View source for Three Rivers Stadium

{{Short description|Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Infobox venue
| stadium_name = Three Rivers Stadium
| logo_image = [[File:Three Rivers Stadium logo.gif|125px]]
| logo_caption = 
| image = Three Rivers Stadium.jpg
| image_size = 270 px
| image_caption = View from south in 1999
| nickname = ''The Blast Furnace''<br />''The House that [[Roberto Clemente|Clemente]] Built''
| address = 792 W General Robinson St
| location = [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], U.S.<!--15212-->
| coordinates = {{Coord|40|26|48|N|80|0|46|W|type:landmark|display=it}}
| image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=270|zoom=12|type=point}}
| pushpin_map = USA#Pennsylvania
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the [[United States]]##Location in [[Pennsylvania]]
| pushpin_mapsize = 270
| pushpin_label = Pittsburgh
| pushpin_relief = yes
| broke_ground = {{Start date and age|1968|04|25}}
| opened = {{Start date and age|1970|07|16}}
| renovated = 
| expanded = 
| closed = {{End date and age|2000|12|16|br=y}}
| demolished = {{End date and age|2001|02|11}}
| owner = [[Pittsburgh]]
| operator = [[Pittsburgh Stadium Authority]]
| surface = [[Tartan Turf]] (1970–1982)<br />[[AstroTurf]] (1983–2000)
| construction_cost = US$55 million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|55000000|1969}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect = Deeter Ritchy Sipple<br />Michael Baker Jr.
| structural engineer = [[Osborn Engineering]]
| services engineer = Elwood S. Tower Consulting Engineers<ref>{{cite web|title=Experience – Public / Government|url=http://www.estower.com/experience-category/government/|publisher=Elwood S. Tower Consulting Engineers|access-date=February 12, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150213084330/http://www.estower.com/experience-category/government/|archive-date=February 13, 2015}}</ref>
| general_contractor = [[Huber, Hunt & Nichols]]/Mascaro<ref>{{cite web |title=Three Rivers Stadium|url=http://football.ballparks.com/NFL/PittsburghSteelers/index.htm|publisher=Ballparks.com|access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref>
| former_names = 
| tenants = [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] ([[MLB]]) (1970–2000)<br />[[Pittsburgh Steelers]] ([[NFL]]) (1970–2000)<br />[[Duquesne Dukes football|Duquesne Dukes]] (1971)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://goduquesne.com/documents/2017/8/25/_duqu_m_footbl_2017_18_misc_non_event__082517.pdf|title = 082517}}</ref><br />[[Pittsburgh Maulers (1984)|Pittsburgh Maulers]] ([[USFL]]) (1984)<br />[[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh Panthers]] ([[NCAA]]) (2000)
| seating_capacity = [[American football|Football]]: 59,000<br />[[Baseball]]: 47,971
| dimensions = '''Left Field''' — 335&nbsp;ft / 102&nbsp;m<br />'''Left-Center''' — 375&nbsp;ft / 114&nbsp;m<br />'''Center Field''' — 400&nbsp;ft / 122&nbsp;m<br />'''Right-Center''' — 375&nbsp;ft / 114&nbsp;m<br />'''Right Field''' — 335&nbsp;ft / 102&nbsp;m<br />'''Wall height''' — 10&nbsp;ft / 3&nbsp;m [[File:ThreeRiversStadiumDimensions.svg|200px|]]
| embedded = {{designation list|embed=yes|designation1=Pennsylvania|designation1_date=November 26, 2007<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=January 25, 2014 |archive-date=March 21, 2016 |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>}}
}}
'''Three Rivers Stadium''' was a [[multi-purpose stadium]] in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]], United States, from 1970 to 2000. It was home to the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]] of [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) and the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL).

Built to replace [[Forbes Field]], which opened in 1909, the US$55&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|55|1969|r=1}}}} million in {{inflation/year|US}}) multi-purpose facility was designed to maximize efficiency. Ground was broken in April 1968 and construction, often behind schedule, took 29&nbsp;months.<ref name="Slices">{{cite web|title=31 Slices of Three Rivers History |url=http://www.steelers.com/article/40498/ |publisher=Pittsburgh Steelers |access-date=August 7, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050225234318/http://www.steelers.com/article/40498/ |archive-date=February 25, 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The stadium opened on July 16, [[1970 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1970]], with a Pirates game. In the [[1971 World Series]], it hosted the first World Series game played at night. The following year, the stadium was the site of the [[Immaculate Reception]]. The final game in the stadium was won by the Steelers on December 16, [[2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season|2000]]. Three Rivers also hosted the [[Pittsburgh Maulers (1984)|Pittsburgh Maulers]] of the [[United States Football League]] and the [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|University of Pittsburgh Panthers]] football team for a single season each.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pittsburgh Maulers|url=http://www.usfl.info/maulers/|publisher=United States Football League History|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=A Fond Farewell|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/don_banks/news/2000/12/13/banks_insider_dec13/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010124043400/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/don_banks/news/2000/12/13/banks_insider_dec13/|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 24, 2001|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=December 15, 2000|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

After its closing, Three Rivers was imploded in 2001, and the Pirates and Steelers moved into new dedicated stadiums: [[PNC Park]] and Heinz Field (now [[Acrisure Stadium]]), respectively.

