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Famed Pirates usher Phil Coyne passes away at 102

Some bad news for Bucs fans today.

MLB: St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

A bit of bad news this afternoon for any long-time Pittsburgh Pirates fan. Phil Coyne, the famed usher who spent 81 years working for the team, was reported to have passed away today at the age of 102, and it was later confirmed by Pirates Twitter.

Coyne got his start in 1936 when the Bucs were still playing in Oakland at Forbes Field and worked over 6,000 games in his career, with the only break he took being a four-year stint in the Unites States Army during World War 2.

Coyne retired with the Buccos in 2018 at the ripe, old age of 99, and upon retirement, his badge and uniform were sent to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Pirates owner Bob Nutting said,

“Phil will always be a true Pirates legend. He was a hard-working, passionate family man who proudly served our country as a member of the United States Army during World War II. He worked his first Pirates game at Forbes Field at the age of 18 in 1936. For the next 82 years and more than 6,000 games until his official retirement ceremony on his 100th birthday, Phil was so much more than an usher to us and our fans. As a testament to his life of service to the game of baseball, his Pirates uniform and identification badge remain on permanent display at the National Baseball Hall-of-Fame.”

RIP Phil Coyne. Thanks for being such an integral and historic figure with the Pirates.