Dry Land: Winning After 20 Years at Sea with the Pittsburgh Pirates

by Charlie Wilmoth

Dry Land follows Pittsburgh Pirates fans as they navigate the longest streak of losing seasons in the history of major American pro sports. The Bucs' 20-year drift raises provocative questions about why we root for sports teams in the first place. Why would fans invest emotionally in a team with so little to offer? And why do fans who openly describe themselves as "masochistic" and "delusional" stick around? Charlie Wilmoth chronicles the losing streak and explains how the Bucs finally built a team strong enough to challenge it. Meanwhile, he profiles fans in their teens and twenties who have never seen the Pirates win, and older ones waiting for the team's first winning season in a generation. Stir-crazy after two decades at sea, fans of all ages seethe at the Pirates' ownership and at each other, all while holding out hope that next year might somehow be different. Their loyalty is either inspiring or insane. And after two decades of choppy water, their luck is finally about to change. "The Pittsburgh Pirates' transformation from record-setting losers to perennial contenders might be this century's best baseball story, and Charlie Wilmoth is the best person to tell it." - Rob Neyer, FOX Sports "Pirates fans are like no others. After years of sharing his unique insights at Bucs Dugout, Charlie Wilmoth deftly captures the wildly varied emotions of Pirates fans in this excellent book." - Rob King, ROOT Sports "With a sense of humor and point of view that could develop only through firsthand experience, Charlie Wilmoth chronicles a team and fan base hitting rock bottom, then rising to the top in a redemptive 2013 season. Dry Land examines what motivates fans to remain loyal after decades of losing, and follows them as their skepticism washes away during the Pirates' playoff run." - Tim Dierkes, MLB Trade Rumors

Genres: Sports, Baseball

206 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2014

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Full Disclosure: The author and I are internet friends, and we met briefly at PirateFest late last year. I was interviewed for this book, and I'm quoted in one of the chapters.)

Either Charlie Wilmoth or Pat Lackey was going to end up writing a book about the trials and tribulations of being a Pirates fan during the worst losing streak in professional sports history. Charlie managed to get there first, and this is an excellent summary of what those of us who are crazy enough to be Pirates fans have been through over the last two decades. Bucs Dugout (which Charlie started) has been an integral part of my fan experience, and I'm grateful that Charlie took the time to document our ongoing psychosis in print.

[Dana Mialki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for any and all Pirates' fanatics - this book had me sighing, smiling, and close to proud tears several times!

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book: I think I finished all 190 pages in under 24 hours. Its not just a chronicle of the Pirates losing streak but examines the team building strategies (or lack thereof) of Pirates management that contributed to the streak and the eventual turnaround, delves into the psychology of fans of losing teams and the different ways people cope and react, and is peppered with Charlie's sharp wit throughout.

I'm sure that part of my love for it is that it feels like "my story": I remember every at bat, trade, and plot point Charlie references. The book feels like a family album to me in a way. But if you are at all interested in the nature and science of sports fandom, a good underdog story, psychology, baseball roster building strategies, or just plain good, analytical, funny writing, I think you will really enjoy this book, as well.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure much of my love for this book came from nostalgia and easy identification, but it's a fun, readable book. I do wish Wilmoth would have taken the time to look at the sort of analysis some trades/moves would have had before they happened, rather than just saying "that made sense" or "that seemed odd". I'd be curious to hear what analysts were thinking, concretely, for some of these moves, but that's a minor quibble and probably addresses something outside the scope of this book. In short, long time Pirates fans will likely appreciate this one, and many general baseball fans will as well.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book detailing the Pittsburgh Pirates futility over 20+ years of losing seasons from 1992 onward. Wilmoth really captured the Pirates' fans frustrations well, while also explaining why we still love the Pirates and stuck with them.

Wilmoth's look back at the many trades and players, managers and front office personnel who came and went during that time brought back a lot of memories.

[Marcus · Rating 4 out of 5]

#LETSGOBUCS

[Scott Townsend · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it. Every fan of the Pirates should read this book.