==History==

===Planning and construction===
A proposal for a new sports stadium in Pittsburgh was first made in 1948; however, plans did not attract much attention until the late 1950s.<ref name="Meh9">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=9}}</ref> The Pittsburgh Pirates played their home games at [[Forbes Field]], which opened in 1909,<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Leventhal|MacMurray|2000|pp=52}}</ref> and was the second oldest venue in the National League ([[Philadelphia Phillies|Philadelphia's]] [[Shibe Park|Shibe Park/Connie Mack Stadium]] was oldest, having opened only two months prior to Forbes). The Pittsburgh Steelers, who had moved from Forbes Field to [[Pitt Stadium]] in 1964, were large supporters of the project.<ref name=Meh9/>  For their part, according to longtime Pirates announcer [[Bob Prince]], the Pirates wanted a bigger place to play in order to draw more revenue.<ref name="Storied">{{Cite book|last=Smith|first=Curt|author-link=Curt Smith (author)|title=Storied Stadiums|year=2001|publisher=Carroll & Graf|location=New York City|isbn=978-0-7867-1187-1}}</ref>

In 1958, the Pirates sold Forbes to the [[University of Pittsburgh]] for $2 million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|2|1958|r=1}}}} million today); it wanted the land for expanded graduate facilities.<ref name="Storied"/>  As part of the deal, the university leased Forbes back to the Pirates until a replacement could be built.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=9–10}}</ref> An early design of the stadium included plans to situate the stadium atop a bridge across the [[Monongahela River]].  It was to call for a 70,000-seat stadium with hotels, marina, and a 100-lane bowling alley.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/downtown/down_n21w.html |title=Downtown: Images 10: Stadium over the Monongahela |access-date=October 22, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203121628/http://www.clpgh.org/exhibit/neighborhoods/downtown/down_n21w.html |archive-date=December 3, 2010 }}</ref>  Plans of the "Stadium over the Monongahela" were eventually not pursued.<ref name=Lev51/> A design was presented in 1958 which featured an open center&nbsp;field design—through which fans could view Pittsburgh's "[[Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Golden Triangle]]".<ref name="Meh10">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=10}}</ref> A site on the city's [[Northside (Pittsburgh)|Northside]] was approved on August 10, 1958, due to land availability and parking space,<ref name=Meh10/><ref name=bnoagr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UUIqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=o04EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5971%2C2214824 |work=Pittsburgh Press |last=Allan |first=William |title=B&O agrees on stadium site |date=June 23, 1961 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=ppgbno>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=wLcxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YmwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6028%2C5634446 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Seidenberg |first=Mel |title=B&O agrees to stadium site |date=June 24, 1961 |page=1}}</ref> the latter of which had been a problem at Forbes Field.<ref name=Meh9/> The same site had hosted [[Exposition Park (Pittsburgh)|Exposition Park]], which the Pirates had left in [[1909 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1909]].<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|McCollister|1998|pp=175}}</ref> The stadium was located in a portion of downtown difficult to access;<!-- making it hard in later years to get in before games and leave after games.--><ref name=Storied/> political debate continued over the ''North Side Sports Stadium'' and the project was often behind schedule and over-budget.<ref name=Meh10/><ref name=rbppr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O-ojAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MU8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5604%2C3302837 |work=Pittsburgh Press |last=Brem |first=Ralph |title=Stadium cost up in final plan |date=December 8, 1964 |page=1}}</ref> Arguments were made by commissioner (and former [[Allegheny County Medical Examiner]]) William McCelland that the Pirates and Steelers should fund a higher percentage of the $33&nbsp;million project (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|33|1966|r=1}}}} million today). Due to lack of support, however, the arguments faded.<ref name=Meh10/><ref>{{cite news |title=Explain why, Doctor|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ol4bAAAAIBAJ&sjid=904EAAAAIBAJ&pg=6532%2C2013249 |newspaper=Pittsburgh Press|agency=(editorial)|date=March 21, 1963 |page=18<!--|access-date=June 3, 2014-->}}</ref>

[[File:Three Rivers Stadium 1977.ogv|thumbtime=14|thumb|Boat pulls a [[water skier]] from the confluence of the Monongahela, Allegheny, and Ohio Rivers at [[Point State Park]] in [[Pittsburgh]] toward Three Rivers Stadium on the northern shore of the [[Ohio River]], circa 1977.]]
Ground was broken in 1968 on April 25,<ref name=Meh10/><ref name=pprnmgb>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=djft3U1LymYC&dat=19680425&printsec=frontpage&hl=en |work=Pittsburgh Press |last1=Uhl |first1=Sherley |last2=Spatter |first2=Sam |title=Barr urges 'Lawrence' stadium |date=April 25, 1968 |page=1}}</ref><ref name=ppgnml>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ydhaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=emwDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6786%2C4453156 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |title='David L. Lawrence' gains as name for new stadium |date=April 26, 1968 |page=1, sec.2}}</ref> and due to the Steelers' suggestions, the design was changed to enclose center&nbsp;field.<ref name=Meh10/> Construction continued, though it became plagued with problems such as thieves stealing materials from the building site.<ref name=Meh10/> In April 1969, construction was behind schedule and the target opening date of April [[1970 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1970]] was deemed unlikely to be met.<ref name=behsche69>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=H8daAAAAIBAJ&pg=4548%2C1624647 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Hritz |first=Thomas M. |title=3 Rivers Stadium is behind schedule |date=April 11, 1969 |page=1}}</ref> That November, Arthur Gratz asked the city for an additional $3&nbsp;million (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|3|1969|r=1}}}} million today), which was granted.<ref name="Meh13">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=13}}</ref> In January 1970, the new target date was set for May 29; however, because of a failure to install the lights on schedule, opening day was delayed once more to July 16.<ref name=Meh13/> The stadium was named in February 1969 for its location at the [[confluence]] of the [[Allegheny River]] and [[Monongahela River]], which forms the [[Ohio River]].<ref name=trnost>{{cite news |title='Three Rivers' name of stadium|first=Sam|last=Spatter|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KB4cAAAAIBAJ&pg=7477%2C5041055|newspaper=Pittsburgh Press|date=February 12, 1969|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=66}}</ref><ref name=sintrv>{{cite news |title=Stadium is Named 3 Rivers|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=isYwAAAAIBAJ&pg=7171%2C1880470|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|date=February 13, 1969|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=27}}</ref> It would sometimes be called ''The House That Clemente Built'' after Pirates' right-fielder [[Roberto Clemente]].<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Gershman|1993|pp=224}}</ref>

