Since I was crowned Ms. Wheelchair USA a few months ago, I’ve gotten to do some pretty amazing things. I got to be on a podcast (here) and even got my own day (here), which is something that I never could have imagined! And this weekend, I was lucky enough to add one more thing to my list of incredible opportunities – I got to be on the field at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.
I wasn’t really sure what to expect going into the game, but it turned out to be such a fun day! My family and I, along with the other people being recognized yesterday, got to go down onto the field before the game started. They lined us all up, and then we waited a bit and got to watch then get the field ready for the game. It was really cool to get to see that so close up, but also really, really hot – it was over 90 degrees yesterday!
When it was my turn, I got introduced and got to wave to everyone on the big Jumbotron, which felt pretty cool! After the first ceremonial pitch was thrown and the National Anthem was sung, I also got to go onto the field to exchange the opening lineup cards with the umpire and the other team, which was a really cool surprise. I even got to meet the Pirates Manager, Clint Hurdle, who was incredibly kind to me and my family. And the Pirates ended up winning, which was the perfect end to the afternoon.
For those of you who don’t live in Pittsburgh, you might not realize how big sports are here. The Pirates, the Steelers, the Penguins… Pittsburghers bleed black and gold. So being recognized on the field during a Pirates game – that’s something that means a lot to me, and something that I could never have imagined getting to do.
Clearly, this was a huge honor for me. But it’s also meaningful because of how amazing PNC Park is with accessible seating options. Sometimes, there will only be one or two options of accessible seating at venues – usually, really good (and expensive) seats, or ones way, way at the top. But PNC Park has them all over the park – options in every level, and every price range. It really makes it a lot more enjoyable to go to a game knowing that you’re not being quarantined to one area of the field! It sounds like such an obvious thing – getting to choose where you sit – but it’s something that is so often neglected for accessible seats.
Of course…getting to be on the field means one more thing – I needed a good outfit. I knew that I didn’t want to just wear a Pirates t-shirt – that’s just not my thing. But I still wanted my outfit to be on-theme and appropriate! So I went with the Pittsburgh uniform of black and yellow. I ended up wearing this dress from H&M, which was the perfect yellow gold shade to show my Pirates pride.
In case you’re looking for something to wear to a Pittsburgh game of some sort, or you’re just in the market for a yellow dress, I’ve pulled together some more options below.
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