This is the greatest day of my life, he told reporters. The Three Rivers clubhouse was derisively nicknamed The National League Drugstore, the focal point for Baseballs biggest drug scandal; not only did it result in a 12-year prison sentence for Shiffman (Koch became an informant and ratted him out), but it also forged testimony from some of his major league clients, big names such as Dave Parker, Keith Hernandez and Tim Raineswho were all granted immunity to talk. As for the game itself, the Cincinnati Redswho just 17 days earlier debuted in Riverfront Stadium, the appearance and name of which would confuse many with Three Riversedged out the Bucs, 3-2. Nothing. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "threeriversstadium" Flickr tag. 104 View Of Three Rivers Stadium Premium High Res Photos [41][42] On August 11, 1985,[43] Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band hosted the largest concert in Pittsburgh history, when they performed for 65,935 on-lookers. The Sporting News Leonard Koppett admitted that Three Rivers and its modern ilk were admirably practical buildings, containing creature comforts and working facilities undreamed of in the old days, but he well understood their flaws. When Rooney passed away in 1988, his officealready drenched with reference books and memorabiliabecame a library. Three Rivers Stadium also hosted the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League and the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team for a single season each.[7][8]. A two-story, concrete marker for Gate D is the only portion of Three Rivers Stadium still standing. It is in North Shore. However, an archive of the original site still exists, albeit at a different domain name. Three Rivers Stadium presented itself as a fairer alternative to Forbes Field with its boilerplate field dimensions; no longer did Willie Stargell nor any other player have to drive a ball 400 feet and then hope that it cleared the fence. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise and National Football League (NFL) franchise respectively. At the time, the stadium still had a debt of just less than . Having just fallen behind at Three Rivers to the Oakland Raiders by a 7-6 score, the Steelers were 22 seconds away from defeat and facing fourth down 60 yards from the Raiders end zone. Three Rivers Stadium lives on in many different ways. The Pirates may have been overtaken by the Steelers as Pittsburghs most adored, but they still had Mojo; an aging but still dangerous Willie Stargell was joined by a colorful cast of characters that included burly MVP-level slugger Dave Parker, the tirelessly skinny and bespectacled reliever Kent Tekulve, and 67 starting pitcher John Candelaria, who threw the Bucs first no-hitter at Three Rivers in 1976. By the mid-1990s, nobody was making money at Three Rivers, except the Steelerswho continued to sell out every game. Three Rivers Stadium Historical Marker - hmdb.org Its not that the Pirates had a choice in Forbes Fields fateat least not after 1958, when they sold the ballpark to the adjacent University of Pittsburgh, which wanted to raze the structure for campus expansion. Remembering the implosion of Three Rivers Stadium 20 years ago The three succeeding portraits on the covers of this trilogy (which originally appeared volume by volume in 1954, 1959, and 1963) show the ardent young radical journalist and activist, the more mature Soviet tactician and commander of the Red Army, and the snowy-headed exiled sage. Driving directions to Three Rivers Stadium Home Plate Location Stargell came alive with a career-high 48 homers (his previous high at Forbes was a relatively mere 33), but he wasnt alone on the star chart. The plan was to build a whole mixed-use community around the stadium, including hotels, restaurants, a theme park, science center and marinaall connected by people movers. Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh is demolished by implosion, Feb. 11, 2001. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. [16] The stadium was located in a portion of downtown difficult to access;[11] political debate continued over the North Side Sports Stadium and the project was often behind schedule and over-budget. Two months later, on Dec. 16, the Steelers played their final game at Three Rivers, defeating the Washington Redskins 24-3. The stadiums only physical feature that remains where it once stood is an obelisk-style beacon for Gate D, which could be found in a grassy area outside the south end zone of Acrisure Stadium. Three Rivers Stadium stood alone, literally, as another cookie cutter, or concrete donut, or bowl. [35][36] It had a dirt skin infield on the basepaths for baseball through 1972,[26] until converted to "sliding pits" at the bases for 1973. Doug Harvey hands Roberto Clemente the ball after he doubled off the Mets' Jon Matlack for his 3,000th career hit on September 30, 1972. Price: From $89.99 to $129.99. Franco Harriss Immaculate Reception happened there on Dec. 23, 1972. The son of a saloon owner who ran a favored watering home for baseball fans in the Exposition Park era, Rooneyhimself not too bad a minor league ballplayerfirst named his team after the Pirates before changing it to the Steelers in 1940. Site of Three Rivers Stadium in background. Wagner, Kiner and Clemente could all agree that excitement was never in short supply at the Old Lady of Schenley Park. The Pirates move to Three Rivers Stadium failed to domesticate the base. After its closing, Three Rivers Stadium was imploded in 2001, and the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers moved into newly built dedicated stadiums: PNC Park and Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium), respectively. Sets of 2-3 Seat Feet- Oak Wood Floor Mounting Brackets - for Three Rivers Double Leg Style Seats. It was home to the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB) and the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). Monday 00:00 - 00:00. three rivers stadium home plate location three rivers stadium home plate location. . The left-field upper deck had been reached by Jeff Bagwell twice, and Bob Robertson, Greg Luzinski, Howard Johnson, Glenallen Hill and Devon White (his home run struck the facade) once each.