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| FORBES FIELD DEMOLITION 1972 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Demolition of Forbes Field. Chairs are being removed from the ballpark, as the scoreboard pays homage to a bygone era. Forbes Field opened June 30, 1909 and was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates after their move from Exposition Park on the North Side. It also served as the home field for the Negro League team, the Homestead Grays, who played all of their home games here from 1922 to 1939. The legendary ballpark saw Babe Ruth hit his last home runs here and Bill Mazeroski hit his infamous home run to win the 1960 World Series. The actual home plate from Forbes Field has been preserved in the floor of Wesley W. Posvar Hall. A commemorative plaque mentions the final games played; a double-header against the Chicago Cubs on June 28, 1970. The Pirates won both games, 4-1 and 3-2. Demolition began on July 28, 1971 after two fires severely damaged the structure. |
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League (NFL) franchise. The stadium also served as the home football field for the University of Pittsburgh "Pitt" Panthers from 1909 to 1924. The stadium was named after British general John Forbes, who fought in the French and Indian War, and named the city in 1758. The US$1 million ($26.3 million today) project was initiated by Pittsburgh Pirates' owner Barney Dreyfuss, with the goal of replacing his franchise's then-current home, Exposition Park. The stadium was made of concrete and steel (one of the first of its kind) in order to increase its lifespan. The Pirates opened Forbes Field on June 30, 1909 against the Chicago Cubs, and would play the final game that was also against the Cubs on June 28, 1970. The field itself featured a large playing surface, with the batting cage placed in the deepest part of center field during games. Seating was altered multiple times throughout the stadium's life; at times fans were permitted to sit on the grass in the outfield during overflow crowds. The Pirates won three World Series while at Forbes Field and the other original tenant, the Pittsburgh Panthers football team had five undefeated seasons before moving in 1924. Some remnants of the ballpark still stand, surrounded by the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Fans gather on the site annually on the anniversary of Bill Mazeroski's World Series winning home run, in what author Jim O'Brien writes is "one of the most unique expressions of a love of the game to be found in a major league city". |
