PITTSBURGH — Josh Harrison returned to the stadium he called home for the first eight seasons of his 13-year big-league career.
Harrison, now 39, signed a one-day contract on Friday, officially retiring as a member of the Pirates.
“Pittsburgh is a special city, not only to me but to my family,” Harrison explained. “From the minute that I was traded over in 2009, I felt like I was home. Not just saying that to say it. Immediately when I was traded over, from the guys that were already here, to the organization, it just felt like a place that I could flourish.”
Harrison first joined the organization after he was acquired from the Cubs in a deadline deal in 2009. Two years later, he made his major league debut, and it didn’t take long for fans in Pittsburgh to rally behind him.
Known for his gritty style of play, Harrison’s career can be summarized by his uncanny ability to escape rundowns and the dirt that always seemed to be on his uniform after every game.
He credits his playing style, one the resonated with the people of Pittsburgh, to playing with two older brothers while growing up.
“My brother Shaun and my brother Vince, who is away coaching right now, they used to put me through the wringer,” Harrison joked. “As I got older and got amongst my peers, I knew there wasn’t anything I was afraid of. I knew I was skilled. Playing against them, I had to play a lot harder. What looked like me playing hard was just me envisioning both of my brothers out there.”
But Harrison accomplished much more than just winning over the fanbase during his tenure with the Pirates. He was a two-time All-Star, won the league’s 2014 Heart and Hustle award, and helped lead the Pirates to three straight playoff appearances from 2013-15.
“You embodied the type of player that we always want to bring into the black and gold,” said assistant general manager Kevan Graves.
After his career with the Pirates ended, Harrison played for the Nationals, Athletics, Tigers, White Sox and Phillies. But none of those stops compared to the eight years the man from Cincinnati spent playing at PNC Park.
“Pittsburgh has always been home,” he said.
Pirates chairman Bob Nutting joined the man of the hour on the stage. Nutting is hoping the weekend celebrating Harrison is the first step in bringing back former players to once again be part of the organization.
“I think the alumni group has been so important to Pittsburgh,” Nutting explained. “We wanted to do a better job of reconnecting, particularly that era that was so exciting for Pittsburgh, so exciting to the recent alums who are getting to retire and make sure we’re building that relationship to bring them back. I can’t imagine a better person to start with.”
Harrison recalled his time around notable Pirates alumni like Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski and two-time World Series champion Bill Virdon. Mazeroski and Virdon were two of a handful of ex-players who would consistently be around the team at spring training.
Like he did as a player, Harrison hopes that he provides a spark for his former teammates to pay it forward to the team’s current players and coaches.
“Those teams from ’13-15 had a lot of guys that have knowledge and still call Pittsburgh home. I’m sure those guys feel the same way as I do and would love to bridge the gap and pour into these guys the way the former players poured into us, because Pittsburgh is a special place,” he explained. “The tradition is very rich with history. Being able to pass that down and be a part of that is something I don’t take lightly and I’m very excited to be a part of.”
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