I was 12yrs old in 1960 and spent many days at Forbes Field. I remember shaking the hand of Ernie Banks as the Cubs embarked from their bus at the visitors entrance. We used to find ways to sneak in. I was very bold and brazin on day and walked right in through the front office. Nobody noticed. General admission was $1.25 and on Saturday we could get in for .75. When I became a teenager with a drivers licence I used to pick up Manny Mota, Jose Pagan and Mattie Alou at the airport when they returned from road trips. Roberto was my hero. Thanks for doing this. Wes Young

@loyaldude10

8 жыл бұрын

+Wesley Young cool. must have been something for Pirates to win, esp with walk off HR, after they were so bad for years prior

@jacfred

6 жыл бұрын

A totally cool story... Oh my, back in the day...

@randalls9822

5 жыл бұрын

+Wesley Young. Awesome story. I have family from Penn Hills that still tell stories about the sights and sounds.

@lawrencebittke8478

5 жыл бұрын

Wesley Young I am a Dodger fan but Roberto Clemente was my idol. He could hit any pitch, any location, anywhere from that batting stance of his a mile off the plate. It figures a classy guy like him would die in a plane crash bringing relief supplies to Nicaragua after a serious earthquake. What a LEGEND!!!!

@dcasper8514

2 жыл бұрын

Lawrence Bittke.....Roberto Clemente stood away from home plate, because he wanted outside pitches. He Was trying to hit to right Field.

On the 50th anniversary of the walk-off Mazeroski home run, 10,000 people gathered where home plate used to be to listen to the game -- commercials and all. Pittsburgh is that kind of place.

@anthonyboerio4955

6 жыл бұрын

Actually, they gathered outside at the wall - home plate is under glass on the first floor in Posvar Hall ;-)

@jsivco3sivco785

5 жыл бұрын

Pittsburgh is that kind of place... Stuck in the past.

@randalltenor3012

4 жыл бұрын

I was there 50 years later.

@TheBatugan77

4 жыл бұрын

@@jsivco3sivco785 Stuck up your ass. That's where your comment belongs. Idiot.

@markgraham3370

3 жыл бұрын

@@anthonyboerio4955 This spot is very close to the actual home plate location circa 1970 lwhich is 15 feet away in a women’s bathroom. In a stall. I don’t know if there is anything marked on that spot. maps.roadtrippers.com/us/pittsburgh-pa/points-of-interest/old-forbes-field-home-plate

Thanks, Frank. "There Used To Be A Ballpark" says it all. He's singing about Ebbets Field in Brooklyn. I'm a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan and went to games at Tiger Stadium. It's gone. Forbes Field is gone. Ebbets Field is long gone. All the great big league ballparks are gone except Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. I wish I could have seen a game at Forbes Field.

@KevinMiller-xn5vu

2 ай бұрын

You can say the same thing about the Polo Grounds Comiskey Park Tiger Stadium, Griffith Stadium, Braves Field, etc.

Never heard that Sinatra song before. Beautifully done. And to finish with the pics of the great Roberto Clemente, just perfect.

What memories..tears flowing as my fondness for the Pirates and the beautiful city return. Thanks for an AWESOME recollection and tribute to one of America's GREATEST BALLPARKS and fans....

1:02 See the big smokestack next to a building with a cupola and pillars? That building is Hammerschlag Hall, where my old lab was. Central Catholic where I went along with Danny Marino, and my uncle was coach, and WQED/WQEX where Mr Rogers and so many other great shows were produced and aired, is just a little further and slightly left.

Just a wonderful presentation and great pictures---fond memories

@jsivco3sivco785

5 жыл бұрын

Wonder presentation; great pictures, shitty song!

@ryetim32

5 жыл бұрын

@@jsivco3sivco785 You're insane

@kevinmiller6324

3 жыл бұрын

@@jsivco3sivco785 Why is it shitty?

I'm on my way to Pittsburgh Friday night, May 16th, 2014.....definitely need to see the only remaining section of this classic ball park...the leftcenter and rightfield brick wall that it is still standing to this day...now a part of the University of Pittsburgh campus.....unlike those a holes in New York, where there is absolutely nothing remaining from the classic Yankee Stadium, the University of Pittsburgh had the sensitivity to keep this grand momento from both Pittsburgh and Pirate history.

