Tuesday of last week was the anniversary of Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run to win Game 7 of the 1960 World Series. It was celebrated with a sync’d-up replay of the game’s radio broadcast at the base of Forbes Field’s left-field wall, which still stands in Oakland. It’s a wonderful annual tradition.

By way of indulging cliched debate, make no mistake: Mazeroski’s home run is the No. 1 moment in Pittsburgh sports history.

What’s second isn’t close.

What’s second is probably the Immaculate Reception.

But while the Immaculate Reception may have launched a dynasty, it didn’t win a championship.

It did occur in Pittsburgh. On-site. That adds black-and-gold luster.

Mazeroski’s homer did win a championship. It, too, was on-site.

It’s the only walk-off Game 7 home run in World Series history.

It completed the biggest upset in World Series history.

Nobody thought the Pirates could beat Mickey Mantle’s Yankees, who were prohibitive favorites.

The Yankees got their three wins in that Series by scores of 16-3, 10-0 and 12-0.

But the Pirates won four times, including 10-9 in Game 7.

Their run differential over seven games was minus-28. But they were world champions.

Mazeroski’s homer might be the most famous in MLB history, and would be considered definitely such had it won a World Series for a New York team instead of beating one.

Baseball in 1960 was just as big in Pittsburgh as football was in the ’70s. Baseball was still the national pastime.

Mazeroski’s homer won a championship then and there. The second that ball cleared the wall. Big result, big event, big rush.

It wasn’t a lucky bounce.

It didn’t need to be romanticized, or exaggerated.

The Immaculate Reception was big. Just not as big.

You could make an argument for James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return at Super Bowl XLIII in 2009.

It provided a 14-point swing in a game decided by four points. The ball was about to cross one goal line, then suddenly and spectacularly crossed the other, and as the first half ended.

Harrison’s rumble down the field was epic.

You could stump for the game-winning touchdown pass in that same Super Bowl from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes. Clutch and precise.

But that pass wasn’t even the most memorable play in that game.

The Steelers’ four Super Bowl wins in the ’70s are right in the wheelhouse of my childhood.

But no one play from those games jumps immediately and easily to mind.

I’m a Penguins lifer.

Mario Lemieux had so many moments that could be in a top 10 of Pittsburgh sports happenings:

• First shift, first shot, first goal.

• Five goals, five ways.

• Eight points in a playoff game against Philadelphia, the old enemy.

• End-to-end goal vs. Minnesota in the 1991 Stanley Cup Final.

• Game-winning goal at the death in Game 1 of the 1992 Final against Chicago.

• Comeback from cancer in 1993.

• Comeback from retirement in 2000.

Lemieux saved the Penguins twice somewhere in there, too.

Five of the moments listed occurred in Pittsburgh. Thanks for the house, Mario.

Sidney Crosby is more cumulative. His biggest individual moment is for Canada, the golden goal in the 2010 Olympics.

Marc-Andre Fleury’s save at the end of Game 7 at Detroit in 2009 makes any list.

But Mazeroski’s home run is a clear-cut No. 1. The greatest moment in Pittsburgh sports history.

Johnny Cueto dropping the ball is small potatoes.

But it’s all a whole generation of Pirates fans has.

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