Three Rivers Stadium

A proposal for a new sports stadium in Pittsburgh was first made in 1948, but plans did not attract much attention until the late 1950s. Ground was broken in April 1968 and construction, often behind schedule, took 29 months. The stadium opened on July 16, 1970, with a Pirates game. In the 1971 World Series, it hosted the first World Series game played at night. The following year, on December 23, 1972, the stadium was the site of the Immaculate Reception, one of the most famous plays in NFL history, when Steelers running back Franco Harris caught a deflected pass and ran for a game-winning touchdown against the Oakland Raiders. The stadium hosted six World Series games in 1971 and 1979, with the Pirates winning both series. The Steelers won four Super Bowls while calling Three Rivers home. The final game in the stadium was won by the Steelers on December 16, 2000. After its closing, Three Rivers was imploded on February 11, 2001, and the Pirates and Steelers moved into new dedicated stadiums: PNC Park and Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium), respectively. A Pennsylvania Historical Marker was designated at the site on November 26, 2007.

Three Rivers Stadium was nicknamed 'The Blast Furnace' and 'The House that Clemente Built' in honor of Pirates legend Roberto Clemente. The stadium hosted the first World Series game played at night on October 13, 1971. It was the site of the Immaculate Reception on December 23, 1972, arguably the most famous play in NFL history. The Steelers won four Super Bowls (IX, X, XIII, XIV) while calling Three Rivers home. The stadium was one of the classic 'cookie-cutter' multi-purpose stadiums of the era, alongside Riverfront Stadium, Veterans Stadium, and Busch Memorial Stadium. The Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL played at the stadium in 1984. The stadium used Tartan Turf from 1970 to 1982 before switching to AstroTurf. A Pennsylvania Historical Marker was placed at the site in 2007.