September 17, 1961: The Civic Arena Opens In Pittsburgh

September 17, 1961: The Civic Arena opens in Pittsburgh. The city had been without a major sports arena since the Duquesne Gardens was demolished in 1956.

Edgar J. Kaufmann, who ran Kaufmann's department stores, and commissioned Frank Lloyd Wright to build his house, Fallingwater, in 1938, came up with the idea for an auditorium with a retractable round roof -- for the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, hence the building's name. The CLO had previously been using the University of Pittsburgh's Pitt Stadium. But he died in 1955, and never saw construction begin.

That construction began in 1955, with the demolition, for the arena and its parking lots, of buildings that were home to 8,000 black people and 400 businesses, ruining what had been the lower Hill District, the cultural center of black life in Pittsburgh. This would be paralleled a few years later by the demolition of housing for Mexican-Americans on what became the site of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. In a touch of irony, this new arena for the Steel City was delayed in 1959 by a steelworkers' strike.

The 1st event was the Ice Capades. The 1st roof opening was on July 4, 1962, for a comedy show headlined by Carol Burnett, who said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I present the sky!"

Upon its opening, it seated 10,732 people. An addition in 1967 boosted it to 12,508, another in 1975 to 16,402, and it peaked in 1993 at 17,537.

The building immediately became home to the CLO, which used it until 1973, when it moved to Heinz Hall, then to the Benedum Center in 1988, and to The CLO Cabaret at Theater Square in 2004. The American Hockey League's Pittsburgh Hornets, dormant since the Duquesne Gardens was torn down in 1956, were restarted, and played at the Civic Arena until the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins debuted in 1967. The American Basketball League's Pittsburgh Rens (short for "Renaissance") also began play shortly after the Arena opened, but folded with the ABL a year later.

Duquesne University played games there from 1964 to 1988. The University of Pittsburgh used it for some home games from 1984 to 2002. The NBA's Philadelphia 76ers used it for one or two "home games" per season until The Spectrum opened in 1967. The American Basketball Association's 1st title, for the 1967-68 season, was won there by the Pittsburgh Pipers, but they moved after just 1 season, moved back after another, changed their name to the Pittsburgh Condors in 1970, and folded in 1972. The Arena was also home to minor-league teams, like the Pittsburgh Spirit of the Major Indoor Soccer League and the Pittsburgh Gladiators of the Arena Football League.

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower was the featured speaker at a Republican Party rally at the Arena on October 12, 1962. In the closing days of the 1964 election, both major-party candidates for President spoke there, first President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democrat, on October 27, then the Republican nominee, Senator Barry Goldwater of Arizona, on October 29. Former Vice President Richard Nixon, running for President, had a rally there on October 28, 1968.

Cassius Clay, not yet Muhammad Ali and not yet the Heavyweight Champion of the World, beat Charlie Powell there on January 24, 1963. Larry Holmes defended the Heavyweight Championship there against Renaldo Snipes on November 6, 1981.

The 1st rock concert there was hosted by Craig "Porky" Chedwick, the WHOD disc jockey known as "The Daddio of the Raddio" and "The Pied Piper of Platter." Local group The Skyliners headlined a show that included Jackie Wilson, The Drifters, The Coasters, Jerry Butler, The Flamingos, The Angels, and The Blue-Belles, whose lead singer was Patti LaBelle.

Other concerts there included The Beatles on September 14, 1964; The Temptations on March 6, 1969; The Doors on May 2, 1970, recorded for a live album; The Rolling Stones on July 22, 1972, March 11, 1999, and January 10, 2003; Pink Floyd on June 19, 1973; Elvis Presley on June 25 and 26, 1973, and December 31, 1976; the 1st American concert by Rush on August 14, 1974; The Bee Gees on September 4 and 5, 1979; Michael Jackson with his brothers on August 13, 1981, and solo on September 26, 27 and 28, 1988; Destiny's Child on July 20, 2005; and Taylor Swift on October 1, 2009.

The Arena is best remembered as the home of the Penguins, who struggled at first. Even a switch of team colors in 1979-80, from blue and gold to the black and gold of the World Series-winning Pirates and the Super Bowl-winning Steelers, didn't help. In 1984, they drafted Mario Lemieux, who made them contenders, and led them to the Stanley Cup in 1991 and 1992.

The Arena was a filming location for the 1979 basketball film The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh; the 1995 film Sudden Death, about a terrorist attack during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals; and the 2001 film Rock Star, in which Mark Wahlberg played a singer with a concert there in 1987.

The cost of operating the retractable roof proved too much, and it remained closed from 1995 onward. As the team's largest creditor, Lemieux was awarded ownership of the bankrupt Penguins in 1999. He sold the naming rights to Pittsburgh-based Mellon Bank, and the building was known as the Mellon Arena almost to the end. The Arena's mailing address was changed to 66 Mario Lemieux Place, after his uniform number.

In 2005, Sidney Crosby debuted with the Penguins. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2008, and won them in 2009. In 2010, they moved to a new arena, across Centre Avenue, originally named the CONSOL Energy Center, now named the PPG Paints Arena. The Civic Arena, its old name restored, was demolished the next year.

