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Wikipedia

Sports in Pittsburgh

April 12, 2024

See also: American football in Western Pennsylvania

Main article: Pittsburgh

Sports in Pittsburgh have been played dating back to the American Civil War. Baseball, hockey, and the first professional American football game had been played in the city by 1892. Pittsburgh was first known as the "City of Champions" when the Pittsburgh Pirates, Pittsburgh Panthers football team, and Pittsburgh Steelers won multiple championships in the 1970s.[1] Today, the city has three major professional sports franchises, the Pirates, Steelers, and Penguins; while the University of Pittsburgh Panthers compete in a Division I Power Five conference, the highest level of collegiate athletics in the United States, in both football and basketball. Local universities Duquesne and Robert Morris also field Division I teams in men's and women's basketball and Division I FCS teams in football. Robert Morris also fields Division I men's and women's ice hockey teams.

As the home of the MLB's Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team, PNC Park is located in North Shore, in front of the Allegheny River, Roberto Clemente Bridge, and the Pittsburgh city skyline.

Pittsburgh's major teams have seen great success, with the MLB's Pirates winning 5 World Series titles, the NHL's Penguins winning 5 Stanley Cups, and the NFL's Steelers winning a tied league record 6 Super Bowls. The Pittsburgh Panthers have also been successful in the NCAA with 9 national championships in football and 2 in basketball.

The flag of Pittsburgh is colored with black and gold, based on the colors of William Pitt's coat of arms; Pittsburgh is the only city in the United States in which all professional sporting teams share the same colors. The city's first National Hockey League (NHL) franchise, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and that team's non-NHL predecessor, the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets, wore black and gold as their colors in the 1920s. The colors were adopted by founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Art Rooney, in 1933. In 1948, the Pittsburgh baseball Pirates switched their colors from red and blue to black and gold. Pittsburgh's second NHL franchise, the Pittsburgh Penguins, wore blue and white, due to then-general manager Jack Riley's upbringing in Ontario. In 1979, after the Steelers and Pirates had each won their respective league championships, the Penguins altered their color scheme to match, despite objections from the Boston Bruins,[2][3] who have used the black and gold combination since the 1935-36 NHL season.[4][5]

In 1975, late Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel, which has become "arguably the best-known fan symbol of any major pro sports team."[6] Cope was one of multiple sports figures born in Pittsburgh and its surrounding area; others include golfer Arnold Palmer, Olympian Kurt Angle, and basketball player Jack Twyman. Pittsburgh is also sometimes called the "Cradle of Quarterbacks"[7][8] due to the number of prominent players of that position who hail from the area, including NFL greats Jim Kelly, George Blanda, Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, Dan Marino, and Joe Montana.

The hometown Pittsburgh Penguins NHL ice hockey team defeats the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs second round en route to winning the Stanley Cup championship two rounds later. As of 2022, this is the most recent major league sports championship won by a Pittsburgh team.

Professional team sports edit

The City of Pittsburgh has had various professional sports franchises throughout its history and today is home to three teams competing at the highest professional level in their respective sports: the Pittsburgh Pirates of the MLB, the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL, and the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL.

Major League Professional Teams edit

Minor League Professional Teams edit

Top Tier Amateur Teams edit

Franchise Founded Sport Current Venue League Championships
Pittsburgh Hotspurs 2019 Soccer Founder's Field (Indiana Township), Penn Hills High School National Premier Soccer League

Baseball edit

We had 'em all the way

Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince, after a comeback[9]

Prior to 1876, three amateur Pittsburgh baseball teams—the Enterprise, the Xanthas, and the Olympics—competed, most often at Recreation Park.[10] On April 15, 1876, Recreation Park was the site of a game between the Xanthas and the Pittsburgh Alleghenies (alternately spelled "Alleghenys"[11]), an unrelated forerunner to the "Alleghenys" team which would later be renamed the Pirates. The Alleghenies won the game 7–3.[12] The 1877 squad was the most successful yet, finishing within 1 game of the pennant in the International Association; only a Canadian team had a better record, allowing the city potential bragging rights for being the best American team that season.

1882 marked the first "major league" and fully professional season for the Pittsburgh Alleghenies (Pirates) and in 1887, the Alleghenies moved from American Association to the National League after owner William Nimick became frustrated over a contract dispute.[13] The Pirates were purchased in 1900 by Barney Dreyfuss, who would go down in history as the "Father of the modern World Series" and its precursor, the Chronicle-Telegraph Cup, both of which saw the Pirates participate in the inaugural series. He recruited Hall of Famers Fred Clarke and Pittsburgh native Honus Wagner and built the first concrete and steel (first "modern") baseball stadium, Forbes Field. Under Dreyfuss, the Pirates won pre-World Series world titles in 1901 and 1902, National League pennants from 1901–1903, 1909, 1925 and 1927 and World Series in 1909 and 1925. The 1902 squad set major league records for winning percentage and even today is the second most winning team ever fielded in the sport.[14] The franchise won the World Series three more times— in 1960, 1971, and 1979. In 1960, the team became the first to win a World Series on a walk-off home run, hit by Bill Mazeroski, and they remain the only team to win on a walk-off homer in the decisive seventh game. In 1979, the Pirates repeated the accomplishment of their own 1925 World Series team, coming back from a three-games-to-one deficit, winning three games in a row when facing elimination, for the title. Thus the Pirates became (and they currently remain) the only franchise in the history of all sports to win world titles more than once when coming back from a 3-1 deficit. The 1979 Pirates also are unique in that they are the only team in all sports to have players who captured all four MVP awards: Seasonal (Willie Stargell, co-MVP with Keith Hernandez), All Star Game (Dave Parker), NLCS (Willie Stargell), and World Series (Willie Stargell) within a single season.[15] Since 1970 the team has won their division and qualified for the playoffs nine times: six in the 1970s, and three times in a row from 1990 to 1992. Pirate players have won the league MVP award in 1960 (Dick Groat), 1966 (Roberto Clemente), 1978 (Dave Parker), 1979 (Willie Stargell), 1990 (Barry Bonds), 1992 (Barry Bonds), and 2013 (Andrew McCutchen) and the Cy Young Award in 1960 (Vernon Law) and 1990 (Doug Drabek). In 2001, the team opened PNC Park on the city's North Shore, regularly ranked as one of the top three baseball parks in the country.

In addition to the Pirates, the Pittsburgh Stogies, Pittsburgh Burghers and Pittsburgh Rebels played in various leagues from 1884 to 1915. The Rebels won the pennant in 1912 and finished just a half game shy of a pennant in 1915.[16] The Pittsburgh Keystones, Homestead Grays (playing in the city limits), and Pittsburgh Crawfords played in the Negro leagues. With players including Josh Gibson and Cumberland Posey the Grays won 12 league titles—the most by any Negro league team[1]—including nine consecutive from 1937 to 1945. The Crawfords finished their eight-year existence with a .633 winning percentage, with a line-up including Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, and Satchel Paige and claimed four straight league titles from 1933 until 1936, with the 1935 team judged by some[who?] as the greatest one to ever take the field in the Negro leagues, or perhaps in baseball period. Just as they initially played in the first "modern" ballpark in the majors (Forbes Field), Crawfords owner Gus Greenlee constructed the first steel and concrete "modern" stadium in the Negro leagues, with Greenlee Field opening in the Hill District on April 29, 1932.[17]

Basketball edit

Pittsburgh South Side won Western Pennsylvania Basketball League and Central Basketball League titles in 1904, 1907 and 1913, coming in second place in 1908, 1911 and 1915. The "Black Fives" league enjoyed success in the city with Monticello-Loendi winning national championships in 1912, and four in a row from 1920–23. The Pittsburgh Pirates from 1937–39 and Pittsburgh Raiders in 1944–45 continued professional basketball in the city in the National Basketball League. Pittsburgh had one of the founding members of what became the NBA, the Pittsburgh Ironmen however only played a single season 1947–48 before folding. The Pittsburgh Renaissance (or Rens) played from 1961 until 1963 in the ABL, posting the city's best record in almost 40 years when they finished 2nd in 1962.

The most lasting legacy of pro roundball in Pittsburgh was the Pittsburgh Pipers-Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association from 1967 until 1972. In the first ABA World Championship in 1968, the Pipers defeated the New Orleans Buccaneers, which were owned by Harry Connick Sr.[citation needed]

After the ABA Pipers/Condors folded in 1972 the city hosted the Pittsburgh Piranhas of the CBA in the mid-1990s. The franchise made it to the championship round in the 1994–95 season. Taking the series into the 6th game the Piranhas lost by a basket in the final seconds (92-94) by what they claimed was an ineligible player, the CBA denied a replay game in what would have been Pittsburgh's second pro-basketball world title.[1] In the late 2000s the Pittsburgh Xplosion, a development league team owned by former NBA player Freddie Lewis,[18] played in a revamped ABA/CBA at Mellon Arena and the Petersen Events Center before ceasing operations prior to the 2008–09 season because of the economic recession. Another professional basketball team, the Pittsburgh Phantoms of the American Basketball Association, played during the 2009–10 season and held their games at the Carnegie Library of Homestead, but folded prior to the following season.

Hockey edit

See also: Flyers–Penguins rivalry and Sports in Philadelphia § Pittsburgh

First played in Pittsburgh in 1895, ice hockey grew in popularity after the Duquesne Gardens opened in 1899. In 1901 the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League (WPHL), a semi-professional ice hockey league based in Pittsburgh in the early 1900s, may have been involved in the first trade involving professional hockey players. In 1907, the WPHL was the first league to openly hire hockey players. The league played its games in three Pittsburgh hockey arenas, the Gardens, the Schenley Park Casino and the Winter Garden at Exposition Hall. The Casino, which was destroyed by a fire in 1896, had the first artificial ice surface in North America, was the first place in Pittsburgh where organized ice hockey was played and had the most modern indoor lighting system of the time era, that consisted of 1,500 incandescent lamps, 11 arc lights and 4 white calcium lights. In 1905–1907, the city was represented in the International Professional Hockey League, the first fully professional hockey league, by the Pittsburgh Professionals.

 
Pittsburgh Civic Arena was replaced by the venue now known as PPG Paints Arena in 2010.

The Gardens housed the largest indoor rink in the world and was home to the city's first NHL franchise, the Pittsburgh Pirates, from 1925 to 1930. The Gardens also was home to the Pittsburgh Shamrocks and the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets of the International Hockey League as well as the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League.[19]

In 1961, Pittsburgh Civic Arena was constructed for use of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera. Founded, by Jack McGregor and Peter Block as part of the 1967 NHL expansion, the Pittsburgh Penguins have played home games in downtown Pittsburgh since their inception—first at the Civic Arena, and since 2010 at PPG Paints Arena.[20] The Penguins won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992. The franchise recorded their third Stanley Cup in 2009.[21] The teams included players Mark Recchi, Kevin Stevens, Jaromír Jágr, and Mario Lemieux.[22] Lemieux holds multiple franchise records and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997.[23][24] He suffered from multiple injuries, including Hodgkin's lymphoma, throughout his career.[25] In 1999, Lemieux purchased the Penguins and saved the franchise from bankruptcy. He returned to play one year later as the first player/owner of the modern era.[26] The Penguins, led by top point scorers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 2008 and won the franchise's third Cup in 2009.[27] The franchise recorded their fourth Stanley Cup in 2016 and their fifth Stanley Cup in 2017.

Football edit

On November 12, 1892, Pudge Heffelfinger was paid $500 to participate in an American football game for the Allegheny Athletic Association. With this transaction, Heffelfinger became the first person to be paid to play football.[citation needed] The first professional football game was held at Recreation Park in Pittsburgh.[citation needed] Heffelfinger scored the game's only points as the Allegheny Athletic Association defeated the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, 4–0.[28][29] The early professional football era was also represented in Pittsburgh, by top athletic association teams in the Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit. The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club, was the top pro team in the state in 1898 and 1899. The first ever pro football all-star game was played at Exposition Park between the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club and a collection of players from several teams in the area on December 3, 1898. Duquesne won the game 16–0. Later the Homestead Library & Athletic Club, fielded the top pro team in the state in 1900 and 1901. In 1902 the top players in the area, mainly from the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club line-up, formed the Pittsburgh Stars of the first National Football League. The Stars were suspected of being financed by Barney Dreyfuss and William Chase Temple, the owners of baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates. The team featured baseball players in the line-up including Christy Mathewson, a future Hall of Fame pitcher with the New York Giants and Fred Crolius, and outfielder with Pirates. The team won the league's only championship in 1902.