@loyaldude10

8 жыл бұрын

+Will Drucker that is so great that Pitt kept the walls. Cant believe NY didnt try to preserve part of Yankee Stadium. Baltimore didnt preserve any part of memorial Stadium, and there is an ugly building there on part of the parcel, rest is still vacant after 23 yrs

@kevaninthe4135

7 жыл бұрын

There is nothing left of Shibe Park, Crosley Field, Ebbets Field and the Polo Grounds. In Boston they still have the right field grandstand from old Braves Field.

@anthonyboerio4955

6 жыл бұрын

Home plate is under glass on the first floor of the campus building there!

@TheBatugan77

5 жыл бұрын

Totally agree

@andykapsar4667

5 жыл бұрын

no shit. i think they moved something from old yankee to new yankee stadium, but it may be the old retired numbers or something. as far as im concerned, baseball died when they razed old yankee stadium. i get theres still wrigley and fenway, but this yankee stadium. with the wrecking ball to these storied venues baseball certainly lost some of its soul

I was in Pittsburgh in the summer of 1971. Went there with my brother Grant, and our friends John, and Roger on a music tour from Cleveland. We all were bandmates, and we came to Pittsburgh to check out the record shops, and music stores and we stopped by to see old Forbes Field. There was some bricks from the outfield wall laying loose on the ground. I picked up several of these, and I still have 2 them. These are precious keepsakes from a bygone era. Besides our band, we were all dedicated baseball players and fans.

@andykapsar4667

5 жыл бұрын

bygone era for sure. baseball lost its soul after the loss of the 94 season.

As a DJ in Pittsburgh at WKJF/WJOI, I played this Sinatra "ballpark" song quite often. One afternoon while I was on the air at the Mt Washington station, Bob Prince, the "Gunner", who had recently retired as the Pirates announcer, stopped in to do a commercial. When he was leaving I ran into the hall as he went down the stairs, I yelled Gunner we miss you. He looked up smiling, and in his gravelly voice he whispered with emotion, "I miss you all too."

@vinman1017

5 жыл бұрын

Are there any historical broadcasts of games that you know of "Thee Gunner" that a person can listen to?

@TheBatugan77

5 жыл бұрын

Nice.

Great memories there! My Uncle Victor had a concession at Forbes field "The Dugout" for many years of which i helped out as a kid...got to meet many players, Bob Prince and more...i was there for Mazeroski's walk off home run to win the World Series...

@williamnair1991

3 жыл бұрын

@MUFC - You mean like when hell freezes over.

@SmallScoopz

3 жыл бұрын

@MUFC classic untited fan

@dcasper8514

2 жыл бұрын

William Nair... What's that supposed to mean ?

First went there as an 8-year-old on August 9, 1956. Begged my Mom to take me to an afternoon game so I could see Jackie Robinson and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Dodgers won 7-3. (Looked up the year and the score and found the date the game was played) My heroes were Roberto, Maz, and Vern Law. Got to meet them all as a kid, and later as a young man. Forbes Field was - and still is - my field of dreams. So many sweet memories.

I have fond memories of going to games at Forbes Field as a kid in the 60's. Pittsburgh was a baseball town then. It was a magical time. Not like the social media, rock star wannabe athletes of today.

when they played for the love of the game those were the days!!!

@georgesealy4706

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, you have that right. It was a different time. The game had a majesty to it. People got dressed up to go to the games for a reason. Now all we have are slobs who have no idea what the pitch count is because they are deep in their iPhones.

Forbes field, loved when the Phillies played there. It was on TV back in Philly. Now we go to Pittsburgh's PNC park. Another beautiful stadium! Pittsburgh is great !!!

Went to my first MLB game at Forbes in the summer of 1961 as an 8 year old. Sat in the right field upper deck and it was magical. Over the years I most enjoyed the general admission seats on the lower deck opposite third base. Great seats if you did not get stuck behind a support beam. Not much TV then but I listened to every game I could on the radio. This video brought back such wonderful memories. I got home from school just in time to see Maz hit that HR on TV. My mom and I jumped up and down yelling with joy. Thank younz.

"I spent half my life there." Roberto Clemente

Watched many baseball and football games in the 50's and 60's.Nothing like Forbes Field. I lived south of Pittsburgh.Small town call Westland,Pa.Lots of great memories.

I saw my first baseball game at Forbes Field, 1957 against the Brooklyn Dodgers. I was 7 yrs. old and started learning baseball emediatly.

My first MLB game was at Shibe Park, but sure wish I could have seen the Polo Grounds, Ebbets Field & Forbes Field.

