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Paul Skenes Explains Pirates’ Traffic-Cone Celebration Origin

His on-air account turns a Cincinnati pickup into a unifying clubhouse ritual.

Overview

  • Skenes, who spoke Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show, said the cone came from Cincinnati after Jake Mangum brought it in and likely grabbed it from a parking lot.
  • He said a Fanatics T-shirt that read “Hoist the Cone” sparked the idea for the prop.
  • Reporting that cited MLB.com’s Jason Mackey said assistant clubhouse manager Nik Cook put a Pirates sticker on the cone.
  • The ritual began March 31 in an 8-3 win at Great American Ball Park and the Pirates won the next two games of the series after it appeared.
  • Skenes said he hopes the celebration lasts through the season, and coverage noted it could show up again when Pittsburgh opens its home set against Baltimore on Friday.