In 1933, as the oldest of nine children Art Rooney, who had been raised on the North Side of Pittsburgh, founded the Pittsburgh Steelers.[30] Originally nicknamed the Pirates,[31] the team later changed their name to the Steelers, to represent the city's heritage of producing steel. The Steelers' first season with a winning record came in 1942. However, they lost their first playoff game in 1947.[32] In 1969, the Steelers hired head coach Chuck Noll who strategically drafted players in order to improve the team.[33] Three years later, in the first playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh's rookie running back Franco Harris returned an errant pass that bounced off an opposing player for a game-winning touchdown in a play that later became labeled the Immaculate Reception. In 1974, the Steelers won their first Super Bowl in franchise history—a feat which they would repeat in 1975, 1978, and 1979 to become the first NFL franchise to win four Super Bowls. In 1992, Noll was succeeded by Bill Cowher, who led the franchise to its fifth Super Bowl victory in 2005. Mike Tomlin succeeded Cower and led the Steelers to an NFL record sixth Super Bowl victory in 2008.[32] As of 2009, the Steelers have 18 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[34] In October 1964, Ernie Stautner, who played on the Steelers from 1950 to 1963, became the only Steelers' player to have his number—70—retired.[35] Charles "Mean Joe" Greene had his number -75- retired in 2014. In 2008, ESPN.com ranked Steelers' fans as the best in the NFL, citing their "unbelievable" sellout streak of 299 consecutive games.[36][37] Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney, son of founder Art Rooney, became the majority owner of the Steelers in November 2008 along with his son Art II, after they bought all of the shares of two of his four brothers.[38]

Outside of the NFL, the city was represented by the Pittsburgh Americans of the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937. It was also briefly represented by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League, in 1984, and the Pittsburgh Gladiators (which later became the Tampa Bay Storm), of the Arena Football League from 1987 until 1990. A second Arena Football League team, the Pittsburgh Power, played in the Consol Energy Center from 2011 until 2014.[39]

In addition, Pittsburgh has also been home to women's full-contact football teams. The Pittsburgh Passion were founded in 2002 as members of the National Women's Football Association, then played in the Independent Women's Football League, and then Women's Football Alliance.[40] The Passion play their home games at West Allegheny High School in nearby Imperial. The team went 12–0 and won a national title in 2007 as members of the NWFA.[41] The Pittsburgh Rebellion were members of the Legends Football League during the 2017 season with home games at the downtown Highmark Stadium.

The "most established area minor-league football team" the Pittsburgh Colts are members of the North American Football League's Regional American Football League.[42][43]

The United States Football League (2022) announced that the league would be relaunching in April 2022 and that the Pittsburgh Maulers would be returning[44]

Soccer edit

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC are members of the USL Championship (second division) and play at Highmark Stadium.[45]

The Riverhounds are one of the oldest professional soccer clubs in the United States operating outside of MLS; the only two older clubs are fellow USL Championship side Charleston Battery and USL League One's Richmond Kickers, both of which were founded in 1993. Like their counterparts, the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, the Riverhounds are a full-time professional club, and many of their current and former players have represented their countries in international play.

Historic teams such as the suburban Harmarville Hurricanes won the U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer's national championship, with Harmarville winning in 1952 and 1956 and reaching the final in 1953. Pittsburgh area teams Gallatin and Morgan Strasser also won the Open Cup in its earlier years, but since the end of the 1950s, only the Riverhounds have advanced as far as the quarterfinals, which they achieved in 2001 and 2023. The amateur club Pittsburgh Beadling has contested for regional and national titles for over 100 years, winning the National Amateur Cup in 1954,[46] though Beadling now operates primarily as a youth club.

Aldo Donelli, better known as a Duquesne University Football player and coach played soccer with a number of clubs in the 1920s and 1930s and was a member of the United States men's national soccer team during the 1934 FIFA World Cup. He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. In a 4–2 qualifying victory over Mexico in Rome, Italy on May 24, he tallied all four times, becoming the first American to score his first three international goals with the senior team in the same match.

The region's interest in soccer continues as modern stars such as natives Justin Evans, Meghan Klingenberg, Don Malinowski, John Stollmeyer, A. J. Wood and Marvell Wynne II have all achieved international success.

Rugby edit

The Pittsburgh Forge Rugby Club are rugby union team based in South Side Pittsburgh. The club formed in 2018 when the Pittsburgh City RC and the Pittsburgh Highlanders combined to form the Forge. The Pittsburgh Forge currently fields two competitive men's senior sides and one competitive women's side. The men currently participate in the Midwest Competition Region (NCR1) at the Division II and Division III levels, and the women also play in the Midwest Competition Region at the Division II level.

The Pittsburgh Sledgehammers are a rugby league team based in Cheswick, Pennsylvania (outside of Pittsburgh) which was formed in 2010 and plays in the AMNRL competition.

The Pittsburgh Harlequins are a rugby union team also based in Cheswick. The Pittsburgh Harlequins Rugby Club was founded in 1973 by a group of University of Pittsburgh law students. The organization has an active roster of 45 players and an alumni roster inclusive of more than 70 seasons of play. The Harlequins Rugby Club is a Division I member of the Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union. Over 300 active players wear the Harlequin jerseys every year at the Division 1 men's, Under 19, and Under 14 levels. In 1995, the Founders Field Center for Athletic Leadership was developed to support the Harlequins Men's and Youth programs. The 12 acre Founders Field facility includes lighting, irrigation, a clubhouse, locker rooms, concessions, and parking.

Major league professional championships edit

Individual sports and recreation edit

Golf edit

Golf has deep roots in the area with the region boasting the oldest course in continuous use in the nation: Foxburg Country Club dating from 1887. The suburban Oakmont Country Club has hosted the U.S. Open championships more than any other course in the nation (9) along with two U.S. Women's Open championships, three PGA Championships, and eight U.S. Amateurs.

See also: List of people from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area § Golf

Such golf legends as Arnold Palmer, Jim Furyk and Rocco Mediate learned the game and began their careers on Pittsburgh area courses. Suburban courses such as Laurel Valley Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club have hosted PGA Championships (1937, 1965), the Ryder Cup (1975), LPGA Championships (1957–1958), Senior Players Championships (2012–2013) and the Senior PGA Championship (2005).

Local courses have sponsored annual major tournaments for 39 years:

The region has deep roots in golf, boasting the oldest continuous country club in the U.S. at Foxburg, dating back to 1887.

The suburban Oakmont Country Club has hosted the U.S. Open Championships more than any other course at nine, and thus the Pittsburgh metro area more than any other metro. Oakmont has also hosted two U.S. Women's Open championships, three PGA Championships, and eight U.S. Amateurs. Other area courses such as Laurel Valley Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club have hosted PGA Championships, the Ryder Cup, LPGA Championships and Senior PGA Championships.

The region has hosted annual PGA Tour events such as the 84 Lumber Classic (2001–2006) at Mystic Rock, the Dapper Dan Open 1939–49, the Pittsburgh Open (1950s), the Tri State Open (1980s),[47] the Pittsburgh Senior Classic (1993–1998) and since 2010 the annual Mylan Classic.

Golf greats such as Arnold Palmer, Jim Furyk, Rocco Mediate and others hail from the region.[citation needed]

Fishing edit

Since the 1960s the city has focused on revitalizing its rivers, hosting the Bassmaster Classic and the Forrest Wood Cup in the 2000s and seeing a boom in local fishing participation. Among the variety are Catfish and Trout. [2]

Rowing/Rafting/Kayaking edit

Pittsburgh is the host city for both the annual Three Rivers Regatta (since 1977) and the annual Head of the Ohio (since 1987) races and events. The University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University as well as several area high schools have long standing rowing teams.

In 2010 National Geographic named the city to its top six of "Best Cities for Kayaking".[48] Kayak Pittsburgh is the largest river recreation rental in the area located on the North Shore on the Allegheny River.

Suburban Ohiopyle State Park offers some of the best white-water rafting in the country.

Trails/Camping/Biking edit

Pittsburgh has multiple mountain biking areas close to the city in area parks and in the surrounding suburbs. Frick Park has biking trails and Hartwood Acres Park has many miles of single track trails. A recent project, "Rails to Trails", has converted miles of former railroads to recreational trails, including a Pittsburgh-Washington, D.C. bike/walking trail. Kayaking is popular on the city's three rivers.

Pittsburgh and its region are internationally known for its extensive and varied trail system. Such assets as the Three Rivers, Ohio River, Youghiogheny River, Beaver River, Indian Creek, Panhandle, Laurel Highlands, Rachel Carson, Five Star and Montour offer stunning, natural, suburban and urban views of the metropolitan area. The Great Allegheny Passage provides an all natural-trail (non motorized) link to Washington, D.C., while the North Country Trail passes through the northern suburbs of the city and connects Bismarck, North Dakota to the Plattsburgh, New York area, with such cities as Duluth, Minnesota and Buffalo, New York in its path.

Within the urban core of the city and its immediate surroundings the Steps of Pittsburgh offer an urban hiking experience. "Urban oasis" parks that bring the wilds of nature into the middle of the urban core and feature over a mile of trails within their individual boundaries include: Point State, Frick, Highland, Schenley, Riverview, Grandview, South Side, Riverfront, Three Rivers, Point of View, and Roberto Clemente.

Large 500–2,000 acre suburban parks that feature several miles of diverse trails each are plentiful throughout the metropolitan area.

For hikers/trailblazers that desire a historical or cultural element to nature the metropolitan area offers the Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Bushy Run Battlefield, the Bear Run conservancy containing both Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob, the smaller yet hikable Meadowcroft Rock Shelter features pre-Columbian archeology. The large urban parks described earlier such as Schenley Park includes several historical/cultural sites including Phipps Conservatory and proximity to Schenley Plaza, the Cathedral of Learning, Hillman Library and the Frick Gallery. Riverview includes the Allegheny Observatory and Point includes the Fort Pitt Museum and the remains of Fort Duquesne.

For true environmentalists and wildlife fans the metro area includes the Jennings Environmental Education Center, as well the Allegheny Islands State Park, Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Ohioplye for hiking and water sports.

Tennis edit

Such teams as the Pittsburgh Triangles have built a small but loyal fan base for tennis in the region, being a perennial championship contender in the 1970s and winning a world title in 1975. Generations later the region still has deep tennis roots with the year-round all-weather Mellon Park Tennis Center being a world class facility for the sport, and helping to develop natives such as Bjorn Fratangelo, Bonnie Gadusek, Donald Johnson and Gretchen Magers in succeeding in international competition and rankings.

From 1979 to 1984 the city also hosted a yearly international tournament, the Pittsburgh Open.

Skiing/skating edit

Seven Springs Mountain Resort, Hidden Valley, Pennsylvania, Wisp Ski Resort and Boyce Park offer skiing with both PPG Place and North Park offering ice skating. In 2011, the Pittsburgh Penguins created a new public rink in the South Side neighborhood's Southside Works called "Penguin Pond".

Year round ice skating and skating events can be enjoyed at indoor area rinks including the Rostraver Ice Garden, Island Sports Center, IceoPlex at Southpointe and Bladerunners Ice Complex.

Such notable olympians as natives Kristi Leskinen, Kylie Gleason, Suna Murray, Ron Robertson, Mike Seibert, Suzanne Semanick, Jamie Silverstein and Taylor Toth have trained and began their careers at area facilities.

Youth sports Youth football Suburban league, Big East youth football league Penn Trafford, Woodland Hills, Greater Latrobe, Jeannette, PHMFA, Arken, Franklin Regional, Plum, Mckeesport, Gateway

College sports edit

There are several universities within the city that field athletic teams in NCAA Division I including the University of Pittsburgh (often referred to as "Pitt"), Duquesne University and Robert Morris University. Of these, Pitt is the only school that is a member of the so-called "Power Five" conferences that are primary partners in the College Football Playoff structure (the Atlantic Coast Conference). Other universities in Pittsburgh that field athletic teams include Carnegie Mellon University (Division III), Chatham University (Division III), Point Park University (NAIA), and Carlow University (NAIA).

Football edit

College football in Pittsburgh dates back to the University of Pittsburgh which first organized a football team in 1889 and played its first sanctioned game in 1890. In the first half of the 20th century, Pitt, Duquesne, and Carnegie Tech (now called Carnegie Mellon) all fielded football squads that made "major" bowl game appearances from the 1920s through the 1930s. These appearances included Duquesne in the 1933 and 1936 Orange Bowl, Carnegie Tech in the 1938 Sugar Bowl, and the University of Pittsburgh appearing in four Rose Bowls (1927, 1929, 1932, 1936) as well as nearby Washington and Jefferson College in the 1922 Rose Bowl.[49] In particular, Pitt was a national power during this era, claiming 8 national championships under the guidance of coaching legends such as Pop Warner and Jock Sutherland. More recently, the Panthers won another National Championship in 1976 and competed for several more through the 1980s. Multiple inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame played at Pitt, including Dan Marino, Tony Dorsett, Mike Ditka, and Larry Fitzgerald.[50] Pitt is the only university in Western Pennsylvania to still play college football at the highest level, the Football Bowl Subdivision, while Duquesne and Robert Morris have football teams that compete in the Football Championship Subdivision, and Carnegie Mellon fields a Division III football team.