Glad they kept the wall near the university of pittsburgh I put that on my summer bucket list one of my favorite baseball fields ever built

@ray_road

8 жыл бұрын

I just went there a couple days ago and I took some ivy off the wall near the 436 ft marker

@stephenbravar7243

8 жыл бұрын

Nice idea.......next trip back to Pgh for me!

@georgesealy4706

4 жыл бұрын

One of the cool things was that the batting cage was in deep left center field during the games. One time Lou Brock hit a ball out there and somehow it got stuck there. He legged it out for a HR.

@dirkstorm

3 жыл бұрын

You can go in the university building there and stand on the old home plate in the exact location it was.

The best time to attend a game at Forbes Field were Saturday 1:05 starts. All of the contrasting colors and the long shadows cast by the light standards along first base in the later afternoon.

Loved that scoreboard and the ballpark. Three Rivers never measured up with all its modern advances. Some things better left alone.

I visited this site on the 50th Anniversary of the final game, which was 6/28/2020. Right in the heart of COVID. There was not a single other person there at the anniversary moment of the first game starting - incredibly surreal. Kind of sad, actually. I closed my eyes for a moment in the deafening silence to imagine the echoes of that 1960 crowd as Max rounded the bases. Really glad I made the trip that day.

2:36 The Yankees' Tony Kubek being attended to after taking a bad hop grounder to his throat in Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. That play opened the gates for a Pirates rally to take a 9-7 lead in the bottom of the 8th, only to have New York tie it in the top of the 9th, and the rest, as they say, is history.

It looks like it was mostly Mazeroski and Clemente. Other great players played there as well, including Honus Wagner. Wagner was also a coach for the Pirates for many years.

Grew-up as a Pirates' fan and never had a chance to see a game at Forbes Field, unfortunately. Many people from Pittsburgh told me that it was such a great place to see a game because the bleachers were so close to the action. Great video and a "touch of class" by Mr. Sinatra!

My "Uncle Hooks" was the Usher for the Blue Box Seats on the 3rd. baseline boxes, just beside the split with the bleechers. Evert game I waited for him to give me the "high sign", I'd get up and go to the accordian gate separating the bleechers from the main stands, whisper the password to the gate keeper and go see "Uncks" who stuck me into the seat I now have at my house........my "Field of Dreams".

I saw Forbes Field when I was a kid.

That was just damn nice! Bless Forbes' memory....

Good Job! I was there when I was maybe 7-8 years old (1962) I remember all the hoopla when the Pirates won the World Series in 1960 not what it was all about, just all the grownups going crazy! Thanks

@billsmith5985

8 жыл бұрын

My Dad and I were going thru Pittsburgh in 1962,and we both loved baseball. He took me to Forbes Field on a Sat. and the Giants were in town. Got to see Johnny Logan, from my (small)hometown of Endicott,NY. I was 13. The batting cages were left in centerfield 'cuz it was so distant.

I am very fortunate to have seen many games and many great players at Forbes Field. I loved how there were trees and a park behind the left field wall. I remember walking there after games to get to our car. I would be thinking about the home run balls that landed there.

There are some good scenes of Forbes Field in the original "Angels in the Outfield" (1951).

My dad and I took shelter inside that scoreboard. I think on one of those Prize Days they held in late September eevery year in the 60s. It rained so hard that it was everyone for themselves!

After the game you could walk onto the field and walk down the left field line to exit via a gate in the left field corner. I remember one Saturday in 1968 walking right by the Cardinal's Steve Carlton being interviewed by Tony Kubek. Carlton had won the game and also hit a home run.

@joelewis6405

6 жыл бұрын

Yes I actually did that. 1968 Father's Day game against the Braves, my first MLB game age 9, we had seats third base boxes at about level with the bag. After the game everyone just walked down, climbed over the railing, and walked on the warning track towards the bleachers and went out the ramp and gate there. Not a bad day, although Pirates lost, it was Ball Day and I got a baseball. I also went to a Cardinals game later that year in July, it was a Saturday but it was a night game. Delayed about an hour by rain, no giveaways but the Pirates won and Clemente hit a triple.

@aboxofbroken8tracks983

3 жыл бұрын

Mark Graham - in case you didn't know, the game you saw was on July 27, 1968 and Carlton hit his 5th inning HR off Bob Moose.

wow nice job! I never got to see it but my grandpa and cousin went to some games there.

can say I saw a game in Forbes Field in the 60s. Don't even remember who we played. Sat on the left field side with the great Willie Stargell not far away. I remember looking down on the big long grill covered with sizzling hot dogs. Things were simple then.

