Location, location, location

Under the lights at Three Rivers Stadium

Playing on the exact spot where their first field – Exposition Park – once stands, the Pittsburgh Pirates open Three Rivers Stadium 54 years ago tonight with a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds before a Thursday night crowd of 48,846.

Exposition Park in 1903

Historians note that Cincinnati’s Tony Perez hits the first home run in the new stadium, a two-run drive to left field in the fifth inning off Pirates starter Dock Ellis that gives the Reds a 2-1 lead.

Willie Stargell then hits the Pirates’ first homer at Three Rivers, a solo homer to right in the sixth off Reds starter Gary Nolan to tie the score at 2.

Perez eventually scores the deciding run in the ninth inning on Lee May’s one-out RBI single to left off Ellis.

The game features six future Hall of Famers – Perez at third base and catcher Johnny Bench from the Reds; Stargell in left field, right fielder Roberto Clemente and second baseman Bill Mazeroski from the Pirates; and Doug Harvey, the home plate umpire.

The new home field also gives the Pirates a chance to show off their new uniforms as they switch from the old flannels with a vest to a little something different in a cotton and nylon.