The Penguins had played their 1st game there on October 11, 1967, and their last on May 12, 2010, a Playoff game. In both of these milestone games, they were defeated by the Montreal Canadiens. The last event was on June 26, 2010, a concert by James Taylor and Carole King. King had written, among so many others, "You've Got a Friend," and Taylor had hit Number 1 with it in 1971. For millions of people in Western Pennsylvania, the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh was a friend.

UPDATE: The Penguins have a team Hall of Fame. From the 1960s and '70s, they have inducted head coach Jack Riley, goaltender Les Binkley, centers Syl Apps Jr. and Dave Burrows, and right wings Jean Pronovost and Rick Kehoe.

From their 1991 and 1992 Stanley Cup winners, they have inducted team owner Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., general manager Craig Patrick, head coach Bob Johnson, center Mario Lemieux, defensemen Paul Coffey and Ulf Samuelsson, and right wings Mark Recchi and Joe Mullen. So far, Lemieux as owner is the only inductee from their 2009, 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup winners.

And they have inducted such long-term team personnel as clubhouse attendants A.T. Caggiano and Frank Sciulli, organist Vince Lascheid, broadcaster Mike Lange, executive Elaine Heufelder, and team physician Charles "Chip" Burke.

Lemieux, Lange and Sidney Crosby have been elected to the Pittsburgh Sports Hall of Fame. Connie Hawkins of the 1968 Pipers is the only Pittsburgh professional basketball player elected to it.

*

September 17, 1961 was a Sunday. The NFL season began, and these games were played:

* The New York Giants lost to the football version of the St. Louis Cardinals, 21-10 at Yankee Stadium.

* The Minnesota Vikings played their 1st game, and beat the Chicago Bears, 37-13 at Metropolitan Stadium in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota. This was also the professional debut of quarterback Fran Tarkenton, who completed 17 out of 23 passes, for 250 yards, 4 touchdowns, and no interceptions. This would be the highlight of the season for the Vikes: They went 3-11.

* The Philadelphia Eagles beat the Cleveland Browns, 27-20 at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.

* The Baltimore Colts beat the Los Angeles Rams, 27-24 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore.

* The Detroit Lions beat the Green Bay Packers, 17-13 at the new Green Bay City Stadium, which was renamed Lambeau Field in 1965.

* The Dallas Cowboys beat the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-24 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

* And the San Francisco 49ers beat the Washington Redskins, 35-3 at Kezar Stadium in San Francisco.

There were 2 games played in the American Football League. The Buffalo Bills beat the New York Titans, 41-31 at War Memorial Stadium in Buffalo. And the San Diego Chargers beat the Oakland Raiders, 44-0 at Balboa Stadium in San Diego.

And these baseball games were played:

* The New York Yankees beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-4 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. Roger Maris hit his 58th home run of the season in the top of the 12th inning. Luis Arroyo became the winning pitcher, in relief of Bill Stafford. Bill "Moose" Skowron and Clete Boyer also hit home runs. Mickey Mantle went 0-for-4 with 2 walks. Yogi Berra went 0-for-5 with a walk. Al Kaline went 2-for-5 with a walk.

* The Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0 at Fenway Park in Boston. Bill Monbouquette pitched a 3-hit shutout, outpitching Chuck Estrada. The only run scored in the bottom of the 4th, when Jim Pagliaroni doubled Pete Runnels home. Rookie Carl Yastrzmeski went 1-for-2 before being pinch-hit for. Brooks Robinson went 0-for-4.

* The Kansas City Athletics beat the Washington Senators, 3-2 at Griffith Stadium in Washington.

* The St. Louis Cardinals beat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0 at Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Larry Jackson pitched a 5-hit shutout. Stan Musial hit his 453rd career home run. Roberto Clemente went 0-for-3.

* The Minnesota Twins swept a doubleheader from the Cleveland Indians, 5-0 and 5-3 at Cleveland Municipal Stadium. Camilo Pascual allowed 8 hits in the opener, but kept a shutout. Over the 2 games, Harmon Killebrew went 0-for-5 with 3 walks.

* The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Cincinnati Reds, 4-0 at Crosley Field in Cincinnati. Art Mahaffey pitched 8 innings of 3-hit shutout ball, and Frank Sullivan pitched a perfect 9th. Frank Robinson went 0-for-3 with a walk.

* The Chicago White Sox swept a doubleheader from the Los Angeles Angels, 8-1 and 4-3 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. Over the 2 games, Luis Aparicio went 2-for-6 with 4 walks and 3 stolen bases.

* The Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Milwaukee Braves, 4-3 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In the top of the 11th inning, Joe Torre singled Eddie Mathews home with a go-ahead run. But in the bottom of the 11th, Duke Snider singled Tommy Davis and Bob Aspromonte home with the winning runs. 

Snider had pinch-hit for Don Drysdale, and went 2-for-3 with 3 RBIs. The winning pitcher, having pitched 2 innings of relief, was Sandy Koufax. Mathews went 1-for-4. Hank Aaron went 2-for-5 with an RBI.

* And the San Francisco Giants beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-2 at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. Felipe Alou went 4-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBIs. Willie Mays went 2-for-4 with a walk. Willie McCovey did not play.