Pittsburgh’s Historic Stadiums and Arenas

Pittsburgh has long been in the forefront of developing sports facilities, from Forbes Field, one of the first ＂modern＂ concrete and steel ballparks, and PNC Park, the best of the new millennium’s retro design movement, to Schenley Casino and Duquesne Garden, the first artificial indoor ice rinks, and the engineering marvel of the Civic Arena’s movable dome. Pittsburgh’s Historic Stadiums and Arenas chronicles Pittsburgh’s professional baseball, football, hockey, and basketball venues. Photographs cover the design and construction phases, the major changes as facilities expanded and aged, and eventually the demolition of some venues. The great players, teams, and moments are not the focus; there are many other books to tell their stories. Instead, the stadiums and arenas take center stage in this unique history of Pittsburgh sports and architecture.

Local writer and lifelong sports fan Mark T. Fatla searched a wide variety of sources for photographs to illustrate this history, including team archives, museums, newspapers, and private collections. Included are rarely seen images and several that have never been published, providing a rich and detailed perspective on Pittsburgh’s sports venues.