Basketball edit

 
The Petersen Events Center, basketball home of the Pittsburgh Panthers

Three Pittsburgh universities, the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and Robert Morris University, compete in NCAA Division I basketball. Pitt and Duquesne are the traditional basketball powers in the city, but all three universities have made multiple appearances in the National Invitation Tournament and NCAA tournament. Pitt claims two pre-NCAA tournament National Championships in 1928 and 1930 [3] while Duquesne won the NIT title in 1955, its second straight trip to the NIT title game. Since the 2000–2001 season, a team from the region has always reached a post-season tournament, with Pitt having won multiple Big East Conference championships and having appeared in nine consecutive NCAA Tournaments, advancing to the Sweet 16 four times and the Elite Eight once. In the years 1941, 1964, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1989, 1992 and 2008, two of the city's universities sent teams to tournaments; in 2009 and 2010, all three universities earned bids to post season tournaments.

Pitt women's basketball has also made recent appearances in the NCAA tournament.[51] A rivalry game between Pitt and Duquesne, termed the City Game, is played annually between the two schools' men's and women's basketball teams, as well as their baseball teams.

Other collegiate sports edit

Along with college football and men's and women's basketball, the area universities compete in many additional sports. The University of Pittsburgh also fields NCAA Division I teams in baseball (its oldest sport. first played in 1869[52]), cross country, gymnastics, track and field, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball, and wrestling.[53] The Duquesne Dukes, in addition to many of the sports above, also participates in Division I lacrosse, golf, and rowing.[54] Robert Morris University fields Division I teams in men's and women's hockey, among other sports.[55]

Major events edit

Event Number Venue Years
PGA Championship 5 Oakmont Country Club
Pittsburgh Field Club
Laurel Valley Golf Club		 1922, 1951, 1978
1937
1965
Senior PGA Championship 1 Laurel Valley Golf Club 2005
PGA Tour Champions 5 Laurel Valley Golf Club
Fox Chapel Golf Club		 1989
2012, 2013, 2014
US Open 9 Oakmont Country Club 1927, 1935, 1953, 1962, 1973,
1983, 1994, 2007, 2016
Ryder Cup 1 Laurel Valley Golf Club 1975
MLB All Star Game 5 Forbes Field
Three Rivers Stadium
PNC Park		 1944, 1959
1974, 1994
2006
NHL All Star Game 1 Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1990
NHL Entry Draft 2 Pittsburgh Civic Arena
PPG Paints Arena		 1997
2012
NHL Stadium Series 1 Acrisure Stadium 2017
NHL Winter Classic 1 Acrisure Stadium 2011
AHL All-Star Game 1 Duquesne Gardens 1956
NCAA Men's Final Four Tournament 3 Pittsburgh Civic Arena
PPG Paints Arena		 1997, 2002
2012
NCAA Men's Frozen Four Tournament 1 PPG Paints Arena 2013
NCAA Women's Final Four Tournament 3 Pittsburgh Civic Arena
Petersen Events Center		 2001
2007, 2010

Annual events edit

 
Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix

Pittsburgh also hosts several annual major sporting events, including the:

Mckeesport Pa The city's vibrant rivers have attracted annual world title competitions of the Forrest Wood Cup in 2009 and the Bassmaster Classic in 2005.

Annual events continue during the winter months at area ski resorts such as Boyce Park, Seven Springs, Hidden Valley and Wisp as well as ice skating at PPG Place and North Park.

Rivers edit

A Formula-1 ChampBoat Series race, the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta, which is the largest inland regatta in the country during July at Point State Park.[56] There is also an annual large rowing regatta, the Head of the Ohio, which was founded in 1987 and is one of the largest inland regattas in the United States.[57]

Motorsports edit

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, the last remaining vintage automobile race run on city streets in the United States, is held annually at Schenley Park.[58][59]

Running edit

For 30 years Pittsburgh has also hosted a large 10K and 5K road race, the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, which attracts nearly 10,000 athletes and has been ranked as a Top 20 Multi-Race Events by USA Track & Field's publication On The Roads.[60] In addition, the 28th Pittsburgh Marathon will be hosted in the city in May 2018.[61]

Basketball edit

Pittsburgh was previously home to the first national high school all-star basketball game, The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic, from 1965 to 1992, prior to its move to Detroit and later Chicago.[62] It has long been home to the City Game between Pitt and Duquesne.

Cycling edit

Since 1983 the Dirty Dozen Cycle Race has been held in the city.

Awards banquet edit

Since 1936 the Dapper Dan Charities, a civic sports organization founded in part by a former editor Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has hosted an annual local and national celebrity and sport star dinner first at the William Penn Hotel then at the Hilton ballrooms and more recently at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center.

Other events edit

Pittsburgh has its own cricket league conducted by Pittsburgh Cricket Association[63] which was founded in 2005. The league features about 16 teams and the games are held at linbrook park and edgebrook field. The Pittsburgh Cricket Association, revived in 2004 from the long dormant 1882 Pittsburgh Cricket Club charter, comprises 16 active teams and more than 250 members.

PCA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation organized for charitable purposes to further the sport of cricket in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas. The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are: To promote, encourage, foster and cultivate interest in the sport of cricket; To initiate, sponsor, promote and carry out plans, policies and activities that would further the development and advancement of cricket in Pittsburgh and North Eastern PA; To develop, foster and train amateur athletes for representation in state, national and international cricket competitions; to promote building of facilities for other non-traditional sports like badminton, table tennis and rugby. [64]

  • Tennis: Historically the Pittsburgh Triangles of the 1970s played tennis at the Civic Arena, winning the WTT championship in 1975. The arena also hosted the Pittsburgh Open tennis tournament from 1979 until 1984. The year-round facilities at Mellon Park Tennis Center currently serve the city.
  • Gaelic football: Teams such as the Celtics (men's) and Banshees (women's), founded in 1976 and 2002, respectively. The Celtics won the Midwest title in 2002, 2006, and won both the midwest and National titles in 2011. The Banshees won the Midwest title in 2004, 2005, and both the midwest and Junior B shield national title in 2011.
  • Roller derby: Steel City Derby Demons of the WFTDA.
  • Dodgeball: NDL's Pittsburgh Punishers.

People edit

 
Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks
See also: List of people from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area

Multiple professional athletes were born or raised in the Pittsburgh area. Major League Baseball players Ken Griffey Sr.,[65] his Hall of Fame son Ken Griffey Jr.,[66] and Hall of Famer Stan Musial were born in Donora, Pennsylvania.[67] Hall of Fame inductee, player and manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Honus Wagner was born and raised in Chartiers.[68] Major League outfielder Tito Francona and pitcher Doc Medich were born in Aliquippa.[69][70] Super Bowl winning coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Ditka were born in Pittsburgh and Carnegie respectively.[71][72] Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Namath and Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett were born in Beaver Falls and Rochester respectively. 3 Time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana is from New Eagle. Jim Kelly from East Brady was the leading QB of the Buffalo Bills to 4 straight Super Bowl appearances. Johnny Unitas, National Football League's most valuable player in 1959, 1964 and 1967 is from Pittsburgh as well.[73][74] Owner of the Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban and Basketball Hall of Fame member Jack Twyman were born in Pittsburgh.[75][76] Olympic gold medalists Swin Cash and Kurt Angle, the latter of whom went on to become a major star in professional wrestling, were born in McKeesport and Pittsburgh respectively.[77][78][79] Professional golfers Rocco Mediate and Arnold Palmer were born in Greensburg and Latrobe respectively.[80][81] Author Jim O'Brien, who was born in Pittsburgh, has authored 20 books about Pittsburgh sports.[82]

Cradle of quarterbacks edit

The Pittsburgh region also has developed many notable athletes that have gone on to outstanding careers in professional sports. The region has produced a multitude of NFL quarterbacks, giving Western Pennsylvania the nickname "Cradle of Quarterbacks".[8][83] Dan Marino, Joe Montana, Joe Namath, Jim Kelly, Johnny Unitas, Bruce Gradkowski, Marc Bulger, George Blanda, Johnny Lujack, Jeff Hostetler, Gus Frerotte, Willie Thrower, Warren Heller, Johnny Gildea, Tyler Palko, Alex Van Pelt, Sandy Stephens, Terry Hanratty, Mike McMahon, Major Harris, Matt Cavanaugh, Chuck Fusina, Rod Rutherford, Ted Marchibroda, Babe Parilli, John Hufnagel, Tom Sherman, Richie Lucas, Boyd Brumbaugh, Scott Zolak, Ed Matesic, Tom Clements, Coley McDonough, Charley Seabright and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch all hail from within a 50-mile radius of the city.

Former professional franchises edit

Club Sport League Venue First season
(in Pittsburgh) 		Last season
(in Pittsburgh) 		Championships
(in Pittsburgh) 		Fate of team
Allegheny Athletic Association American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Recreation Park 1890 1896 1890, 1892, 1894, 1896 Club folded team
Duquesne Country and Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Exposition Park III 1895 1900 1895, 1898, 1899 Club folded team
Duquesne Country and Athletic Club ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens, Winter Garden at Exposition Hall 1908 1920 Club folded team
Fort Pitt Hornets ice hockey United States Amateur Hockey Association, Duquesne Gardens 1924 1925 Team partially merged into the Pittsburgh Pirates
Glassport Odds American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit ?? 1913 1950 Folded
Harmarville Hurricanes soccer U.S. Open Cup, National Amateur Cup ?? 1947 1967 1952, 1956 Folded
Homestead Grays baseball Negro leagues Forbes Field 1912 1950 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1948 Folded
Homestead Library & Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Carnegie Library of Homestead 1900 1901 1900, 1901 Club folded team
Hope-Harvey/Majestic Radios/J.P. Rooneys American football Independent Exposition Park III 1921 1932 1930, 1931 Team morphed into the Pittsburgh Pirates/Steelers
McKeesport Olympics American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit, Independent ?? 1896 c. 1940 Folded
Pennsylvania Enforcers/Pittsburgh Cougars ice hockey America East Hockey League IceoPlex at Southpointe 2007 2009 Folded
Pennsylvania Pit Bulls/Pittsburgh Hard Hats/Pittsburgh Xplosion basketball American Basketball Association, Continental Basketball Association Pittsburgh Civic Arena / Peterson Events Center 2004 2008 Folded
Pittsburgh baseball Ohio–Pennsylvania League ?? 1912 1912 Relocated to New Martinsville after just 4 days
Pitcairn Quakers American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Broadway Stadium 1904 1920 Folded
Pittsburgh Allegheny baseball International Association for Professional Base Ball Players Union Park 1876 1878 Folded
Pittsburgh Americans American football American Football League II Forbes Field 1936 1937 Folded
Pittsburgh Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit East Liberty Park 1891 1898 1891 Folded team
Pittsburgh Athletic Club ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1899 1909 1899, 1900, 1901 Folded team
Pittsburgh Bankers ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1900 1909 1903, 1908, 1909 Club folded team
Pittsburgh Bulls indoor lacrosse Major Indoor Lacrosse League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1990 1993 Folded
Pittsburgh Burghers baseball Players' League Exposition Park III 1890 1890 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Cannons soccer American Soccer League ?? 1972 1972 Folded
Pittsburgh Hardhats softball APSPL, UPSL Morrell Field, LaRussa Field 1977 1982 Folded
Pittsburgh Champions softball NASL LaRussa Field 1980 1980 Folded with the league
Pittsburgh Crawfords baseball Independent, Negro National League (II), Negro American League Greenlee Field 1931 1938 1932*, 1933*, 1934, 1935, 1936 Relocated to Toledo
Pittsburgh CrosseFire indoor lacrosse National Lacrosse League Mellon Arena 2000 2000 Relocated to Washington D.C.
Pittsburgh Filipinos baseball United States Baseball League, Federal League Exposition Park III 1912 1913 1912 Became the Pittsburgh Stogies/Rebels
Pittsburgh Force women's American football Women's Football Alliance Campbell Field Munhall, Pennsylvania 2009 2014 Inactive
Pittsburgh Forge ice hockey Island Sports Center North American Hockey League 2001 2004 2003 Relocated to Toledo
Pittsburgh Gladiators arena football Pittsburgh Civic Arena Arena Football League 1987 1990 Relocated to Tampa
Pittsburgh Hornets ice hockey American Hockey League Duquesne Gardens, Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1936-37 1966-67 1951–52, 1954–55, 1966–67 Folded
Pittsburgh Ironmen basketball Basketball Association of America Duquesne Gardens 1946–47 1946-47 Folded
Pittsburgh Keystones baseball Negro National League Ammon Field 1887 1921 1887, 1922 Folded
Pittsburgh Keystones ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Schenley Park Casino, Duquesne Gardens 1895 1904 1902 Club folded team
Pittsburgh Lyceum American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Duquesne University, Recreation Park 1902 192? Club folded team
Pittsburgh Lyceum ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens, Winter Garden 1907 1920 Club folded team
Pittsburgh Maulers American football United States Football League Three Rivers Stadium 1984 1984 Folded
Pittsburgh Monticello/Loendi basketball Black Fives League ?? 1903 192? 1912, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 Folded
Pittsburgh Phantoms basketball American Basketball Association Langley High School, Carnegie Library of Homestead 2009 2010 Folded
Pittsburgh Phantoms soccer United Soccer Association Forbes Field 1967 1967 Folded
Pittsburgh Phantoms roller hockey Roller Hockey International Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1994 1994 Folded
Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors basketball American Basketball Association Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1967–68 1970–72 1967–68 Folded
Pittsburgh Piranhas basketball Continental Basketball Association A.J. Palumbo Center 1994-95 1994-95 Folded
Pittsburgh Pirates ice hockey National Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1925-26 1929–1930 Relocated to Philadelphia
Pittsburgh Pirates / Raiders basketball National Basketball League ?? 1937–39 1945 Folded
Pittsburgh Pirates (WPHL) ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1907 1908 Folded
Pittsburgh Power arena football Arena Football League CONSOL Energy Center 2011 2014 Folded
Pittsburgh Professionals ice hockey International Professional Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1904 1907 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Rebellion women's American football Legends Football League Highmark Stadium 2017 2017 Folded
Pittsburgh Rens basketball American Basketball League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1961 1963 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Shamrocks ice hockey International Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1935-36 1935-36 Folded
Pittsburgh South Side basketball Western Pennsylvania Basketball League/
Central Basketball League		 ?? 1903 1915 1904, 1907, 1913 Folded
Pittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer Major Soccer League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1978 1986 Folded
Pittsburgh Stars American football National Football League (1902) Recreation Park 1902 1902 1902 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Stingers indoor soccer Continental Indoor Soccer League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1994 1995 Folded
Pittsburgh Stogies baseball Union Association Exposition Park II 1884 1884 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Stogies/Rebels baseball Federal League Exposition Park III 1914 1915 Folded with the League
Pittsburgh Triangles tennis World TeamTennis Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1974 1976 1975 Folded
Pittsburgh Victorias ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1902 1904 1903 Club folded team
Pittsburgh Winter Garden ice hockey Independent Winter Garden at Exposition Hall 1915 1916 Club folded team
Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets ice hockey United States Amateur Hockey Association, Duquesne Gardens 1915 1925 1924, 1925 Became the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets ice hockey International Hockey League, Eastern Amateur Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1930-31 1936-1937 Folded
Steel City Derby Demons roller derby Women's Flat Track Derby Association Romp'n Roll Roller Skating Rink 2006 2006 Folded

