Goodbye, Three Rivers

(Jerry Reuss photograph)

Another cookie-cutter stadium from the 1970s disappears as Pittsburgh’s Three Rivers Stadium – photographed here in better days by former Pirates All-Star pitcher and accomplished shutterbug Jerry Reuss – is imploded 25 years ago today.

Three Rivers, of course, is the site in 1971 of the first World Series night game; where in 1972 Roberto Clemente records his 3,000th hit; where in 1987 Mike Schmidt hits his 500th career homer; and where in 1992 Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Mickey Morandini turns only the ninth unassisted triple play in major league history.

Pirates third baseman John Wehner is the last player to homer at Three Rivers Stadium as he hits a two-run drive off Chicago’s Jon Lieber in the bottom of the fifth inning of Pittsburgh’s final game of the 2000 season.

So long, Three River Stadium (David Maxwell photograph)

Turns out Wehner also is the final batter in Three Rivers’ history as he bounces out to Cubs third baseman Jeff Huson and ends the Cubs’ 10-9 victory before a season-high crowd of 55,351.

Turns out that the final play also is Huson’s last in his 12-year career in the majors.

Stadium employee Elizabeth King later wins a raffle to become the person who 25 years ago today pushes the button to bring down the stadium at 7:58 a.m. on a chilly-even-for-February Sunday morning.

King shares the honor with her 16-year-son, Joseph, as thousands look on various vantage points.

Approximately 4,800 pounds of TNT level the 59,000-seat stadium in just 19 seconds, leaving behind eight tons of pulverized concrete and steel.

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