PIRATE BASEBALL OPENS SEASON WITH NEW SCOREBOARD ANIMATION

Just in time for the Pittsburgh Pirates' Home Opener on April 13, Art Institute of Pittsburgh faculty member and animator Mike Schwab put the finishing touches on a series of animations for the Pirates' scoreboard and jumbo screen.

Schwab's new series features the Pirate Parrot in a variety of comical situations and are used to introduce game-day traditions like the popular free tee shirt launch, the "noise" skit to rally the crowd and baseball bloopers captured from MLB league footage. Schwab's screen animations have been a part of the game day tradition for over a decade and include the legendary train conductor and a variety of skits involving the Pirate Parrot.

To see some of the animation stills, click here for a PDF.