===Opening Day===
In their first game after the [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Break]] in [[1970 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1970]], the [[1970 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]] opened the stadium against the [[1970 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]] on Thursday, July 16; who won, 3–2.<ref name=ldlftr>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I0kqAAAAIBAJ&pg=6862%2C7112|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Press]]|title=It's 'Play Ball' Tonight for Three Rivers lidlifter|date=July 16, 1970|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=1}}</ref><ref name=fetfons>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ndlaAAAAIBAJ&pg=6454%2C2316966|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|title=48,846 fans open new stadium|date=July 17, 1970|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=1}}</ref> The team donned new uniform designs for the first time that day, a similar plan was for new "mini-skirts" for female ushers. However, the ushers' union declined the uniform change for female workers.<ref name=gtybffm>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=0YglAAAAIBAJ&pg=1250%2C3842363|newspaper=Gettysburg Times|last=Yake|first=D. Byron|agency=Associated Press|title=$55,000,000 Three Rivers Stadium tonight replaces...|date=July 16, 1970|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=11}}</ref>  A parade was held before opening ceremonies.  The expansive parking lot, both Pirates and Steelers team offices, the Allegheny Club (VIP Club) and the press boxes and facilities were not opened until weeks later due to extended labor union work stoppages.  Instead of allowing cars to park, the team instructed fans to park [[Downtown Pittsburgh|downtown]] and walk to the stadium over bridges or take shuttle buses.  The opening of Three Rivers marked the first time the Pirates allowed beer to be sold in the stands during a game since the early 1960s.<ref name=gtybffm/><!--<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=aV1QAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jFcDAAAAIBAJ&dq=allegheny-club&pg=7155%2C3702966|work=The Evening Independent|via=Google News Archive Search|access-date=November 5, 2014}}</ref>-->

During [[batting practice]] on that day, a stray foul ball hit a woman named Evelyn Jones in the eye while she was walking the stadium's [[concourse]]. She sued the Pirates and their subsidiary that managed the stadium, arguing that the [[Baseball Rule]], which usually prevents spectators at baseball games from holding teams liable for foul ball injuries, did not apply because she was away from the seating areas and not watching what was going on the field. A jury awarded Jones $125,000, but it was reversed on appeal. That decision was in turn reversed by the [[Pennsylvania Supreme Court]], which agreed with her argument about the Baseball Rule and also noted that the opening to the concourse through which the foul had passed was a purely architectural choice that was not necessary to the game of baseball.<ref name="Jones v. Three Rivers Management Corporation">{{cite court|litigants=Jones v. Three Rivers Management Corporation|vol=483|reporter=Pa.|opinion=75|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/pennsylvania/supreme-court/1978/483-pa-75-0.html|court=[[Pennsylvania Supreme Court|Pa.]]|year=1978}}</ref>

===Design and alterations===
[[File:Three Rivers Stadium aerial view 1996.jpg|thumb|left|A Steelers game in [[1996 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1996]]]]
Three Rivers Stadium was similar in design to other stadiums built in the 1960s and 1970s, such as [[RFK Stadium]] in Washington, [[Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium]] in Atlanta [[Shea Stadium]] in New York, [[Riverfront Stadium]] in [[Cincinnati]], the [[Houston Astrodome]], [[Veterans Stadium]] in [[Philadelphia]], and [[Busch Memorial Stadium]] in [[St. Louis]], which were designed as multi-purpose facilities to maximize efficiency.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Gershman|1993|pp=191}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title= Creating Breakthrough Products|last=Cagan|first=Jonathan|author2=Vogel, Craig M. |year=2001|publisher=FT Press|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F5KA5gT_3p0C&q=Three+Rivers+Stadium&pg=PA217|isbn=978-0-13-969694-7|page=217}}</ref> Due to their similar design these stadiums were nicknamed "[[cookie cutter stadium|cookie-cutter]]" or "concrete doughnut" ballparks.<ref name=Storied/> The sight lines were more favorable to football; almost 70% of the seats in the baseball configuration were in fair territory.<ref name="Storied"/> It originally seated 50,611 for baseball,<ref name="Storied"/> but several expansions over the years brought it to 58,729.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press|title=Pirates to Reduce Stadium Capacity|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE6DB1238F937A15752C0A965958260&scp=6&sq=Three%20Rivers%20Stadium&st=cse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=January 24, 1993|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref> In 1993, the Pirates placed tarps on most of the upper deck to create a better baseball atmosphere, reducing capacity to 47,687.<ref name="Storied"/><ref name=Lev50/><ref name="SNfacts">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/facts.html|title=Three Rivers Stadium – (Pittsburgh, 1970–2000)|access-date=August 7, 2008|first=Steve|last=Gietschier|work=[[Sporting News]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610064747/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/facts.html|archive-date=June 10, 2008}}</ref>

