PNC Park

PNC Park, opened in 2001, quickly became known as one of the MLB's greatest ball parks among fans. Located on the Allegheny River, PNC Park offers the most tremendous scenery in baseball. From your seats, you can see right into downtown Pittsburgh. When the stadium hits it's full capacity, eager fans watch from the Roberto Clemente bridge, a namesake of the Hall of Fame Pirate player.  Fans wait to catch home runs from their boats and canoes, just waiting for a ball to splash into the water.

PNC Park offers the biggest "Bang for Your Buck" among ballparks in the MLB, as you can sit up close to the action for a mere 20 dollars, compared to Yankee Stadium's seats that go well into the triple digits. And unlike many ballparks that are located in the middle of nowhere (to accommodate for large crowds of parking,) fans can watch a baseball game right in an urban environment. For football fans, PNC Park is also located right next door to the Pittsburgh Steelers Heinz Field.

PNC Park is also the first venue in Major League Baseball to host an out-of-town scoreboard, so fans can stay up to date on the other games around the league. The exterior of PNC Park is Kasota limestone, which is refreshing from the standard brick that most ballparks have today. PNC is also well-known for its great food. Of course PNC serves fans the usual ballpark hot dogs, soda, and crackerjacks. But this ballpark is famous for having "Primanti Brothers" sandwiches, which is a local restaurant, and a favorite among fans.

Aerial view of PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA

Roberto Clemente, a 15-time All-Star, will not go unrecognized in Pittsburgh. Not only is the iconic bridge named after him, but there is also a bronze statue of him erected beside the bridge. The statue was brought over from Three Rivers Stadium, the field "Bucs" fans called home until PNC Park was built. Clemente's number was retired by the Pittsburgh Pirates after he died in a fatal airplane accident, attempting to bring food to an earthquake stricken Nicaragua. All of his teammates attended his funeral, except one who dove into the frigid Atlantic waters in search of his body. The wall in right field stands 21 feet high in honor of Clemente's number.

Lately though, the Pirates haven't had any break-out players like Roberto Clemente. Pittsburgh Baseball has been coined with the term "Best Stadium, Worst Team" in recognition of Pittsburgh's failure to reach the playoffs since 1992.  But with new sluggers like Andrew McCutchen, Neil Walker, and Pedro Alvarez, along with a solid pitching staff, the Pittsburgh Pirates may soon be the best team with the best stadium.

Next Weeks Edition of Ballpark Guide: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY