Pirates pay tribute to World Series hero Bill Mazeroski at PNC Park opener
· Yahoo Sports
The Pittsburgh Pirates and their fans are excited about the future as the team opens its 2026 MLB home schedule.
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The Friday, April 3, game against the Baltimore Orioles features the debut of top prospect Konnor Griffin, a 19-year-old shortstop. Plus, the Pirates have high hopes about a team that features NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and several free-agent additions.
Pittsburgh has its sights set firmly on the franchise’s first winning season since 2018 and first playoff berth since 2015.
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But the Pirates are making a few well-deserved nods to the past at PNC Park. Per Tribune-Review beat reporter Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh stenciled “Maz” into the outfield grass for the home opener. The gesture honors 1960 World Series hero and legendary Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski, who died on February 20, 2026.
Also, the Pirates will unveil a uniform patch to honor Mazeroski, who is a Hall of Famer. An on-field ceremony before the game will celebrate the lives and careers of Mazeroski, Elroy Face and Dave Giusti, all of whom passed away in 2026, according to MLB.com.
“I thought that was a really nice touch,” said Bill Mazeroski’s son, Darren Mazeroski, an area scouting supervisor with the Pirates. “I knew they were going to [wear patches]. But the fact that they’re waiting for Opening Day to debut it, it makes it even more special.”
Coincidentally, Darren Mazeroski signed Griffin as a scout after the Pirates drafted him at No. 9 in the 2024 MLB Draft, according to MLB.com.
A statue outside PNC Park honors former Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Mazeroski’s walk-off home run ended the 1960 World Series victory over the New York Yankees. Meanwhile, he enjoyed a long and storied career in Pittsburgh.
He played 17 MLB seasons, all with the Pirates, appearing in 10 All-Star Games and eight Gold Gloves. Mazeroski was a member of two of the franchise’s five World Series teams (1960 and 1971). He hit .260 lifetime, with 138 homers and 27 stolen bases and had an on-base percentage of .299.
“Maz was one of a kind, a true Pirates legend,” Pirates chairman Bob Nutting said, per ESPN. “His name will always be tied to the biggest home run in baseball history and the 1960 World Series championship, but I will remember him most for the person he was: humble, gracious and proud to be a Pirate.”
Mazeroski coached briefly for the Pirates and Seattle Mariners after his playing days ended. He became a fixture at Pittsburgh’s spring training site in Bradenton, Fla., as an infield instructor.
In 1987, the Pirates retired his No. 9. Then, in 2010, the franchise unveiled a 14-foot statue of Mazeroski running the bases after the 1960 World Series homer.
Pittsburgh and Baltimore meet at 4:12 p.m. ET Friday at PNC Park.