An all-star effort
PITTSBURGH — Major League Baseball's All-Star Game has been an exciting topic in this area for the past few weeks.
It's been a labor of love for Pittsburgh Pirates employees such as Dan Hart and Patty Paytas for two years.
"For many of us, it's been like working two full-time jobs these past few months,"Paytas said.
A 1977 Butler High School graduate and subsequent Butler County Community College and Slippery Rock University graduate as well, Paytas is the vice president of communications for the Pirates.
She has also been the team's All-Star Game coordinator this season, serving as the primary liaison between Major League Baseball and the Pirates organization.
Paytas coordinated the Pirates' bid for the 2006 All-Star Game two years ago.
"They (MLB)wanted an outline on everything,"Paytas said. "From the ballpark to hotel accommodations to the convention center, you name it.
"The convention center played a big part in this because Fanfest is such a big part of it."
Paytas was also involved with the 1994 All-Star Game at Three Rivers Stadium as its hospitality director.
"I'm much more involved this time,"she said. "I've been dealing with credential lists, decor around the city, the Clemente Bridge, hotel decals, press events, the group highlighting the Forbes Field wall, the Josh Gibson Foundation, etc.
"The groups we've been dealing with have been countless. Then there's the allocation of space. Where do we put all of the photographers?What do we do with all of the media trucks? ... things like that."
Hart, a 1992 Seneca Valley graduate, is the manager of media services for the Pirates — and working with the All-Star Game means servicing a lot of media.
Last year's All-Star Game in Detroit had 1,500 media personnel on hand.
"I've got 55 pages of media names coming in here and we have to find a spot for all of them,"Hart said. "I've been working on the seating charts for the main press box and auxiliary press box, and it's a chore."
That hasn't been the only chore for Hart. He's worked with media relations director Jim Trdinich on gathering memorabilia for the auction at Fanfest and for the Steeltown Heroes exhibit there.
"Usually the bulk of our off-season work is putting together the media guide,"Hart said. "I had to take a two-week break from that to just work on All-Star Game stuff."
Hart carries a large binder around PNC Park with him these days. The binder contains all of the projects he's been working on surrounding the All-Star Game."I have no idea how many pages it is now. It keeps getting bigger and bigger," he said.When it comes to collecting memorabilia, Hart has come up with bats, gloves, jerseys, helmets, even Jason Bay's 2004 Rookie of the Year plaque.After a brainstorming session with fellow workers to determine a Steeltown Heroes theme, Hart said the publicity staff came up with the idea of using numbers to depict Pirates history."I dug up every book on Pirates history I could find, encyclopedias, trivia books, yearbooks, it was a lot of fun,"Hart said. "I know I'm a lot more up on my Pirates history now."For the number one, we're presenting firsts, things like Bay winning Rookie of the Year, first no-hitter, first night game in World Series history. For number 8, it was on that date we retired Willie Stargell's No. 8."As for work schedule, Paytas and Hart have lost track."I have no idea how many hours I'm putting in,"Paytas said. "We're all salaried employees. With game operations, we put in a lot of time regardless.""I'm usually here from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day during the season,"Hart said. "With the All-Star Game work added on, now, if I wake up early because I can't sleep, I just come in (to the office)."Hart hasn't had much time off the phone when he's been in the office lately."You hang up after talking to one guy, the phone starts ringing with somebody else," he said. "I'm wired. I'm stressed, but it's a good stress."Hart has worked at the last four National League Championship Series and is on his second All-Star Game."This is bigger than the NLCSbecause this is an international event,"he said. "To be 32 years old and having the opportunity to do these things is a privilege and an honor to me."Paytas agreed."Working with city officials, county officials, it's really been a community effort getting ready," she said. "We all have the same goal. We want Pittsburgh to shine."Come July 12, the two years of work will be over."It's like getting ready for a wedding,"Hart said. "You're running here, running there, everything's crazy, then, poof, the event is here and gone."When I come to work July 12 and everybody had a great time Tuesday night, all the media people had what they needed and everyone's raving about how well Pittsburgh and PNCPark hosted this game — that's the job I'm trying to do."
