September 20, 1946 was a big day in Pittsburgh. As part of Pennsylvania week, the steel mill at Homestead held its first open house since the beginning of the war and attracted 40,000 visitors.
Many of those visitors would have bussed into the city in the evening for the opening game of the 1946 football season as the Chicago Cardinals played the Steelers. The game was a sell out and fans were urged not to turn up at Forbes Field without a ticket as they would not gain admittance.
The Sutherland effect saw advance season ticket sales reach $135,000, far outweighing the previous record of $21,000.