25 Years Later: A look back at PNC Park’s first home opener

Wednesday marked an important anniversary for Pittsburgh and one of its landmarks.

PNC Park built a reputation for being one of the most beautiful ballparks in the world, and 25 years ago, it celebrated its very first home opener.

On April 9, 2001, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 8-2 in the first-ever major league baseball game at the ballpark.

Though the venue hasn’t seen much winning baseball, fans across the league put PNC Park on their bucket lists.

Former Pirate turned broadcaster John Wehner played one season at PNC Park and remembers seeing the field and its iconic view for the first time.

“I had no idea that Pittsburgh had such beautiful views of Downtown. That’s the thing I remember most of all,” Wehner said. “You walk in there, the clubhouse was beautiful, the facilities were beautiful. Everything that you need for baseball was way better at PNC Park, away from the field. When you went out to the field, I sat in that dugout, and I just looked over at the skyline. I couldn’t take my eyes off of Downtown Pittsburgh.”

Pirates fans will also remember that day for a much sadder reason. The great Willie Stargell passed away that day.

Wehner, who hit the last home run at Three Rivers Stadium, told us a great story about Stargell, who hit the first home run at Three Rivers.

Stargell was at Three Rivers Stadium to throw out the first pitch for that final game and told Wehner, “I hit the first one, you hit the last one.”

Channel 11 spoke with several generations of athletes earlier this year to learn more about the transition from Three Rivers Stadium to PNC Park and Acrisure Stadium. Click here to read what they told us.

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