*The championships listed for the teams are the highest possible achievement in their respective leagues for each season. For baseball seasons prior to the advent of the World Series in 1903 and the Negro World Series in 1942, National League Championships and Negro National League Championships are listed.

Professional venues edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b Gallo, DJ (April 21, 2008). "So good, they donate champions". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
  2. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (November 10, 2008). "Vintage Penguins jerseys selling up a blue streak". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  3. ^ Potter, Chris (June 3, 2004). "Why are our colors always black and gold for our sports teams?". Pittsburgh City Paper. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  4. ^ Creamer, Chris; Radom, Todd (2020). Fabric of the Game: The Stories Behind the NHL's Names, Logos, and Uniforms. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-68358-385-1.
  5. ^ Moore, Gerry (November 19, 1935). "Bruins Play Amerks in First Home Game". The Boston Globe. p. 22.
  6. ^ "Former Steelers broadcaster, Terrible Towel creator Cope dies". ESPN. Associated Press. February 28, 2008. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
  7. ^ McHugh, Roy (January 20, 1991). "VIEWS OF SPORT; True Grit: Quarterbacks From Steel Belt Football". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Mike White (August 25, 2005). "Tradition of Western Pennsylvania quarterbacks continues". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  9. ^ O'Brien 1998, p. 18
  10. ^ McCollister, John (1998). The Bucs! The Story of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lenexa, Kansas: Addax Publishing Group. p. 21. ISBN 1-886110-40-9.
  11. ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates History & Encyclopedia". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  12. ^ William Benswanger (March–June 1947). "Professional Baseball in Pittsburgh" (PDF). An Informal Game. Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  13. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, pp. 1–3
  14. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, p. 472
  15. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, p. 612
  16. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, pp. 605–07
  17. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, pp. 607–09
  18. ^ "Freddie Lewis: General Manager / Majority Owner". Front Office. PittsburghXplosion.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  19. ^ Anne Madarasz (March 2008). "On Ice. Remembering Duquesne Gardens". Sports History. Pittsburgh Sports Report. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  20. ^ O'Brien 1994, p. 310
  21. ^ . NHL.com. Archived from the original on June 29, 2009. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  22. ^ "1990-91 Pittsburgh Penguins". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  23. ^ "Pittsburgh Penguins Career Leaders". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  24. ^ "Mario Lemieux". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  25. ^ O'Brien 1994, p. 398
  26. ^ . Executive Staff. PittsburghPenguins.com. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved January 6, 2009.
  27. ^ "2007-08 Pittsburgh Penguins". Hockey-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  28. ^ "Nov. 12: Birth of pro football". Pro Football History. ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  29. ^ "Pro Football's Birth Certificate". Pro Football History. ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  30. ^ O'Brien 2001, pp. 13, 33
  31. ^ NFL.com. "NFL history 1933". NFL.com. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  32. ^ a b (PDF). Steelers.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 28, 2008. Retrieved April 27, 2008.
  33. ^ "Chuck Noll". ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 7, 2009.
  34. ^ . Pittsburgh Steelers. ProFootballhof.com. Archived from the original on August 22, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  35. ^ . Steelers.com. February 16, 2006. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  36. ^ "ESPN ranks Steelers fans No. 1". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. August 30, 2008. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  37. ^ Mosley, Matt (August 29, 2008). "NFL's best fans? We gotta hand it to Steelers (barely)". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 30, 2008.
  38. ^ Bouchette, Ed; Gerry Dulac (November 21, 2008). "Two Rooney brothers to sell all shares". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  39. ^ Rossi, Rob (August 20, 2010). . Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Archived from the original on August 23, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  40. ^ "Pittsburgh Passion". PittsburghPassion.com. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
  41. ^ . History. PittsburghPassion.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
  42. ^ Billson, Marky (June 30, 2005). "Two strong quarterbacks will help Pittsburgh Colts". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. PG South.
  43. ^ "2008 RAFL Teams And Divisions". RAFL.net. Retrieved January 10, 2009.
  44. ^ Adamski, Chris (November 22, 2021). "Pittsburgh Maulers franchise returning in 2022 USFL reboot". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
  45. ^ Rujumba, Karamagi (July 9, 2008). "County unveils plan for sports complex". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved July 9, 2008.
  46. ^ "100 Years of Beadling Soccer". Beadling Soccer Club. Retrieved December 31, 2011.
  47. ^ Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search
  48. ^ . Archived from the original on September 20, 2020.
  49. ^ . Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2008.
  50. ^ "University of Pittsburgh Panthers football history" (PDF). University of Pittsburgh. 2006. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  51. ^ "Panthers tournament history". ESPN.com. March 17, 2008. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  52. ^ The Owl, 1937, pg 222, accessdate=2008-11-07
  53. ^ "Pittsburgh Panthers Athletics official site". PittsburghPanthers.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  54. ^ "Duquesne Dukes Athletics official site". GOduqusene.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  55. ^ "Robert Morris University Athletics official site". RMUcolonials.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  56. ^ Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta, accessdate=2009-01-10
  57. ^ Head of the Ohio, accessdate=2009-01-10
  58. ^ Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix, accessdate=July 20, 2012
  59. ^ Sanata, Larry (July 9, 2012). "History in the Park". Autoweek. 62 (14): 23.
  60. ^ Great Race, accessdate=2009-01-10
  61. ^ . About Us. PittsburghMarathon.com. Archived from the original on March 2, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  62. ^ Dick Vitale, A classic showcase for high school talent, ESPN.com, accessdate=2009-03-19
  63. ^ Home :: Pittsburgh Cricket Association
  64. ^ About PCA :: Pittsburgh Cricket Association
  65. ^ "Ken Griffey Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  66. ^ "Ken Griffey Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  67. ^ "Stan Musial Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  68. ^ Finoli, Ranier 2003, p. 243
  69. ^ "Tito Francona Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  70. ^ "Doc Medich Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  71. ^ "Bill Cowher Coaching Statistics". ProFootball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  72. ^ "Mike Ditka". Members. ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  73. ^ "Joe Namath". Members. ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  74. ^ "Tony Dorsett". Members. ProFootballhof.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  75. ^ Biertempfel, Rob (October 22, 2006). "Cuban hoping to work his magic here someday". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  76. ^ "Jack Twyman Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  77. ^ . Biography. WNBA.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2010. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  78. ^ "Swin Cash Biography". SwinCash.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  79. ^ "Kurt Angle Biography". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  80. ^ "Rocco Mediate Profile". PGAtour.com. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  81. ^ . PGAtour.com. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009. Retrieved January 9, 2009.
  82. ^ O'Brien 2008, p. 8
  83. ^ McHugh, Roy (January 20, 1991). "VIEWS OF SPORT; True Grit: Quarterbacks From Steel Belt Football". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2009.

References edit

  • Finoli, David; Bill Ranier (2003). The Pittsburgh Pirates Encyclopedia. United States: Sports Publishing LLC. ISBN 1-58261-416-4.
  • O'Brien, Jim (2001). The Chief: Art Rooney and his Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh: James P. O'Brien – Publishing. ISBN 1-886348-06-5.
  • O'Brien, Jim (1994). Penguin Profiles. Pittsburgh: James P. O'Brien – Publishing. ISBN 0-916114-16-3.
  • O'Brien, Jim (1998). We Had 'Em All the Way: Bob Prince and his Pittsburgh Pirates. Pittsburgh: James P. O'Brien – Publishing. ISBN 1-886348-03-0.
  • O'Brien, Jim (2008). Pittsburgh Proud. Pittsburgh: James P. O'Brien – Publishing. ISBN 978-1-886348-14-1.

Further reading edit

  • McCollister, John (2002). Bucs: The Story of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Lenexa, Kansas: Addax Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1-886110-40-3.
  • McCollister, John (2008). The good, the bad, and the ugly Pittsburgh Pirates: heart-pounding, jaw-dropping, and gut-wrenching moments from Pittsburgh Pirates history. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 978-1-57243-982-5.
  • Mendelson, Abby (2005). The Pittsburgh Steelers: The Official Team History, Updated Edition. Lanham, Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing. ISBN 1-58979-246-7.
  • Sciullo, Sam Jr. (2005). Pitt: 100 Years of Pitt Basketball. Champaign, Illinois: Sports Publishing. ISBN 1-59670-081-5.
  • Sciullo, Sam Jr. (1994). Greatest Moments in Pitt Football History. Athlon.

