Three Rivers Stadium came into the world last night to the roar
of 48,846 Pittsburgh sports fans--proud and delighted with their
gleaming new playground.
The Cincinnati Reds whipped the Pirates 3-2, but the setback did little
to dampen the enthusiasm of an exciting night in Pittsburgh sports
history. (23)
Pittsburgh was the City of Champions during the 1970s, and Three
Rivers Stadium was its crown, its symbol of athletic preeminence.
During that incredible decade the Pirates won six National League East
titles and two World Series ('71 and '79) and the Steelers claimed
seven
AFC Central Division titles and four Super Bowls ('74, '75, '78 and '79). (24)
3 Rivers Asset or Liability? Yes. (25)
Corporations that have $100,000 to spare and would like to see their names in lights at Three Rivers Stadium should call George Whitmer [board chairman of the city's Stadium Authority]. (26)
Three Rivers Stadium has been derisively called a characterless, colorless cookie cutter copy of the numerous multipurpose stadiums that have robbed baseball of the tradition and uniqueness of old-time parks such as Forbes Field and Ebbets Field. (27)
If the [new] stadium [Clemente Field] is built, Three Rivers would be used for nine or 10 Steelers games a year, plus events such as concerts, circuses or religious meetings. (28)
Gov.-elect Tom Ridge is to meet Monday morning [12 December 1994] in Pittsburgh with Mayor Murphy and the city's choice [John Rigas] to buy the Pirates to discuss funding of a new baseball stadium for the financially struggling franchise. (29)
Debris from one Steelers game normally fills the stadium's two 30-foot compacter containers. It takes about three or more Pirates games to produce that much debris. (30)
