For 40 years, Walt Srocki has had one of the best seats in the house at Pirates games.
His job? Making memories.
Srocki views most games — and fans in attendance — from behind a camera.
At the ballpark, nobody calls him Walt. With his long, salt-and-pepper-colored hair, big smile, Pirates cap and camera, he’s known as “Wally the Camera Guy.”
He’s the guy strolling around PNC Park looking for fans to film for the Jumbotron. Dating to the Three Rivers Stadium days, Srocki has worked more than 3,100 Pirates home games.
He sees himself as an extension of the team into the ballpark’s stands.
If Srocki sees a kid having a good time, he’ll make his way over to capture footage.
The kids often might not remember much about the game. But they’ll probably never forget being on the big screen.
On Thursday, the Pirates defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1, at a sunny day PNC Park.
Srocki will always remember that game. It was his last. He’s retiring after 40 years.
“I told the Pirates two years ago,” said Srocki, who is 65.
His body, he said, is telling him that it’s time.
Looming labor strife between players and owners and a possible Major League Baseball delay or stoppage in play next season makes the timing right.
As word spread about his retirement, fans and staff expressed their gratitude.
Last week, the signs with his picture appeared during home games. A longtime fan and season-ticket holder designed them.
“Thanks, Wally.”
“That’s a wrap, Walt.”
“Congrats!”
The signs nearly brought him to tears.
This week, fans took selfies with Srocki. He lost count on how many times he posed Tuesday night during a 2-0 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.
On Thursday, the Pirates’ final home game of the season, the team flipped the script: Srocki was the star on the big screen. He threw out the first pitch to his brother, Mike, all captured on the Jumbotron.
“Wally, we love you, pal. It’s your pitch,” a voice rang over the public address system. “Thank you for 40 unforgettable years.”
Fans hugged him, staff lined up for photos with him, and the team sent him home with a custom baseball bat inscribed with signatures from the Pirates organization.
“I’m getting a lot of love, and it’s really special,” he said. “The fan inspiration has changed my life.”
The love continued after the game ended.
“When I was walking out, I was signing autographs,” he said. “It was pretty amazing. People were stopping me as I was walking to my car on the street.”
First pitch on his last day. ????
Thanks for everything, Wally (AKA: Camera Guy ????) pic.twitter.com/tLvzCRIvrf
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 24, 2026
How it started
Srocki grew up in Lawrenceville and graduated from Peabody High School.
One of his early influences was his art teacher at Peabody, Donald Edmunds. Edmunds taught him silk-screen printing and encouraged his interest in art.
“He gave me a good foundation,” Srocki said.
Srocki was involved in the sketching club at Peabody and worked on scenery. He later attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, graduating in 1981.
His path to the Pirates started with a high school buddy who was working in the Pirates’ scoreboard room. He told Srocki the ballclub needed help.
“They didn’t have any animation graphics,” he said.
Srocki got the call and the job.
One of his jobs is creating the animated prompts that get the crowd going — the “Let’s Go Bucs!” moments and other pieces.
His first big Pirates animation memory is one he still remembers vividly from 1986. It involved black-and-white graphics of the Pirate Parrot flying down to Three Rivers Stadium, grabbing second base and flying off for a simulated stolen base.
“It was magical,” he said.
The camera guy
Srocki eventually moved from the Three Rivers control room running animations and statistics to the camera.
He started filming stadium activity in 1996, filling in for a sick colleague one day.
Back then, cameras had tubes. They were connected by cables, and you could only go as far as the cable would allow.
Today, Srocki can move around the ballpark much more freely.
For years, he also worked Steelers games. Pirates and Steelers crews were in the same building years ago and, at times, shared the same staff.
“Kind of cool,” he said.
At Pirates games, his work sometimes meant 6 miles of walking in a single night.
Retired life
Srocki and his wife, Laura, have seven children and 11 grandchildren. They live in West Deer, near Hartwood Acres.
Laura runs a cleaning business, and the couple has an LLC.
His wife and some family members were on the field with him as the Pirates closed out their season Thursday.
“The reception’s been overwhelming,” he said while gathering with others behind home plate. “I’m surprised I’m not crying.”
His next life chapter will be a simpler one.
“I want to spend more time with my wife,” he said, “and maybe raise some chickens.”