Editing Forbes Field (section)

{{Short description|Baseball field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US}}
{{For|the airport formerly known as Forbes Field|Topeka Regional Airport}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox venue
| name                = Forbes Field
| nickname            = ''"The House of Thrills"''<ref name=PSGreHoT/> <br /> ''"The Old Lady of Schenley Park"''<ref>Gershman, Michael (1993). [https://books.google.com/books?id=udTtAAAAMAAJ&q=%22forbes+field%22+%22old+lady+of+schenley+park%22 ''Diamonds: The Evolution of the Ballpark'']. Houghton Mifflin. p.&nbsp;224. {{ISBN|9780395612125}}.</ref> <br />''"The Oakland Orchard"''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tCEbAAAAIBAJ&dq=oakland%20orchard&pg=2852%2C4161437|title=Forbes Field Rated Tops . . . .<!-- yes, there are this many spaced periods in the article title! --> . . . . Gets Perfect Ball Park Tag|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press|first=Lester|last=Biederman|date=June 5, 1938|location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|page=3 (Sports)|access-date=April 11, 2016}}</ref>
| image               = [[File:Forbes Field exterior.jpg|275px]]
| location            = 230 South Bouquet St. in [[Oakland (Pittsburgh)|Oakland]], adjacent to [[Schenley Park]]
| coordinates         =
| broke_ground        = March 1, 1909
| built               = March–June 1909
| opened              = June 30, 1909
| renovated           =
| expanded            =
| closed              = June 28, 1970
| demolished          = 1971
| owner               =
| operator            =
| surface             = [[Grass]]
| construction_cost   = Estimated US$1–2&nbsp;million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1000000|1909}}}} – ${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|2000000|1909}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect           = [[Charles Wellford Leavitt|Charles Leavitt Jr.]]
| structural engineer =
| services engineer   =
| general_contractor  = Nicola Building Company
| project_manager     =
| main_contractors    =
| former_names        =
| tenants             = [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ([[Major League Baseball|MLB]]) (1909–1970)<br />[[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ([[National Football League|NFL]]) (1933–1963)<br />[[Steagles|Philadelphia–Pittsburgh "Steagles"]] (NFL) (1943)<br />"[[Card-Pitt]]" (NFL) (1944)<br />[[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh Panthers]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1909–1924)<br />[[Carnegie Mellon Tartans football|Carnegie Tech Tartans]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1922-1928)<br />[[Duquesne Dukes football|Duquesne Dukes]] ([[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]]) (1933–1942, 1947–1950)<br />[[Homestead Grays]] ([[Negro league baseball|Negro leagues]]) (1922–1939)<br />[[Pittsburgh Americans]] ([[American Football League (1936)|AFL]]) (1936–1937)<br />[[Pittsburgh Phantoms (NPSL)|Pittsburgh Phantoms]] ([[National Professional Soccer League (1967)|NPSL]]) (1967)
| capacity            = 23,000 (1909)<br />41,000 (1925)<br />35,000 (1970)
| dimensions = 1954–1970:<br />Left field—{{convert|365|ft|m}}<br />Left center—{{convert|406|ft|m}}<br />Center field—{{convert|457|ft|m}} <br /> Right center—{{convert|408|ft|m}} <br /> Right field—{{convert|375|ft|m}}<ref name=ZZAlm/>[[File:ForbesFieldDimensions.svg|200px|]]
| scoreboard          = Hand-operated
|embedded = {{designation list|embed=yes|designation1=Pennsylvania|designation1_date=July 7, 2006<ref name="PAHMDB">{{cite web |url=http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_historical_marker_program/2539/search_for_historical_markers |title=PHMC Historical Markers Search |work=Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission |publisher=Commonwealth of Pennsylvania |format=Searchable database |access-date=2014-01-25 |archive-date=2016-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160321233735/http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pennsylvania_historical_marker_program/2539/search_for_historical_markers |url-status=dead }}</ref>|designation2=PHLF|designation2_offname=Forbes Field wall: remnant|designation2_date=1977<ref>{{cite book | url= http://www.phlf.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/Historic-Plaques-2010b.pdf |title=Historic Landmark Plaques 1968–2009 |publisher=Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation | location=Pittsburgh| year=2010 | access-date=2010-07-02}}</ref>}}
}}
'''Forbes Field''' was a [[baseball park]] in the [[Oakland (Pittsburgh)|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 [[American football|football]] field for the [[University of Pittsburgh]] [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|"Pitt" Panthers]]. The stadium sat on Forbes Avenue, named for British general [[John Forbes (British Army officer)|John Forbes]], who fought in the [[French and Indian War]] and named the city in 1758.

The US$1&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|1|1908|r=1}}}} million today) project was launched by Pittsburgh Pirates' owner [[Barney Dreyfuss]] to replace his franchise's second home, [[Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)|Exposition Park]]. The stadium was made of concrete and steel, the first such stadium in the [[National League (baseball)|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 [[Standing-room only|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.<ref>Keck, Harry (August 13, 1958). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=89477002 "Enthusiasm of the Fans Rubbing Off on the Pirates"]. ''Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph''. p.&nbsp;37. Retrieved November 24, 2021.</ref><ref>Leonard, Vincent (August 12, 1959). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54179167/aug-12-1959-forbes-field-acquires-a/ "Sports Vignettes: The Big Return; As If For the Championship"]. ''The Daily Republican''. Retrieved June 26, 2020.</ref><ref>Leonard, Vince (August 31, 1959). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54162046/aug-31-1959-forbes-field-acquires-a/ "Sports Vignettes: Buc Thrillers"]. ''The Daily Republican''. Retrieved June 25, 2020.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=lddaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3238%2C7150581&dq=house-thrills "Back the Bucs in '60"]. ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette''. April 12, 1960. Retrieved June 26, 2020.</ref><ref name=PSGreHoT>Keck, Harry (April 18, 1960). [https://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=89465691 "Same Exciting Script Being Used in House of Thrills"]. ''Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph''. p.&nbsp;16. Retrieved November 24, 2021.</ref><ref>Cernkovic, Rudy (June 7, 1960). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54167579/jun-7-1960-derivation-of-forbes/ "Blood Pressure of Buc Fans Return to Normal (During Road Trip)"]. ''The Weirton Daily Times''. Retrieved June 25, 2020.</ref>

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 [[1960 World Series|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".<ref name=FF150/>