Buctober - PNC Park - North Shore - Raise the Jolly Roger - Pittsburgh

PNC Park, voted America's best ballpark by many sources, opened for the 2001 season for a team in a decade of steep decline. Pittsburgh's professional teams needed something more than Three Rivers Stadium utilitarian design. Two new stadiums opened in 2001, flanking the original location of Three Rivers Stadium, blending history with progress. Heinz Field almost the complete opposite of its bowl shaped predecessor, an open stadium, almost too open, causing kickers much strife. PNC Park on the other hand, blended the classic styles of Forbes Field with the stream of progress that began to flow down the Allegheny River. Modeled after classic ballparks from the early days of baseball, the park exudes a certain charm while housing new era technology and innovation. The facade of the park is made of limestone mimicking the rugged terrain of the region and steel truss work towers over seats that face what is undoubtedly the best view in all of baseball. The park helped revitalize the North Side with the introduction of restaurants, trails, a casino, a concert venue, subway line and several civic amenities. Renaming of streets and bridges occurred, predominantly the 6th Street Bridge becoming the Roberto Clemente Bridge, bringing pirates history to it's new home. The stadium itself plays host to history by numbering its luxury suites after years the Pirates won their five World Series. The park is unique in other ways, like the outfield dirt being designed solely for PNC Park and the home team dugout being places along the third base line instead of the usual first base line so the home team can take in the view of their hometown.

Tonight, the park will continue a new chapter in Pirates history. An ailing team for twenty years, they had the stadium, just not the winning attitude. Tonight that all changes. PNC Park in its fourteen years of existence, will host just its fourth MLB postseason game. The new face of the Pirates, a group that always has something to play for and seems to want to win more than any other team in baseball can bring PNC Park's NL Wildcard record to 2-0 against the San Francisco Giants. Hopefully a win tonight will lead to the Jolly Roger being waved at a World Series game. One can hope, but for almost the entirety of my existence I never thought I would be watching the Pittsburgh Pirates in the MLB Postseason, let alone in back to back seasons.

"They give you a round bat and they throw you a round ball and they tell you to hit it square."

-Willie Stargell

       LETS GO BUCS!!!!

View by PNC Park after rain

Rain drops on chain along North Shore

Reflections along North Shore by PNC Park

Part of PNC Park and the Roberto Clemente Bridge reflect in a puddle

Roberto Clemente Bridge reflection

View of downtown from PNC Park riverside concourse

Roberto Clemente Bridge

Locks on the Roberto Clemente Bridge

Sun reflects in a piddle along the North Shore

Water Steps by PNC Park

Gateway Center, Fifth Avenue Place and PPG Place

Central downtown

Street art on the Fort Duquesne Bridge

Geese along the river walk in front of Heinz Field

Geese flying with Fort Duquesne Bridge in the background

Geese in front of Heinz Field

Fort Duquesne Bridge and Point State Park from the North Shore

Water droplets hitting the Allegheny River from the Fort Duquesne Bridge (start)

Water droplets hitting the Allegheny River from the Fort Duquesne Bridge (end)

PNC Park on "Buctober eve"

PNC Park from the Roberto Clemente Bridge

"Raise the Jolly Roger" - the Jolly Roger waves with downtown in the background