Forbes Field and the University of Pittsburgh

Forbes Field and the University of Pittsburgh

A view of the Forbes Field
Forbes Field Wall and the Cathedral of Learning

Baseball fans owe a debt of gratitude to the University of Pittsburgh for having the foresight to keep portions of Forbes Field in place for future generations of fans to appreciate. The university purchased Forbes Field in the 1960’s with the understanding it would tear down the ballpark and develop the land once the Pirates relocated to a new stadium.

Trees near the brick wall
The Backside of the Wall

A line of bricks embedded in the sidewalk in front of Wesley Posvar Hall marks the left field portion of the outfield wall – an area once known as “Greenberg Gardens” and, after that, “Kiner’s Korner,” in honor of two of the team’s more prolific sluggers.

A historical marker for the Forbes Field
Plaque Embedded in Street Marking Outfield Wall

A bronze plaque in the sidewalk marks the exact spot where Bill Mazeroski’s ninth-inning home run cleared both former Yankee catcher-turned-outfielder Yogi Berra and the left field wall, clinching the 1960 World Series for the Pirates.

A bronze plaque in the sidewalk
Game Over!

The line of bricks continue across a narrow street – appropriately named Roberto Clemente Drive – to where the actual remnants of the outfield wall began.

A line of bricks across a narrow street
Bricks Embedded in Sidewalk Mark Outfield Wall

About 15 feet tall, and perhaps 180 feet long, the wall is constructed of red brick and divided by concrete columns spaced 12 feet apart. The columns are painted green and the wall is capped with blocks of weathered grey granite. The original center field flag pole and two distance markers, still painted in white on the side of the wall — 457 to left center, 436 to right center, remain as well.

A measurement at the wall
457 to Left Center With Shadow of CF Flagpole

The wall ends at what once was the right-field pavilion.

A marker for the right field grandstand
Right Field Grandstand Started Here

For more pictures and information from Deadball Baseball about Forbes Field, CLICK: Forbes Field – Game Over .

Byron Bennett

1 Comments

  1. […] and the former site of Greenlee Field, is located just two miles west of the former site of Forbes Field, and one and a half miles southwest of the former sites of Three Rivers […]



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