[68]. Returning the following year as a member of the Reds, the Pirates wasted no time abetting the acrimony from his former fans. A proposal for a new sports stadium in Pittsburgh was first made in 1948; however, plans did not attract much attention until the late 1950s. Advertisement. It took 10 years to wipe it off the books. A Billy Graham Crusade took place at Three Rivers in June, 1993. The force of the collision ricocheted the ball back 10 yardswhere it was plucked inches off the ground by breakout rookie running back Franco Harris, who lumbered the final 45 yards down the sideline, barely evading numerous Raiders players and into the end zone with the winning touchdown. (Historic Pittsburgh). All good things come to an end. Doug Loizeaux, Marks older brother and vice president of Controlled Demolition, Inc., was happy to report that there was no debris within 40 feet (12m) of Heinz Field. A jury awarded Jones $125,000, but it was reversed on appeal. Despite its ultimate reputation as a mundane hunk of concrete, Three Rivers Stadium did spark some personality with its exclusive Allegheny Club, located in the second level down the right-field line. Donned with multiple, vivid uniform combinations of black, gold and pinstripes, the Pirates intensified their exciting brand of ball, particularly excelling at Three Rivers; during a last-gasp effort to steal the 1978 NL East title from the Philadelphia Phillies, they won a major league-record 24 straight games at home. Three Rivers Stadium Concert History - Concert Archives When 70,000 peoplemany without ticketsattempted to force their way into a 1976 concert featuring ZZ Top and Aerosmith, leading to an injury count of at least 250, public officials debated whether to end rock music acts at Three Rivers. This view of Three Rivers Stadium from Mount Washington, about a mile away on the south side of downtown Pittsburgh, shows Point State Park where the Allegheny River (next to the stadium) joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River. Alas, bureaucracy won the day over beauty and urban community. Dave Parker, who had the most hits at Three Rivers with 781, also had the longest hit streak in the stadiums history at 22 gameswhich he did twice, in 1977 and 1979. Another 3,000-4,000 viewing from atop Mount Washington and an uncounted number of people viewed the demolition from various high points across the city. (May or June, 1986) Koch received most of the cocaine from a freelance photographer named Dale Shiffman, who in later grand jury testimony claimed that two-thirds of the Pirates roster were buyers. After his arrest and asked to explain his lapse into mental freefall to do all of these things, the man put the blame on Steelers quarterback Mark Malone, who was finishing up an awful (46% completion rate, six touchdowns, 19 interceptions) season for Pittsburgh. Home, the place of origin or a destination point, is where the heart is. The stadium, set for use in late spring 1970, is the future home of the Pirates . Jul 18, 1998. It was a cold Sunday, Feb. 11 20 years ago that a demolition crew reduced Three Rivers Stadium to a heap of rubble and twisted steel. [29], Three Rivers Stadium was similar in design to other stadiums built in the 1960s and 1970s, such as RFK Stadium in Washington, Shea Stadium in New York, Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati, the Houston Astrodome, Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, and Busch Memorial Stadium in St. Louis, which were designed as multi-purpose facilities to maximize efficiency. Aerial view of the Golden Triangle and Three Rivers Stadium, with parking areas still under construction. The Steelers would move to Heinz Field after it was closed.[73]. Perhaps the Pirates biggest fan at Three Rivers Stadium was Steelers owner Art Rooney, who worked by day for his football team and, every night, moved up to one of the box suites to watch the Pirates. Nothing happens in Pittsburgh without fireworks. After reaching such heavenly highs in Three Rivers Stadiums first decade, the Pirates almost had nowhere to go but down in the 1980s. [15][17] Arguments were made by commissioner (and former Allegheny County Medical Examiner) Dr. William McCelland that the Pirates and Steelers should fund a higher percentage of the $33million project ($275.6 million today). His Hall-of-Fame teammate Steve Carlton had the most wins as a visitor, with 15. The charges detonated in rapid sequence, and the walls tumbled. It was also the site of the very first broadcast of ABCs Monday Night Footballexcept that it was a preseason game held on a Friday night between the Steelers and New York Giants. Three Rivers Stadium. [15][18], Ground was broken in 1968 on April 25,[15][19][20] and due to the Steelers' suggestions, the design was changed to enclose centerfield. The opening of Three Rivers marked the first time the Pirates allowed beer to be sold in the stands during a game since the early 1960s. After thirty years of being locked in at Three