Jim, what a great story!
I grew up in Altoona, PA unti I was 11 (1967), when we moved to Calif. One of my fondest memories was when my grandparents took me to see a double header against the Dodgers at Forbes Field. And I have many fond memories of listening to Bob Prince call the Pirates games on KDKA radio ("Beat 'em Bucs, one more time!" went the jingo). And one of my happiest sports memories was the triumph of the Clemente-led Pirates in the '71 series. Fast foward 40 years when I was working as a decision support analyst for UPMC close to the Pitt campus. The Pitt law school library is built on the site of Forbes Field, and in the lobby there is a brass home plate on the spot where the original home plate was located. And I've had a similar pleasure walking on the Roberto Clemente Bridge.