An Annual Tradition: Bucs Fans Celebrate 1960 World Series In Oakland
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The remaining segment of the Forbes Field wall in Oakland will echo with cheers once again Tuesday afternoon, when fans gather to celebrate Bill Mazeroski's World Series winning home run on Oct. 13, 1960.
That Forbes Field moment, and many others, are on permanent display just across the street in Posvar Hall.
The University of Pittsburgh building is on the site of the former stadium. Historian Rob Ruck says Pirates owner Barney Dreyfus built the park in 1909, and saw his team, "Play the Tigers in the 1909 World Series, and win in seven games, largely because of this guy, the original Pittsburgh kid."
The photograph depicts Honus Wagner. Forbes Field hosted the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords of the Negro Leagues. The teams helped pave the way for legends like Roberto Clemente.
But as the permanent exhibit of some 30 photos indicates, football also has a home here.
"Pitt played here in its early decades," Rob Ruck says. "Often had seasons here where they did not surrender a point. But not only Pitt played there, but Carnegie Tech, and the Steelers."
Art Rooney's team played at Forbes for 30 years.
"They had a lot more losing seasons than good ones. But even the teams that won came away pretty battered."
Speaking of battered, Forbes Field hosted more than its share of boxing matches. But the old park's final moment was a win against the Cubs.
Sifting through those 62 years, Rovb Ruck says, "Undoubtedly the greatest moment was Mazeroski's home run."
Dr. Ruck told the "KDKA Morning News" that the photos on exhibit came from many photographers.
Some of them are shots by Teenie Harris, the great photographer who was of the co-founders of the Pittsburgh Crawfords. And many we just can't identify who took the shot, particularly those that go back to the teens and 20's.
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