How could Jim Trdinich not be excited to go to work each day?
He grew up a Pirates fan, and for the past 38 years Trdinich has seen the club perform up close. His drive to work each day takes him to PNC Park. His daily mission: to preserve everyone and everything connected to the ballclub. With the franchise dating back to 1882, there is a lot of collecting and connecting for Trdinich to chase.
As a staff of one, connecting the Pirates’ future with its past isn’t something taken lightly by Trdinich. However, the responsibility is one not only welcomed, but one few are qualified for.
“It’s the first time we’ve had one (team historian),” says Trdinich, who has been in the historian position for the past five years. “I’m curating for the future. We house the most Pirates memorabilia in one spot.”
With more than 140 years of team history to comb through, Trdinich is the perfect person to oversee the task. In collecting mementos from the current Pirates squad, Trdinich has a system to ensure nothing is overlooked as a significant milestone approaches.
“Every day I update a milestone chart. Such as Bryan Reynolds is coming up on 1,100 hits. I then update our authentication team. I’ll let them know I need a baseball from that game. In some cases, some of the guys aren’t aware of the milestones they have coming up,” said Trdinich, who, prior to accepting his historian role, handled for 33 years the chores of director of media relations for the Pirates.
The crown jewel of Pirates history in Trdinich’s tenure is Legacy Hall located inside PNC Park. Unveiled this past June, the level of attention to detail and the resources dedicated by the Pirates to showcase their proud history are obvious. Game-worn uniforms, Roberto Clemente’s locker from Three Rivers Stadium, and signed balls are among the eye-catching items displayed for all ticketed patrons attending Pirates games, or for those renting the multi-use room.
The displayed items are rotated so fans can see a flow of items that bring them back to a time that captures their favorite moments in team history. With the Pirates Hall of Fame Class of 2026 being recognized on September 3, items depicting Wilbur Cooper, Jack Wilson, and John Candelaria are currently on display for fans of all ages to learn from.
“Everything we have says Pirates history,” Trdinich explains. “We accept donations from fans. Denny Heindl and Stephen Wong have donated much to our collection, such as a 1909 baseball from Game 6 of the World Series (Pirates defeated the Detroit Tigers in seven games), and turnstiles from Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium.”
With a collection of items from the Pirates' past and present growing by leaps and bounds, space is limited as to how much can be displayed at a given time. Trdinich tells of a storage area where a treasure trove of Pirate memorabilia is safely housed, awaiting future display.
With Roberto Clemente Day coming up on September 15, honoring the Pirates legend for his on-field and lifelong humanitarian work, Trdinich has gathered items related to the Hall of Famer for fans to appreciate while on display. Trdinich is always thinking about new ideas that fans would be interested in.
“Last year when Dave Parker went into the Hall of Fame, we had a bat and jersey of his on display. Then, we changed it out with items from the 1971 and 1979 World Series,” Trdinich tells.
Any game or big play surrounding the Pirates isn’t forgotten by Trdinich. Names, dates, scores—he is the go-to guy with unmatched credibility. From the growth of Legacy Hall, a display worthy of a standing ovation from curators at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, to collecting, verifying, and categorizing anything Pirates-related, it’s not a stretch to think Trdinich was born for the task he has earned.
Comments
No comments on this item
Only paid subscribers can comment
Please log in to comment by clicking here.