Throughout the storied history of the Pirates, giving back to the community in meaningful ways has been a point of emphasis. In other words, it’s long been a part of the organization’s DNA.
Back in 2008, Pirates chairman Bob Nutting’s desire to formally extend such efforts beyond Pittsburgh to throughout the team’s Minor League system manifested itself in the launch of the Pirates Community Commitment Program (PCCP).
In the 17 years since then, hundreds upon hundreds of players throughout the farm system have demonstrated dedication to community service in their respective affiliate’s markets. Like Major League Baseball’s Roberto Clemente Day and the Pirates’ own Roberto Clemente Day of Service -- both annual events -- the PCCP was established in the spirit of the Pirates’ Hall of Fame outfielder who died on New Year’s Eve in 1972 on a mission to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims in Nicaragua.
Michael Chernow, the Pirates’ director of coaching and player development, believes that because the passing of “The Great One” was more than 50 years ago, it’s important to educate young players throughout the organization about the outstanding player and humanitarian Clemente was.
“It’s easy to see Roberto Clemente was an unbelievable player, a Hall of Fame player and arguably the greatest Pirate of all time,” Chernow said. “But there’s so much more to him than what he did on the field. It’s also about understanding the man, his core values and how he impacted the world. That part of his legacy is also crucial to who we are as an organization and who we are as Pirates.
“So, we really wanted to double down on the educational piece of why the PCCP is important. We talk to our Minor League players about the impact that can be made when you have the privilege of wearing a uniform. Whatever affiliate it is, from the Dominican Summer League all the way up to Pittsburgh, you have an opportunity and a platform to really make the community better.”
As part of Clemente Day festivities at PNC Park on Monday, winners of the Pirates Community Commitment Award from each Minor League affiliate were recognized on the field prior to the game against the Cubs. Outfielder Nick Solak, one of the top players for Triple-A Indianapolis this season, was among those honored. And it’s easy to see why. He understands the essence of the PCCP.
“The Pirates do a great job of honoring Roberto Clemente’s legacy by finding opportunities for us to get involved in the community -- of course in Pittsburgh, but also at every level and every affiliate in their Minor League system,” he said. “There are people in all those cities that, as players, we can really impact and help in different ways.”
Solak mentioned visiting patients at the Riley Hospital for Children and Little Red Door Cancer Agency in Indianapolis with teammates as community service events he found particularly rewarding. He also mentioned a baseball camp, a back-to-school bag-packing event for children in foster care and a financial literacy program for middle school and high school students as events he felt were well run and well received.
“We play a really hard game where there are a lot of ups and downs, and it can be tough at times, but there are a lot of really difficult things going on in life for a lot of other people,” Solak said. “So, to be able to get out and help those people and maybe put a smile on their face really helps put things in perspective. I think guys really enjoy going out in the community and helping people. There’s a real way to make an impact.”
When it was established, the PCCP outlined that every Pirates Minor League player must complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service each season, and many of them went above and beyond that number. However, a recent change to the Minor League portion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulated that community service can no longer be required.
Paige Moshier, the Pirates’ coordinator of process and integration, works with community relations reps at the Minor League affiliates to administer the PCCP. She admitted being concerned about the requirement to participate being removed but is happy to report the program has continued to be well supported by the players.
“We’re still getting really good participation, but it’s more driven by the players’ interests and things they see as valuable, rather than a requirement,” Moshier said. “And I feel it should be driven by things that the players are passionate about and things that are important to the organization. They’re not doing it out of any sense of obligation. It’s just who they are and the values they hold. So, that’s been really great.”
Home base for Moshier is the Pirate City training complex in Bradenton, Fla., but she frequently travels to visit community relations reps and players at the Pirates’ farm clubs. Her efforts are designed to improve the effectiveness of the PCCP and emphasize the values of the organization.
“That’s where the Miracle League comes in,” Moshier said. “That’s something that Mr. Nutting is super passionate about and the Pirates are very tied in with. So, we started with that as we worked to figure out how we can improve the PCCP and the value that it provides to the affiliate communities. We’d like to see more formalized partnerships, starting with having our players doing as many Miracle League events as they can.
“The idea is that as players move through the system, they will become familiar with the Miracle League and other partnerships we might form in the future. We’d like to see more continuity across the affiliates, and the affiliate community reps have taken that and done the bulk of the heavy lifting. I’ve helped identify where we can establish some different processes, but they’ve really taken it and run with it. They’re the ones making it work.”
Like all community service endeavors by the Pirates, the PCCP has been guided by the spirit of Clemente, and it always will be.
“Yes, the person who deserves credit for all of this is Roberto Clemente,” Chernow said. “He’s the one that set the standard, and we have an obligation as Pirates and stewards of the organization to honor his legacy. If we do a good job with the education piece, it will really help our players understand the ‘why.’ The PCCP and striving to make our communities better is something we can be proud of up and down the organization.”