Forbes Field home of the Pirates from 1909 until 1970

"Pittsburgh can now boast of the world's finest baseball park. It is a marvel of which people in other cities can have no adequate conception until they come here and see it."

-Fred Clarke in 1909

Forbes Field in 1909


Forbes Field was named after General John Forbes, who captured Fort Duquesne during the French and Indian War. His nickname was none other than "Old Ironsides" - quite an appropriate name for a Baseball park in the Steel City.

On June 30, 1909, when Forbes Field opened, it was renowned as the largest and, according to the Pittsburgh Press, the finest amusement stadium in the world. Because the Baseball facility, located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, was larger than any other Baseball Park in America at the time, experts were unable to estimate the numbers of people in the crowd on that day.

There was so much excitement on the opening day of Forbes Field, its doors opened at noon, three and a half hours before the 3:30 pm game time. The Pittsburgh Pirates would host the Chicago Cubs on that day. Reportedly, the official crowd of 30,338 was the largest gathering in any ballpark anywhere.  The grandstand held a total of 20,000 seats; there was a concrete bleacher section along the third base line that held another 6,000. Sets of temporary wooden bleachers were located in center field, and additional seats were being put on the field 1½ hour before the game.

For the fans that showed up early, there were two bands who performed; a brief ceremony that saw recognition of Baseball old timers; and a host of dignitaries, including Barney Dreyfuss, the Pirate owner and the man responsible for having the park built.

The first pitch had a twist to it as Pittsburgh’s Mayor William A. Magee tossed it from the second tier of the park. The writer of the item in the Press wrote:  “He hurled the bright sphere to John M. Morin, director of the department of public safety, who was on the field below. He made a fair catch, then walked to the pitcher's position in the center of the diamond, and hurled the ball across the plate to George Gibson, the Pirates' star receiver, who had taken his position.”

The Pirates lost the contest as Ed Reulbach of the Cubs held the Bucs to only 3 hits en-route to a 3-2 win.  But one thing was for certain: Baseball was entering a brand new era and Pittsburgh was, in large part, a charter member and force behind the growth of the game’s popularity.

Prior to 1909 most baseball parks held around 16,000 fans. Practically all of those facilities resembled Pittsburgh's Exposition Park. In April of 1909 Philadelphia opened Shibe Park, the first of a new type of park that saw the integration of concrete and steel structures, Built at a cost of nearly $ 500,000.00, Shibe Park was a gem; however, it held only 20,000 seats. Forbes Field, on the other hand, was built for the whopping figure of $1 million and held 26,000.




When Dreyfuss first envisioned the new park in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, people thought he was crazy. It was believed that the new Forbes Field would be a huge flop; unlike Exposition Park that was located on the North Side, Forbes would be too difficult for the average businessman to travel to. The cynics called it "Dreyfuss’ folly". Yet when Forbes was built, Dreyfuss had some pretty famous partners involved in the project. The list included Phipps, Heinz, Frick, and Mellon. The group agreed that Oakland, home of the Carnegie Institute since 1890, would now become a cultural district of Pittsburgh.
Forbes was one of the first Baseball facilities that catered to the wealthy. When the park opened, it housed luxury suites on the top level of the three-tiered grandstand. The original dimensions of Forbes Field were 360 ft. (left), 462 ft. (center), and 376 ft. (right). Compared to Pittsburgh's PNC Park's dimensions of 325 ft. (left), 410 ft. (left center), 320 ft. (right,) Forbes was nearly 40 ft. longer down each line and over 50 feet deeper in center.

In 1909 baseball was still in what is referred to as the dead-ball era. The Home Run had yet to become common in Baseball. In the dead ball era, hitters rarely swung for the fence as the standard hitters approach to an at-bat was to “hit them were they ain't.” A large park like Forbes lent itself well to that style. Because the Park was so hitter-friendly, in its 61-year history no one ever pitched a no-hitter in it. Additionally, the single season record for triples of 36 was set in 1912 by Pirate "Chief" Owen Wilson - a record which still stands today.

In 1925 the grandstand in right field was erected.  The addition added about 9,000 new seats; Forbes now could hold a capacity of 35,000 seats. Along with the new addition came a shorter fence in right - hacking off 76.5 ft brought the new distance to only 300 ft. In 1932 a screen, the top of which was a little over 27.5 ft., was added. In 1938 a press box called the "Crows Nest" was built atop the grandstand behind home plate. Despite these modifications, for the most part the superstructure of the Park (as it was in the early thirties) remained nearly unchanged over the next forty years.

 Forbes Field also became the home of the local professional Football team, the Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers, Steagles from 1933-1963. The Homestead Grays of the NNL called the park home from 1939 to 1948.  Other sports events, such as professional boxing events, basketball, soccer, and wrestling matches occurred there as well.  Finally, circuses, band concerts, political rallies, benefit shows, and other forms of entertainment were held there until 1970 when the park housed its final event.