Three Rivers was the first multi-purpose stadium and the first in either the NFL or MLB to feature [[3M]]'s [[Tartan Turf]] (then a competitor to the dominant [[AstroTurf]]), which was installed for opening day.<ref>{{cite news |title='Three Rivers' Name of Stadium|first=Sam|last=Spatter|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KB4cAAAAIBAJ&dq=pirates%20stadium&pg=7329%2C5042656|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Press]]|date=February 12, 1969|access-date=June 3, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Meh14">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=14}}</ref> It had a dirt skin infield on the basepaths for baseball through [[1972 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1972]],<ref name=ldlftr/> until converted to "sliding pits" at the bases for [[1973 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1973]].<ref name=nosklk73>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nWgqAAAAIBAJ&pg=6224%2C1057986|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Press]]|title=Three Rivers Stadium to feature 'no-skin' look|date=January 19, 1973|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=28}}</ref> Renovations for the start of the [[1983 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1983]] baseball season included replacing the Tartan Turf with AstroTurf, the center field [[Stewart-Warner]] scoreboard being removed and replaced with new seating—while a new [[Diamond Vision]] (headquartered in nearby [[Warrendale, Pennsylvania|Warrendale]]) scoreboard with a White Way messageboard was installed at the top of the center field upper deck—and the outfield fence being painted blue from the previous aqua.<ref name=ytadfatr>{{cite news |title=Yes, things are different at Three Rivers|first=Joe|last=Tuscano|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=n6pdAAAAIBAJ&pg=921%2C1888370|newspaper=[[Observer-Reporter]]|location=Washington, Pennsylvania|date=April 13, 1983|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=B-7}}</ref><ref name="CSC TV-5 1983 Pirates Special (Part 2)">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laGrFbCcm4c| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211116/laGrFbCcm4c| archive-date=November 16, 2021 | url-status=live|title=CSC TV-5 1983 Pirates Special (Part 2)|website=[[YouTube]]| date=August 4, 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref> The field originally used "Gamesaver vacuum vehicles" to dry the surface, though they were later replaced by an underground drainage system.<ref name=Meh14/>

In 1975, the baseball field's outfield fences were moved 10 feet (3 m) closer to home plate, in an attempt to boost home run numbers.<ref name=Meh14/> The [[bullpen]]s were moved to multiple locations throughout the stadium's history; however, their first position was also their final one—beyond the right-field fence.<ref name=Meh14/>  A ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' story in 1970 stated that the new stadium boasted 1,632 floodlight bulbs.<ref name=slabctp>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=nH5IAAAAIBAJ&pg=3480%2C918231|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|title=Stadium lights aren't burning city taxpayers|date=September 7, 1970|access-date=June 3, 2014|page=39}}</ref>

[[File:Wagner statue 930606.JPG|thumb|[[Honus Wagner]] statue<br />at Three Rivers]]
Due to Three Rivers Stadium's multi-purpose design, bands including [[Alice Cooper (band)|Alice Cooper]], [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Pink Floyd]], [[The Rolling Stones]], and [[The Who]] hosted concerts at the venue.<ref name="Led Zeppelin Official Website">{{cite web|url=http://www.ledzeppelin.com/show/july-24-1973|title=Led Zeppelin, July 24, 1973, Pittsburgh, PA, Three Rivers Stadium|date=September 22, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Meh15">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=15}}</ref> On August 11, 1985,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=6sA0AAAAIBAJ&dq=springsteen%20three%20rivers&pg=1631%2C1906854|title=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – Google News Archive Search|access-date=November 5, 2014}}</ref> [[Bruce Springsteen|Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band]] hosted the largest concert in Pittsburgh history, when they performed for 65,935 on-lookers.<ref name="CNNimp">{{cite web|url=http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/02/11/three.rivers.stadium.02/|title=Pittsburgh brings down Three Rivers Stadium|access-date=August 7, 2008|publisher=[[CNN]]|date=February 11, 2000|archive-date=May 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525095506/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/02/11/three.rivers.stadium.02/|url-status=dead}}</ref> And in 1992, the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] celebrated their second [[Stanley Cup]] victory at the Stadium.<ref name=Meh15/> The stadium hosted various [[Jehovah's Witnesses]] conventions, including international conventions in 1973 and 1978, and a centennial conference in 1984.  A [[Billy Graham]] Crusade took place at Three Rivers in June 1993.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9NKHSpR6brgC&q=billy%20graham%20three%20rivers%20stadium&pg=PA187|title=Ask Billy Graham: The World's Best-Loved Preacher Answers Your Most Important Questions|last=Adler|first=Bill Sr.|publisher=Thomas Nelson|date=October 16, 2007|isbn=978-0-8499-0310-6|page=187|access-date=August 17, 2009}}</ref> The venue also served as the premiere of the 1994 [[Disney]] film ''[[Angels in the Outfield (1994 film)|Angels in the Outfield]]'' which, despite being based around the [[California Angels]], paid homage to the [[Angels in the Outfield (1951 film)|original 1951 film]], which featured the Pirates in "heavenly" need.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/movies/20030124video0124fnp3.asp|access-date=August 21, 2009|title=Multi Media: Adrien Brody going darker and deeper|date=January 24, 2003|first=Barbara|last=Vancheri|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]}}</ref>

Three Rivers Stadium had a [[beverage]] contract with [[Coca-Cola]] throughout its history. It was during the Steelers' stay in Three Rivers that the now famous [[Joe Greene|"Mean Joe" Greene]] [[Hey Kid, Catch!|Coke commercial]] aired, leading to a longstanding relationship between the two. When [[Heinz Field]] opened, Coca-Cola also assumed the beverage contract for that stadium (the Pirates signed a deal with [[Pepsi]] for [[PNC Park]] before signing with Coke again in 2014), and also became the primary sponsor for the Steelers' team [[Hall of Fame]], the Coca-Cola Great Hall. After the initial 10-year contract expired, Heinz Field contracted with Pepsi for exclusive pouring rights, breaking a 50-year tradition with the Steelers.

===Replacement===
By the early 1990s, multipurpose stadiums had gone out of fashion.  They were considered by many to be ugly and obsolete, as well as not financially viable.  Joining a wave of sports construction that swept the United States in the 1990s, both the Pirates and Steelers began a push for a new stadium.  This eventually culminated in the Regional Renaissance Initiative, an 11-county 1997 voter referendum to raise the sales tax in Pittsburgh's Allegheny County and ten adjacent counties 0.5% for seven years to fund separate new stadiums for the Pirates and Steelers, as well as an expansion of the [[David L. Lawrence Convention Center]] and various other local development projects.  After being hotly debated throughout the entire southwestern Pennsylvania region the initiative was soundly defeated in all 11 counties; only in Allegheny County was it even close (58-42).

