Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Essential Pittsburgh: The Pirates Hit the Field

This Monday, April 6th marks the opening day for Major League Baseball.

The decision to uphold the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate PA State Attorney General Kathleen Kane is the latest setback in her once rising political career.  We’ll get an update on the current troubles of the beleaguered attorney general with WESA’s capitol reporter Mary Wilson.

Mary Wilson talks about the next steps for Kane and how she plans to proceed :

“Well there is no date that I would circle [on a calendar]… Kane says she is not going to resign. Her attorney and spokesman Lanny Davis says that, ‘She’s not stepping down and she’s not going to give into the fight.’ The line from her office is that she’s under siege by people who feel insulted about her rise to power ...”

Also in this hour, Al Yellon talks about the history and future of AstroTurf in baseball, we talk to George Coury, a 46-year Pirates season ticket holder, and Post-Gazette Sportswriter Bob Dvorchak shares his predictions for the performance of the Pirates this season.

Bad Week for Kathleen Kane (0:00)

The decision to uphold the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate PA State Attorney General Kathleen Kane is the latest setback in her once rising political career.  We’ll get an update on the current troubles of the beleaguered attorney general with WESA’s capitol reporter Mary Wilson.

A Brief History of AstroTurf (15:27)

Author Al Yellon seems to think that the era of AstroTurf is over. This year marks its 50-year stint as baseball's go-to substitute for grass, but many stadiums have hearkened back to the romantic days of a live, growing outfield. Yellon presents us with a history of AstroTurf in baseball, and explains why it's on the outs. 

46 Years with the Pittsburgh Pirates (32:03)

George Coury of Homer City, Pa. has been a Pirates season ticket holder for 46 years. During that time he's missed only 17 games and has been such a familiar face down the first base line that he's gotten to know many players and coaches and even thrown out the ceremonial first pitch.. He joins us to talk about his favorite memories from over four decades of Pirates baseball.

A Pirates Preview with Bob Dvorchak (39:24)

Tonight the Pirates open their 2015 regular season against the Reds in Cincinnati. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Sportswriter Emeritus Bob Dvorchak joins us for a preview and to provide insight into whether the Pirates can make it to the post-season for the third year in a row and possibly even win another World Championship.

More Essential Pittsburgh segments can be heard here