In June 1995, I was back in Pittsburgh for a visit and took a tour of the stadium. The Pirates Magazine and Scorecard said tours were available Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, from April through August. Reservations are required; call 412-321-0650 for information. It was my impression that they usually only schedule groups, but since I was from out of town, they attached me to a previously scheduled group. There was a $3 charge for the tour.
I got there early, and got to watch an American Legion playoff game that was being played. It was a beautiful summer day in Pittsburgh, and I really enjoyed the sunshine and the ball game. After the game, I took the time to explore the Championship banners for both the Pirates and Steelers that line the walk-way in the stadium. After a while, the tour was ready to start. Our tour guide took our group of seven through most of the stadium.
We started in the field-level seats on the third base side and the guide pointed out some of the general characteristics of the stadium (baseball and football configurations). We took a tour of the press box area and headed up to peanut heaven for a bird's-eye view. From that vantage point, the upper deck Home Run smashes seem like quite a feat.
Down at the field level, we got to see the plexi-glassed area behind home plate where the radar gun would be. It also serves as the Pirate Parrot's changing room, but unfortunately (or fortunately - depending on your point of view) the Parrot wasn't there. We got to visit the visitor's clubhouse and also the third base line dugout. The Padres were in town then, and we were fortunate enough to get to see the Padres locker room set up with their batting practice uniforms.
After the formal tour, which lasted about an hour, I went outside to see the various monuments and statues. I saw the new (1994) Roberto Clemente Statue (11k) near Gate A. I was very impressed with the detail and the likeness. This statue helps to provide a gentle reminder on how fortunate we Pirate fans have been with the success of the franchise and with the caliber of players we have had in Pittsburgh
I also saw the old Honus Wagner Statue (15k) near Gate C. Honus was originally erected in 1955 in Schenley Park, outside Forbes Field, but when the Bucs moved to Three Rivers Stadium, Honus moved too. He is 18 feet high and weighs 1,800 pounds.
Here's a link to some Fun Facts about Three Rivers Stadium.
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