The initiative's defeat led to the development of "Plan B", an alternate funding proposal that used a combination of monies from the [[Allegheny Regional Asset District]] (an extra 1% sales tax levied on Allegheny County), state and federal monies and a number of other sources.  Despite polls which showed that the public was opposed to this plan as well, on February 3, 1999, the state funding portion of "Plan B" passed the Pennsylvania State House and Senate, clearing the way for construction.

Ground was broken for the new stadiums in 1999.<ref>{{cite news |title=Steelers Break Ground for New Football Stadium|url=http://www.steelers.com/article/41646/|publisher=Pittsburgh Steelers|date=June 18, 1999|access-date=August 6, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517092029/http://www.steelers.com/article/41646/|archive-date=May 17, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Barnes|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Barnes (American journalist)|title=City, Pirates break ground for PNC Park with big civic party|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=April 8, 1999|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990408stadium2.asp|access-date=April 11, 2008|archive-date=August 7, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807152941/http://old.post-gazette.com/regionstate/19990408stadium2.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref> On October 1, 2000, the [[2000 Pittsburgh Pirates season|Pirates]] were defeated 10–9 by the [[2000 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] in their final game at Three Rivers Stadium.<ref name=SNfacts/> After the game, former Pirate [[Willie Stargell]] threw out the ceremonial last pitch (he died the following April hours before the first regular season game was played at PNC Park).<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pittsburgh Pirates|last=Finoli|first=Dave|year=2006|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zf2llq672W4C|isbn=978-0-7385-4915-6|page=127}}</ref> Two months later on December 16, 2000, the [[2000 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Steelers]] concluded play at Three Rivers Stadium, with a 24–3 victory over the [[2000 Washington Redskins season|Washington Redskins]].<ref>{{cite news |title=PRO FOOTBALL; Steelers Rout Redskins in Last Three Rivers Game|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01EFD91439F934A25751C1A9669C8B63&scp=4&sq=Three%20Rivers%20Stadium&st=cse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 17, 2000|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>

Three Rivers Stadium was [[Building implosion|imploded]] on February 11, 2001, at 8:03&nbsp;a.m. on a chilly {{convert|21|°F|°C}} day. Over 20,000 people viewed the implosion from [[Point State Park]]. Another 3,000-4,000 viewing from atop [[Mount Washington, Pittsburgh (mountain)|Mount Washington]] and an uncounted number of people viewed the demolition from various high points across the city. Mark Loizeaux of [[Controlled Demolition, Inc.]] pushed the button that set off the 19-second implosion, while Elizabeth and Joseph King pushed the "ceremonial old fashioned dynamite plunger".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=20010212&id=FJMNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3390,2756313|title=A Dynamite Drumroll and Three Rivers Stadium Bows Out|first=Tom|last=Barnes|access-date=February 3, 2010|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=February 12, 2001}}{{Dead link|date=November 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The demolition cost $5.1&nbsp;million and used {{convert|4800|lb|kg|-1}} of explosive.<ref>{{cite news |title=PLUS: STADIUMS; Three Rivers Is Demolished at 30|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E4D81131F931A25751C0A9679C8B63&fta=y&scp=2&sq=Three%20Rivers%20Stadium&st=cse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=February 12, 2001|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/sports/455543/detail.html|title=Three Rivers Stadium: History|agency=Associated Press|access-date=August 7, 2008|work=[[WTAE-TV|WTAE]]|location=Pittsburgh|date=February 11, 2001|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090108205013/http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/sports/455543/detail.html|archive-date=January 8, 2009}}</ref> With the newly constructed [[Heinz Field]] only {{convert|80|ft|m|0}} away, effects from the blast were a concern. Doug Loizeaux, Mark's younger brother and vice president of Controlled Demolition, Inc., was happy to report that there was no debris within {{convert|40|ft|m|0}} of Heinz Field.

At the time of the demolition, Three Rivers Stadium still had $27.93 million in debt (${{formatnum:{{Inflation|US|27.93|2001|r=1}}}} million today), some of it from the original construction but the rest from renovations in the mid-1980s, bringing more criticism to the public funding of sports stadiums. The debt was finally retired by 2010.<ref>[http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/penguins/s_681071.html#axzz3PlGWQSyG Pens gone, but Igloo $9.3 million in debt] ''[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]'' (May 14, 2010)</ref><ref>[http://old.post-gazette.com/Pirates/20000929finale2.asp Three Rivers Stadium: The concrete will crumble but the memories will live on] ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' (September 29, 2000)</ref>

Like most stadiums demolished during this time whose replacements were located nearby (including the [[Civic Arena (Pittsburgh)|Civic Arena]] over a decade later), the site of Three Rivers Stadium mostly became a [[parking lot]]. Much like the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] would do with the site of Civic Arena, the Steelers retained development rights to the site of Three Rivers, and would later build [[Stage AE]] on portions of the site, as well as an office building that hosts the studios for [[AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh]], the headquarters of [[Charlie the Tuna|StarKist Tuna]], and the regional headquarters of [[Del Monte Foods]]. In 2015, the ''[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]'' moved into a new office building also built on a portion on the site after 53 years in the former ''[[Pittsburgh Press]]'' building and more than two centuries in Downtown.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2015/08/02/Post-Gazette-newsroom-leaves-history-Downtown-Pittsburgh-with-move-to-North-Side/stories/201507290210|title = Post-Gazette newsroom leaves history Downtown with move to North Side}}</ref>

On September 30, 2012, members of the [[Society for American Baseball Research]] marked and painted the [[home plate]] and second base of the former stadium on the 40th Anniversary of Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit. First and third bases could not be marked as the West General Robinson Street now runs over those locations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://grandstander.blogspot.com/2012/09/standing-with-clemente.html|title=The Grandstander: Standing with Clemente|date=September 30, 2012}}</ref>

On December 23, 2012, on the 40th anniversary of the [[Immaculate Reception]], the Steelers unveiled a monument at the exact spot where [[Franco Harris]] made the reception in the parking lot and corresponding sidewalk. The yard lines were also painted on the sidewalks.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/8773581/pittsburgh-steelers-unveil-immaculate-reception-monument|title=Pittsburgh Steelers unveil Immaculate Reception monument – ESPN|work=ESPN.com|date=December 22, 2012|access-date=November 5, 2014}}</ref> In the process of marking the yard lines, the second base was accidentally painted over.

