Pirate Parrot

Pirate Parrot
The Pirate Parrot entertaining the fans on top of the Pirates dugout.
Team	Pittsburgh Pirates
Description	Large, green parrot
First Seen	1979
Website	Official Website

The Pirate Parrot is a costumed mascot of the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He was introduced in 1979 in response to the popularity of the Phillie Phanatic introduced one year earlier, as the Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies had a fierce intrastate rivalry at the time.

History

The character of a parrot was derived from the classic story Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, most notably the one owned by Long John Silver named "Captain Flint".

The Parrot debuted in 1979 when he "hatched" at Three Rivers Stadium. That year, the "We Are Family" Bucs went on to win the World Series, with the Parrot serving as somewhat of a cheerleader to the crowd along the way.

The Pirate Parrot getting involved in the Great Pierogi Race, seen with Oliver Onion and Cheese Chester.

His initial appearance bore more resemblance to The San Diego Chicken, being thinner and "meaner". He wore more pirate-related items such as a captain's hat and vest, and often waved a Jolly Roger around on a flag pole. After the Pittsburgh drug trials of 1985 (see below), the Parrot was redesigned to his current appearance, gaining weight and making him more goofy-looking in order for him to appeal to children more. In addition, he dropped the traditional pirate garb in favor of wearing a Pirates jersey and backwards baseball cap.

The Parrot has become a staple within the Pittsburgh region, often appearing at events and Pirates team functions. He often appears in ads for the team on television. He has been embraced more in Pittsburgh among older fans than Steely McBeam of the Pittsburgh Steelers, and along with Iceburgh of the Pittsburgh Penguins serves as one of two bird-based mascots in Pittsburgh.

In recent years, the Parrot has been involved in the Great Pierogi Race, often influencing the outcomes of those races. Despite the Pirates introducing the pierogi racers and Captain Jolly Roger, the Parrot remains the team's primary mascot.

According to the Parrot's biography on the Pirates official website, the Parrot hopes to eventually be inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame.^[1] As of 2011, he has yet to be listed as a candidate, much less inducted.^[2]

Impact on the Pittsburgh drug trials

Kevin Koch, the original portrayer of the Pirate Parrot, was later discovered to be high from cocaine during several games as the Pirate Parrot, and was later discovered to be the "middle man" between players and drug dealers, introducing them to cocaine. The trials proved to be an embarrassment to baseball. Koch, who has lived a private life since, has shown regret for doing cocaine and introducing it to the players.^[3] Despite the embarrassment to the scandal, the Pirates kept the Parrot, although Koch himself was fired.

References