Weekend Road Trip: PNC Park

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One of SnatchSPORTS own, Uncle Ralph, went to see PNC Park in Pittsburgh over the holiday weekend. He gives his account of the stadium and the surrounding area.

The Pittsburgh Pirates may not have the most talented team in baseball, but after hearing rave reviews about their ballpark (built in 2001) and its great location in the beautiful city of Pittsburgh, PNC Park was an easy choice to take in a ballgame. What made it better was the fact that it was Fourth Of July Weekend; what better way to celebrate the birth of America than enjoying our great nation’s past-time. The Pirates were in the middle of a 4 game set with the Phillies. 

The Drive- A five-hour ride from Bethlehem, PA to Pittsburgh wasn’t that bad, until we saw what we were driving through. Nothing but farmland and a whole lot of nothing. The area around the highway was dotted with billboards advertising chrome shops and mom-and-pop country stores. The Roadside America attraction was easy to say no-thanks to, and I have no intentions of lodging at the Dutch Motel. Maybe on my next trip… but I doubt it.

The Hotel- Finding a hotel was pretty simple when we planned our trip back in March. We wanted to stay within five miles of the stadium so getting to and from the stadium wouldn’t be a hassle. The Days Inn was 2.5 miles from PNC Park was an easy decision. A Ritz-Carlton wasnt needed as all we needed were 4 walls and a bed after a night of drinking. The hotel offered a  $4 one-way shuttle service to and from the city until 4 a.m. Utilization of the shuttle service was a must. “Kenny” (our driver) was very polite and also offered a few jokes as he carted us from the hotel to our destination of choice. More on Kenny later.

The Bar- There were a handful of watering holes in walking distance from the park. We had Kenny drop us off at North Shore Saloon after we saw 2 waitresses serving customers while sporting white bikinis outside. (Great way to draw in guys looking for a few drinks before a Pirates game. Females in our group didn’t share the same sentiment about the girls).  The $2 Miller Light Draft Special was reason enough to not go anywhere else the rest of our trip.

The Park- The new park was built along the Allegheny River and from our outfield seats you could see the river when standing up. While sitting in our seats it seems like your right on top of the field and you get a scene that you’re right on top of the action, which was a plus. The views of the city that you get from behind the plate gives PNC Park one of the most scenic stadiums in MLB.  The Pirates were able to sell out due to over abundance of Phillies fans making there was across route 76. The Pirates have struggled to draw (and win) fans since Sid Bream of the Braves scored the winning run in the 1992 National League Championship Series.

The Game- Thirty-five dollars at PNC Park got us all-you-can-eat tickets down the first base line. Hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, and soft drinks were all on the house. Needless to say, PNC Park lost money that night. My tally of food consumed: 3 hamburgers, 2 dogs, 6 boxes of popcorn, 3 nachos, and 4 sprites. Needless to say, I had to double my workout regimen when I returned home.

As for the game, it wasnt much of one. Pirates starter Paul Maholm got roughed up in 3 innings of work, giving up 7 runs and 10 hits. The Phils hammered Pirates pitchers and 15 hits and 12 runs taking the game, 12-4. Even though the home team was embarrassed, this didn’t put a damper on our game day experience.

North Shore Saloon Part 2- Our second go-round was a lot more enjoyable. The bar owner (name unknown) showed us a good time. As he stumbled over to us, we knew the night was headed on the right track. After he told us a story that made no sense at all, he told the bartender to by us and everyone on the side of the bar that we were sitting at a drink of our choice. Never had a shot of grape vodka and Red Bull taste so good. Aft

The Kenny incident Mentioned earlier in the column, Kenny the shuttle driver was our chauffeur to the park from the hotel. Getting back to the hotel wasnt as easy. Kenny seemed to be in a bind as we weren’t his only customers that night. After explaining to me that he would be back in about 30 minutes, and hour and change passed and after numerous phone calls made to Kenny, there was still no sign of his white party van. So we decided to find a different way to our hotel. The next morning my voicemail was filled with nasty messages from Kenny looking for his passengers who decided that Kenny was no longer a  reliable source of transportation.

Overall our trip out to Pittsburgh was an enjoyable one. SnatchSPORTS will look to travel to other ballparks this summer as the pennant races pick up.