From Ambridge to Zelienople, everyone in Western Pennsylvania loves the black ’n’ gold. But why exactly are Pittsburgh’s official colors black and gold? The story dates back to the 18th century and a British aristocrat with a great sense of style.
Two hundred and fifty years ago, William Pitt the Elder, the Earl of Chatham, served as Great Britain’s secretary of state during the French & Indian War. After the defeat of the French at Fort Duquesne in 1758, British Gen. John Forbes named the area at the Forks of the Ohio in honor of William Pitt, originally calling the region “Pittsboro,” pronounced like his native Edinburgh.
Nearly 60 years later in 1816, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania officially chartered Pittsburgh as a city, which began using a city seal based on William Pitt’s family coat of arms. The seal featured a black background with a castle and three golden coins — a symbol of honesty.
For the past 200 years, the black ’n’ gold of the official city crest has served as a source of pride for residents.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, founded in 1933, have always worn the color scheme while the Pirates officially switched to black ’n’ gold in 1948. The Penguins, which had previously used blue and white, began to don black ’n’ gold uniforms in 1980 as part of The City of Champions era.
Today, Pittsburgh is the only city with three professional sports teams utilizing the same color scheme. William Pitt the Elder was also known as “the Great Commoner” because of his long-standing refusal to accept a grand title and put on airs — sort of like Pittsburghers.
Somehow, it seems fitting that Pittsburgh adopted William Pitt’s black ’n’ gold.
Visitors can learn more about Pittsburgh’s favorite black and gold teams as part of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, a dynamic 20,000-square-foot museum-within-a-museum inside the Heinz History Center. Visitors can enjoy a stunning collection of sports artifacts and more than 70 interactive activities that celebrate the rich tradition of sports in our region. For more information, visit www.heinzhistorycenter.org.
First Published: January 28, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
