Forbes Field
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, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League (NFL) franchise. From 1909 to 1924, the stadium also served as the home football field for the University of Pittsburgh "Pitt" Panthers. The stadium sat on Forbes Avenue, named for British general John Forbes, who fought in the French and Indian War and named the city in 1758.
"The House of Thrills" "The Old Lady of Schenley Park" "The Oakland Orchard" | |
| Location | 230 South Bouquet St. in Oakland, adjacent to Schenley Park |
|---|---|
| Capacity | 23,000 (1909) 41,000 (1925) 35,000 (1970) |
| Field size | 1954–1970: Left field—365 feet (111 m) Left center—406 feet (124 m) Center field—457 feet (139 m) Right center—408 feet (124 m) Right field—375 feet (114 m) |
| Surface | Grass |
| Scoreboard | Hand-operated |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | March 1, 1909 |
| Built | March–June 1909 |
| Opened | June 30, 1909 |
| Closed | June 28, 1970 |
| Demolished | 1971 |
| Construction cost | Estimated US$1–2 million ($33.9 million – $67.8 million in 2023 dollars) |
| Architect | Charles Leavitt Jr. |
| General contractor | Nicola Building Company |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Pirates (MLB) (1909–1970) Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) (1933–1963) Philadelphia–Pittsburgh "Steagles" (NFL) (1943) "Card-Pitt" (NFL) (1944) Pittsburgh Panthers (NCAA) (1909–1924) Duquesne Dukes (NCAA) (1933–1942, 1947–1950) Homestead Grays (Negro leagues) (1922–1950) Pittsburgh Americans (AFL) (1936–1937) Pittsburgh Phantoms (NPSL) (1967) | |
Pennsylvania Historical Marker | |
| Designated | July 7, 2006 |
Pittsburgh Landmark – PHLF | |
| Official name | Forbes Field wall: remnant |
| Designated | 1977 |
The US$1 million ($33.9 million today) project was launched by Pittsburgh Pirates' owner Barney Dreyfuss to replace his franchise's second home, Exposition Park. The stadium was made of concrete and steel, the first such stadium in the National League and third in Major League Baseball, in a bid to be more durable than wooden ballparks. The Pirates opened Forbes Field on June 30, 1909, against the Chicago Cubs, and played the final game 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; the Pittsburgh Panthers football team had five undefeated seasons before moving in 1924. In 1958, broadcaster Bob Prince dubbed Forbes Field "The House of Thrills" for the then-resurgent Pirates and several games that saw late-inning heroics.
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".