Expert: Tom Schott - 8/27/2008

Question
I read or heard somewhere that the Pirates once played a game in Wheeling, W.Va., and that a ball hit to the outfield actually became lost in tall grass or weeds. Naturally, this occurred at some far-away time and at some little-known baseball field.Is there any truth to this stuff, or am I mixing up some facts with myths and misinformation?

Answer
Ted,

I cannot answer this question precisely, but it is quite probably true. Baseball teams used to play an extensive exhibition schedule on their way back from spring training in Florida on the way to season openers. And back in the old days, ball parks were not what they are today. Sometimes fans were allowed to watch the game from behind rope barriers in the outfield, which could well be overgrown with weeds and scrub grass in its further reaches. So the information here is more likely based on fact rather than myth.