Longtime Pirate employees still believe
They have seen the good, bad and a lot of ugly.
They have persevered through two venues, years of defending a team that was impossible to defend and some heartbreak.
They have experienced the thrill of victory 鈥� not nearly enough of them 鈥� some difficult defeats and a bevy of losing seasons.
Through it all, they are as loyal employees as they are Pittsburgh Pirates fans 鈥� through thick and thin.
Dennis DaPra, Jim Trdinich, Dan Hart and Joe Billetdeaux are four longtime Pirates鈥� employees. Joining them is Pirates play-by-plan announcer Greg Brown, who save for five years in Buffalo, has been with the Pirates since 1979.
鈥淚 was in the clubhouse that night in 鈥�79 after Game 7 in Baltimore,鈥� Brown said. 鈥淔irst year in and I鈥檓 thinking 鈥榯his is easy.'鈥�
It鈥檚 mostly been a struggle ever since. The happy ending has eluded the five senior Pirates employees.
After a record 20-8 April, here we are in another dark place. It鈥檚 more struggle and strife, closer to last than first. Fans are disgruntled and restless.
For three of them, DaPra, Billetdeaux and Trdinich, their careers span the three National League East Division championships of 1990-1992 and three consecutive deflating defeats, which was followed by 20 consecutive losing seasons.
The threesome are all Slippery Rock University graduates. They are close.
They have a lot of little boy in them. They still believe.
鈥淎nytime you鈥檙e in a situation where the team is performing at a high level, there is absolutely a hop in the step of all employees,鈥� DaPra said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 from gameday operations to the front office. Things are more efficient and effective. It鈥檚 a better environment for employees and a better experience for our guests.鈥�
Trdinich said the work situation is different than at most organizations or companies.
鈥淚t really must be one of the most unique things in any workforce, anywhere,鈥� Trdinich said. 鈥淭hree people from the same college (Slippery Rock), working 30-plus years for the same organization and in different departments. It鈥檚 really an incredible accomplishment. It鈥檚 something that all three of us are very proud of.鈥�
Billetdeaux called Trdinich a 鈥減arty crasher at the frat Dennis and I belonged to (at Slippery Rock).鈥�
They鈥檇 all like to crash one party in particular.
鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty cool that we have known each other so long and worked for our favorite team together this long,鈥� Billetdeaux said.
鈥淚鈥檓 a glass half full guy. It鈥檚 been tough. The 20-year losing streak was tough. But it is baseball, and we love it. We鈥檝e endured and we still have fun doing it. We have hope.鈥�
Hart came to the team a little later, but he is now part of the crew and proud of it.
鈥淚 think that it鈥檚 something to be very proud of as a longtime employee of the team. Dennis, Jimmy and Joe were already employees when I was hired in November of 1999,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淭hey bring not only a tremendous amount of experience to the organization but also a lot of respect because they鈥檝e been doing their jobs at such a high level for such a long time.鈥�
n DaPra, who was born in Canonsburg and graduated from Peters Township High School, is the club鈥檚 executive vice president and general manager of PNC Park. He oversaw Three Rivers Stadium operations for the Pirates. He has been employed by the Pirates for 38 years 鈥� all but two in stadium operations. He started with the Pirates when he was 22-years-old.
n Trdinich is in his 35th season, starting as an intern in 1985. A Hampton High School product, he served a long stint as one of MLB鈥檚 top director of media relations and currently is the club鈥檚 director, player relations and team historian.
n Billetdeaux is director, alumni affairs, promotions and licensing. He is in his 35th full-time season and interned and worked in ticket operations in 1987. He is a Bishop Carroll High School graduate.
n Hart has been with the team 24 years, starting in November 1999. He is a Seneca Valley High School graduate and is the Pirates鈥� director, media relations.
Brown stressed how good the four are at their jobs and 鈥渉ow helpful they鈥檝e been鈥� to him through the years.
鈥淓very one of them do a tremendous job all the time,鈥� he added. 鈥淭hey have all helped me. They are all my friends. They鈥檙e as loyal as they come and still excited about the Pirates and their work.鈥�
He added it is apparent that all the men are gratified by their work.
鈥淚 believe that I fulfilled everything that I set out for in my career by being able to work for my hometown team,鈥� Hart explained. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been extremely proud to say that I made it to the big leagues as an employee of a team that I grew up following for as long as I can remember.
鈥淚t means everything to me to be a kid from western Pennsylvania who gets the opportunity to work for the Pirates. I鈥檝e always been proud to be the son of a steelworker from western Pennsylvania who was fortunate to receive a good education and put my degree to work that helped me get to where I strived for professionally.鈥�
No one knows more than DaPra that the atmosphere around the team is dictated by the won-lost record, and the team鈥檚 standing in the National League Central Division.
鈥淲e noticed the excitement in April,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he buzz among employees and the fans, atmosphere outside the park and among friends and family went up. It was like 2013. That vibe was obviously apparent.
鈥淭hings have changed (this year) and are more relaxed than the Covid years. There are still certain things in place coming off Covid that we still incomplete. We鈥檙e obviously focused on fan experience. (Owner) Bob (Nutting) and (President) Travis (Williams) have been at the forefront of what we want to see and have as our fans experience. We鈥檝e improved under their leadership.鈥�
Hart captured the nature of sports and fandom.
鈥淚 love it because I always think of sports as the greatest reality show on TV,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淥ne night you鈥檙e driving home, and you feel on top of the world after a win. A couple days later you might feel like you may never win again. The excitement of a game day and the rush that brings all these years later has always been one of my favorite things about the job.鈥