April 12, 2024
sports, pittsburgh, also, american, football, western, pennsylvania, main, article, pittsburgh, have, been, played, dating, back, american, civil, baseball, hockey, first, professional, american, football, game, been, played, city, 1892, pittsburgh, first, kno. See also American football in Western Pennsylvania Main article Pittsburgh Sports in Pittsburgh have been played dating back to the American Civil War Baseball hockey and the first professional American football game had been played in the city by 1892 Pittsburgh was first known as the City of Champions when the Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh Panthers football team and Pittsburgh Steelers won multiple championships in the 1970s 1 Today the city has three major professional sports franchises the Pirates Steelers and Penguins while the University of Pittsburgh Panthers compete in a Division I Power Five conference the highest level of collegiate athletics in the United States in both football and basketball Local universities Duquesne and Robert Morris also field Division I teams in men s and women s basketball and Division I FCS teams in football Robert Morris also fields Division I men s and women s ice hockey teams As the home of the MLB s Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team PNC Park is located in North Shore in front of the Allegheny River Roberto Clemente Bridge and the Pittsburgh city skyline Pittsburgh s major teams have seen great success with the MLB s Pirates winning 5 World Series titles the NHL s Penguins winning 5 Stanley Cups and the NFL s Steelers winning a tied league record 6 Super Bowls The Pittsburgh Panthers have also been successful in the NCAA with 9 national championships in football and 2 in basketball The flag of Pittsburgh is colored with black and gold based on the colors of William Pitt s coat of arms Pittsburgh is the only city in the United States in which all professional sporting teams share the same colors The city s first National Hockey League NHL franchise the Pittsburgh Pirates and that team s non NHL predecessor the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets wore black and gold as their colors in the 1920s The colors were adopted by founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers Art Rooney in 1933 In 1948 the Pittsburgh baseball Pirates switched their colors from red and blue to black and gold Pittsburgh s second NHL franchise the Pittsburgh Penguins wore blue and white due to then general manager Jack Riley s upbringing in Ontario In 1979 after the Steelers and Pirates had each won their respective league championships the Penguins altered their color scheme to match despite objections from the Boston Bruins 2 3 who have used the black and gold combination since the 1935 36 NHL season 4 5 In 1975 late Steelers radio broadcaster Myron Cope invented the Terrible Towel which has become arguably the best known fan symbol of any major pro sports team 6 Cope was one of multiple sports figures born in Pittsburgh and its surrounding area others include golfer Arnold Palmer Olympian Kurt Angle and basketball player Jack Twyman Pittsburgh is also sometimes called the Cradle of Quarterbacks 7 8 due to the number of prominent players of that position who hail from the area including NFL greats Jim Kelly George Blanda Johnny Unitas Joe Namath Dan Marino and Joe Montana The hometown Pittsburgh Penguins NHL ice hockey team defeats the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs second round en route to winning the Stanley Cup championship two rounds later As of 2022 this is the most recent major league sports championship won by a Pittsburgh team Contents 1 Professional team sports 1 1 Major League Professional Teams 1 2 Minor League Professional Teams 1 3 Top Tier Amateur Teams 1 4 Baseball 1 5 Basketball 1 6 Hockey 1 7 Football 1 8 Soccer 1 9 Rugby 2 Major league professional championships 2 1 Pittsburgh Steelers NFL 2 2 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 2 3 Pittsburgh Pirates MLB 2 4 Homestead Grays NNL 2 5 Pittsburgh Pipers ABA 3 Individual sports and recreation 3 1 Golf 3 2 Fishing 3 3 Rowing Rafting Kayaking 3 4 Trails Camping Biking 3 5 Tennis 3 6 Skiing skating 4 College sports 4 1 Football 4 2 Basketball 4 3 Other collegiate sports 5 Major events 6 Annual events 6 1 Rivers 6 2 Motorsports 6 3 Running 6 4 Basketball 6 5 Cycling 6 6 Awards banquet 7 Other events 8 People 8 1 Cradle of quarterbacks 9 Former professional franchises 9 1 Professional venues 10 Notes 11 References 12 Further readingProfessional team sports editThe City of Pittsburgh has had various professional sports franchises throughout its history and today is home to three teams competing at the highest professional level in their respective sports the Pittsburgh Pirates of the MLB the Pittsburgh Steelers of the NFL and the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL Major League Professional Teams edit Franchise Founded Sport Current Venue League ChampionshipsPittsburgh Pirates 1882 Baseball PNC Park Major League Baseball 5 World SeriesPittsburgh Steelers 1933 American football Acrisure Stadium National Football League 6 Super BowlsPittsburgh Penguins 1967 Ice hockey PPG Paints Arena National Hockey League 5 Stanley CupsMinor League Professional Teams edit Franchise Founded Sport Current Venue League ChampionshipsPittsburgh Riverhounds SC 1999 Soccer Highmark Stadium USL ChampionshipPittsburgh Passion 2003 Women s American football West Allegheny High School Women s Football Alliance 3 Women s Football ChampionshipsSteel City Yellow Jackets 2014 Basketball A Giving Heart Community Center American Basketball Association 1 ABA ChampionshipPittsburgh Thunderbirds 2015 Ultimate Highmark Stadium American Ultimate Disc LeaguePittsburgh Maulers 2021 American football TBD United States Football LeagueTop Tier Amateur Teams edit Franchise Founded Sport Current Venue League ChampionshipsPittsburgh Hotspurs 2019 Soccer Founder s Field Indiana Township Penn Hills High School National Premier Soccer LeagueBaseball edit We had em all the way Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince after a comeback 9 Prior to 1876 three amateur Pittsburgh baseball teams the Enterprise the Xanthas and the Olympics competed most often at Recreation Park 10 On April 15 1876 Recreation Park was the site of a game between the Xanthas and the Pittsburgh Alleghenies alternately spelled Alleghenys 11 an unrelated forerunner to the Alleghenys team which would later be renamed the Pirates The Alleghenies won the game 7 3 12 The 1877 squad was the most successful yet finishing within 1 game of the pennant in the International Association only a Canadian team had a better record allowing the city potential bragging rights for being the best American team that season 1882 marked the first major league and fully professional season for the Pittsburgh Alleghenies Pirates and in 1887 the Alleghenies moved from American Association to the National League after owner William Nimick became frustrated over a contract dispute 13 The Pirates were purchased in 1900 by Barney Dreyfuss who would go down in history as the Father of the modern World Series and its precursor the Chronicle Telegraph Cup both of which saw the Pirates participate in the inaugural series He recruited Hall of Famers Fred Clarke and Pittsburgh native Honus Wagner and built the first concrete and steel first modern baseball stadium Forbes Field Under Dreyfuss the Pirates won pre World Series world titles in 1901 and 1902 National League pennants from 1901 1903 1909 1925 and 1927 and World Series in 1909 and 1925 The 1902 squad set major league records for winning percentage and even today is the second most winning team ever fielded in the sport 14 The franchise won the World Series three more times in 1960 1971 and 1979 In 1960 the team became the first to win a World Series on a walk off home run hit by Bill Mazeroski and they remain the only team to win on a walk off homer in the decisive seventh game In 1979 the Pirates repeated the accomplishment of their own 1925 World Series team coming back from a three games to one deficit winning three games in a row when facing elimination for the title Thus the Pirates became and they currently remain the only franchise in the history of all sports to win world titles more than once when coming back from a 3 1 deficit The 1979 Pirates also are unique in that they are the only team in all sports to have players who captured all four MVP awards Seasonal Willie Stargell co MVP with Keith Hernandez All Star Game Dave Parker NLCS Willie Stargell and World Series Willie Stargell within a single season 15 Since 1970 the team has won their division and qualified for the playoffs nine times six in the 1970s and three times in a row from 1990 to 1992 Pirate players have won the league MVP award in 1960 Dick Groat 1966 Roberto Clemente 1978 Dave Parker 1979 Willie Stargell 1990 Barry Bonds 1992 Barry Bonds and 2013 Andrew McCutchen and the Cy Young Award in 1960 Vernon Law and 1990 Doug Drabek In 2001 the team opened PNC Park on the city s North Shore regularly ranked as one of the top three baseball parks in the country In addition to the Pirates the Pittsburgh Stogies Pittsburgh Burghers and Pittsburgh Rebels played in various leagues from 1884 to 1915 The Rebels won the pennant in 1912 and finished just a half game shy of a pennant in 1915 16 The Pittsburgh Keystones Homestead Grays playing in the city limits and Pittsburgh Crawfords played in the Negro leagues With players including Josh Gibson and Cumberland Posey the Grays won 12 league titles the most by any Negro league team 1 including nine consecutive from 1937 to 1945 The Crawfords finished their eight year existence with a 633 winning percentage with a line up including Gibson Cool Papa Bell and Satchel Paige and claimed four straight league titles from 1933 until 1936 with the 1935 team judged by some who as the greatest one to ever take the field in the Negro leagues or perhaps in baseball period Just as they initially played in the first modern ballpark in the majors Forbes Field Crawfords owner Gus Greenlee constructed the first steel and concrete modern stadium in the Negro leagues with Greenlee Field opening in the Hill District on April 29 1932 17 Basketball edit Pittsburgh South Side won Western Pennsylvania Basketball League and Central Basketball League titles in 1904 1907 and 1913 coming in second place in 1908 1911 and 1915 The Black Fives league enjoyed success in the city with Monticello Loendi winning national championships in 1912 and four in a row from 1920 23 The Pittsburgh Pirates from 1937 39 and Pittsburgh Raiders in 1944 45 continued professional basketball in the city in the National Basketball League Pittsburgh had one of the founding members of what became the NBA the Pittsburgh Ironmen however only played a single season 1947 48 before folding The Pittsburgh Renaissance or Rens played from 1961 until 1963 in the ABL posting the city s best record in almost 40 years when they finished 2nd in 1962 The most lasting legacy of pro roundball in Pittsburgh was the Pittsburgh Pipers Pittsburgh Condors of the American Basketball Association from 1967 until 1972 In the first ABA World Championship in 1968 the Pipers defeated the New Orleans Buccaneers which were owned by Harry Connick Sr citation needed After the ABA Pipers Condors folded in 1972 the city hosted the Pittsburgh Piranhas of the CBA in the mid 1990s The franchise made it to the championship round in the 1994 95 season Taking the series into the 6th game the Piranhas lost by a basket in the final seconds 92 94 by what they claimed was an ineligible player the CBA denied a replay game in what would have been Pittsburgh s second pro basketball world title 1 In the late 2000s the Pittsburgh Xplosion a development league team owned by former NBA player Freddie Lewis 18 played in a revamped ABA CBA at Mellon Arena and the Petersen Events Center before ceasing operations prior to the 2008 09 season because of the economic recession Another professional basketball team the Pittsburgh Phantoms of the American Basketball Association played during the 2009 10 season and held their games at the Carnegie Library of Homestead but folded prior to the following season Hockey edit See also Flyers Penguins rivalry and Sports in Philadelphia Pittsburgh First played in Pittsburgh in 1895 ice hockey grew in popularity after the Duquesne Gardens opened in 1899 In 1901 the Western Pennsylvania Hockey League WPHL a semi professional ice hockey league based in Pittsburgh in the early 1900s may have been involved in the first trade involving professional hockey players In 1907 the WPHL was the first league to openly hire hockey players The league played its games in three Pittsburgh hockey arenas the Gardens the Schenley Park Casino and the Winter Garden at Exposition Hall The Casino which was destroyed by a fire in 1896 had the first artificial ice surface in North America was the first place in Pittsburgh where organized ice hockey was played and had the most modern indoor lighting system of the time era that consisted of 1 500 incandescent lamps 11 arc lights and 4 white calcium lights In 1905 1907 the city was represented in the International Professional Hockey League the first fully professional hockey league by the Pittsburgh Professionals nbsp Pittsburgh Civic Arena was replaced by the venue now known as PPG Paints Arena in 2010 The Gardens housed the largest indoor rink in the world and was home to the city s first NHL franchise the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1925 to 1930 The Gardens also was home to the Pittsburgh Shamrocks and the Pittsburgh Yellow Jackets of the International Hockey League as well as the Pittsburgh Hornets of the American Hockey League 19 In 1961 Pittsburgh Civic Arena was constructed for use of the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Founded by Jack McGregor and Peter Block as part of the 1967 NHL expansion the Pittsburgh Penguins have played home games in downtown Pittsburgh since their inception first at the Civic Arena and since 2010 at PPG Paints Arena 20 The Penguins won back to back Stanley Cup championships in 1991 and 1992 The franchise recorded their third Stanley Cup in 2009 21 The teams included players Mark Recchi Kevin Stevens Jaromir Jagr and Mario Lemieux 22 Lemieux holds multiple franchise records and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997 23 24 He suffered from multiple injuries including Hodgkin s lymphoma throughout his career 25 In 1999 Lemieux purchased the Penguins and saved the franchise from bankruptcy He returned to play one year later as the first player owner of the modern era 26 The Penguins led by top point