Outstanding video Rusty, good job.

They had to have a "modern ballpark," so they tore down FF and built 3 Rivers. But it wasn't long before people missed the character, the setting, and quirkyness of FF.

I was a little young for Forbes Field, but a lot of People talked about it, the first Game I ever went to was during the 1971 Season at the new Three Rivers!

Very nice video. One of the best !

Went there a couple of times in the early 60s. They used to have a deal called the knot hole club.if you were the correct height to see thru the hole you got into general admission for free with an adult paid admission. I saw the greatest right fielder to every play the game.. # 21 if you don't his name you're not much of a fan.

Well done, sir. Thank you...

I wonder if Yogi shared his first thoughts when seeing Maz's ball clear left field.....I'd love to hear his commentary on that moment

@loyaldude10

4 жыл бұрын

Yogi did make a funny comment later on. since Yanks were definitely the better team, and beat the Pirates soundly in the 3 games they won, and the margin in the games they lost was thin---he said we made too many of the wrong mistakes. No way they should have lost that Series

@goober208

3 жыл бұрын

@@loyaldude10 BACK TO THE WALL GOES BERRA

I liked Forbes Field better than i did three rivers. I still miss Forbes Field.

Bob Prince “he was out by a gnat’s eyelash”

Thank you Forbs Field.

The Bambino's 714th HR cleared that RF roof. What a shot! What a park!

Brings a tear to my eye

Forbes Field had such an expansive outfield it could take outfielders days to run down a “gapper” hit up the alley. There must have been a lot of triples and inside-the-park homers in that place.

@georgesealy4706

4 жыл бұрын

Yes there were. Those were the most exciting plays. I wish more ballparks had deep outfields. People want to see HRs. But they are over in a couple of seconds. A ball in the gap has much more excitement and drama. Is the runner fast enough? Can the outfielder throw and relay throw get it done? There is gonna be a slide. Meanwhile you are standing and yelling like crazy.

@georgesealy4706

4 жыл бұрын

@John Zubak Didn't know that. Thanks.

So perfect. Thank you.

I went to approx. 15-20 games at Forbes Field. Even though the Pirates were just an average team at best in the late 60's, there was so much history there and we weren't that far removed from the Maz World Series homerun. I remember smelling cigar smoke and seeing the old farts talking to the ushers before the games. Many of these people may very well have seen Babe Ruth play there. I feel bad for this new generation of fans. Their "big moment'" was a Wild Card playin game victory in 2013. PNC Park has not been kind to the Pirates or the fans as far as success and developing it's own rich history is concerned.

@vinman1017

5 жыл бұрын

@James Times have surely changed my friend. But be assured there are allot of true young unspoken Pittsburgh Pirate fans who do love the history. They are there. My dad took me to a game there when i was 4 yrs. old. But what do i remember???

@russs7574

2 жыл бұрын

#NuttingSucks

Great video!

Rusty, THANK U !!!

Spent a lot of my youth between 1960-1970 there

A fitting song for our old SF park.

One interesting fact about Forbes Field is that a no-hitter was never pitched there.

My dad and I ran inside the scoreboard from the bleachers at Forbes Field during a down pour. It was very strange experience.

Watched with sound muted. Much better.

To this day when I drive on Bouquet street I feel that I am trespassing on sacred ground

Amazing video! Unfortunately, grew up in the Midwest during a time of cookie cutter stadiums and artificial grass. I am proud do say, however, that I do have a stadium seat prominently displayed in my "baseball room - man cave" along with a program and ticket stub from the 1959 all star game.

@kevaninthe4135

7 жыл бұрын

The "concrete doughnuts" were/are truly awful stadiums.

I weep for Forbes Field

Me and my cousins were at the last game in Forbes about the 8 th inning I hear this destruction behind me and my cousin Fine was taking out a row of seats , you know the folding seats we sat on to watch the game we all thought good idea get some memorabilia so to work he got four attaches seats I ripped up a pice of artificial turf then I looked at the scoreboard , it was hand operated a worker changed the score inning by inning with metal numbers all of was printed on indivual metal sheets I ran to left field when I turned around behind me followed 1,000 yelling fans. 60 or so years later the seats rotted, the artificial turf disintegrated but fine still has the Saint Louis metal sign and some of the numbers from that left field scoreboard hanging in his basement good work fine

Roberto Clemente, hero. Before there was Ichiro, there was 'Bobby' Clemente.