Forbes hosts four World Series


On June 30, 1909 when the Pirates played their first game it appears that the fences that were made of wood had yet 

to be erected. In fact the temporary seats installed to accommodate the opening day crowd seemed to show that they 

stretched all the way to the left field corner.


THE 1909 SERIES:

In its inaugural season, Forbes Field hosted the Pirates’ first-ever World Series Championship. Their opponents were the Detroit Tigers. The Pirates had two future Hall of Fame players on the team, shortstop Honus (The Flying Dutchman) Wagner and player/manager Fred Clarke. The Tigers were led by a couple of future Hall of Fame inductees as well, Ty Cobb, and Sam Crawford. Cobb was a triple-crown winner in 1909.

                                  
The Pirate rookie sensation Babe Adams      Honus Wagner "The Flying Dutchman"                           Ty Cobb

The series was a seesaw battle that saw the Pirates take the first, third, fifth, and seventh games. The star of the ‘09 Series for the hometown team was rookie pitcher Babe Adams who pitched 27 innings. In his 3 appearances, Adams gave up only 4 earned runs.  For the Series his ERA was 1.33.


The brash Adams made a bold statement regarding being the starting pitcher for game one when he said, “I wish [manager Fred] Clarke would pitch me. I’d stand those fellows on their heads. (Ty) Cobb looks like a sucker to me. And (Sam) Crawford don’t look so hot."


THE 1925 SERIES:


                                                  
           Kiki  Cuyler                                                    Pie Traynor                                    Walter "the big Train" Johnson

Sixteen years later the Pirates were once again in the World Series; this time their opponents were the Washington Senators. The Pirates had two future Hall of Fame players in Hazen Shirley "Kiki" Cuyler and Pie Traynor. The Senators were the defending Champions with the legendary Walter Johnson on its pitching staff. The Series went the full seven games. Forbes Field hosted games one, two, six and seven and saw standing-room-only crowds that topped the 40,000 mark for each contest.  Johnson was brilliant in games 1 and 4; while pitching 18 innings he gave up only one run.  Bolstered by Johnson's dominating performance, the Senators took a 3-games-to-1 lead into the fifth contest of the Series. Things looked bleak for the 1925 Bucs. Cuyler and Traynor led the Pirates to victory in the next two games. In game seven, with Johnson on the mound, the Bucs fell behind the Senators 4-0 in the first inning. But the Bucs battled back and finally got to the normally dominant Johnson by scoring 5 runs in the seventh and eighth innings to win the Series over the Senators by a 9-7 score. Cuyler had two doubles in 4 at-bats while knocking in 3 runs. Traynor hit .346 for the series.




THE 1927 SERIES:

                                        
Babe Ruth                                                 Lou Gehrig                               Little and big Poison Loyd and Paul Waner



The Pirates returned to the World Series two years later in 1927 when they faced the New York Yankees. Many baseball experts consider the1927 Yankees to be the greatest baseball team ever. The lineup was referred to as "Murderer's Row", which included Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. In 1927 Babe Ruth, the “sultan of swat”, hit his historic 60 home runs on the season.

Although the ‘27 Pirates had three future Hall of Fame players in Loyd and Paul Waner (Big and Little poison), and Harold (Pie) Traynor they were still no match for the Yankees. The Bucs were swept in four games; the Yankee pitching staff was brilliant while giving up only 8 earned runs in the 4 game series.  In game 3 of the series, Ruth hit a three-run shot that helped the Yanks to an 8-1 win. In the fourth game Ruth slugged a two-run shot in the fifth inning and the Yankees won 4-3.

THE 1960 SERIES:
                             
Whitey Ford                                                       Yogi Berra                                        Mickey Mantle


Roberto Clemente making a spectacular grab



It took the Pirates 33 years to get back to the World Series and in 1960 they would once again meet the Yankees. Most experts expected the Yankees to win this Series as the "Bronx Bombers” lineup was loaded with hitters such as Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. Whitey Ford led their pitching staff. All three were future hall of fame inductees. The Bucs were led by a couple of Hall inductees in Roberto Clemente and Bill Mazeroski. Additionally, the Pirates boasted the National League's Cy Young winner in Vernon Law.

The Bucs took game one in the Series, beating the Yankees 6-4 in the opener. But, in the second and third games of the Series the Bronx Bombers lived up to their name by hammering the Bucs 16-3, and 10-0 respectively.  In game four Law and Elroy Face combined to quiet the Bombers and lead the Bucs to a 3-2 win. Game five saw Harvy Haddix and Face combine to keep the Yankees at bay once again, as the Bucs took a 3-2 lead in the Series while winning the contest 5-2. In game six of the Series, the Bombers were at it again, as they whitewashed the Bucs 10-0 and set up the historic seventh game of the 1960 World Series.

