Game 7 Gang moves 60th anniversary of Pirates' World Series celebration to PNC Park

They came to PNC Park on Tuesday with their memories, their stories and their folding chairs.

The Game 7 Gang’s 60th anniversary celebration of Bill Mazeroski’s World Series-winning home run was pushed to the current home of the Pittsburgh Pirates by the pandemic.

So, the diehard fans who annually celebrate one of the most thrilling games in Pittsburgh sports history made it a movable feast, taking the Pirates up on their offer to host an event that has taken place every year since 1985.

In each of the previous years, the event was held at the still-standing Forbes Field wall in Schenley Park, near the spot where Mazeroski’s home run sailed into baseball heaven. It centers around fans gathering and listening to a recording of the radio broadcast of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series between the Pirates and the New York Yankees.

The Game 7 Gang celebrates at the exact moment that Bill Mazeroski hit his World Series winning home run 60 years ago today! pic.twitter.com/uvuoCgqh73

— Paul Guggenheimer (@PGuggenheimer) October 13, 2020

Some years, such as the 50th anniversary of the famous victory in 2010, as many as 1,600 fans showed up at the Oakland location. But that was not considered a safe thing to do during the covid-19 pandemic, and the gathering was canceled.

A scaled-down version of the celebration, limited to 25 fans, was held instead in PNC Park’s outfield, where people could safely social distance. As always, the broadcast began just as it did in 1960 at 1 p.m. and was played in its entirety. But this time, instead of being played on a boombox, the recording blared over the ballpark’s loudspeakers. Those who came said it was different but still fun.

“The Pirates organization really stepped up to the plate and recognized the Game 7 Gang,” said Plum resident Dan Schultz, 56, a charter member of the organization. “We’re not where we want to be, but we’re glad to be here. It’s a nice atmosphere, and we’re standing here in the outfield, which is not something you get to do every day. Hearing the game on the loudspeakers, it’s a little echoey, but we can hear it and we’re having fun.”

John Urso, 85, McCandless, another charter member of the Game 7 Gang, said the Pirates required them to provide a list with the name of every person who would be attending. Attendees had their temperatures checked at the gate.

“It’s different not being at the Forbes Field wall, but it was either this or nothing,” Urso said. He was more thankful for the weather, which was nearly identical to the sunny conditions in Pittsburgh on Oct. 13, 1960.

“In all the years we’ve done this, it’s never rained,” he said.

As always, some interesting personal stories were being shared. Renee Abel, 84, of Moon, said if Mazeroski hadn’t hit his home run, which gave the Pirates a 10-9 victory in the bottom of the ninth inning, she and her husband never would have met.

After the game ended in 1960, Abel and some of her girlfriends decided to go Downtown to celebrate. They rounded up a driver, a fellow named Enos, who had a red-and-white ’55 Chevy.

“That was just a great night,” Abel said. “We were out all night. It was really something. People were riding around on top of buses, riding around Downtown. The announcements on the radio were, ‘Don’t come Downtown; it’s too crowded.’ ”

But they went anyway.

“We ended up at The Cork & Bottle,” Abel said. “And sitting at the bar was (Pirates pitcher) Tom Cheney. He had a wad of bills and he said to Enos, ‘Here, take care of this for me and buy some drinks. I have to go to the men’s room.’ So, Enos got drinks for all of us and gave the change back to Tom Cheney.

“Enos called me three days later. We went out on a date,” said Renee Abel, referring to Enos Charles Abel. “We were married for 57 years.”

Eventually, Enos and Renee started attending the yearly gatherings in 1994 at the old Forbes Field wall. They went together every year until Enos passed away in 2014. This year, Renee was accompanied by one of their two children, daughter Lynne Abel VandenBosche, 53, of Moon.

“My brother and I have said on a number of occasions that we wouldn’t be on this Earth if it wasn’t for Bill Mazeroski hitting that home run on Oct. 13, 1960,” VandenBosche said. “I’ve brought my mom and dad down here several times as they got older, and I’ve brought my daughter, too.”

She said she missed being at the Forbes Field wall.

“It’s more of a small, homey atmosphere, and you can hear the game better,” VandenBosche said. “But this is fabulous being out here at PNC Park because it’s a fabulous day, not a cloud in the sky, and this is a good group of people to hang out with. Good history and good memories.”

The recorded account of the game built to the climax — Maz’s homer at precisely 3:36 p.m., when Chuck Thompson’s play-by-play call for NBC radio brought everyone out of their chairs for a sustained ovation.

It happened 60 years ago. It might as well have been happening at that moment — a home run and celebration that transcends sports, uniting families as it does once a year whether it’s at the Forbes Field wall or PNC Park.