scorers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 2008 and won the franchise s third Cup in 2009 27 The franchise recorded their fourth Stanley Cup in 2016 and their fifth Stanley Cup in 2017 Football edit On November 12 1892 Pudge Heffelfinger was paid 500 to participate in an American football game for the Allegheny Athletic Association With this transaction Heffelfinger became the first person to be paid to play football citation needed The first professional football game was held at Recreation Park in Pittsburgh citation needed Heffelfinger scored the game s only points as the Allegheny Athletic Association defeated the Pittsburgh Athletic Club 4 0 28 29 The early professional football era was also represented in Pittsburgh by top athletic association teams in the Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit The Duquesne Country and Athletic Club was the top pro team in the state in 1898 and 1899 The first ever pro football all star game was played at Exposition Park between the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club and a collection of players from several teams in the area on December 3 1898 Duquesne won the game 16 0 Later the Homestead Library amp Athletic Club fielded the top pro team in the state in 1900 and 1901 In 1902 the top players in the area mainly from the Duquesne Country and Athletic Club line up formed the Pittsburgh Stars of the first National Football League The Stars were suspected of being financed by Barney Dreyfuss and William Chase Temple the owners of baseball s Pittsburgh Pirates The team featured baseball players in the line up including Christy Mathewson a future Hall of Fame pitcher with the New York Giants and Fred Crolius and outfielder with Pirates The team won the league s only championship in 1902 In 1933 as the oldest of nine children Art Rooney who had been raised on the North Side of Pittsburgh founded the Pittsburgh Steelers 30 Originally nicknamed the Pirates 31 the team later changed their name to the Steelers to represent the city s heritage of producing steel The Steelers first season with a winning record came in 1942 However they lost their first playoff game in 1947 32 In 1969 the Steelers hired head coach Chuck Noll who strategically drafted players in order to improve the team 33 Three years later in the first playoff game at Three Rivers Stadium Pittsburgh s rookie running back Franco Harris returned an errant pass that bounced off an opposing player for a game winning touchdown in a play that later became labeled the Immaculate Reception In 1974 the Steelers won their first Super Bowl in franchise history a feat which they would repeat in 1975 1978 and 1979 to become the first NFL franchise to win four Super Bowls In 1992 Noll was succeeded by Bill Cowher who led the franchise to its fifth Super Bowl victory in 2005 Mike Tomlin succeeded Cower and led the Steelers to an NFL record sixth Super Bowl victory in 2008 32 As of 2009 the Steelers have 18 members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame 34 In October 1964 Ernie Stautner who played on the Steelers from 1950 to 1963 became the only Steelers player to have his number 70 retired 35 Charles Mean Joe Greene had his number 75 retired in 2014 In 2008 ESPN com ranked Steelers fans as the best in the NFL citing their unbelievable sellout streak of 299 consecutive games 36 37 Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney son of founder Art Rooney became the majority owner of the Steelers in November 2008 along with his son Art II after they bought all of the shares of two of his four brothers 38 Outside of the NFL the city was represented by the Pittsburgh Americans of the second American Football League in 1936 and 1937 It was also briefly represented by the Pittsburgh Maulers of the United States Football League in 1984 and the Pittsburgh Gladiators which later became the Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League from 1987 until 1990 A second Arena Football League team the Pittsburgh Power played in the Consol Energy Center from 2011 until 2014 39 In addition Pittsburgh has also been home to women s full contact football teams The Pittsburgh Passion were founded in 2002 as members of the National Women s Football Association then played in the Independent Women s Football League and then Women s Football Alliance 40 The Passion play their home games at West Allegheny High School in nearby Imperial The team went 12 0 and won a national title in 2007 as members of the NWFA 41 The Pittsburgh Rebellion were members of the Legends Football League during the 2017 season with home games at the downtown Highmark Stadium The most established area minor league football team the Pittsburgh Colts are members of the North American Football League s Regional American Football League 42 43 The United States Football League 2022 announced that the league would be relaunching in April 2022 and that the Pittsburgh Maulers would be returning 44 Soccer edit Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC are members of the USL Championship second division and play at Highmark Stadium 45 The Riverhounds are one of the oldest professional soccer clubs in the United States operating outside of MLS the only two older clubs are fellow USL Championship side Charleston Battery and USL League One s Richmond Kickers both of which were founded in 1993 Like their counterparts the Steelers Penguins and Pirates the Riverhounds are a full time professional club and many of their current and former players have represented their countries in international play Historic teams such as the suburban Harmarville Hurricanes won the U S Open Cup U S Soccer s national championship with Harmarville winning in 1952 and 1956 and reaching the final in 1953 Pittsburgh area teams Gallatin and Morgan Strasser also won the Open Cup in its earlier years but since the end of the 1950s only the Riverhounds have advanced as far as the quarterfinals which they achieved in 2001 and 2023 The amateur club Pittsburgh Beadling has contested for regional and national titles for over 100 years winning the National Amateur Cup in 1954 46 though Beadling now operates primarily as a youth club Aldo Donelli better known as a Duquesne University Football player and coach played soccer with a number of clubs in the 1920s and 1930s and was a member of the United States men s national soccer team during the 1934 FIFA World Cup He is a member of the National Soccer Hall of Fame In a 4 2 qualifying victory over Mexico in Rome Italy on May 24 he tallied all four times becoming the first American to score his first three international goals with the senior team in the same match The region s interest in soccer continues as modern stars such as natives Justin Evans Meghan Klingenberg Don Malinowski John Stollmeyer A J Wood and Marvell Wynne II have all achieved international success Rugby edit The Pittsburgh Forge Rugby Club are rugby union team based in South Side Pittsburgh The club formed in 2018 when the Pittsburgh City RC and the Pittsburgh Highlanders combined to form the Forge The Pittsburgh Forge currently fields two competitive men s senior sides and one competitive women s side The men currently participate in the Midwest Competition Region NCR1 at the Division II and Division III levels and the women also play in the Midwest Competition Region at the Division II level The Pittsburgh Sledgehammers are a rugby league team based in Cheswick Pennsylvania outside of Pittsburgh which was formed in 2010 and plays in the AMNRL competition The Pittsburgh Harlequins are a rugby union team also based in Cheswick The Pittsburgh Harlequins Rugby Club was founded in 1973 by a group of University of Pittsburgh law students The organization has an active roster of 45 players and an alumni roster inclusive of more than 70 seasons of play The Harlequins Rugby Club is a Division I member of the Mid Atlantic Rugby Football Union Over 300 active players wear the Harlequin jerseys every year at the Division 1 men s Under 19 and Under 14 levels In 1995 the Founders Field Center for Athletic Leadership was developed to support the Harlequins Men s and Youth programs The 12 acre Founders Field facility includes lighting irrigation a clubhouse locker rooms concessions and parking Major league professional championships editPittsburgh Steelers NFL edit 6 Super Bowl titles 1974 IX 1975 X 1978 XIII 1979 XIV 2005 XL 2008 XLIII Pittsburgh Penguins NHL edit 5 Stanley Cup titles 1991 1992 2009 2016 2017 Pittsburgh Pirates MLB edit 5 World Series titles 1909 1925 1960 1971 1979Homestead Grays NNL edit 3 Negro World Series titles 1943 1944 1948Pittsburgh Pipers ABA edit 1 ABA Finals title 1968Individual sports and recreation editGolf edit Golf has deep roots in the area with the region boasting the oldest course in continuous use in the nation Foxburg Country Club dating from 1887 The suburban Oakmont Country Club has hosted the U S Open championships more than any other course in the nation 9 along with two U S Women s Open championships three PGA Championships and eight U S Amateurs See also List of people from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area Golf Such golf legends as Arnold Palmer Jim Furyk and Rocco Mediate learned the game and began their careers on Pittsburgh area courses Suburban courses such as Laurel Valley Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club have hosted PGA Championships 1937 1965 the Ryder Cup 1975 LPGA Championships 1957 1958 Senior Players Championships 2012 2013 and the Senior PGA Championship 2005 Local courses have sponsored annual major tournaments for 39 years Pennsylvania Open 1920 1940 even years Dapper Dan Open 1939 1949 Pittsburgh Open 1956 Pittsburgh Senior Classic 1993 1998 84 Lumber Classic 2001 2006 Mylan Classic 2010 2013 The region has deep roots in golf boasting the oldest continuous country club in the U S at Foxburg dating back to 1887 The suburban Oakmont Country Club has hosted the U S Open Championships more than any other course at nine and thus the Pittsburgh metro area more than any other metro Oakmont has also hosted two U S Women s Open championships three PGA Championships and eight U S Amateurs Other area courses such as Laurel Valley Golf Club and the Pittsburgh Field Club have hosted PGA Championships the Ryder Cup LPGA Championships and Senior PGA Championships The region has hosted annual PGA Tour events such as the 84 Lumber Classic 2001 2006 at Mystic Rock the Dapper Dan Open 1939 49 the Pittsburgh Open 1950s the Tri State Open 1980s 47 the Pittsburgh Senior Classic 1993 1998 and since 2010 the annual Mylan Classic Golf greats such as Arnold Palmer Jim Furyk Rocco Mediate and others hail from the region citation needed Fishing edit Since the 1960s the city has focused on revitalizing its rivers hosting the Bassmaster Classic and the Forrest Wood Cup in the 2000s and seeing a boom in local fishing participation Among the variety are Catfish and Trout 2 Rowing Rafting Kayaking edit Pittsburgh is the host city for both the annual Three Rivers Regatta since 1977 and the annual Head of the Ohio since 1987 races and events The University of Pittsburgh Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University as well as several area high schools have long standing rowing teams In 2010 National Geographic named the city to its top six of Best Cities for Kayaking 48 Kayak Pittsburgh is the largest river recreation rental in the area located on the North Shore on the Allegheny River Suburban Ohiopyle State Park offers some of the best white water rafting in the country Trails Camping Biking edit Pittsburgh has multiple mountain biking areas close to the city in area parks and in the surrounding suburbs Frick Park has biking trails and Hartwood Acres Park has many miles of single track trails A recent project Rails to Trails has converted miles of former railroads to recreational trails including a Pittsburgh Washington D C bike walking trail Kayaking is popular on the city s three rivers Pittsburgh and its region are internationally known for its extensive and varied trail system Such assets as the Three Rivers Ohio River Youghiogheny River Beaver River Indian Creek Panhandle Laurel Highlands Rachel Carson Five Star and Montour offer stunning natural suburban and urban views of the metropolitan area The Great Allegheny Passage provides an all natural trail non motorized link to Washington D C while the North Country Trail passes through the northern suburbs of the city and connects Bismarck North Dakota to the Plattsburgh New York area with such cities as Duluth Minnesota and Buffalo New York in its path Within the urban core of the city and its immediate surroundings the Steps of Pittsburgh offer an urban hiking experience Urban oasis parks that bring the wilds of nature into the middle of the urban core and feature over a mile of trails within their individual boundaries include Point State Frick Highland Schenley Riverview Grandview South Side Riverfront Three Rivers Point of View and Roberto Clemente Large 500 2 000 acre suburban parks that feature several miles of diverse trails each are plentiful throughout the metropolitan area Northern suburbs North Hartwood Acres Harrison Hills Deer Lakes Moraine McConnells Mill Southern suburbs South Round Hill Ohiopyle Western suburbs Settler s Cabin Hillman Raccoon Creek Eastern suburbs Boyce White Oak Renziehausen Keystone Laurel Mountain Laurel Ridge Laurel Summit Linn Run ForbesFor hikers trailblazers that desire a historical or cultural element to nature the metropolitan area offers the Fort Necessity National Battlefield Bushy Run Battlefield the Bear Run conservancy containing both Fallingwater and Kentuck Knob the smaller yet hikable Meadowcroft Rock Shelter features pre Columbian archeology The large urban parks described earlier such as Schenley Park includes several historical cultural sites including Phipps Conservatory and proximity to Schenley Plaza the Cathedral of Learning Hillman Library and the Frick Gallery Riverview includes the Allegheny Observatory and Point includes the Fort Pitt Museum and the remains of Fort Duquesne For true environmentalists and wildlife fans the metro area includes the Jennings Environmental Education Center as well the Allegheny Islands State Park Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge and Ohioplye for hiking and water sports Tennis edit Such teams as the Pittsburgh Triangles have built a small but loyal fan base for tennis in the region being a perennial championship contender in the 1970s and winning a world title in 1975 Generations later the region still has deep tennis roots with the year round all weather Mellon Park Tennis Center being a world class facility for the sport and helping to develop natives such as Bjorn Fratangelo Bonnie Gadusek Donald