Major League Baseball calls this particular Game 7, "maybe the greatest game seven in World Series Championship history." Coming into the final game of the Series the Bucs had been out scored by a 46-17 margin.

In a game that was by far the greatest event ever at Forbes Field, the Bucs held a 4-0 lead heading into the top of the fifth. Over the next 2 innings the Yankees would score 5 unanswered runs to take a 5-4 lead which they would hold into the top of the eighth. In the top of the eighth the Yankees increased the lead to 7-4. The Bucs re-took the lead in the bottom of the eighth after catcher Hal Smith clouted a pinch hit 3 run homer and the Pirates added 2 more runs in the frame to give them a 9-7 lead. The Yankees, however, not to be out done, came back with 2 runs of their own and tied the game at 9-9.

There were no outs in the ninth inning when Pirate second baseman Bill Mazeroski came up to the plate. Ralph Terry was on the mound. His first pitch to Mazeroski was a ball. On the next pitch Mazeroski clouted it and took off for first. Believing that the ball was hit hard enough that it was definitely over Yankee left fielder Yogi Berra's head, Mazeroski churned toward second, thinking he had a chance at a triple. As he tells the story, he then heard the roar of the 36,683 fans at Forbes Field, he knew the ball had indeed left the park, just clearing the wall at the 410 mark in left center. The Pirates had won their third World Series in four tries.

Asked what pitch he threw to Mazeroski, Yankee pitcher Ralph Terry replied, "I don't know what the pitch was. All I know is it was the wrong one." Mazeroski had an excellent series as he and Bill Virdon led the Bucs with 5 RBI on the Series. His .320 batting average led all starters. Roberto Clemente hit .310, and pitcher Vernon Law was 2-0 in his 3 game starts. Harvy Haddix was credited for the other two wins; one in a starting role, his second win came in a relief appearance in game seven.


                                           Mazeroski just after connecting on Terry's 1-0 pitch.

The scoreboard was a one of a kind, as it was capable of showing an inning by inning running total of every game being played on that particular day. The Longines Clock was out of play. Any ball striking the 14-foot timepiece was ruled a home run.


Back Row: B. Rice: Travel Manager, H. Haddix, R. Friend, M. Vernon, R. Groat, J. Gibbon, R. Stuart, E. Francis, G. Witt, V. Law, F. Green, W. Mizell, D. Sisler: Coach, D. Whealan: Trainer

Middle Row: D. Murtaugh: Manager, F. Oceak: Coach, S. Narron: Coach, B. Burwell: Coach, L. Levy: Coach, Smokey Burgess, R. Schofield, G. Cimoli, R. Skinner, H. W. Smith, W. Virdon, D. Hoak

Front Row: G. Baker, R. Clemente, Recker: Bat Boy, J. Christopher, T. Cheney, E. Face, Rocky Nelson, W. Mazeroski, R. Oldis


Forbes Field Time-line
1910: a scoreboard was placed on the center-field wall.
June 9, 1914: Honus Wagner gets his  3,000th hit.He is the first player in the modern era to accomplish the feat.

 July 17, 1914: one of most exceptional games ever was played at Forbes Field between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the New York Baseball Giants. The two teams became locked in a 1-1 tie.  The Giants’ starter Rube Marquard hurls all 21 innings as does his counterpart, Babe Adams. Adams, the 1909 World Series hero, pitched all 21 innings while issuing no walks. It still stands today as the longest non-walk game in Major League Baseball history. This wasn't even close to being the oddest thing that happened on this day.

In the game's sixth inning, Pirate Hall of Fame inductee Honus Wagner is involved in a rather peculiar play.  Wagner was on first base when the play began. After Jim Viox got a base hit into center field, Bob Bescher, the Giant center fielder, gathered in the ball, and threw toward third base in an effort to gun down the Flying Dutchman. Giant third baseman Milt Stock, while trying to tag Wagner, lost the ball and it seemingly disappeared. Wagner promptly scored. It was discovered that the ball had bounced up and found its way under the arm of Wagner. He was subsequently called out for interference. The Pirates played the rest of the game under protest. Pirate manager Fred Clarke was ejected.

The game ended on a rather strange note, when Giant outfielder Red Murray was knocked unconscious by a bolt of lightning after catching the game’s final out.

October 2, 1920: the last triple header ever in Major League baseball is played between the Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds. Automobiles were being repaired and sold under the left field bleachers. 

August 5, 1921: The first ever radio broadcast of a Baseball game. KDKA AM 1020 
1925: The right field grandstand is added, increasing the attendance capacity from 26,000 to 35,000 seats. The grandstand stands 86 feet high and becomes a challenge to the power hitters of the day.

