dedication to the Pirates and our great fans."
During a special pre-game ceremony, the Pirates will present Phil with a proclamation from the National Baseball Hall of Fame that honors Phil for his remarkable place in baseball history, and announce that Phil's uniform and Pirates identification badge will be on permanent display in the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.
The Pirates will mark Coyne's special birthday with a special "Phil 100" logo on the field in front of his sections. The Club will also dedicate a plaque permanently displayed near his section 26 and 27, which will be unveiled by two longtime Pirates Season Ticket Holders. In addition, the Pirates will make a donation in Phil's name to Children's Hospital in Oakland, Phil's neighborhood for the past 100 years.
The ceremony will be capped off by a ballpark-wide singing of Happy Birthday and a fireworks display.
Also tonight, Aramark will feature the "Phil Coyne Classic," which includes a footlong hot dog with mustard and relish (Phil's believes this is the only way to eat a hot dog), a souvenir helmet sundae of vanilla ice cream and two Oreos (Phil's secret to life is having a glass of milk and two Oreos every day), and a souvenir soda. The package is priced $19.18 and is available in the Jim Beam Left Field Lounge.