Forbes Field
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Kordite
N 40° 26.491 W 079° 57.156
17T E 588828 N 4477289
Marker at Roberto Clemente Drive, University of Pittsburgh.
Waymark Code: WMGR8
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 07/08/2006
Views: 92
The marker reads: "The first all steel and concrete ballpark in the nation, Forbes Field was home to the Pirates, site of four World Series in 1909, 1925, 1927, & 1960 and two All-Star games. Hosted the Homestead Grays, Steelers, and Pitt Panthers, as well as political rallies and boxing matches. Site of Bill Mazeroski's game seven, ninth inning, World Series winning home run on October 13, 1960 and Babe Ruth's last three home runs. Damaged by fire; razed 1972."
The park was built under the direction of Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss. It was named for a General John Forbes, and is perhaps the only major league baseball park named for an officer in the French and Indian War. Forbes' contribution to the area was having captured Fort Duquesne and renaming it Fort Pitt after British statesman William Pitt the Elder. Pittsburgh derives its name from this fact.
Forbes Field replaced Exposition Park. It is the only home the Pirates have ever had that was not on the west bank of the Allegheny River. It was in an attractive setting, with Schenley Park and a large ravine beyond the outfield area. In its later years, the tall Cathedral of Learning on the nearby University of Pittsburgh campus afforded a breathtaking view of the ballpark, and it is from that tower that many "aerial" photos of the ballpark were taken.
On May 25, 1935, the first home run was hit over the double-deck grandstand in right field, which, coincidentally, was Babe Ruth's final career home run. That was a target that Willie Stargell would breach a number of times in his early career with the Bucs. However, the most famous homer hit in Forbes Field was undoubtedly Bill Mazeroski's walkoff home run to win the 1960 World Series for the Pirates.
In 1986, Saul Finkelstein of Squirrel Hill began a tradition. On that October 13th anniversary of the seventh game of the 1960 World Series, Saul sat by himself to listen to a recording of that game. Now, hundreds of fans gather to listen to the entire game. Even Bill Mazeroski himself has attended to sign autographs, talk to fans, remember and be remembered.
Marker Name: Forbes Field
County: Allegheny
Date Dedicated: 07/06/2006
Marker Type: City
Location: Roberto Clemente Drive, University of Pittsburgh
Category: Sports, Baseball
Website: [Web Link]
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