On June 30th, Forbes Field opened up to a sold out crowd amid much fanfare. It was
described as the biggest sporting opening ceremony in United States history
up until that time. The ballpark was sold out and 5,000 overflow tickets were given
for people to sit in the outfield along what would have been the warning track.
Though many urged Barney Dreyfuss to name the ballpark "Dreyfuss Park", Dreyfuss
instead named the new stadium in honor of General John Forbes who captured
Fort Duquesne from the French in 1758 and rebuilt a new "Fort Pitt" at the
site *Gershman/Mcollister. When Barney Dreyfuss passed away in 1935, a movement
to change the ballpark to Dreyfuss Field took place but Dreyfuss' widow wanted
to keep her husband's wishes and the ballpark would remain known as Forbes Field
its demolition. |