In 2022, the faded home plate print and the missing second base were replaced by metal plaques created by the Society for American Baseball Research. The pitcher's mound was also marked for the first time. The new plaques were officially revealed on September 30, 2022, the 50th Anniversary of Roberto Clemente's 3,000th hit.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://triblive.com/sports/pirates/pittsburgh-allegheny-county-recognize-friday-as-roberto-clemente-day/ | title=Pittsburgh, Allegheny County recognize Friday as Roberto Clemente Day | date=September 30, 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pittsburgh/news/remembering-roberto-home-plate-memorial-honoring-his-3000th-hit-to-be-placed-in-the-north-shore/ | title=Remembering Roberto: Home plate memorial honoring his 3,000th hit to be placed in the North Shore - CBS Pittsburgh | website=[[CBS News]] | date=September 30, 2022 }}</ref>

In 2011, the ''[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]'' reported that the Three Rivers Stadium [[website]] was still active, 11 years after the facility's demolition.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://triblive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/whispers/s_719340.html|title=Three Rivers' virtual afterlife|date=January 23, 2011|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]]|access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref>  The newspaper has revisited the issue and reported several times that the website remained active.<ref>{{cite news | title =Online Time Capsule | newspaper =[[Pittsburgh Tribune-Review]] | date =February 14, 2015 | url =http://triblive.com/opinion/whispers/7724560-74/logan-mall-guskey }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://triblive.com/sports/steelers/13223839-74/you-can-still-access-the-three-rivers-stadium-website|title=You can still access the Three Rivers Stadium website|last=Tribune-Review|website=TribLIVE.com|language=en-US|access-date=March 21, 2018}}</ref> In 2020, nearly twenty years after the stadium had been demolished, the site had finally been taken down due to the domain expiring. However, an archive of the original site still exists, albeit at a different domain name.

==Seating capacity==
{{col-begin}}{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Baseball
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"| Years
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball primary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"| Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1970
| {{center|50,500}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1971–1978
| {{center|50,235}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1979
| {{center|50,364}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1980
| {{center|50,230}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1981–1982 
| {{center|54,598}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1983
| {{center|54,490}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1984
| {{center|58,365}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1985 
| {{center|58,429}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1986–1987 
| {{center|58,437}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1988–1989
| {{center|58,727}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1990–1992
| {{center|58,729}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{Baseball secondary style|Pittsburgh Pirates}};"|1993–2000 
| {{center|47,952}} 
|}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ Football
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"| Years
! scope="row" style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"| Capacity
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"|1970–1979
| {{center|50,350}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"|1980–1982 
| {{center|54,000}}
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"|1983–1990
| {{center|59,000}} 
|-
! scope="row" style="{{NFLAltPrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Steelers}};"|1991–2000
| {{center|59,600}}
|}
{{col-break}}{{col-end}}

==Stadium usage==

===Panthers===
The [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pitt Panthers]] played at Three Rivers Stadium on multiple occasions. The Panthers played their full home schedule there for the [[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|2000 season]], going 7–4. They played there in the following games:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left; width:95%;" style="text-align:center"
|-
!style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Panthers|color=#FFFFFF}};"|Date
!style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Panthers|color=#FFFFFF}};"|Winning Team
!style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Panthers|color=#FFFFFF}};"|Result
!style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Panthers|color=#FFFFFF}};"|Losing Team
!style="text-align:center; {{CollegePrimaryStyle|Pittsburgh Panthers|color=#FFFFFF}};"|Attendance
|-
|November 28, 1974 || #10 '''[[1974 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]]''' || 31-10 || #18 [[1974 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]] || 48,895
|-
|November 22, 1975 || #10 '''[[1975 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]]''' || 7-6 || #17 [[1975 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]] || 46,846
|-
|November 26, 1976 || #1 '''[[1976 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 24-7 || [[1976 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]] || 50,250
|-
|September 9, 1982 || #1 '''[[1982 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 7-6 || #5 [[1982 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]] || 54,449
|-
|November 27, 1998 || '''[[1998 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]]''' || 52-14 || [[1998 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]] || 42,254 
|-
|September 2, 2000 || '''[[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 30-7 || [[2000 Kent State Golden Flashes football team|Kent State]] || 31,089
|-
|September 16, 2000 || '''[[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 12-0 || [[2000 Penn State Nittany Lions football team|Penn State]] || 61,211
|-
|September 23, 2000 || '''[[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 29-17 || [[2000 Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team|Rutgers]] || 30,890
|-
|October 21, 2000 || '''[[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 42-26 || [[2000 Boston College Eagles football team|Boston College]] || 31,567
|-
|November 4, 2000 || '''[[2000 North Carolina Tar Heels football team|North Carolina]]''' || 20-17 || [[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]] || 43,872
|-
|November 24, 2000 || '''[[2000 Pittsburgh Panthers football team|Pitt Panthers]]''' || 38-28 || [[2000 West Virginia Mountaineers football team|West Virginia]] || 46,569
|}

