Forbes Field
Posted by: 
Kordite
N 40° 26.491 W 079° 57.156
17T E 588828 N 4477289
Quick Description: Marker at Roberto Clemente Drive, University of Pittsburgh.
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 7/8/2006 3:26:24 PM
Waymark Code: WMGR8
Views: 73
Long Description: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.