June 30, 1934: Forbes Field turns 25 years old. To commemorate the event, the team erects a granite monument to Barney Dreyfuss. The monument with a bronze tablet was installed near the right center field exit to the park. The Pirates lost 4-2 to the Chicago Cubs.

May 25, 1935: The legendary Babe Ruth played his final game. It happens in Forbes Field. He made it a memorable one, as he had three home runs on the day. In his final at-bat, Ruth slugged his 714th homer. The blast was the first-ever home run that cleared the right field grandstand. The ball was found atop the roof of 318 Bouquet Street. It was reported that the chief of the ushers at Forbes Field, Gus Miller, left the park and retrieved the historic ball.
1936: Honus Wagner Babe Ruth, TyCobb Walter Johnson, and Christy Mathewson are the first players elected into the Hall of Fame.
1938: The crows’ nest is installed behind home plate atop the infield grandstand. The new addition was built to accommodate the press box. The first elevator in the Major Leagues was installed at Forbes; it was used by the media to get to the newly-built crows nest.

 July 21, 1942: The legendary Satchel Paige of the Monarchs (Negro League) fulfills his promise to strike out Josh Gibson with the bases loaded; years earlier Paige had told Gibson that he would do so. On this day, Paige, while pitching against the Homestead Grays, had retired two batters and there was a runner on first. Paige promptly walked the next two batters to set up the showdown between Gibson and himself. Paige then told the crowd what was about to happen "Three fastballs, Josh," Paige tells him, then proceeded to strike him out...

 June 1943:  In memory of those serving in World War II, a huge wooden statue of a U.S. Marine was erected. The 32-ft tall Marine stood at parade rest and was against the wall in left field just to the right of the scoreboard. Any ball striking the Statue was considered still in play.

1944: Forbes is the home of the All-Star game for the first time. The National League wins by the score of 7-1. Rip Sewell entered the game and tosses three shutout innings. Sewell was famous for throwing what was referred to as the "ephus" pitch. The pitch was notorious because instead of being a regular toss it was lobbed overhand in such a way that it arced like a softball pitch and would drop into the strike zone just as it crossed the plate; Sewell had uncanny control of the pitch. On this day the crowd roared as Sewell floated two of the rainbows to George McQuinn in the eighth inning. After the game, Sewell was asked to explain why the pitch was called an "ephus". He replied, "An ephus ain't nothing. And that's what that pitch is... nothing."

1946: Wooden walls installed in left and center in 1909 are replaced with brick and ivy.

1946: Greenberg Gardens (later called Kiner’s Korner) is created. The Garden area was between the scoreboard and a chicken-wire short fence in left. The fence was put in place so that batters could shoot for a shorter left field fence. Pirate players Hank Greenberg and Ralph Kiner benefited most from shorter fences.

1955: The first statue of a Pittsburgh Pirate is created. The bronze statue, which stood in Schenley Park, is the likeness of the first player inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Honus Wagner. The Statue was moved in 1970 to Three Rivers Stadium; its new home is the home plate entrance at PNC Park.


1955 Roberto Clemente Rookie Card

May 1956: Forbes Field is the place where Dale Long hit his eighth home run in his eighth game in a row. The record set, still stands today.

November 14, 1956: The Pittsburgh Pirates tells the Media the franchise may have to move unless a new municipal stadium is built to replace Forbes Field.

1958: Forbes Field is sold to the University of Pittsburgh for $3 million
May 26, 1959: Harvey Haddix pitches 12 perfect innings against the Milwaukee Braves. In the 12th inning Joe Adcock  hit a home run off Haddix to win the game for the Braves.
1959: Pirate pitcher Elroy Face compiles an 18-1 record. His winning percentage of .947 is a record that stands today.
July 7, 1959: Forbes Field Hosts its second All Star Game. The National League wins 5-4. The Stars of the game are Willie Mays and Don Drysdale.

September 15, 1963: The first time a team uses three brothers in the same outfield. The San Francisco Giants insert Felipe, Jesus, and Matty Alou.
1967: Lloyd Waner is inducted into the Hall of Fame and joins his brother Paul. They are the first, and the only, set of brothers to be named as such. 
June 28, 1970: The Pirates sweep the Cubs in a doubleheader 3–2 and 4–1 in the final games at Pittsburgh's Forbes Field. On that day fans grabbed seats and other fixtures of the old park as souvenirs. It was finally torn down in 1971.

Home plate remains in almost its exact original location, on the first-floor walkway of the University of Pittsburgh’s Posvar Hall. The plate is encased in Plexiglas.

10 different players launched Home Runs over the right field grandstand. Babe Ruth is the first to do so in 1935. The feat is followed by the following; Ted Beard, Mickey Mantle, Wally Moon, Bob Skinner (2), Eddie Mathews (2), Jerry Lynch, Rusty Staub, and Willie McCovey.

Willie Stargell accomplished the feat a whopping 7 times.





On to Three Rivers Stadium