===Pirates===
Three Rivers Stadium opened on July 16, 1970, but the Pirates lost 3–2 to the [[1970 Cincinnati Reds season|Cincinnati Reds]] in front of 48,846&nbsp;spectators.<ref name="Lev50">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Leventhal|MacMurray|2000|pp=50}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Leonard|last=Koppett|title=Pirates Open Their New Park, But Reds Celebrate 3-2 Victory|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1970/07/17/archives/pirates-open-their-new-park-but-reds-celebrate-32-victory.html?sq=Three%2520Rivers%2520Stadium&scp=7&st=cse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 17, 1970|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref> The first pitch was thrown by [[Dock Ellis]]—a strike—to [[Ty Cline]].<ref name="Meh42">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=42}}</ref> The first hit in the stadium was by Pittsburgh's [[Richie Hebner]], in the bottom of the first inning.<ref name=Meh42/> The Pirates lifted their television [[blackout (broadcasting)|blackout]] policy for home games so that local fans could see the inaugural game.<ref>{{Harvard citation no brackets|Mehno|1995|pp=8}}</ref> The Pirates' lowest season of attendance was [[1985 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1985]], at an average of 9,085.<ref name="Att">{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/PIT/attend.shtml|title=Pittsburgh Pirates Attendance, Stadiums and Park Factors|access-date=August 7, 2008|publisher=Baseball Reference.com}}</ref> The average attendance would peak in 1991, when the Pirates averaged 25,498&nbsp;per game.<ref name=Att/> Game one of the [[1970 NLCS]], at Three Rivers Stadium, was the first postseason baseball game to be played on an artificial surface.<ref name="Lev51">{{Harvard citation no brackets|Leventhal|MacMurray|2000|pp=51}}</ref> The following season, the Pirates advanced to the [[1971 World Series|World Series]] against the [[1971 Baltimore Orioles season|Baltimore Orioles]]. Three Rivers Stadium hosted game four, in which the Pirates defeated the Orioles in the first night game in the history of the World Series.<ref name=Lev51/> Pittsburgh hosted its third [[Major League Baseball All-Star Game|All-Star Game]] in [[1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1974]]. The National League won [[1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|the game]] 7–2 and the Pirates' [[Ken Brett]] was the winning pitcher.<ref>{{cite news |first=Rich|last=Emert|title=Where are they now? Brett's All-Star win a big thrill|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/other/20030714where0714p4.asp|newspaper=[[Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]]|date=July 14, 2003|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref> In 1979, the Pirates again won a World Championship, yet again defeating the Baltimore Orioles in a seven-game World Series. Games 3, 4 and 5 of the Series were played at Three Rivers. 15 years later, the midsummer classic returned in [[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]]. With 59,568 in attendance, the largest crowd to ever attend a baseball game at the stadium,<ref name=Lev50/> the National League won 8–7 in the tenth inning. On July 6, [[1980 Pittsburgh Pirates season|1980]], the Pirates beat the [[1980 Chicago Cubs season|Chicago Cubs]] 5–4 in 20&nbsp;innings—the most innings ever played at the stadium. The longest game at the stadium was played on August 6, 1989, when [[Jeff King (baseball)|Jeff King]] hit a walk-off home run 5&nbsp;hours and 42&nbsp;minutes into the 18-inning contest, as the Pirates once again beat the Cubs 5–4.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press|title=Pirates' Long Ball Wins a Long Game|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DEFDF133EF934A3575BC0A96F948260&scp=18&sq=Three%20Rivers%20Stadium&st=cse|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 7, 1989|access-date=August 7, 2008}}</ref>  On September 30, 1972, Pirates' right-fielder [[Roberto Clemente]] got his [[3,000 hit club|3,000th hit]] at Three Rivers Stadium, three months before his death.<ref name=Lev51/>

Only 13 home runs were ever hit into the upper deck of Three Rivers Stadium. [[Willie Stargell]] is the all-time leader in upper deck shots at the stadium with four; [[Jeff Bagwell]] hit two, while [[Bob Robertson]], [[Bobby Bonilla]], [[Devon White (baseball)|Devon White]], [[Greg Luzinski]], [[Glenallen Hill]], [[Howard Johnson (baseball)|Howard Johnson]], and [[Mark Whiten]] (his home run struck the facade) hit one each.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mindspring.com/~gearhard/stadiums.html#upperdeck|title=Fun Facts About Pittsburgh's Ball Parks|access-date=November 5, 2014}}</ref>

On July 12, 1997, the Pirates defeated the [[Houston Astros]] 3-0 on a walk-off home run in the bottom of the tenth inning by Mark Smith, which ended the first combined extra innings no-hitter in [[Major League Baseball]] history by [[Francisco Córdova (baseball)|Francisco Cordova]] and [[Ricardo Rincon]].

It was at this venue in 1998 where [[Sammy Sosa]] hit his Cub-franchise record 57th homer of the season, besting [[Hack Wilson]], whose record stood for 68 years.

===Steelers===
{{quote box|width=23em|"No matter what happens, when they tear Three Rivers down, a monument ought to be built there. Even if they end up building a hockey rink there, they should put some kind of a monument to that area where the Immaculate Reception took place."|—[[John Fuqua|"Frenchy" Fuqua]]<ref name=SNim/>}}

