Pirates Unveil 2026 Hall of Fame Class
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PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates announced the players that made their annual Hall of Fame Class.
The Pirates revealed the three players in their 2026 Hall of Fame Class, including left-handed pitchers in Wilbur Cooper (1912-24) John Candelaria (1975-85, 1993) and shortstop Jack Wilson (2001-09).
These three players become the 30th, 31st and 32nd members of the Pirates Hall of Fame, which they started in 2022, which included an inaugural class of 19 members and then three members each in the past four years since 2023.
The Pirates will officially induct all three players on Sept. 3 and then have a pre-game ceremony on the field before they face the Los Angeles Angels at PNC Park on Sept. 4.
Jack Wilson Showed off Bat and Glove at SS
Wilson was one of the best defensive shortstops the Pirates ever had, making incredible plays and flashing his glove on a consistent basis, despite never winning a Gold Glove Award.
He was an All-Star in 2004 and won a Silver Slugger Award that season, slashing .308/.335/.459 for an OPS of .794, tying the NL lead with 12 triples, while also amassing 201 hits, 41 doubles, 11 home runs and 59 RBI.
His 201 hits were the third most in the NL that season and he became the ninth NL shortstop to accrue 200 hits in a season.
Wilson ranks fourth in games played at shortstop (1,128) and his 129 turned double plays in 2004 are the most for a Pirates player in a single season. He also led all NL shortstops with 492 assists and 234 putouts in 2003.
His 583 games played at PNC Park and 612 hit in the ballpark rank second-most for any player.
Wilbur Cooper a Blast From the Past
Cooper is one of the great early Pirates pitchers, with 202 wins and 159 losses, a 2.74 ERA over 3,199.0 innings pitched, 1,191 strikeouts, a 1.20 WHIP and a .258 batting average allowed (BAA).
He leads all Pirates pitchers in wins, complete games (263), ranks second in innings pitched and starts (369), third in strikeouts, fourth in shutouts (33) and sixth in appearances (469).
Cooper was the first NL pitcher to 200 wins and he led the NL with 21 wins in 1921. His 1.87 ERA in 1916 is also the lowest for any Pirates left-handed pitcher in a single season.
He also became the first pitcher to record two triple plays in the same season, earning a reputation for being a great defensive pitcher.
The Candy Man was a Terror on the Mound
Candelaria, also known by fans as "The Candy Man", was a crucial part of the last really successful tenure for the Pirates, helping them win the 1979 World Series.
He is the last Pirates pitcher to throw a complete game, no-hitter, coming against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Aug. 16, 1976. Candelaria was an All-Star in 1977 and led the National League with the lowest ERA (2.34)
Candelaria ranks fourth in Pirates with 1,159 strikeouts and ninth with 124 wins in his 12 seasons with the team.
He also threw a shutout with fellow Pirates Hall of Famer Kent Tekulve in Game 6 of the 1979 World Series, which helped the team win in Game 7, both games on the road vs. the Baltimore Orioles.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.