Johnson and Gretchen Magers in succeeding in international competition and rankings From 1979 to 1984 the city also hosted a yearly international tournament the Pittsburgh Open Skiing skating edit Seven Springs Mountain Resort Hidden Valley Pennsylvania Wisp Ski Resort and Boyce Park offer skiing with both PPG Place and North Park offering ice skating In 2011 the Pittsburgh Penguins created a new public rink in the South Side neighborhood s Southside Works called Penguin Pond Year round ice skating and skating events can be enjoyed at indoor area rinks including the Rostraver Ice Garden Island Sports Center IceoPlex at Southpointe and Bladerunners Ice Complex Such notable olympians as natives Kristi Leskinen Kylie Gleason Suna Murray Ron Robertson Mike Seibert Suzanne Semanick Jamie Silverstein and Taylor Toth have trained and began their careers at area facilities Youth sports Youth football Suburban league Big East youth football league Penn Trafford Woodland Hills Greater Latrobe Jeannette PHMFA Arken Franklin Regional Plum Mckeesport GatewayCollege sports editThere are several universities within the city that field athletic teams in NCAA Division I including the University of Pittsburgh often referred to as Pitt Duquesne University and Robert Morris University Of these Pitt is the only school that is a member of the so called Power Five conferences that are primary partners in the College Football Playoff structure the Atlantic Coast Conference Other universities in Pittsburgh that field athletic teams include Carnegie Mellon University Division III Chatham University Division III Point Park University NAIA and Carlow University NAIA Football edit College football in Pittsburgh dates back to the University of Pittsburgh which first organized a football team in 1889 and played its first sanctioned game in 1890 In the first half of the 20th century Pitt Duquesne and Carnegie Tech now called Carnegie Mellon all fielded football squads that made major bowl game appearances from the 1920s through the 1930s These appearances included Duquesne in the 1933 and 1936 Orange Bowl Carnegie Tech in the 1938 Sugar Bowl and the University of Pittsburgh appearing in four Rose Bowls 1927 1929 1932 1936 as well as nearby Washington and Jefferson College in the 1922 Rose Bowl 49 In particular Pitt was a national power during this era claiming 8 national championships under the guidance of coaching legends such as Pop Warner and Jock Sutherland More recently the Panthers won another National Championship in 1976 and competed for several more through the 1980s Multiple inductees into the College Football Hall of Fame played at Pitt including Dan Marino Tony Dorsett Mike Ditka and Larry Fitzgerald 50 Pitt is the only university in Western Pennsylvania to still play college football at the highest level the Football Bowl Subdivision while Duquesne and Robert Morris have football teams that compete in the Football Championship Subdivision and Carnegie Mellon fields a Division III football team Basketball edit nbsp The Petersen Events Center basketball home of the Pittsburgh PanthersThree Pittsburgh universities the University of Pittsburgh Duquesne University and Robert Morris University compete in NCAA Division I basketball Pitt and Duquesne are the traditional basketball powers in the city but all three universities have made multiple appearances in the National Invitation Tournament and NCAA tournament Pitt claims two pre NCAA tournament National Championships in 1928 and 1930 3 while Duquesne won the NIT title in 1955 its second straight trip to the NIT title game Since the 2000 2001 season a team from the region has always reached a post season tournament with Pitt having won multiple Big East Conference championships and having appeared in nine consecutive NCAA Tournaments advancing to the Sweet 16 four times and the Elite Eight once In the years 1941 1964 1980 1981 1982 1989 1992 and 2008 two of the city s universities sent teams to tournaments in 2009 and 2010 all three universities earned bids to post season tournaments Pitt women s basketball has also made recent appearances in the NCAA tournament 51 A rivalry game between Pitt and Duquesne termed the City Game is played annually between the two schools men s and women s basketball teams as well as their baseball teams Other collegiate sports edit Along with college football and men s and women s basketball the area universities compete in many additional sports The University of Pittsburgh also fields NCAA Division I teams in baseball its oldest sport first played in 1869 52 cross country gymnastics track and field soccer softball swimming and diving tennis volleyball and wrestling 53 The Duquesne Dukes in addition to many of the sports above also participates in Division I lacrosse golf and rowing 54 Robert Morris University fields Division I teams in men s and women s hockey among other sports 55 Major events editEvent Number Venue YearsPGA Championship 5 Oakmont Country ClubPittsburgh Field ClubLaurel Valley Golf Club 1922 1951 197819371965Senior PGA Championship 1 Laurel Valley Golf Club 2005PGA Tour Champions 5 Laurel Valley Golf ClubFox Chapel Golf Club 19892012 2013 2014US Open 9 Oakmont Country Club 1927 1935 1953 1962 1973 1983 1994 2007 2016Ryder Cup 1 Laurel Valley Golf Club 1975MLB All Star Game 5 Forbes FieldThree Rivers StadiumPNC Park 1944 19591974 19942006NHL All Star Game 1 Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1990NHL Entry Draft 2 Pittsburgh Civic ArenaPPG Paints Arena 19972012NHL Stadium Series 1 Acrisure Stadium 2017NHL Winter Classic 1 Acrisure Stadium 2011AHL All Star Game 1 Duquesne Gardens 1956NCAA Men s Final Four Tournament 3 Pittsburgh Civic ArenaPPG Paints Arena 1997 20022012NCAA Men s Frozen Four Tournament 1 PPG Paints Arena 2013NCAA Women s Final Four Tournament 3 Pittsburgh Civic ArenaPetersen Events Center 20012007 2010Annual events edit nbsp Pittsburgh Vintage Grand PrixPittsburgh also hosts several annual major sporting events including the Three Rivers Regatta Since 1977 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Since 1983 Dirty Dozen Cycle Race Since 1983 Pittsburgh Marathon Since 1985 Great Race 10K Since 1985 Head of the Ohio Regatta Since 1987 Three Rivers Classic Since 2012 Great Pittsburgh Soap Box DerbyMckeesport Pa The city s vibrant rivers have attracted annual world title competitions of the Forrest Wood Cup in 2009 and the Bassmaster Classic in 2005 Annual events continue during the winter months at area ski resorts such as Boyce Park Seven Springs Hidden Valley and Wisp as well as ice skating at PPG Place and North Park Rivers edit A Formula 1 ChampBoat Series race the Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta which is the largest inland regatta in the country during July at Point State Park 56 There is also an annual large rowing regatta the Head of the Ohio which was founded in 1987 and is one of the largest inland regattas in the United States 57 Motorsports edit The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix the last remaining vintage automobile race run on city streets in the United States is held annually at Schenley Park 58 59 Running edit For 30 years Pittsburgh has also hosted a large 10K and 5K road race the Richard S Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race which attracts nearly 10 000 athletes and has been ranked as a Top 20 Multi Race Events by USA Track amp Field s publication On The Roads 60 In addition the 28th Pittsburgh Marathon will be hosted in the city in May 2018 61 Basketball edit Pittsburgh was previously home to the first national high school all star basketball game The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic from 1965 to 1992 prior to its move to Detroit and later Chicago 62 It has long been home to the City Game between Pitt and Duquesne Cycling edit Since 1983 the Dirty Dozen Cycle Race has been held in the city Awards banquet edit Since 1936 the Dapper Dan Charities a civic sports organization founded in part by a former editor Pittsburgh Post Gazette has hosted an annual local and national celebrity and sport star dinner first at the William Penn Hotel then at the Hilton ballrooms and more recently at the David L Lawrence Convention Center Other events editPittsburgh has its own cricket league conducted by Pittsburgh Cricket Association 63 which was founded in 2005 The league features about 16 teams and the games are held at linbrook park and edgebrook field The Pittsburgh Cricket Association revived in 2004 from the long dormant 1882 Pittsburgh Cricket Club charter comprises 16 active teams and more than 250 members PCA is a 501 c 3 non profit corporation organized for charitable purposes to further the sport of cricket in Pittsburgh and surrounding areas The specific purposes for which this corporation is organized are To promote encourage foster and cultivate interest in the sport of cricket To initiate sponsor promote and carry out plans policies and activities that would further the development and advancement of cricket in Pittsburgh and North Eastern PA To develop foster and train amateur athletes for representation in state national and international cricket competitions to promote building of facilities for other non traditional sports like badminton table tennis and rugby 64 Tennis Historically the Pittsburgh Triangles of the 1970s played tennis at the Civic Arena winning the WTT championship in 1975 The arena also hosted the Pittsburgh Open tennis tournament from 1979 until 1984 The year round facilities at Mellon Park Tennis Center currently serve the city Gaelic football Teams such as the Celtics men s and Banshees women s founded in 1976 and 2002 respectively The Celtics won the Midwest title in 2002 2006 and won both the midwest and National titles in 2011 The Banshees won the Midwest title in 2004 2005 and both the midwest and Junior B shield national title in 2011 Roller derby Steel City Derby Demons of the WFTDA Dodgeball NDL s Pittsburgh Punishers People edit nbsp Pittsburgh native Mark Cuban owner of the Dallas MavericksSee also List of people from the Pittsburgh metropolitan area Multiple professional athletes were born or raised in the Pittsburgh area Major League Baseball players Ken Griffey Sr 65 his Hall of Fame son Ken Griffey Jr 66 and Hall of Famer Stan Musial were born in Donora Pennsylvania 67 Hall of Fame inductee player and manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates Honus Wagner was born and raised in Chartiers 68 Major League outfielder Tito Francona and pitcher Doc Medich were born in Aliquippa 69 70 Super Bowl winning coaches Bill Cowher and Mike Ditka were born in Pittsburgh and Carnegie respectively 71 72 Super Bowl winning quarterback Joe Namath and Heisman Trophy winner Tony Dorsett were born in Beaver Falls and Rochester respectively 3 Time Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana is from New Eagle Jim Kelly from East Brady was the leading QB of the Buffalo Bills to 4 straight Super Bowl appearances Johnny Unitas National Football League s most valuable player in 1959 1964 and 1967 is from Pittsburgh as well 73 74 Owner of the Dallas Mavericks Mark Cuban and Basketball Hall of Fame member Jack Twyman were born in Pittsburgh 75 76 Olympic gold medalists Swin Cash and Kurt Angle the latter of whom went on to become a major star in professional wrestling were born in McKeesport and Pittsburgh respectively 77 78 79 Professional golfers Rocco Mediate and Arnold Palmer were born in Greensburg and Latrobe respectively 80 81 Author Jim O Brien who was born in Pittsburgh has authored 20 books about Pittsburgh sports 82 Cradle of quarterbacks edit The Pittsburgh region also has developed many notable athletes that have gone on to outstanding careers in professional sports The region has produced a multitude of NFL quarterbacks giving Western Pennsylvania the nickname Cradle of Quarterbacks 8 83 Dan Marino Joe Montana Joe Namath Jim Kelly Johnny Unitas Bruce Gradkowski Marc Bulger George Blanda Johnny Lujack Jeff Hostetler Gus Frerotte Willie Thrower Warren Heller Johnny Gildea Tyler Palko Alex Van Pelt Sandy Stephens Terry Hanratty Mike McMahon Major Harris Matt Cavanaugh Chuck Fusina Rod Rutherford Ted Marchibroda Babe Parilli John Hufnagel Tom Sherman Richie Lucas Boyd Brumbaugh Scott Zolak Ed Matesic Tom Clements Coley McDonough Charley Seabright and former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch all hail from within a 50 mile radius of the city Former professional franchises editClub Sport League Venue First season in Pittsburgh Last season in Pittsburgh Championships in Pittsburgh Fate of teamAllegheny Athletic Association American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Recreation Park 1890 1896 1890 1892 1894 1896 Club folded teamDuquesne Country and Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Exposition Park III 1895 1900 1895 1898 1899 Club folded teamDuquesne Country and Athletic Club ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens Winter Garden at Exposition Hall 1908 1920 Club folded teamFort Pitt Hornets ice hockey United States Amateur Hockey Association Duquesne Gardens 1924 1925 Team partially merged into the Pittsburgh PiratesGlassport Odds American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit 1913 1950 FoldedHarmarville Hurricanes soccer U S Open Cup National Amateur Cup 1947 1967 1952 1956 FoldedHomestead Grays baseball Negro leagues Forbes Field 1912 1950 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1943 1944 1948 FoldedHomestead Library amp Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Carnegie Library of Homestead 1900 1901 1900 1901 Club folded teamHope Harvey Majestic Radios J P Rooneys American football Independent Exposition Park III 1921 1932 1930 1931 Team morphed into the Pittsburgh Pirates SteelersMcKeesport Olympics American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Independent 1896 c 1940 FoldedPennsylvania Enforcers Pittsburgh Cougars ice hockey America East Hockey League IceoPlex at Southpointe 2007 2009 FoldedPennsylvania Pit Bulls Pittsburgh Hard Hats Pittsburgh Xplosion basketball American Basketball Association Continental Basketball Association Pittsburgh Civic Arena Peterson Events Center 2004 2008 FoldedPittsburgh baseball Ohio Pennsylvania League 1912 1912 Relocated to New Martinsville after just 4 daysPitcairn Quakers American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Broadway Stadium 1904 1920 FoldedPittsburgh Allegheny baseball International Association for Professional Base Ball Players Union Park 1876 1878 FoldedPittsburgh Americans American football American Football League II Forbes Field 1936 1937 FoldedPittsburgh Athletic Club American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit East Liberty Park 