Josh Gibson Heritage Park opening

It’s been a busy summer for the Josh Gibson Foundation. Sean Gibson has arranged a full slate of events to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his great-grandfather’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On August 3rd Gibson’s Hall of Fame plaque was on display at PNC Park during that evening’s Pirates game. And the following morning the Josh Gibson Heritage park was officially unveiled over by Station Square in the South Side.

It’s been several years since the Heritage Park had its groundbreaking ceremony, so I was glad to be here for the official opening.

Sean Gibson welcomed the crowd.

Rob Ruck also offered some introductory remarks. Ruck is a historian at the University of Pittsburgh. His book Sandlot Seasons: Sport in Black Pittsburgh was a major reference for me when I was researching Pittsburgh’s Black baseball history. Ruck offered historical background on the significance of the figures commemorated at the Park, but also contextualized ongoing efforts of recognizing and memorializing Black sport history in relation to broader reckonings with racial disparities.

Finally the artworks were unveiled, beginning with the Cool Papa Bell monument. The pieces are painted bronze casts.

Finally the artworks were unveiled, beginning with the Cool Papa Bell monument. The pieces are painted bronze casts.

The marker for Cumberland Posey.

Satchel Paige.

Concluding with the Josh Gibson tribute.

Check out the Josh Gibson Foundation for additional information and upcoming events. Sean was also interviewed on City Cast Pittsburgh last month discussing the various commemorations.

Pirates 2022 Home Opener

The Pittsburgh Pirates held their home opener at PNC Park on April 12th. First pitch was scheduled for 4:12 PM, a deliberately specific start time that sought to establish hometown Yinzer synergy with the 4/12 game date and Pittsburgh’s 412 area code. I had been eagerly anticipating opening day since I hadn’t attended a Pirates home opener since 2019. When I saw the crowds thronging to the stadium I realized that I was not alone: the pandemic-wrought disruptions of the past two seasons meant that no one had been able to enjoy a proper opening day game in Pittsburgh for three years. It was also a gorgeous afternoon with ideal weather for taking in a baseball game, considerably warmer than the chill and windy conditions during the 2019 home opener.

In addition to the return of a full capacity home opener this opening day game was also the debut of numerous new additions and renovations that were made to PNC Park during the offseason. Dubbed “fan experience enhancements,” these changes not only included the usual change up of concession offerings but also some significant alterations to the physical spaces of the ballpark itself. The physical modifications were made in coordination with Janet Marie Smith, a ballpark designer who’s overseen similar projects at Baltimore’s Camden Yards as well as Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium. During press previews of the renovations Smith described PNC as “one of the most iconic ballparks in the U.S.” and described some of the changing fan behaviors and expectations that the additions aim to accommodate.

The new stadium features are encountered before even entering the ballpark. New commemorative monuments have been installed along the riverwalk that separates PNC Park from the Allegheny in the form of oversized baseball sculptures featuring the names of notable players and hall-of-famers. The monuments not only recognize storied players from throughout the Pirates long history but also include players from Pittsburgh’s most prominent Negro Leagues teams, namely the Homestead Grays and Pittsburgh Crawfords.

I’ve previously written about Negro Leagues commemoration at PNC Park, and my chapter in the Urban Communication Reader Vol. IV focuses on various failures or frustrations of memorializing the history of Black baseball in Pittsburgh (one of the significant examples from PNC Park being the former Legacy Square installation). With this history in mind I appreciated the new (and ostensibly permanent) commemorative markers that honor this legacy. Yet amongst these welcome efforts the Pirates organization once again found frustration in its attempts at Negro Leagues memorialization when a large bobblehead-style statue of a Black baseball player was rejected prior to its installation in PNC Park. After images of the statue appeared online some social media users remarked that the likeness evoked legacies of racist caricatures.

Aside from the baseball monuments the Pirates also installed large sculptures of retired player numbers along the rampway that connects the riverwalk to the northern terminus of the Clemente bridge and PNC Park’s Center Field Gate.

Speaking of the Center Field Gate, visitors entering PNC Park through this portal will almost immediately encounter the most significant physical alterations to the space of the ballpark. The areas around the outfield have been substantially renovated to feature new seating areas, hightop tables with patio umbrellas, and two new concession stations. In addition to providing great new spaces for watching the field these areas also open up new vistas of the ballpark.

In the area that previously housed a small, standalone security outpost building there is a brand new bar concession (sponsored by Fatheads Brewery, which also hosts one of my go-to South Side spots).

As the name suggests, the Fathead’s Bullpen Bar also features an extended drink rail directly overlooking the bullpen. I think this is an especially neat addition, as previously the area above the bullpen was rather heavily policed by the resident security staff who often shooed away peering fans. It’s a nice addition that affords a wholly unique perspective for watching the game yet I have to imagine that this privileged position will regularly feature “spirited” patrons heckling hometeam and visiting relief pitchers alike.

