Alright, let’s talk about them Pittsburgh Pirates and their 20-game winners, you know, the fellas who really knew how to chuck that ball. I ain’t no fancy baseball expert or nothin’, but I know a good pitcher when I see one, and them Pirates, well, they had a few of ’em over the years.
Way back when, like, really way back, there was this fella named Harry Salisbury. This was back in 1882, when they was still called the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. He was somethin’ else, winnin’ 20 games. Imagine that! Pitchin’ that hard, winnin’ that much. Must’ve had an arm like a whip, I tell ya.
Then there was Nick Maddox, a young fella, just 20 years old, back in 1907. A rookie, they called him. And he was winnin’ games left and right. Don’t see that much these days, young’uns comin’ up and doin’ so good so fast.
- Paul Skenes, he’s one of the newer guys, real good pitcher, they say.
- Roberto Clemente and Honus Wagner, now they weren’t pitchers, but they played a whole heap of games for the Pirates. Real legends, them two.
Them Pirates, they been around a long, long time. They call ’em the Bucs sometimes. Been winnin’ World Series since way back – 1909, 1925, 1960, 1971, and 1979. That’s a lot of winnin’, ain’t it? And ya can’t win that much without some good pitchers, that’s for sure.
Stargell, another fella, not a pitcher, but man, could he hit! Hit .400 in the World Series one time, with a bunch of homers and doubles. But we’re talkin’ about pitchers here, the ones who get those 20 wins in a season. That’s a real accomplishment, let me tell ya.
It ain’t easy winnin’ 20 games, you know. You gotta be tough, gotta be consistent, and gotta have a good team behind ya. These fellas, they pitched their hearts out, game after game. They weren’t just throwin’ balls; they was battlin’ out there, tryin’ to get that win for their team and their city.
This talk about the 20 Wins Club, sounds fancy, but it just means a pitcher won 20 or more games in a season. Between 1976 and 2025, they kept track of all them fellas in the American League who did it. Pirates ain’t in the American League, but you get the idea. It’s a big deal, winnin’ that many.
The Pirates, they got a long history. Been playin’ ball since 1882, that’s a lot of seasons. Over 10,000 wins and 10,000 losses, pretty even if ya ask me, but them 20-game winners, they stick out. They’re the ones folks remember, the ones who helped bring home them championships.
So, yeah, the Pittsburgh Pirates and their 20-game winners, they’re somethin’ special. From old-timers like Salisbury to the newer guys, they all left their mark. Pitchin’ ain’t easy, and winnin’ 20 games, well, that’s a whole ‘nother level. That’s somethin’ to be proud of, somethin’ to remember.
And that’s all I gotta say about that. Them Pirates and their pitchers, they done good. Real good.
Tags: [Pittsburgh Pirates, 20 Game Winners, Harry Salisbury, Nick Maddox, Paul Skenes, Pitchers, MLB, Baseball History, Pirates History, World Series, Bucs, Roberto Clemente, Honus Wagner, Stargell, 20 Wins Club]