Great Memories

Interesting. Beginning at 2:41 there's a couple of shots of the scoreboard. The actual score of the game (Game 7 - 1960 World Series) is not on it, just the runs for each inning. People had to add up the score themselves apparently. Unless there was another scoreboard in the park that showed the score? Just something I noticed. Can anyone who remembers Forbes Field answer that?

@clouddweller1195

7 жыл бұрын

They installed one in upper deck...........Ted Kluszewski hit a line drive off it...................

@johnperrigo6474

7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the reply. I just love the old ballparks. I grew up going to Braves games at Milwaukee County Stadium. Forbes Field has always been one that really fascinated me.

@jsivco3sivco785

5 жыл бұрын

I wonder how many home runs were lost because of that stupid clock on top of the scoreboard; in play.

And in it's entire 61-year existence, "The House Of Thrills" NEVER saw a no-hitter!

Is it any wonder Three Rivers couldn't replace Forbes Field in the hearts of Pirates' fans?

Sinatra grew up in Hoboken, where the first game under misnamed Cartwright rules was played So when he was a small child he may have met people who were at that 1845 game.

@TheBatugan77

4 жыл бұрын

Are you trying to pull a funny? Fail. Like when you try to pull your pud.

Great!

Honus Wagner And Pie Traynor Would Have Loved In This Ballpark, Right?

@lawrencebittke8478

5 жыл бұрын

Curtis Davis My late Uncles saw them play whenever the Pirates played the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The “Flying Dutchman” was their favorite.

@ryetim32

5 жыл бұрын

They Both played at Forbes Field

I know it's about baseball, but actually, it is about life!

Dick Groat.Don Hoak,Bill Virdon."The Real" Frank Thomas.Bob Prince/Jim Woods. Bob skinner/Honus Wagner?Pie Traynor,Gino Cimoli,Dale Long..............................Roberto played on a "team."

I was at Forbes Field but don't remember it. No, I wasn't drunk. I was 2.

@TheBatugan77

4 жыл бұрын

2 drunk?

Forbes Field-The only ballpark in MLB history where a no hitter was never thrown.

@johnperrigo6474

6 ай бұрын

That's a bit of interesting trivia. Thanks!

These days, the Pirates do a disservice to the team who played at Forbes Field.

Where was the "COLORED" section, I wonder???

@goober208

3 жыл бұрын

FORBES FIELD DID NOT HAVE IT

@jonburrows8602

2 жыл бұрын

@@goober208 Man, I just loathe these ignorant race baiters who literally have no clue. The old ballparks were all up north and never had any such restrictions. My dad used to go to Ebbets field regularly and hang with the other regulars, many of whom were black and he still has the photos! Some of these internet commentators just want to make issues where there weren't any.

Tiger stadium

Ol' Blue Eyes himself.

I'm almost 40, holy fucking shit, folks...

@charliedavisthearchitect3874

7 жыл бұрын

Stfu old man

@marshalljimduncan

Жыл бұрын

@@charliedavisthearchitect3874 I'm dam near 50 now!

🥲!

I never knew this song was specifically about Forbes Field. The lyrics don't mention any Pirates or Pittsburgh. Anyway, a great song

you can loose the music!

@aboxofbroken8tracks983

3 жыл бұрын

"Loose" is not the opposite of find. It is the opposite of tight.

@dougthegreat1808

3 жыл бұрын

@@aboxofbroken8tracks983 you are correct, thanks for the grammar class. Nevertheless "lose" the music!

Interesting fact: no pitcher ever threw a no-hitter at Forbes Field.

@ryetim32

5 жыл бұрын

@Murmurations On the right field roof

@ryetim32

5 жыл бұрын

@Murmurations For The Boston Braves

@ryetim32

5 жыл бұрын

@Murmurations I Think Stargel might be the only other guy to do that

Is there a better description of baseball (at least from the ownership standpoint) of baseball in Pittsburgh? 'Cause the old team just isn't playing, And the new team hardly tries This franchise will never win squat so long as the Cheapskate Owner, the Hillbilly Price Bob Nutting owns the team. #ThanksForNuttingBob

What a dump it was!

How come every fucking You Tube video about baseball parks plays the same fucking song?

@TheBatugan77

4 жыл бұрын

How come you're a giant douche?