Area of fair territory: 112,000 sq. ft.

Area of foul territory: Large.

Fences: 10 ft

Elevation: 745 feet

Tenants: Pittsburgh Pirates (NL); Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL)
Opened: July 16, 1970
Last game: October 1, 2000
Demolished: February 11, 2001
Surface: Tartanturf, 1970 to 1982; Astroturf, 1983 to 2000
Capacity: 47,971 (baseball); 59,000 (football)

Architect: Deeter Ritchy Sipple, Michael Baker, Jr. and Osborn Engineering
Builder: n/a
Owner: City of Pittsburgh
Cost: $55 million

Click to purchase stadium replica from the Danbury Mint Collection

History

   Three Rivers Stadium got its name because it is situated where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers merge to form the Ohio.  It may be the quintessential "cookie-cutter stadium" - it was symmetrical in shape, used artificial surface, and was a multipurpose sports facility designed so that the Pittsburgh Steelers could play there as well.

   Construction of the stadium was begun on April 25, 1968, and took much longer than its predecessor, Forbes Field, which was built in four months.  The stadium was scheduled to open for the start of the 1970 season, but wasn’t ready on Opening Day; nor was it ready for its revised target date of May 29, because the lights had yet to be put in place. Finally, on July 16, the new stadium was ready.

   The old stadium saw many classic moments - chief among them was the play known as "The Immaculate Reception," the fluky bounce into Franco Harris' arms, from a busted 66 Option with 22 seconds to go, that started the Steelers dynasty of the 1970s. It was also the site of the first night World Series game on October 13, 1971; Roberto Clemente's 3,000th and final hit on September 30, 1972; the 1974 and 1994 All-Star Games; John Candelaria's no-hitter in 1976 (the first by a Pirate since 1907); the Steelers' 1976, 1979 and 1980 AFC title clinchers; and the first extra-inning, combined no-hitter in major league baseball history (Francisco Cordova and Ricardo Rincon shut down the Houston Astros in a 3-0, 10th inning win on July 12, 1997).

   The stadium sat on a Delaware Indian burial ground, and the location was the site of many battles fought by General George Washington over possession of nearby Fort Duquesne.  It also sat almost precisely on the site of Exposition Park, which housed the Pirates for 19 years from 1891-1909.

   The stadium was shared with the Pittsburgh Steelers ever since the Pirates moved from Forbes Field in 1970. It was demolished on February 11, 2001.

   The Pirates moved into their new ballpark (PNC Park) in 2001.

Playing Field:
A new Astroturf surface was installed in 1996.

Three Rivers Stadium Firsts
Game - July 16, 1970, vs. Reds
Pitch - Dock Ellis
Hit - Richie Hebner
Home run - Tony Perez
RBI - Al Oliver
Stolen Base - Lee May
Double Play - Gene Ally to Bill Mazeroski to Al Oliver

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The address was 600 Stadium Circle, which is the road that encircles the stadium. Left field, to the east, abuts Interstate 279 and the Fort Duquesne Bridge approach ramp; the third base side (N) borders on Reedsdale Street. First base (W) sits on Allegheny Avenue, on the Ohio River, and the original point where the Monongahela River joins the Allegheny River to form the Ohio River; the right field side (S) borders on North Shore Avenue, Roberto Clemente Memorial Park, and the Allegheny River.

Analysis

   Three Rivers was basically a neutral park with symmetrical dimensions.  Doubles, triples and home runs generally are boosted slightly, because the ball carries well into the gaps (especially during the summer months) and the quick turf gave the ball some high hops and allowed a few hard grounders to eat up the men at the corners.  Artificial turf puts a premium on infielder's range; unfortunately, the Pirates' infield in 1999 didn't excel here, with guys of limited range like Warren Morris (2B), a post-knee surgery Kevin Young (1B) and Pat Meares (SS) patrolling the infield.

   The outfield walls had a few quirks, especially near the bullpens down the line, so corner outfielders had to be sharp.  In addition, left field here was perhaps the most difficult to play in the National League because the sun glinting off the windows of the Allegheny Club, on the third level over the first base stands, created a vicious glare. During night games, lights would shine off the windows and create havoc for the left fielder.

   But aside from that, it was a pretty easy park to play in.

Park Factors

Seating Chart

Dimensions

Foul lines: 340 (1970), 335 ft. (1975)

Power alleys: 385 ft. (1970), 375 ft. (1975)

Center field: 410 ft. (1970), 400 ft. (1975)

Backstop: 60 ft.

Foul territory: large.

• Second highest strikeout factor in the NL in 2000
• Third highest infield error factor in the NL in 2000

• Statues of Roberto Clemente, Honus Wagner and Willie Stargell dot the park.
• Numbers painted on seats in right-field upper deck where Willie Stargell’s homers landed.  The Honus Wagner statue, which used to stand outside of Forbes Field, stood outside of Three Rivers Stadium.
• An 8-by-12-foot area of the 406 marker section of the Forbes Field brick wall, 12 Romanesque window frames, and the Babe Ruth plaque showing where his 714th home run landed were in the Allegheny Club at Three Rivers.
• After 61 years without a no-hitter at Forbes Field, a no-hitter was pitched at Three Rivers Stadium less than a year after it opened by the St. Louis Cardinals’ Bob Gibson, on August 14, 1971.
• Without the inner fence, the outfield would have been 342 feet down the lines and 434 feet to center.