Exposition Park

About Exposition Park

Exposition Park occupied a dramatic location at the confluence of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers in Pittsburgh — the very site where PNC Park stands today. The park served the Pittsburgh Pirates for nearly two decades, but its waterfront position came with a serious drawback: the field flooded regularly, sometimes leaving outfielders wading through standing water during games. A steep bank led directly to the river, and spring flooding was essentially guaranteed each season.

Honus Wagner played some of his early years here before the Pirates moved to the magnificent Forbes Field in 1909. Despite the flooding issues, Exposition Park was the site of considerable Pirates success, including back-to-back National League titles in 1901 and 1902 and the first modern World Series in 1903, when Pittsburgh hosted the Boston Americans. Wagner's immortal batting and the team's roughhousing style of play made the Pirates one of the most feared clubs of the early 20th century.

When Forbes Field opened in 1909 with its grand steel-and-concrete structure, Exposition Park was quickly abandoned. The site's full-circle journey — from early ballpark to vacant lot to the stunning PNC Park — makes it one of the most historically layered spots in American sports.

Fun facts

• The park flooded so regularly that outfielders sometimes played in standing water during spring games.
• PNC Park — considered one of baseball's most beautiful ballparks — stands on the exact same site today.
• Honus Wagner played here in his early career before moving to Forbes Field.
• The 1903 World Series here was the very first modern Fall Classic — Boston won in eight games (best of nine format).

More historical ballparks

• Ebbets Field · Brooklyn, New York
• Exhibition Stadium · Toronto, Ontario
• Forbes Field · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Globe Life Park in Arlington · Arlington, Texas
• Griffith Stadium · Washington, District of Columbia