Pittsburgh Pirates History

Exposition Park (1882–1909)

The Pirates' first home was Exposition Park, located on the north shore of the Allegheny River near where PNC Park stands today. A wooden ballpark typical of the era, it hosted the franchise from its American Association days through the transition to the National League. The park held about 16,000 fans and was the site of the 1903 World Series, the first modern Fall Classic between the American and National Leagues. The Pirates lost that series to the Boston Americans in eight games (best-of-nine format), but Exposition Park had already cemented its place in history.

By 1909, the park had become outdated, and the franchise sought a more permanent, modern facility. The final game at Exposition Park was played on June 29, 1909, and the team moved mid-season to their new home.

The 1903 World Series was held entirely at Exposition Park and Boston's Huntington Avenue Grounds. It established the tradition — still alive today — of the American and National League champions meeting to decide baseball's ultimate prize.

Forbes Field (1909–1970)

Forbes Field opened on June 30, 1909, in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood and would serve as the Pirates' home for over 60 years. Named for British General John Forbes, it was the first ballpark built entirely of steel and concrete — a modern marvel at the time that set the standard for the wave of classic ballparks that followed, including Fenway Park and Wrigley Field.

Forbes Field was enormous. The left-field wall stood 360 feet from home plate; center field stretched to a cavernous 457 feet. It was a pitcher's paradise where home runs went to die. Only rarely did anyone clear the 86-foot-high right-field roof — but Willie Stargell did it seven times.

The ballpark witnessed some of baseball's most iconic moments. The 1909 World Series clincher. Babe Ruth's final three home runs — all at Forbes Field in May 1935, as a member of the Boston Braves, with the last one being the first ball ever hit completely out of the park. And, of course, the moment that defines the ballpark:

October 13, 1960. Game 7. Bottom of the ninth. Score tied 9–9. Bill Mazeroski drives a 1-0 pitch from Ralph Terry over the ivy-covered left-field wall. Forbes Field erupts. The Pirates are World Champions. It is the only Game 7 walk-off home run in World Series history.

The Pirates played their final game at Forbes Field on June 28, 1970 — a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs. The park was demolished in 1971, and the University of Pittsburgh's Mervis Hall now occupies part of the site. Home plate remains preserved in its original location inside Posvar Hall, and a portion of the outfield wall still stands as a monument to one of baseball's great cathedrals.

Three Rivers Stadium (1970–2000)

When the Pirates moved to Three Rivers Stadium in July 1970, they traded the intimate charm of Forbes Field for the efficiency of a modern, multi-purpose "cookie-cutter" stadium. Shared with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Three Rivers was a concrete bowl with artificial turf and symmetrical dimensions — 335 feet down the lines, 375 to the power alleys, and 400 to center.

It wasn't as beautiful as Forbes Field, but it produced its share of magic. The Pirates won two World Series there — in 1971 and 1979 — and the stadium hosted unforgettable moments: Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit (the last of his career), Willie Stargell's towering upper-deck home runs, and the division-title celebrations of the early 1990s.

Three Rivers also hosted the 1974 and 1994 MLB All-Star Games, cementing Pittsburgh's place on the national baseball stage. By the late 1990s, however, the cookie-cutter era was ending across baseball, and Pittsburgh wanted a ballpark worthy of its baseball heritage.

The final game at Three Rivers was played on October 1, 2000 — a 10-9 loss to the Chicago Cubs. The stadium was imploded on February 11, 2001, and the site now serves as parking for Heinz Field and PNC Park.

PNC Park (2001–Present)

PNC Park opened on April 9, 2001, and was immediately hailed as one of the most beautiful ballparks in America. Built on the north shore of the Allegheny River — roughly the same location as Exposition Park a century earlier — PNC Park brought baseball back to its roots: a baseball-only facility with natural grass, intimate sightlines, and one of the most stunning backdrops in all of sports.

The Roberto Clemente Bridge (Sixth Street Bridge) closes to vehicle traffic on game days, allowing fans to walk across the Allegheny from downtown Pittsburgh to the ballpark. The Pittsburgh skyline rises beyond the outfield, and the river beyond right field has become a target for splash-hit home runs — a tradition PNC Park shares only with Oracle Park in San Francisco.

With a capacity of just over 38,000, PNC Park is one of the smallest venues in Major League Baseball — and one of the most beloved. It features a two-deck design that ensures excellent sightlines from every seat, a limestone and steel exterior that evokes Pittsburgh's industrial heritage, and nods to Pirates history throughout, including statues of Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, Honus Wagner, and Bill Mazeroski around the ballpark.

"PNC Park is the best ballpark in baseball." — Jason Stark, The Athletic. The combination of skyline views, river backdrop, and intimate scale has made it a destination for baseball fans worldwide.

PNC Park hosted the 2006 MLB All-Star Game and the 2013 National League Wild Card Game — the Pirates' first postseason game in 21 years, and one of the loudest nights in franchise history. It remains the home of the Pittsburgh Pirates and a symbol of the city's enduring love affair with baseball.