The Pittsburgh Steelers played their first game in Three Rivers Stadium on September 20, [[1970 Pittsburgh Steelers season|1970]]—a 19–7 loss to the [[1970 Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]].<ref name=SNfacts/> Throughout their 31&nbsp;seasons in Three Rivers Stadium, the Steelers posted a record of 182–72, including a 13-5 playoff record, and defeated every visiting franchise at least once from the stadium's opening to close, enjoying perfect records there against seven teams. The Steelers sold out every home game from 1972 through the closing of the stadium, a streak which continues through 2008.<ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press|title=Steelers' former radio announcer Myron Cope dies at 79|url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/steelers/2008-02-27-cope-obit_N.htm|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|date=February 28, 2008|access-date=June 7, 2008}}</ref> The largest attendance for a football game was the 1994 AFC Championship Game on January 15, 1995, when 61,545 spectators witnessed the [[1994 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Steelers]] lose to the [[1994 San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]].<ref name=SNfacts/> On December 23, 1972, Three Rivers Stadium was site to the [[Immaculate Reception]], which became regarded as one of the greatest plays in NFL history.<ref name="SNim">{{cite web|url=http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/reception.html|title=The house that the 'Immaculate Reception' built|access-date=August 7, 2008|first=Chuck|last=Finder|work=[[Sporting News]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060217135452/http://www.sportingnews.com/archives/threerivers/reception.html|archive-date=February 17, 2006}}</ref> Three Rivers Stadium hosted seven [[AFC Championship Game]]s from 1972 to 1997;<ref name=SNfacts/><ref name=Num3/> the Steelers won four.<ref name="pro-football-reference">{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/|title=NFL & Pro Football League Encyclopedia|publisher=Pro Football-Reference|access-date=February 22, 2010}}</ref> In the [[1995 AFC Championship Game]], the [[1995 Pittsburgh Steelers season|Steelers]]' [[Randy Fuller (American football)|Randy Fuller]] deflected a [[Hail Mary pass]] intended for [[1995 Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]] receiver [[Aaron Bailey (American football)|Aaron Bailey]] as time expired, to send the franchise to [[Super Bowl XXX]].<ref name="Num3">{{cite web|url=http://www.steelers.com/article/40508/ |title=Number three |access-date=August 7, 2008 |publisher=Pittsburgh Steelers |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090312100201/http://www.steelers.com/article/40508/ |archive-date=March 12, 2009 }}</ref> A Steelers symbol recognized worldwide, the [[Terrible Towel]] debuted on December 27, 1975, at Three Rivers Stadium. The Steelers would move to [[Heinz Field]] after it was closed.<ref>{{cite book|title=Double Yoi!|last=Cope|first=Myron|edition=1st|year=2002|publisher=Sports Publishing, L.L.C.|isbn=978-1-58261-548-6|pages=142–7}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book|title=Diamonds: The Evolution of the Ballpark|last=Gershman|first=Michael|year=1993|publisher=[[Houghton Mifflin]]|location=Boston|isbn=978-0-395-61212-5|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/diamondsevolutio0000gers}}
* {{Cite book|title=Take Me Out to the Ballpark|last1=Leventhal|first1=Josh|last2=MacMurray|first2=Jessica|year=2000|publisher=[[Workman Publishing Company]]|location=New York|isbn=978-1-57912-112-9}}
* {{Cite book|title=The Bucs! The Story of the Pittsburgh Pirates|last=McCollister|first=John|year=1998|publisher=Addax Publishing Group|location=Lenexa, Kansas|isbn=978-1-886110-40-3}}
* {{Cite journal |last=Mehno|first=John|year=1995|title=History of the Stadium|journal=Pittsburgh Pirates Official 1995 Commemorative Yearbook|publisher=Sports Media, Inc.}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Three Rivers Stadium}}
* [http://www.3riversstadium.com/index2.html Official website] [https://web.archive.org/web/20180420173608/http://www.3riversstadium.com/index2.html (Archive)]
* [https://sites.google.com/site/pittsburghmusichistory/pittsburgh-music-story/venues/three-rivers-stadium Thirty Years of Stadium Rock – Pittsburgh Music History]
* [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=gL9scSG3K_gC&dat=19700717&printsec=frontpage&hl=en ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' story on opening]
* [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=djft3U1LymYC&dat=19700717&printsec=frontpage&hl=en July 17, 1970 Pittsburgh Press]
* [https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=djft3U1LymYC&dat=19700716&printsec=frontpage&hl=en July 16, 1970 Pittsburgh Press]

{{S-start-collapsible|header={{S-sta|et}}}}
{{Succession box
| title  = Home of the [[Pittsburgh Pirates]]
| years  = 1970 – 2000
| before = [[Forbes Field]]
| after  = [[PNC Park]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title  = Home of the [[Pittsburgh Steelers]]
| years  = 1970 – 2000
| before = [[Pitt Stadium]]
| after  = [[Heinz Field]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title  = Home of the [[Pittsburgh Panthers football|Pittsburgh Panthers]]
| years  = 2000
| before = [[Pitt Stadium]]
| after  = [[Heinz Field]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title  = Host of the [[MLB All-Star Game]]
| years  = [[1974 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1974]]<br />[[1994 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|1994]]
| before = [[Royals Stadium]]<br />[[Oriole Park at Camden Yards]]
| after = [[Milwaukee County Stadium]]<br />[[The Ballpark in Arlington]]
}}
{{Succession box
| title = Host of [[AFC Championship Game]]
| years = 1973<br />1976<br />1979–1980<br />1995–1996<br />1998
| before = [[Miami Orange Bowl]]<br />[[Oakland Coliseum]]<br />[[Mile High Stadium]]<br />[[Ralph Wilson Stadium]]<br />[[Foxboro Stadium]]
| after = [[Miami Orange Bowl]]<br />[[Oakland Coliseum]]<br />[[Jack Murphy Stadium]]<br />[[Foxboro Stadium]]<br />[[Mile High Stadium]]
}}
{{S-end}}
{{Pittsburgh Pirates}}
{{Pittsburgh Steelers}}
{{Pittsburgh Panthers football navbox}}
{{Pittsburgh sports}}
{{Defunct NFL stadiums}}
{{Defunct MLB Ballparks}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1970]]
[[Category:Sports venues demolished in 2001]]
[[Category:American football venues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Baseball venues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Multi-purpose stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct NFL venues]]
[[Category:Defunct college football venues]]
[[Category:Defunct Major League Baseball venues]]
[[Category:Defunct American football venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct baseball venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Defunct multi-purpose stadiums in the United States]]
[[Category:United States Football League venues]]
[[Category:Sports venues in Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Pirates stadiums]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Steelers stadiums]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Panthers football venues]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Demolished sports venues in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Articles containing video clips]]
[[Category:1970 establishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:2000 disestablishments in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished by controlled implosion]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Maulers stadiums]]