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THREE RIVERS STADIUM

PITTSBURGH, PA

When it opened in 1970, many fans were ready to move into Three Rivers Stadium, however most all Pirates fans were ready to move out in 2000. Three Rivers Stadium was the fifth cookie cutter stadium built. As with Riverfront Stadium, the idea for a new stadium in Pittsburgh was first mentioned in 1948. However, it was 20 years before a new stadium was built. Forbes Field, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates was aging fast. Like every other major metropolitan city in the late 1960s and 70s, Pittsburgh had to look to the future to maintain its Major League status. Therefore, the city needed a multipurpose sports stadium. The stadium was built where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers join to form the Ohio River, thus getting its name Three Rivers Stadium. Construction began on April 25, 1968 and was not completed until July 16, 1970 because of construction delays. The cost of the stadium was $55 million and seated 47,972 for baseball and 59,000 for football.

Three Rivers Stadium became the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL), concerts, circuses, and many other events. To convert the stadium from football to baseball, moveable seats were used. Two banks of 4,000 ground level seats along the first and third base lines for baseball were moved and became 8,000 50 yard line seats for football. Being a multipurpose stadium, tartan turf was the playing surface until 1982 when Astroturf was installed. Three Rivers Stadium was very colorful. When it opened all five seating levels were red and yellow. In the 1990s new blue seats were installed in the lower deck. One of the stadium’s most luxurious features was the Allegheny Club, a restaurant that accommodated 300 people for a view of the field and 400 people in the main dining area. Statues of greats Roberto Clemente and Honus Wagner sat outside the stadium. In the 1990s seats in the upper deck in the outfield were covered by huge championship tarps. The scoreboard was once located above the outfield fence but was relocated above the upper deck on the stadium rim. The Pirates began to lobby for a new stadium in the late 1990's. They succeeded and moved into PNC Park after the 2000 season. The Pirates last game at Three Rivers Stadium was on October 1, 2000. Three Rivers Stadium closed in December 2000 and was demolished in February 2001. 

All Star Game: 1974 & '94

World Series: 1971 & '79

3,000 hit by Roberto Clemente on September 30, 1972.

Pirate great Willie Stargell.

No hitter by John Candelaria on August 9, 1976.

Pirate Barry Bonds wins MVP in 1990 and 1992.