The Pittsburgh Pirates inducted Wilbur Cooper, John Candelaria, and Jack Wilson into the team’s Hall of Fame on Thursday, recognizing their contributions across different eras of franchise history.
Wilbur Cooper pitched for the Pirates from 1912 to 1924, also playing briefly for the Cubs and Tigers. As a Pirates player, the left-hander achieved a record of 202-159 with a 2.74 ERA over 3,000 innings. He won at least 20 games in four seasons and remains Pittsburgh’s all-time leader in wins (202) and complete games (263).
John Candelaria was a consistent starter for the Pirates from 1975 to 1985. He earned an All-Star selection in 1977, led the league with a 2.34 ERA, and finished fifth in NL Cy Young voting. Candelaria played a key role in the Pirates’ 1979 championship, throwing six shutout innings in Game 6 of the World Series against Baltimore, defeating Jim Palmer in a 4-0 win as the Pirates completed a comeback from a 3-1 deficit.
Jack Wilson played shortstop for the Pirates from 2001 to 2009. He led the league in defensive WAR in 2005 with a 4.1 and finished his time with the Pirates with the third-best defensive WAR in franchise history (18.3), trailing only Bill Mazeroski (24.0) and Honus Wagner (20.8). In 2004, Wilson posted career highs with a .308 batting average, .794 OPS, 41 doubles, 12 triples, and 82 runs, earning an All-Star selection and a Silver Slugger Award as the NL’s best offensive shortstop.
Cooper, Candelaria, and Wilson join a Hall of Fame that includes Honus Wagner, Roberto Clemente, and Willie Stargell. The Pirates Hall of Fame honors former players and managers who made significant contributions as members of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Crawfords, and Homestead Grays.
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