A possible misprint (?) by the MLB apparel maker has led to ‘HOIST THE CONE’ becoming a new Steel City slogan
By Ryan K Boman | April 2, 2026
The Pittsburgh Pirates have a new rallying cry, and like many others in the past, it’s born from an odd place. An unusual, unorthodox phrase in the team’s apparel by manufacturing brand Fanatics featured the phrase ‘Hoist the Cone’. Although it was a head-scratcher at first, the saying has just stuck. Now, the Bucs’ bench has made it part of their celebratory repertoire.
“The Hoist the Cone phenomenon is a 2026 Pittsburgh Pirates dugout celebration and meme, where players lift an orange traffic cone to celebrate hits and runs,” MLB.com writer Jason Mackey states in a recent report about the phenomenon. “It began following a Fanatics merchandise leak and was adopted as a superstition to celebrate offensive success and ‘direct traffic’ home.”
While the use of the analogy makes sense, the exact origin of the phrase is unknown, as is the person who intimated the campaign. At this time, however, it doesn’t seem to matter. The three-word mantra looks like it will be a trend at PNC Park this Summer.
“I just learned about it yesterday,” said Billy Cook, the Pirates’ new, official “Conehead,” distributing the props or simply running around, hoisting the cone. “I was like, ‘That’s pretty funny.’ Then a cone showed up [Tuesday].”
Like polyurethane pom poms, the Pirates’ new good luck charm is easy to see, and they’re becoming common knowledge for those in and around Major League Baseball. Some have even credited the cones with helping to recently reverse the Pirates’ early-season offensive woes.
Pittsburgh (3-3) is set to open up a six-game home stand against the Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres. However, there’s no word yet on how many cones they have lined up and waiting in the clubhouse, ready to rally the team to victory.
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