1891 1898 1891 Folded teamPittsburgh Athletic Club ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1899 1909 1899 1900 1901 Folded teamPittsburgh Bankers ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1900 1909 1903 1908 1909 Club folded teamPittsburgh Bulls indoor lacrosse Major Indoor Lacrosse League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1990 1993 FoldedPittsburgh Burghers baseball Players League Exposition Park III 1890 1890 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Cannons soccer American Soccer League 1972 1972 FoldedPittsburgh Hardhats softball APSPL UPSL Morrell Field LaRussa Field 1977 1982 FoldedPittsburgh Champions softball NASL LaRussa Field 1980 1980 Folded with the leaguePittsburgh Crawfords baseball Independent Negro National League II Negro American League Greenlee Field 1931 1938 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 Relocated to ToledoPittsburgh CrosseFire indoor lacrosse National Lacrosse League Mellon Arena 2000 2000 Relocated to Washington D C Pittsburgh Filipinos baseball United States Baseball League Federal League Exposition Park III 1912 1913 1912 Became the Pittsburgh Stogies RebelsPittsburgh Force women s American football Women s Football Alliance Campbell Field Munhall Pennsylvania 2009 2014 InactivePittsburgh Forge ice hockey Island Sports Center North American Hockey League 2001 2004 2003 Relocated to ToledoPittsburgh Gladiators arena football Pittsburgh Civic Arena Arena Football League 1987 1990 Relocated to TampaPittsburgh Hornets ice hockey American Hockey League Duquesne Gardens Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1936 37 1966 67 1951 52 1954 55 1966 67 FoldedPittsburgh Ironmen basketball Basketball Association of America Duquesne Gardens 1946 47 1946 47 FoldedPittsburgh Keystones baseball Negro National League Ammon Field 1887 1921 1887 1922 FoldedPittsburgh Keystones ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Schenley Park Casino Duquesne Gardens 1895 1904 1902 Club folded teamPittsburgh Lyceum American football Western Pennsylvania Professional Football Circuit Duquesne University Recreation Park 1902 192 Club folded teamPittsburgh Lyceum ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens Winter Garden 1907 1920 Club folded teamPittsburgh Maulers American football United States Football League Three Rivers Stadium 1984 1984 FoldedPittsburgh Monticello Loendi basketball Black Fives League 1903 192 1912 1920 1921 1922 1923 FoldedPittsburgh Phantoms basketball American Basketball Association Langley High School Carnegie Library of Homestead 2009 2010 FoldedPittsburgh Phantoms soccer United Soccer Association Forbes Field 1967 1967 FoldedPittsburgh Phantoms roller hockey Roller Hockey International Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1994 1994 FoldedPittsburgh Pipers Condors basketball American Basketball Association Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1967 68 1970 72 1967 68 FoldedPittsburgh Piranhas basketball Continental Basketball Association A J Palumbo Center 1994 95 1994 95 FoldedPittsburgh Pirates ice hockey National Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1925 26 1929 1930 Relocated to PhiladelphiaPittsburgh Pirates Raiders basketball National Basketball League 1937 39 1945 FoldedPittsburgh Pirates WPHL ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1907 1908 FoldedPittsburgh Power arena football Arena Football League CONSOL Energy Center 2011 2014 FoldedPittsburgh Professionals ice hockey International Professional Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1904 1907 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Rebellion women s American football Legends Football League Highmark Stadium 2017 2017 FoldedPittsburgh Rens basketball American Basketball League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1961 1963 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Shamrocks ice hockey International Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1935 36 1935 36 FoldedPittsburgh South Side basketball Western Pennsylvania Basketball League Central Basketball League 1903 1915 1904 1907 1913 FoldedPittsburgh Spirit indoor soccer Major Soccer League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1978 1986 FoldedPittsburgh Stars American football National Football League 1902 Recreation Park 1902 1902 1902 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Stingers indoor soccer Continental Indoor Soccer League Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1994 1995 FoldedPittsburgh Stogies baseball Union Association Exposition Park II 1884 1884 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Stogies Rebels baseball Federal League Exposition Park III 1914 1915 Folded with the LeaguePittsburgh Triangles tennis World TeamTennis Pittsburgh Civic Arena 1974 1976 1975 FoldedPittsburgh Victorias ice hockey Western Pennsylvania Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1902 1904 1903 Club folded teamPittsburgh Winter Garden ice hockey Independent Winter Garden at Exposition Hall 1915 1916 Club folded teamPittsburgh Yellow Jackets ice hockey United States Amateur Hockey Association Duquesne Gardens 1915 1925 1924 1925 Became the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh Yellow Jackets ice hockey International Hockey League Eastern Amateur Hockey League Duquesne Gardens 1930 31 1936 1937 FoldedSteel City Derby Demons roller derby Women s Flat Track Derby Association Romp n Roll Roller Skating Rink 2006 2006 Folded The championships listed for the teams are the highest possible achievement in their respective leagues for each season For baseball seasons prior to the advent of the World Series in 1903 and the Negro World Series in 1942 National League Championships and Negro National League Championships are listed Professional venues edit PiratesExposition Park I 1882 Exposition Park II 1883 Recreation Park 1884 1890 Exposition Park III 1891 1909 Forbes Field 1909 1969 Three Rivers Stadium 1970 2000 PNC Park 2001 present SteelersForbes Field 1933 1963 Pitt Stadium 1958 1970 Three Rivers Stadium 1970 2000 Heinz Field Acrisure Stadium 2001 present PenguinsCivic Mellon Arena 1967 2010 Consol Energy Center PPG Paints Arena 2010 present Notes edit a b Gallo DJ April 21 2008 So good they donate champions ESPN com Retrieved January 10 2009 Dvorchak Robert November 10 2008 Vintage Penguins jerseys selling up a blue streak Pittsburgh Post Gazette Retrieved January 8 2009 Potter Chris June 3 2004 Why are our colors always black and gold for our sports teams Pittsburgh City Paper Retrieved January 8 2009 Creamer Chris Radom Todd 2020 Fabric of the Game The Stories Behind the NHL s Names Logos and Uniforms Simon and Schuster ISBN 978 1 68358 385 1 Moore Gerry November 19 1935 Bruins Play Amerks in First Home Game The Boston Globe p 22 Former Steelers broadcaster Terrible Towel creator Cope dies ESPN Associated Press February 28 2008 Retrieved May 15 2008 McHugh Roy January 20 1991 VIEWS OF SPORT True Grit Quarterbacks From Steel Belt Football The New York Times Retrieved July 1 2009 a b Mike White August 25 2005 Tradition of Western Pennsylvania quarterbacks continues Pittsburgh Post Gazette O Brien 1998 p 18 McCollister John 1998 The Bucs The Story of the Pittsburgh Pirates Lenexa Kansas Addax Publishing Group p 21 ISBN 1 886110 40 9 Pittsburgh Pirates History amp Encyclopedia Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 7 2009 William Benswanger March June 1947 Professional Baseball in Pittsburgh PDF An Informal Game Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine Retrieved January 8 2009 Finoli Ranier 2003 pp 1 3 Finoli Ranier 2003 p 472 Finoli Ranier 2003 p 612 Finoli Ranier 2003 pp 605 07 Finoli Ranier 2003 pp 607 09 Freddie Lewis General Manager Majority Owner Front Office PittsburghXplosion com Retrieved January 9 2009 Anne Madarasz March 2008 On Ice Remembering Duquesne Gardens Sports History Pittsburgh Sports Report Retrieved January 7 2009 O Brien 1994 p 310 Stanley Cup Champions and Finalists NHL com Archived from the original on June 29 2009 Retrieved January 7 2009 1990 91 Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved January 7 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins Career Leaders Hockey Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved January 7 2009 Mario Lemieux Hockey Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved January 7 2009 O Brien 1994 p 398 Front Office Executive Staff PittsburghPenguins com Archived from the original on December 17 2008 Retrieved January 6 2009 2007 08 Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved January 7 2009 Nov 12 Birth of pro football Pro Football History ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 7 2009 Pro Football s Birth Certificate Pro Football History ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 7 2009 O Brien 2001 pp 13 33 NFL com NFL history 1933 NFL com Retrieved April 27 2008 a b Steelers History PDF Steelers com Archived from the original PDF on May 28 2008 Retrieved April 27 2008 Chuck Noll ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 7 2009 Hall of Famers by Franchise Pittsburgh Steelers ProFootballhof com Archived from the original on August 22 2008 Retrieved January 8 2009 Ernest Alfred Ernie Stautner Steelers com February 16 2006 Archived from the original on February 9 2009 Retrieved January 8 2009 ESPN ranks Steelers fans No 1 Pittsburgh Tribune Review August 30 2008 Retrieved August 30 2008 Mosley Matt August 29 2008 NFL s best fans We gotta hand it to Steelers barely ESPN com Retrieved August 30 2008 Bouchette Ed Gerry Dulac November 21 2008 Two Rooney brothers to sell all shares Pittsburgh Post Gazette Retrieved January 8 2009 Rossi Rob August 20 2010 Pittsburgh Power unveiled as arena football expansion team Pittsburgh Tribune Review Archived from the original on August 23 2010 Retrieved August 20 2010 Pittsburgh Passion PittsburghPassion com Retrieved January 10 2009 2007 Season in Review History PittsburghPassion com Archived from the original on April 8 2009 Retrieved January 10 2009 Billson Marky June 30 2005 Two strong quarterbacks will help Pittsburgh Colts Pittsburgh Post Gazette PG South 2008 RAFL Teams And Divisions RAFL net Retrieved January 10 2009 Adamski Chris November 22 2021 Pittsburgh Maulers franchise returning in 2022 USFL reboot TribLIVE com Retrieved December 19 2021 Rujumba Karamagi July 9 2008 County unveils plan for sports complex Pittsburgh Post Gazette Retrieved July 9 2008 100 Years of Beadling Soccer Beadling Soccer Club Retrieved December 31 2011 Pittsburgh Post Gazette Google News Archive Search Six Best Cities to Kayak National Geographic s Ultimate City Guides Archived from the original on September 20 2020 College Football Data Warehouse Archived from the original on September 19 2008 Retrieved October 4 2008 University of Pittsburgh Panthers football history PDF University of Pittsburgh 2006 Retrieved January 9 2009 Panthers tournament history ESPN com March 17 2008 Retrieved January 9 2009 The Owl 1937 pg 222 accessdate 2008 11 07 Pittsburgh Panthers Athletics official site PittsburghPanthers com Retrieved January 9 2009 Duquesne Dukes Athletics official site GOduqusene com Retrieved January 9 2009 Robert Morris University Athletics official site RMUcolonials com Retrieved January 9 2009 Pittsburgh Three Rivers Regatta accessdate 2009 01 10 Head of the Ohio accessdate 2009 01 10 Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix accessdate July 20 2012 Sanata Larry July 9 2012 History in the Park Autoweek 62 14 23 Great Race accessdate 2009 01 10 Our Story About Us PittsburghMarathon com Archived from the original on March 2 2009 Retrieved January 9 2009 Dick Vitale A classic showcase for high school talent ESPN com accessdate 2009 03 19 Home Pittsburgh Cricket Association About PCA Pittsburgh Cricket Association Ken Griffey Statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 8 2009 Ken Griffey Statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 8 2009 Stan Musial Statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 8 2009 Finoli Ranier 2003 p 243 Tito Francona Statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 8 2009 Doc Medich Statistics Baseball Reference com Retrieved January 8 2009 Bill Cowher Coaching Statistics ProFootball Reference com Sports Reference LLC Retrieved January 9 2009 Mike Ditka Members ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 9 2009 Joe Namath Members ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 9 2009 Tony Dorsett Members ProFootballhof com Retrieved January 9 2009 Biertempfel Rob October 22 2006 Cuban hoping to work his magic here someday Pittsburgh Tribune Review Retrieved January 9 2009 Jack Twyman Statistics Basketball Reference com Retrieved January 9 2009 Swin Cash Biography WNBA com Archived from the original on January 11 2010 Retrieved January 9 2009 Swin Cash Biography SwinCash com Retrieved January 9 2009 Kurt Angle Biography The Washington Post Retrieved January 9 2009 Rocco Mediate Profile PGAtour com Retrieved January 9 2009 Arnold Palmer Profile PGAtour com Archived from the original on January 24 2009 Retrieved January 9 2009 O Brien 2008 p 8 McHugh Roy January 20 1991 VIEWS OF SPORT True Grit Quarterbacks From Steel Belt Football The New York Times Retrieved July 1 2009 References editFinoli David Bill Ranier 2003 The Pittsburgh Pirates Encyclopedia United States Sports Publishing LLC ISBN 1 58261 416 4 O Brien Jim 2001 The Chief Art Rooney and his Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh James P O Brien Publishing ISBN 1 886348 06 5 O Brien Jim 1994 Penguin Profiles Pittsburgh James P O Brien Publishing ISBN 0 916114 16 3 O Brien Jim 1998 We Had Em All the Way Bob Prince and his Pittsburgh Pirates Pittsburgh James P O Brien Publishing ISBN 1 886348 03 0 O Brien Jim 2008 Pittsburgh Proud Pittsburgh James P O Brien Publishing ISBN 978 1 886348 14 1 Further reading editMcCollister John 2002 Bucs The Story of the Pittsburgh Pirates Lenexa Kansas Addax Publishing Group ISBN 978 1 886110 40 3 McCollister John 2008 The good the bad and the ugly Pittsburgh Pirates heart pounding jaw dropping and gut wrenching moments from Pittsburgh Pirates history Chicago Triumph Books ISBN 978 1 57243 982 5 Mendelson Abby 2005 The Pittsburgh Steelers The Official Team History Updated Edition Lanham Maryland Taylor Trade Publishing ISBN 1 58979 246 7 Sciullo Sam Jr 2005 Pitt 100 Years of Pitt Basketball Champaign Illinois Sports Publishing ISBN 1 59670 081 5 Sciullo Sam Jr 1994 Greatest Moments in Pitt Football History Athlon Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sports in Pittsburgh amp oldid 1216369797, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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