PENN TWP Don't ever call PNC Park a stadium not in the presence of Carol Edwards, at least.

"It's a ballpark!," she exclaims.

"Ballpark, not stadium," said Edwards' daughter, Laura. "You have to get it right. It's a pet-peeve of hers."

Edwards, 54, of Penn Township holds PNC Park and the Pirates near and dear to her heart.

A loyal baseball fan, she will attend her 30th consecutive Pirates home opener when the Bucs host the Houston Astros Monday.

While many Western Pennsylvania sports fans have jumped ship at some point during the Pirates' current streak of 16 consecutive losing seasons, getting excited about the Steelers, Penguins or Pitt's basketball team instead, Edwards remains partial to Pittsburgh's baseball team.

"It's a summer sport, I love the warm weather and it's still affordable to go," she said. "I cheer for the Steelers and I'm a fair-weather fan of the hockey team, but the Pirates are No. 1 with me.

"I get ribbed and teased incessantly at work because I'm a Pirates fan. That's OK. There's still plenty of us around. Most just aren't as up front about it as I am."

Captivated by the Pirates' 1979 World Series championship run, Edwards began her streak of attending Pirates openers in 1980. Her older sister Peg joined her for Opening Day annually for nearly 10 years.

Younger sister Kathy joined her for seven or eight straight years after that.

"Then they moved the opener to daytime and Kathy couldn't go," Edwards said. "That's when I told my kids that they had to go."

Still, Edwards was unaware she hadn't missed an opener until two years ago.

"That's when I told her I couldn't wait until this year, when the streak hit 30," Laura said.

Edwards recalls the R&B/disco group Sister Sledge riding around the Three Rivers Stadium turf in convertibles in 1980. She also remembered sitting in the 600 level of Three Rivers with snowflakes flying.

When the Pirates moved into PNC Park in 2001, Edwards bought a 20-game ticket package "just to be sure I had my seats for Opening Day."

"I felt sad when they imploded Three Rivers Stadium because there was so much history there," she said. "But that feeling went away when I first saw PNC Park."

Since she doesn't subscribe to cable TV, Edwards listens to the Pirates on the radio and attends 10 to 15 games per season.

For her, it's all about family.

"Fellow family members have always been a part of Opening Day with me," she said. "It's not about winning and losing. It's about memories and just going to a game and cheering your guts out for your team."

Edwards first started attending Pirates games in the 1960s. She remembers Bob Prince and the Green Weenie, a gimmick used to jinx the opposition.

Her original favorite player was first baseman Donn Clendenon. Subsequent favorites include Andy Van Slyke, Oliver Perez and Nate McLouth.

"Clendenon seemed to stretch halfway to the mound to catch a throw," Edwards said. "Van Slyke played center field so smoothly. And we used to go the game when Perez was pitching just to see how many strikeouts he'd get."

Daughters Laura and Cindy have become strong fans as well. They insist their children will be the same.

"Going to the games with family, having a good time ... it's become tradition with us," Laura said.

Edwards has organized groups at her workplace to attend games. She put together a group of 65 people to see the Yankees at PNC Park last season.

"Friends, family, business co-workers the list grows in a hurry," she said. "Whether they admit it or not, people still love baseball around here."

As for the 16 years of losing and the ridicule she puts up with?

"Our year is coming. Our time is coming. Just wait and see," Edwards said. "And when it comes around, I'll be the one doing the laughing."