Pitt's Rob Ruck Available to Discuss Barney Dreyfuss' Election to Hall of Fame, His Contributions to Baseball and Pittsburgh Sports

PITTSBURGH-"Barney Dreyfuss, a German immigrant who built Forbes Field and owned the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1900 until his death in 1932 [his daughter and son-in-law held the franchise until 1946], was one of the most critical figures in Pittsburgh and national sport during the first third of the 20th century," says Rob Ruck, sports historian and senior lecturer in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of History in the School of Arts and Sciences.

Ruck can discuss Dreyfuss' election to the Baseball Hall of Fame and his contributions to baseball and Pittsburgh sports.

According to Ruck, Dreyfuss was the first man to establish professional sport in Pittsburgh. "He made the Pirates a viable major league baseball franchise that excelled on the field and at the gate, built one of the nation's classical ballparks, and was a nice guy to boot," said Ruck. "And he did it with the best interest of his city and players in mind."

Ruck calls Dreyfuss' selection to the Hall of Fame a contrast to the other two men who were elected along with him: Walter O'Malley, who Ruck says betrayed the trust of Brooklyn by moving the Dodgers to Los Angeles, and Bowie Kuhn, who Ruck says was never trusted by the players.

###

12/4/07/tmw