The 1971 Pirates, Clemente, Stargell, Doc Ellis, Al Oliver, Cash, Sanguillen, Blass, Guisti and crew. I'm definitely biased. I was 8 and fell in love with baseball that year because of that team. They were cool, ethnic, and had a swagger on the field that was captivating. They were a team of contrasting cultures, languages, and playing styles. I could related to them. I am bi-racial and grew up in a home where Spanish was spoken. The Pirates seemed to reflect what was going on in my house. My father was a quiet white guy with a crew cut who smoked cigars, listened to Miles Davis, and loved the Bucs. My Mexican Mother was outspoken, colorful and very opinionated. She also spoke five languages.
At that time my TV was black and white yet oddly enough I remember the Pirates in full color. During the 1971 Series Clemente literally seemed to leap from the TV. The pride I felt when he spoke my mother's language on TV was overwhelming. I know there have been better teams but this is the one that brought me to the dance. Forty years later I'm still loyal to them. Has it really been that long? MLB needs to retire the number 21.
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