Pittsburgh Pirates Logo PNG
The pirate spirit is evident in everything, from the block glyph form to the sharp design. The team shows its professionalism and roots. The Pittsburgh Pirates logo is minimalist but clear, using the first letter of the team’s name.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team that emerged in 1882. The club has been part of MLB since 2000 and represents the NL Central Division. Until 1886, it played in the American Association. The club is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The club’s foundation was laid a year before its official registration on October 15, 1881, with the emergence of the “Allegheny” franchise. At that time, Allegheny City was a separate settlement, so the group of baseball players was initially named in its honor as the center for games. After joining the National League, the team was named the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. This happened in 1887, during Denny McKnight’s last term.
Today’s name came a little later and relates to the Players League’s dissolution in the 1890s. That year, Pittsburgh’s management signed a contract with club member Lou Bierbauer. According to one sports commentator, the franchise captured him as a pirate. Thus, it was nicknamed “pirates.” Over time, the nickname became the brand name “Pirates”. This happened under William A. Nimick, who owned the team until 1891.
Then came two owners, William Kerr and Phil Auten. In 1900, Barney Dreyfuss replaced them. After 32 years, the club passed to William Benswanger and then (in 1946) to John W. Galbreath. Eventually, he faced financial difficulties, and in 1985, a local organization, Pittsburgh Associates, owned the team. Robert Nutting, the current owner, acquired it in 2007 from Kevin McClatchy.
Over nearly 140 years, the club has used 18 diverse logos. The steady shift toward the “P” proved beneficial. Today, the team’s symbol is well recognized and patented. The boom in letter-based versions occurred from 1900 to 1935. During this time, the franchise underwent eight logo changes.
Meaning and History
The Pittsburgh Pirates’ commitment to lettering is astounding: for over a century, half of the club’s emblems were based on the single sign “P.” The sign is used in various versions, from classic to Old English, and there is also a multi-letter version. Similarly, the pirate depiction varies.
What is Pittsburgh Pirates?
The “Pittsburgh Pirates,” formerly known as the “Allegheny” and “Pittsburgh Allegheny,” began as an American Association franchise in 1881 but moved to the National League six years later. Thanks to numerous victories, the team plays in the NL Central and is considered one of the league’s best teams. PNC Park became the “Pirates'” home stadium in 2001.
1900 – 1907
The first “Pirates” logo appeared in 1900. It’s a blue Old English letter “P” that simultaneously signifies Pittsburgh and the team’s name, “Pirates.”
1908 – 1909
In 1908, the club first used a three-letter logo. Over the red-printed letter “B,” blue letters “P” and “C” were placed. The monogram “PBC” stands for “Pittsburgh Baseball Club.”
1910 – 1914
The fourth club logo is almost a return to the original variant, with an emblem featuring a blue-printed letter “P” that spells “Pittsburgh” and “Pirates.”
1915 – 1919
The “Pirates” changed the team’s primary color back to red. The letter “P” now has a more streamlined shape.
1920 – 1921
In 1920, the team returned to the classic red-printed letter “P” in its name.
1922
In 1922, the “Pirates” completely changed the style of the letter “P.” It’s done in an Old English font, adorned with details and hooks.
1923 – 1933
The club has a new design for the letter “P” that signifies the city of Pittsburgh. The message is rendered in red in a streamlined style, with a thin dark blue outline added.
1934 – 1947
A logo appeared without the letter for the first time in the club’s history. It depicted a cartoonish pirate portrait wearing a black hat and holding crossed white baseball bats. The pirate’s neck is adorned with a red bandana, and in front, a gold earring is visible in his ear. The “Pirates'” logo hero is also dressed in a blue shirt.
1948 – 1957
1958 – 1966
Again, the “Pirates” logo features an animated pirate with stubble, wearing a black pirate hat and an eye patch. The character has two gold earrings in each ear, and a red bandana is visible under the hat. Below the pirate’s head are two crossed yellow bats and the word “Pirates” written in black. Pittsburgh Press artist Jack Berger Sr. drew this emblem.
1967 – 1986
This illustration was created by Bob Gessner, who also created the emblem for one of the NHL’s “Pittsburgh” teams. The new pirate is depicted against a yellow papyrus background. He looks friendlier, still wearing a black pirate hat. Below is the word “Pirates” in black.
1987 – 1996
The Pirates brand was refreshed in 1987. At its core is a yellow diamond, and inside is a cartoonish portrait of a pirate in a black hat and black doublet. The team name is in yellow with a black outline.
1997 – 2013
The penultimate club logo featured a large yellow “Pirates” inscription, with a pirate head below it. The character’s head wears a red-and-black bandana, a black patch over the right eye, and an earring in the left ear. Two crossed baseball bats stand behind him.
2014 – today
Management decided to revert to the emblem approved at the beginning of the baseball players’ careers: a single “P.” To this end, the developers used the Old English alphabet, making the symbol as modern as possible. The yellow letter has four spike-like crests at the top, an elongated leg, a rectangular space, parallel lines, and serifs.
This logo first appeared in 1900 and returned in 2014, preserving the distinctive visual identity. It refers directly to two words from the franchise’s name: “Pittsburgh” (the location) and “Pirates” (the baseball players’ nickname).
Font and Colors
The club’s symbolism falls into two broad categories: the letter and the pirate. The first version was used, in which the sign was played in the most diverse styles. This continued until 1934, when the logo featured a pirate image.
He was repeatedly redrawn. He was outlined, monochrome, realistic, cartoonish, funny, and serious. The Corsair image always included text. From 1934 to 1997, the pirate was depicted wearing a cocked hat, then a bandana. Some versions also contained crossed baseball bats.
The Pittsburgh Pirates team’s font was created from scratch and named MLB Pirates. The developers suggested large, black-and-white outlined glyphs for the full inscription. The modern emblem uses only two official colors: gold (for the letters) and white (for the background). Black is present in the extended club name, sometimes accompanied by a symbol.