North Shore Nine

I received an email a couple weeks ago from a newer Pirates fan who had found NS9 after catching Bucco fever last year and wrote to us to share his story. How in the world does a family from Australia end up becoming Pittsburgh Pirates fans where the entire family sits down to watch condensed games after school exactly? Well, I’ll let him tell you the cool and unique story. Here’s Craig Dodson in his own words from down under. Enjoy.

It is 4 p.m. on a warm Thursday Autumn afternoon in Melbourne, Australia and I huddle around the TV with my young boys. Strangely, we are not about to watch our national sports of Australian Rules Football or Cricket, rather we are sweating bullets in anticipation to see if the Pirates can win in Texas.

How did I get here and why is 4 p.m. now my favourite time of the day?

Eddie Vedder has a lot to answer for. Last May, I made the trek from Melbourne, Australia to Pittsburgh to fulfill a lifelong dream (or midlife crisis according to my wife) to see Pearl Jam in the US for my 50th Birthday. Throughout the legendary show Eddie kept referencing his love for the black and gold and even donned a Pirates jersey to close out the show. It caught my attention and with a day to spare post-concert I booked a seat to PNC Park to see what all the fuss was about.

I was drawn in by the majestic view at PNC Park. I heard it was good, but not THAT GOOD. The customer service agent who showed me to my seat and dusted it (that would never happen in Australia) left a lasting impression. 

The passion of the fans was infectious. The Parrot won my respect for putting in the hard yards for 3 hours in a costume that must have reached 150 degrees on a warm night. The sweet sound of a ball hit in the middle of the bat. I can’t quite put a finger on it but I left that night wanting (needing perhaps) more.

I paused as a walked over the Clemente bridge and took one last look back at PNC Park. I just had a feeling that I had left somewhere special.

I left the US the following day wearing a Pirates cap and just a little bit of black and gold flowing through my veins.

Since returning to Australia I have become hooked on the Pirates.

Being a Pirates fan in Australia does present a few challenges to see live action. Day games start in the middle of the night in the Land Down Under and night games start early in the morning when the working day kicks off. 

The MLB condensed games highlights packages have become the best practical solution. It certainly seemed a better solution than permanently sleeping on the couch as my wife threatened if I woke her up at 4 a.m. to watch Oneil Cruz stealing bases or telling my boss I’d be late 148 times to work this year on account of needing to see if the Pirates could raise the Jolly Roger?  

Sounds simple doesn’t it—just wait a few hours and avoid all media then watch the highlights. Danger lurks everywhere to avoid having ‘the end of the movie’ leaked. I started issuing stern instructions to my wife and kids around not telling day Dad the scores before he could watch the highlights. This failed. I then tried pleading—this failed. Bribery? Again another failure. Then it hit me. Why not try inclusion and bring the Dodson family along for the ride.

Come and watch with Dad.

Progress was slow at first. Kids want instant winners. The back end of 2025 wasn’t helping my cause as the Pirates chalked up more losses than wins. My kids were fortunate in that their Australian sporting teams were successful and this was their norm. 

Slowly things started to change. It was the little things at first. Harry (aged 12) and Jack (aged 14) started to recognise the players and work out their favourites. Then they started to learn the game and ask questions. My wife Mrs D (a former softballer in Australia) was the play-by-play ‘expert’ who seemed to enjoy (perhaps a little too much) that she knew 97% more about the sport than the uneducated me.

A tradition or ritual if you like was forming. Being technologically challenged it took me significantly longer than the average person and a few extra coins in the swear jar but I figured out how to set up the MLB app and a daily reminder to watch the MLB condensed game at 4 p.m. 

The boys get home from school and we indulge in the same conversation we have had for the last 3,000 school days. I ask did you do much as school and the boys say NO. I’m pretty sure if NASA’s Artemis II missed its landing spot and lodged in their school oval they would still say it was a boring school day. Teenage boys hey!

As soon as Dad says let’s watch the Pirates the mood changes. We sit. We spectate. We endure the losses and learn about loyalty. We celebrate the wins and dream of October. We talk. We bond. We LOVE IT.      

Never in a million years did I think a year ago that the highlight of my day would watching baseball with my boys and riding the rollercoaster that is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just when you think you have life figured out.  

Today we roared with excitement as the Pirates got the W! The boys then ran out to the backyard to play baseball and attempt to run as fast as Konnor Griffin and pitch with the ferociousness of Paul Skenes. Sadly, for them they have my DNA and all I’ve given them for ‘tools’ is a receding hairline so I don’t suspect they will make it to the ‘Show’.

Who came up with a 162-game season? In Australia our professional sporting teams mostly play once a week. About 25 times a year you get to wear your heart on your sleeve and be invested in your team. In baseball I have found out you simply just have to get back up and manage the anxiety, hope, thrill, satisfaction, despair, anger and frustration on a 24-hour cycle. It is brutal as a fan and I have no idea how the players do it? Perhaps another reason I have learnt to love the game—nothing comes easy and it is a test of stamina.

One day I’ll make it back to PNC Park to see the Pirates again. This time I’ll be sharing it with my family. I don’t know when that day will come but mark my words I’ll find a way.  

Until then it will be the Dodson family on the couch every day at 4 p.m.! Go well you Pirates.

-Craig Dodson