The Pittsburgh Pirates have a long and glorious tradition spanning more than 100 years of baseball and the Pirates have been blessed with some of the best players in the games history wearing t heir uniforms and sporting a P on their cap. Pirate greats go back to before the turn of the 20th Century and top players continue to dress out in Pittsburgh gold and black today. Any list of the best is subjective and choosing the 50 best players in Pirates history - in order - is neither easy nor free from that subjectivity, but this volume will make the case for the best of the best.

No doubt some fans will debate the wisdom of certain selections or the ranking. Disagreement and controversy are ensured because no fans view the game exactly the same way. Who was better, Honus Wagner or Roberto Clemente? Who rates higher, Bob Friend or Vernon Law? Who do you favor, Pie Traynor or Ralph Kiner? Surely the selections are great fodder for sports talk show discussion.