Baseball
Object number2017.148.1
Datec. 1979
OriginKorea
MediumRubber; Cork; Leather; Thread; Ink
Credit LineDonated in memory of Robert Burke
DescriptionBaseball autographed by the 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates team members.DimensionsDiameter: 2.875 in. (7.3 cm)Inscriptions"PIRATES" stamped in black above and below the stamped image of a pirate; the top "PIRATES" has "1979" handwritten below it in blue ink.
Black, blue, and red Ink signatures of Pittsburgh Pirates baseball players including "Bert Blyleven", "[illegible]", "Rennie Stennett", "Bruce Kison", "Chuck Tanner", "Phil Garner", "Bill Robinson", "Tim Foli", "Willie Stargell", "Omar Moreno", and "Ed Ott".
MarksBlack stamped text "KOREA".
Historical Notes1979 World Series Pittsburgh Pirates baseball signed by eleven Pittsburgh Pirates baseball players. The donor Jeff Dirling's grandfather, Robert Burke, worked at the post office and also as an usher at Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium. He collected commemorative Pittsburgh Steelers and Pittsburgh Pirates envelopes at his post office job and then would take them to the stadium to have the Pirates or Steelers players sign them for his grandson, donor Jeff Dirling. After the Pirates won the 1979 World Series Burke had some members of the team sign this baseball. The baseball was donated by Jeff Dirling, the grandson of Robert Burke.
Previous owner
Robert Burke
Previous owner
Jeff Dirling
Related institution
Pittsburgh Pirates
(founded 1887)
Related person
Bert Blyleven
(born 1951)
Related person
Renaldo Antonio Stennett Porte
Related person
Bruce Eugene Kison
(1950 - 2018)
Related person
Charles William Tanner
(1928 - 2011)
Related person
Philip Mason Garner
(born 1949)
Related person
William Henry Robinson Jr.
(1943 - 2007)
Related person
Timothy John Foli
(born 1950)
Related person
Wilver Dornell Stargell
(1940 - 2001)
Related person
Omar Renán Moreno Quintero
Related person
Nathan Edward Ott
(born 1951)
On View
Not on view1976