"The need to be great is very prominent in Pittsburgh. The city expects between 500,000 and 700,000 fans to attend the draft, or about double Pittsburgh's population."
"The last and only other time Pittsburgh hosted the draft was in 1947. But the event was nothing like the public-facing extravaganza it is now."
"Pittsburgh had already started to establish itself as a sports town. In baseball, the Pirates had two World Series titles under their belt."
"The first documented instance of someone being paid to play a pro football game was in Pittsburgh in 1892. Some of the earliest pro hockey games happened in the 1890s."
Pittsburgh is hosting the NFL draft for the first time in nearly 80 years, expecting 500,000 to 700,000 fans. The city has a storied sports history, with the Steelers' dominance in the 1970s and 16 major professional championships. The previous draft in 1947 was a private event, contrasting with today's public extravaganza. Pittsburgh's sports legacy includes early professional football and hockey, establishing it as a significant sports town. The city's winning spirit is deeply ingrained in its culture, as expressed by local residents.
Read at www.npr.org
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