Pirates’ success leaves indelible mark on some area fans
Every time Josh Boyce glances at his right leg, he will be reminded of Wednesday, Sept. 25 — the day he decided to show how much he loves the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Just two days after the Pirates clinched their first playoff berth in 21 years, Boyce was at Vice Versa Ink on Morgantown Street in Uniontown permanently labeling himself a Bucs fan.
Tattoos are a form of expression for the Point Marion resident, who has lost track of how many tattoos he has had inked. But this new tattoo sinks deeper than others, he said. As the Pirates continued to show more potential, he said, he knew he wanted to get a tattoo to honor his favorite baseball team.
“It’s just love for the team,” Boyce said Wednesday, while the artist finished the outline of his tattoo. “If you’re a fan, you’re a fan. It doesn’t matter how they do. The Pirates have come so far, and no one thought they could do it, but they did.”
On Monday night at his home in California, Joseph Augustine watched the game with his 6-year-old son, Adam, who struggled to stay awake. Augustine could barely contain his excitement after the 2-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs but was still able to quietly lean over, kiss his sleeping son and whisper the good news.
By the next morning, he said, his son had learned of the victory.
“He said, ‘They’re the best team in baseball, aren’t they?’ I said, ‘Of course they are.'”
Fans throughout the local area say this is an exciting time to be a Pirates fan. The hype surrounding the team’s success has worked through communities, injecting energy into the vein of weeknight commerce. Sports bars that greeted a sparse crowd during the Monday-through-Friday grind are thriving with life.
At Darby’s Pub & Restaurant in Uniontown, owner Barb Johnston said Monday night was unlike anything she had seen in a while.
“It was deafening is all I can say. A lot of energy. This is the first year I really noticed that people have been coming in to watch them,” she said.
Bud Murphy’s in Connellsville has noted the heightened level of interest in the Pirates, many people staying around longer to catch the final innings of the game, according to manager Bob Bubarth.
“Everybody has got the Pirates fever. It was exciting, especially into that last inning. Everybody was on their feet,” he said.
Fans are even gathering at restaurants such as the Stone House Restaurant in Farmington.
“Our TVs have to be constantly turned on for the game,” said manager Morgan Balsley. “People are adamant on turning all the TVs on to the Pirates.”
And merchandise stores such as Black & Gold Snacks & More in Mount Pleasant have seen Pirates items flying off the shelves.
According to manager Shelly Siple, several people showed up Tuesday searching for playoff T-shirts that the store didn’t stock. She is hoping the shirts will be in stock by the end of this week.
“The more times (the Pirates) win, it seems the more people would come in to buy T-shirts,” Siple said.
Aside from their great play on the diamond, the Pirates players deserve just as much recognition for their good deeds in the community, said Colleen Watson, who assists in organizing Uniontown Community Night at PNC Park.
“Their work week is just a lot longer than (people) think, and a lot of them have families,” Watson said. “They don’t get enough credit. When you have someone who goes out of their way to be nice and it’s more than a job, and they are encouraging the young ones and putting on a smile. They are doing a really good job.”
Throughout the season, several local residents have traveled to PNC Park in Pittsburgh by taking advantage of Uniontown Community Night, which has attracted people from all around the area, according to Watson. Buses transported people to and from games.
This season the Fayette Chamber of Commerce assisted in the planning of a trip a month to PNC Park, which was always worthwhile, Watson said.
“We’ve been through rain delays,” Watson said. “We’ve been there for 17 inning games. You prepare for the weather, and you go.”
With the regular season winding down this weekend, the momentum will shift toward the playoffs. For fans like Augustine, it is a full-circle moment, remembering the last time the Pirates made the playoffs. Nothing can deter the excitement that has risen in him again, he said. No matter what happens, he said, he is glad he “stuck with them.”
“I didn’t care if they won the Central Division. I didn’t care if they won the World Series. I just wanted them to make the playoffs, and they did. If they lose, yeah, I am going to be upset. But still I am able to enjoy and get that excitement back.”