The Pittsburgh Pirates today announced that the inaugural class of the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame will be comprised of 19 former Pirates, Pittsburgh Crawfords and Homestead Grays. The Club launched the Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame to recognize former players and managers who have made a significant impact on the franchise, the game of baseball and the Pittsburgh community. The inaugural class of 19 will include 16 members who are enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame after spending a significant portion of their career in Pittsburgh, as well as three other former Pirates whose contributions are also worthy of being a part of this initial class of inductees.

“The Pirates have been a part of the fabric of Pittsburgh for more than 135 years. During that time, the game has brought generations of families and friends from our community together to cheer on some of the greatest players who have ever played,” said Pirates Chairman, Bob Nutting. “We are proud to celebrate these players and managers and provide an avenue to continue to share their stories with our fans for generations to come.”

The inaugural class of 19 members will include the following 12 players who are enshrined as Pittsburgh Pirates in the National Baseball Hall of Fame

Honus Wagner - Paul Waner - Lloyd Waner - Fred Clarke - Jake Beckley - Max Carey - Pie Traynor - Roberto Clemente - Ralph Kiner - Arky Vaughan - Willie Stargell - Bill Mazeroski

The Pirates will continue to celebrate the rich history of the Negro Leagues in Pittsburgh by honoring four alltime greats from the Crawfords and Grays that are also enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Those members include:

Josh Gibson (Crawfords & Grays) - Ray Brown (Grays) - Buck Leonard (Grays) - Oscar Charleston (Crawfords & Grays)