For a while in the early 1980s , when the Louisville Redbirds were drawing a million fans a year .
Pittsburgh was playing to crowds smaller than those that gather on a Friday night at a small - town McDonald 's , there was talk about a baseball team .
For a while in the early 1980s , when the Louisville Redbirds were drawing a million fans a year and Pittsburgh was playing to crowds smaller than those that gather on a Friday night at a small - town McDonald 's , there was talk about a baseball team .