OUTSIDE HOME PLATE

TEAM ::: PITTSBURGH PIRATES
LOCATION ::: PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA
MY FIRST VISIT ::: MAY 30, 2005
OPPONENT ::: FLORIDA MARLINS
MLB STADIUM RANK ::: 9 OF 41

MASCOT

RATINGS

BALLFIELD ... A
SCOREBOARD ... A
FOOD ... A
FACILITIES ... A
MASCOT ... A

BEHIND HOME PLATE

MY TAKE ON THE PARK

from CF

 MANY TIMES WHEN A TEAM ISN'T GOOD FOR OH SAY 10 YEARS, ONE FORGETS HOW MUCH HISTORY A FRANCHISE HAS, PNC PARK REMINDS US OF ALL THE GREATS THAT HAVE MADE STOPS IN PITTSBURGH. FROM THE STATUES OF HONUS WAGENR AND ROBERTO CLEMENTE TO THE TAPESTRIES IN THE ROTUNDAS, THE HISTORY LESSON OF THE PIRATES  WOULD MAKE THE STADIUM A GREAT PLACE TO VISIT ... BUT THERE IS MORE .. OH SO MUCH MORE.

 

  HEADING OUT TO THE GAME MAKE SURE TO LEAVE EXTRA TIME TO ABSORB ALL THERE IS TO DO AT THIS NEW PARK. DRIVE TO THE GAME AND PARK IN THE SHADOWS OF HEINZ FIELD, PARK DOWNTOWN AND TAKE THE PRE-GAME STROLL ACROSS THE CLEMENTE BRIDGE, CLOSED TO VEHICLES ON GAME DAYS, OR TAKE A FERRY WHICH DOCKS RIGHT OUTSIDE THE OUTFIELD WALL. ONCE AT THE PARK, TAKE A STROLL AROUND THE EXTERIOR AREAS OF THE PARK; THE SHOPS, RESTAURANTS, AND BARS ALL FILLED WITH BASEBALL TALK GETTING READY FOR THE GAME. 

from lf rotunda

 HEADING INTO THE STADIUM, ALL FIELD LOCATIONS ARE CLEARLY MARKED, ENTER THROUGH CENTER FIELD AND MAKE YOUR WAY AROUND TO HOME PLATE ON THE MAIN LEVEL. AS YOU WALK AROUND, NOTICE HOW YOU CAN SEE THE PLAYING FIELD EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. THE WIDE CONCOURSE, BATHROOMS OFF IN SMALL ALLEYS, AND LOCAL FOOD CHOICES ALL MAKE FOR A WONDERFUL TIME AT THE PARK.

 

 ONCE IN LEFT FIELD, TAKE A STROLL UP THE ROTUNDA FOR A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE.THIS ROTUNDA IS DRAPED WITH TAPESTRIES OF OLD PIRATE BASEBALL CARDS WHERE YOU INSTANTLY REMEMBER WHO YOU HAD AND WHO YOU NEEDED .. "GOT EM GOT EM, NEED EM NEED EM"

DEFINITLY NOT A PLACE TO RUSH, TAKE A BREAK, LOOK OUT ONTO THE FIELD OR OUT INTO THE CITY, EITHER WAY YOU HAVE A PERFECT VIEW.

 

upper behind hp

ONCE TO THE UPPER DECK, WHICH I BELIEVE IS AS HIGH AS THE SECOND DECK IN THREE RIVERS, HEAD OUT TO THE SEATING AREA WHERE IF THE VIEW OF THE CITY DOESN'T HIT YOU, THE VIEW OF THE FIELD WILL. DEEP BLUE SEATS SURROUND THE FULL GREEN OF THE GRASS, ALL BLENDING IN WITH THE YELLOW OF THE BRIDGES BEYOND THE OUTFIELD.

 

 AS GAME TIME APPROACHES, YOU WILL WANT TO BE AT YOUR SEAT EARLY BECAUSE THE PIRATES REALLY DO EMBRACE THE PIRATE IMAGE BY SHOWING SOME PRETTY ENTERTAINING VIDEOS PERTAINING TO THE VISITING TEAM AND THE PIRATES.. NOT TO BE MISSED.  