The outward-facing side of the Bullpen bar is festooned with Pirates banners and features the same stellar city views that this part of the ballpark has always provided.

Also in this outfield area is Manny’s BBQ, which is not a new concession but rather a longtime favorite for food offerings at PNC. Nevertheless, it did receive some updates including oversized reproductions of baseball cards from throughout the career of the restaurant’s namesake Manny Sanguillén. I had often heard that Manny himself could sometimes be found manning the stand, but this opening day visit was the first time I actually witnessed such an occurrence. In the photo below you can see Manny in the lower left corner greeting fans beneath some of the new baseball card features.

There are new commemorative and decorative installations throughout the ballpark, such as these vintage-style Pirates pennants and “Let’s Go Bucs” signage.

Some additional commemorative features are still in the works, as evident by the “coming soon” banner along this new Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Fame wall.

The game ended shortly before sunset, and the long shadows and suffused light on this opening day made me think of the final game of the previous season last October.

As we were informed last year, the Roberto Clemente Bridge is currently closed for renovations and will remain inaccessible for the remainder of this season. While the bridge itself may not officially be part of the ballpark, it is an indelible feature of the overall PNC Park panorama and common accessway to the stadium. As such, traversing the bridge is closely connected to the entire game day experience for many visitors. On my way to the game I took the T to the North Side station (something I hadn’t done in years). When leaving I joined the crowds crossing the 7th Street Andy Warhol Bridge. While adjusting to this detour I wondered about the fate of another iconic feature of a Pirates home game experience: the “Sax Man,” AKA Reggie Howze, the Hill District native who has been playing saxophone on the Clemente Bridge before and after Pirates games since 1998. To my delight, Mr. Howze was indeed posted up on the sister bridge providing exit music for the departing fans.

2021 Pittsburgh Negro Leagues Commemoration at PNC Park

This past week marked the 50th anniversary of the Pittsburgh Pirates fielding the first all Black and Latino starting lineup in Major League Baseball history. The historic game -- played September 1st 1971 at Three Rivers Stadium -- made the Pirates the first franchise to start an all-minority lineup in the major leagues. While all indications suggest that the decision was made without any deliberate intention to make history, the major league milestone quickly sent shockwaves throughout Pittsburgh and beyond. The Pirates organization commemorated the anniversary with special events including a panel discussion at the Heinz History Center featuring members of the landmark lineup.

The anniversary events came one week after the Pirates dedicated a game to commemorating Pittsburgh’s Negro Leagues baseball history. On Friday August 27th the Pirates presented a Negro Leagues remembrance night while hosting the St. Louis Cardinals at PNC Park. The game featured a Josh Gibson-themed Grays t-shirt giveaway for fans and the Pirates took the field wearing replica Homestead Grays uniforms.

As with similar commemoration games during previous seasons the event also included an historical exhibit beneath the outfield bleachers. In addition to uniform and memorabilia displays relating to Josh Gibson and Pittsburgh’s Negro Leagues teams, the exhibit also featured photographs from the Carnegie Museum of Art’s Charles “Teenie” Harris archive.

During the pre-game festivities the Pirates presented a $15,000 check to Sean Gibson, Josh Gibson’s great grandson and head of the Josh Gibson Foundation. I was pleased to see Sean and his foundation singled out for recognition at the game: he was extremely generous with his time when I interviewed him about his commemoration initiatives for my chapter in the Urban Communication Reader vol. IV, and I know that the breakout of the pandemic last year interrupted various plans for celebrations. I was also glad to see that the banners in the Legacy Square stadium entrance featured Negro Leagues players. I recall that in 2019 the banners only highlighted Pirates players. The return of Negro Leagues history to the corridor was a welcome sight, even if it doesn’t quite make up for the removal of the statues and history exhibits that previously occupied the space, as I discussed in my aforementioned book chapter.

The Legacy Square banners were not the only indication of increased Negro Leagues commemoration by the Pirates. The August 27th game was officially promoted as a Negro Leagues remembrance night for the first time in several seasons. During the past five years I’ve noticed that the annual commemorative game had gone from being billed as a “Negro Leagues celebration” to “African American Heritage night” and most recently simply a “Heritage Night.” I found a poster of this season’s promotional schedule that retained a reference to the indefinite “Heritage Night,” but I was glad that the promotion listing when I purchased my tickets was more pronounced. Even a seemingly minor gesture like this can take on greater resonance in light of ongoing efforts to commemorate and reckon with legacies of injustice, particularly in light of MLB’s decision late last year to officially recognize Negro Leagues records within major league baseball history.