pgdigs: Sept. 7, 1982: We were a bit depressed after yet another losing Pirates season, so we dug into our files and found this image, which made us feel much better. It was taken during “Willie Stargell Day” at Three Rivers Stadium, which was packed with more 38,000 fans — the largest crowd since opening day of 1981. “One of the greatest days in Pittsburgh history,” declared manager Chuck Tanner. President Ronald Reagan placed a call to the stadium and praised Stargell’s “decency and courage” and his “compassion and humanity.” Of course, Pittsburghers already knew these things about Stargell. We called him “Pops.”  He spent his entire 21-year playing career with the Pirates, hit 475 homers and helped the Bucs win World Series titles in 1971 and ‘79. Stargell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. On April 9, 2001 — the day of the first game at PNC Park — we said goodbye to Pops. He died after suffering a stroke in Wilmington, North Carolina. (Photo by Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette) — Steve Mellon

pgdigs:

Sept. 7, 1982: We were a bit depressed after yet another losing Pirates season, so we dug into our files and found this image, which made us feel much better. It was taken during “Willie Stargell Day” at Three Rivers Stadium, which was packed with more 38,000 fans — the largest crowd since opening day of 1981. “One of the greatest days in Pittsburgh history,” declared manager Chuck Tanner. President Ronald Reagan placed a call to the stadium and praised Stargell’s “decency and courage” and his “compassion and humanity.”

Of course, Pittsburghers already knew these things about Stargell. We called him “Pops.”  He spent his entire 21-year playing career with the Pirates, hit 475 homers and helped the Bucs win World Series titles in 1971 and ‘79. Stargell was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988. On April 9, 2001 — the day of the first game at PNC Park — we said goodbye to Pops. He died after suffering a stroke in Wilmington, North Carolina.

(Photo by Darrell Sapp, Post-Gazette)

— Steve Mellon

robrogers: Corbett’s Brain - 24 Sep 2012

robrogers:

Corbett’s Brain - 24 Sep 2012

pgdigs: April 15, 1951:  A few weeks ago, we discovered this picture of a Lawrenceville park dedication in our files, and when we carefully peeled away a clipping glued to the back of the print we found the image was credited to “Hare.” We were thrilled. Clyde Hare was a legendary photographer who documented Pittsburgh for more than half a century. Hare came to Pittsburgh to work with Roy Stryker, considered the father of photojournalism, and covered the city’s Rennaissance from 1950 to 1953 for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. His work was published in premier national magazines like National Geographic and Life. This picture of Duncan Park at 54th and Duncan streets is emblematic of Hare’s style. It documents an event while at the same time showing enough of the neighborhood and topography to give readers what photographers call “a sense of place.” Known for his infectious chuckle and selflessness, Hare was a true Pittsburgh character. He died at age 82 in 2009. Want to see how this section of Lawrenceville has changed in the past 60 years? Check out Rebecca Droke’s “Pittsburgh Then and Now” feature. (Photo by Clyde Hare) — Steve Mellon

pgdigs:

April 15, 1951:  A few weeks ago, we discovered this picture of a Lawrenceville park dedication in our files, and when we carefully peeled away a clipping glued to the back of the print we found the image was credited to “Hare.” We were thrilled. Clyde Hare was a legendary photographer who documented Pittsburgh for more than half a century.

Hare came to Pittsburgh to work with Roy Stryker, considered the father of photojournalism, and covered the city’s Rennaissance from 1950 to 1953 for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. His work was published in premier national magazines like National Geographic and Life.

This picture of Duncan Park at 54th and Duncan streets is emblematic of Hare’s style. It documents an event while at the same time showing enough of the neighborhood and topography to give readers what photographers call “a sense of place.” Known for his infectious chuckle and selflessness, Hare was a true Pittsburgh character. He died at age 82 in 2009.

Want to see how this section of Lawrenceville has changed in the past 60 years? Check out Rebecca Droke’s “Pittsburgh Then and Now” feature.

(Photo by Clyde Hare)

— Steve Mellon

pgdigs

Pittsburgh police reopened the intersection of West Liberty Avenue, Brookline Boulevard and Wenzell Avenue this morning after a suspicious red cooler was found to contain nothing more than Old Spice Classic deodorant.
http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-city/suspicious-package-disrupts-west-liberty-avenue-traffic-651326/

Banjo Night in the Burgh

bearpope: Well that’s one solution, Pittsburgh. [Photo via BikePGH]

bearpope:

Well that’s one solution, Pittsburgh.

[Photo via BikePGH]

bearpope

“Cities”

In the first section of this podcast, the show brings in a physicist who did some research on the average walking speed in a given city.  Surprisingly, he found that most people in a single city walked at about the same speed - Dubliners walked really quickly, and another place in Liberia walked really slowly.  But what’s more surprising is that based on this data that they gathered, they could predict a range of things about that city: the number of libraries, the number of registered patents, the population - all kinds of stuff! As I’m listening to it, I’m thinking, “This guy’s got it figured out! Holy shit!” I was tempted to get out my stop watch and start counting steps on Butler Street. You can’t help but be impressed.  But when it came to the question of what really makes a city what it is - that is, it’s essence, it’s lived experience, its… well, you know what I mean - there was disagreement. 

Call me crazy, but knowing the number of registered patents in Pittsburgh, doesn’t really give me an idea of what the city is like to live in.  OK, OK, we could draw a few conclusions based on that.  But outside of our largest nerd stockpile (looking at you CMU, and I mean that with affection, of course), how will I experience this? I couldn’t help but wonder if there would be significant differences in their data among the neighborhoods in Pittsburgh (or any other city for that matter).  Do Larryvillers (are we using that term yet?) walk slower than Shadysiders? Shadysiders slower than Pitt students? Do I walk more slowly when I’m in Lawrenceville than I do when I’m in Oakland? I might. But why? Why has the experience of the city or neighborhood affected my beat? And how does that affect my lived experience of these places?

pgdigs:

PG executive editor David Shribman discusses the significance of John F. Kennedy’s visit to Pittsburgh in 1962.

Unauthorized Demolition of Iron City Buildings (PG Article)

Not cool, Collier.  Not cool.