Pittsburgh’s home opener

Forbes Field in its early years

In a game featuring five Hall of Famers, the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates spend their Wednesday afternoon 117 years ago today opening baseball’s newest ballpark, Forbes Field.

The Cubs – behind their future Hall of Fame double play combination of shortstop Joe Tinker, second baseman Johnny Evers and first baseman Frank Chance – beat the hometown Pirates 3-2 before a partisan and beyond-capacity crowd of 30,388 in a newly minted ballpark.

The cost to build Forbes Field in 1909 is just north of $1 million – $35.3 million in today’s money.

Historians note the loss in Forbes Field’s first game goes to Vic Willis, the Pirates’ starter and future Hall of Famer.

The one-run loss drops Willis’ record to 11-2 in 1909.

The right-hander posts a more pedestrian 11-9 record in his next 20 decisions to finish the summer at 22-11 with a sparkling 2.24 earned-run average.

Pittsburgh shortstop Honus Wagner, easily the best and most recognizable of the handful of Hall of Famers in this game, collects two of the Pirates’ five hits off Chicago’s Ed Reulbach.

The Pirates eventually win 110 games during the regular season before beating the Detroit Tigers in the 1909 World Series.

The Pirates remain at Forbes Field until midway through the 1970 season, when they move into Three Rivers Stadium.

Part of Forbes Field’s outfield wall remains intact on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh, where Forbes stands for 51 seasons.

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