 

 FORTUNATELY, THE SCOREBOARD HERE NOT ONLY HANDLES THE ENTERTAINMENT, BUT HANDLES THE GAME; VERY WELL I MIGHT ADD.. THE BOARD IS BUSY AND INFORMATIVE KEEPING YOU UPDATED ON EVERY PITCH AND SCORING DECISION.  ALSO, THE PLAYER PHOTOS ARE NOT THE SAME ONE EVERY TIME, 3RD TIME THROUGH THE LINE UP THEY MAY EVEN COME UP IN A PIRATE OUTFIT.

 

 THE FOOD HERE INCLUDES LOCAL FAVORITES AS WELL AS STANDARD BALLPARK FARE, ALL PRETTY CHEAP GOING BY BALLPARK STANDARDS.

from upper right

OF THE 27 MAJOR LEAGUE PARKS I HAVE VISITED I RATE PNC PARK 7th BEHIND BUSCH STADIUM DUE TO ATMOSPHERE AND BALLPARK EMPLOYEES. I ATTNEDED A GAME ON MEMORIAL DAY AND WELL, A LOT OF THE STAFF SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE MISSING OUT ON A HOLIDAY WEEKEND AND NOT HAPPY TO BE WORKING. I CAN UNDERSTAND THIS BUT IT DID LEAVE AN IMPRESSION.

 THE PIRATES HAVE DONE EVERYTHING THEY COULD WITH THE STADIUM, NOW THEY NEED A WINNER ON THE FIELD AGAIN, AND THE FANS WILL COME BACK. I'D LIKE TO SEE WHAT TYPE OF ATMOSPHERE THIS PLACE WILL HAVE WITH A WINNER.

 I RATE IT AHEAD OF TIGER STADIUM BECAUSE OF THE COMFORT FACTOR AND THE FACILITIES.

 

 A TRIP TO PNC PARK, GET THERE EARLY AND STROLL THE LEFT FIELD ROTUNDA, WHEN THE GAME IS OVER STROLL DOWN THE HOME PLATE ROTUNDA FOR A PIRATE HISTORY LESSON. IN BETWEEN, ENJOY ONE OF THE FINEST BALLPARKS IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES.

 

river walk from bridge

river walk from rf

LINE UPS

LINE UPS

FLORIDA MARLINS MANAGER
 #15 JACK McKEON

PITTSBURGH PIRATES MANAGER
#23 LLOYD McCLENDON

 FLORIDA MARLINS

9 Juan Pierre cf
1 Luis Castillo 2b
24 Miguel Cabrera lf
25 Carlos Delgado 1b
43 Juan Encarnacion  rf
19 Mike Lowell 3b
11 Alex Gonzalez ss
6 Matt Treanor c
22 Al Leiter p
50 Todd Jones LP


ROTUNDA

 PITTSBURGH PIRATES

12 Freddy Sanchez 3b
50 Matt Lawton rf
38 Jason Bay cf
34 Michael Restovich  lf
31 Daryle Ward 1b
13 Jose Castillo 2b
29 David Ross  c
2 Jack Wilson ss
55 Mark Redman p
00 Rick White WP


SCOREBOARD


MARLINS   101  000  000  0   2  7  1
PIRATES   010  000  010  1   3  8  0

TIME ::: 3:23
ATTENDANCE :::  17,379
WEATHER ::: 62 COOL OVERCAST

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Mailbox 3

UNCLEBOBSBALLPARKS@GMAIL.COM

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LINKS

***HOME***

My site Listed by State

My site Listed by Stadium

The Official web site of the Pittsburgh Pirates

The Primanti Brothers site

The Quaker Steak and Lube site

An alternative way to the Park .. the Gateway Clipper Fleet

The team that plays across the parking lot . The Official Pittsburgh Steelers web site

Less than 2 hours east of Pittsburgh, the Pirates Double A team .. The official site of the Altoona Curve

My Blair County Ballpark site

ESPN's view of the Park by Jim Caple

Pittsburgh weather from WEATHER.com

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