Rivers Stadium, who can blame them. TribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. Worse, there was wrangling between the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, the latter beginning to balk on its financial contribution toward the stadium unless the Pirates and Steelers pitched in more. This page was last edited on 3 March 2023, at 04:17. The initial chatter toward a modern stadium actually predated the universitys purchase of Forbes by a decade. It was perched right at the confluence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers, walking distance from downtown Pittsburgh. (The story is disputed, but its a good one.). In December 1987, an evidently deranged man managed to drive his car through the stadium and out on the fieldin the process, barely missing four employees but not several trucks carrying barrels of nacho cheese, much of which ended up covering his car. Three Rivers Stadium implosion seen from Point State Park on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2001. It was also the first playoff victory in franchise history. The stadium's name was derived from the junction of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers, where they formed the Ohio River, the "Golden Triangle". We had some immaculate times at Three Rivers Stadium.#SteelersHistory #ImmaculateReception pic.twitter.com/F5xEbYOd3j, Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) February 12, 2018. But the Steelers, benefitting from a generous NFL revenue sharing system badly lacking in MLB, played only 10 home games a year, not 81and so the stadium sat drowning in nearly $50 million in debt, while the Pirates were losing up to $10 million a year, borrowing more millions just to stay afloat and knocking heads with the stadium authority to sweeten the Three Rivers lease as they had been doing for years. Hardware included. Crowds of spectators gathered to witness the end of an era. Spectators are easily distracted by mesmerizing views of downtown Pittsburgh, the Allegheny River and the Sixth Street Bridge, now named after Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. Dave Parker had batteries thrown at him in the field; his Pirates teammate of five years, outfielder Lee Lacy, had bottles tossed toward him. PNC Park grandly looks out toward downtown Pittsburgh and is constantly acknowledged as one of baseballs best ballparks. Yet in the 1970s, Three Rivers Stadium was a super bowl, literally so for the Steelerswho went on to conquer four National Football League titles in their first 10 years playing at the stadium. Many other witnesses agreed. Breaking up the symmetry in the middle deck at left is the Allegheny Club, an expansive restaurant and lounge seating up to 700. Despite the last-game loss, Three Rivers ended up being very, very good for the Piratesat least on the field, where they finished with a 1,324-1,081 record. threeriversstadium photos on Flickr | Flickr It was to call for a 70,000-seat stadium with hotels, marina, and a 100-lane bowling alley. In 1972, the Steelers made the postseasonwhich itself was big newsbut the franchises coming-of-age moment occurred in their first playoff game with, arguably, the most memorable play in NFL history. Roberto Clemente, aging like fine wine at 37, batted .341 and dominated the postseason to followhitting .387, shining on defense from the outfield, and earning World Series MVP honors as the Bucs came back from an early 2-0 series hole to defeat the Baltimore Orioles in seven games. For the Pirates, time seemed to stand still on any progress toward an actual stadium. It's been 20 years since the home of the Pirates and Steelers was imploded before the new stadiums were opened. Home to the Pirates, who won two World Series, and the Steelers, who won four Super Bowl Championships, creating Pittsburgh's "City of Champions" identity. [36] A Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story in 1970 stated that the new stadium boasted 1,632 floodlight bulbs. She sued the Pirates and their subsidiary that managed the stadium, arguing that the Baseball Rule, which usually prevents spectators at baseball games from holding teams liable for foul ball injuries, did not apply because she was away from the seating areas and not watching what was going on on the field. . Tim McGraw / Kenny Chesney / George Strait / The Chicks (US) / Jo Dee Messina / Mark Wills / Asleep At the Wheel. Its spaciousness was evident from the outside; tall windows stretched upward and across, allowing patrons on cascading levels of table seating and barstools to enjoy the game while eating and/or imbibing. The concourse areas were dark and dingy. Opened on July 16, 1970. Three Rivers Stadium Home Plate Location. But a return to the championship podium, reviving memories of Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell, remained elusive; they lost the 1990 NLCS to the Reds in six games, led the 1991 NLCS against Atlanta three games to two before being shut out twice at Three Rivers to bow out, then lost again to the Braves in 1992 when, with a 2-0 lead going into the bottom of the ninth in Game Seven, they gave up three runs to suffer a third straight pennant defeat. The longest game at the stadium was played on August 6, 1989, when Jeff King hit a walk-off home run 5hours and 42minutes into the 18-inning contest, as the Pirates once again beat the Cubs 54. [59] The newspaper has revisited the issue and reported several times that the website remained active. In 1979, the Pirates introduced the Pirate Parrot, a mascot patterned after the successful debut of the Phillie Phanatic in Philadelphia a year earlier.