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Home , Al Davis, Chuck Noll, Dan Rooney, Immaculate Reception, Jack Ham, Jeff Hartings

EY's 75 YEARS WITH TE as STEELERS

By as told to Andrew E. Masich and David F Halaas

Introduction by History Center President at the History Center, his family, and his and CEO Andrew Masich and Director of friends persisted. His story is important.He Library & Archives David Halaas P'i iR'S NR IDE I1 has made history. The result is the newly When Danfirst mentioned to us that friends il]II,,'iIl 1~[.' published autobiographyDan Rooney: My and colleagues had suggested his story 75 Years With the Steelers should be told in a biography, we lFROMl~ WHE',lRE IIW"1AS [BOiRN and the NFL. encouraged him to pursue the project, not as Over the course of the last two years, a traditional biography but as an we spent thousands of hours interviewing him, traveling with him, and just plain autobiography.We thought the story should [COULDl I SAY'3'-0 Tl~HEooe CAME IINI be told from his point of view. At first he lAI:][~~ getting to know him. We talked to his resisted the idea. He is a genuinely humble IIIllF~''t" family, who shared their experiences and man and said, "That's just not me." But we insights as well. In addition we met with

WESTERNPENNSYLVANIA HISTORY I WINTER2007- 11 35

I character. As we worked with the Steelers "THERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT MAKE AWINNING FOOTBALL organization-at the complex, at TEAM-TALENT, COACHING, CLOSENESS, AND MANAGEMENT:' Field, on the road-we saw his mark -Dan Rooney everywhere. The closeness of the organization, from the team and coaches and secretaries to players, coaches, colleagues, and friends. We friends, a man of abiding faith, and a man of the front office and grounds crew,feels more like pored over archives, old newspapers, and uncompromising dedication to football. a family than a corporation.Steelers Center Jeff scrapbooks to fill in missing pieces and confirm Football to him is more than a game. In many Hartings said it best: "We honestly love each Dan's recollections. All in all, his memories are ways, it symbolizes the strength and vitality of other. I honestly felt that I would rather lose a remarkably accurate and vivid, considering the people and place he loves-Pittsburgh. You game like this with this team than win a Super they span 75 years-years of great changefilled can't really separate Dan Rooney from Bowl with a team I didn't enjoy playing with." with a bewildering array of people and events. Pittsburghany more than you can separate him We found this attitude remarkable, We found a man devoted to his family and from football. It's in his blood; it's part of his considering this is a five-time championship team with the best record in win. You can see it in the Steelers mission Consider:Five Super Bowl championships. the NFL over the past 20 years. It's also a statement: "The mission of the Pittsburgh Six conference titles. And 20 Steelers elected to very successful business. This didn't just Steelers Football Club is to represent the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Dan has been happen. Dan likes to say there are four Pittsburgh in the , named NFL Executive of the Year, Dapper things that make a winning football primarily by winning the Championship of Dan's Sportsman of the Year, and he's been team-talent, coaching, closeness, and ProfessionalFootball." inducted into the FootballHall of Fame. management. He doesn't talk much about the management part. But make no "WE HONESTLY LOVE EACH OTHER. I HONESTLY FELT THAT mistake. From top to bottom, the THIS WITH THIS TEAM THAN organization reflects I WOULD RATHER LOSE A GAME LIKE Dan Rooney's business acumen, values, WIN A SUPER BOWL WITH ATEAM I DIDN'T ENJOY PLAYING WITH" integrity, and character.And perhaps most -Steelers Center importantly, it reflects his determination to American Indian nations in education and CONSIDER: FIVE SUPER BOWL youth recreation programs.He was the driving The CHAMPIONSHIPS. SIX force behind the American Ireland Fund, now December 23, 1972, dawned cold and gray, CONFERENCE TITLES. AND 20 the world's largestprivate organizationfunding but today no one seemed to care about the constructive change in Ireland. weather. It had been a long time coming, the STEELERS ELECTED TO THE Tony O'Reilly, former Heinz Company kind of day I dreamed about all my life-the PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME. chairman and co-founder of the American first NFL postseason game to be played in Ireland Fund. describe'd Dan Pnnnev a "a Pitt'shnrah ince 1Q47 He leads off thefield as well, serving on the singularman. The level gaze, the humorousyet Before the kickoff, thousands of fans boards of the United Way of America, the watchful eyes, the quiet authority that he gathered downtown under the banners of American Diabetes Association, Senator John exudes are products of many tough battles, their heroes-Dobre Shunka (Good Ham) Heinz History Center, and the University of many triumphs, and some failures." for , Gerela's Gorillas for Pittsburgh Medical Center. Dan has assisted This is the man we have come to know. kicker , and Franco's Italian Army

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38 i HISTORY '. % for rookie . Other Now, as the big game against the fans-those who couldn't get tickets, and Raiders began, the built-up emotion "THE MISSION OF THE there were only 50,350 who did-packed and excitement spilled out of Three Rivers PITTSBURGH STEELERS themselves in cars and buses in search of Stadium with a volume and intensity that televisions outside the 75-mile could be heard all the way across the FOOTBALL CLUB IS TO radius. They crammed into motel rooms in Allegheny River into downtown. REPRESENT PITTSBURGH IN here we go! East Liverpool, , and Meadville, "Here we go, Steelers, THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL , or chartered buses and drove to Here we go, Steelers, here we go!" Erie and jammed local American Legion and Inside the stadium the noise was LEAGUE, PRIMARILY BY VFW halls. Anywhere with a television set. In deafening. The concrete deck heaved so WINNING THE CHAMPIONSHIP some places, people were selling seats in their violently with every stomp of the crowd, I FOOTBALL" own living rooms to frantic Steelers fans worried the structure might give way. For OF PROFESSIONAL -The Pittsburgh Steelers mission statement desperate to see us in the playoffs. most of the game it seemed we were going to win. It had been a fierce defensive struggle; Now the packed stands were hushed. The As and the Steelers first downs were difficult to come by and both scoreboard told everything: Raiders 7, offense broke huddle, I knew this was the last teams punted a lot. had Steelers 6, fourth-and-10 ... 22 seconds on play. But when our players lined up on our started as for the Raiders, but we the clock. It looked like we didn't have a 40-yard line, they didn't look like a beaten intercepted him twice and beat him up so chance. What a shame-the best season we team. Bradshaw still had his swagger, still badly they took him out and replaced him ever had, and our first playoff game. I really seemed as confident and fearless as ever. with their young backup, . Gerela's wanted to beat ' Raiders. Turning his head from side to side, he begins two field goals had given us a 6-0 lead when late in the fourth quarter Stabler dropped "NOW, I DON'T KNOW IFTHE LORD IS WORRIED ABOUT EVERY back to pass, couldn't find a receiver, and so FOOTBALL slipped outside and ran 30 yards for a GAME THAT'S PLAYED, BUT INTHIS CASE IT SURE . With the extra point, the Raiders SEEMED LIKE A CASE OF DIVINE INTERVENTION: had a one-point lead. -Dan Rooney the count, then takes the snap. Bradshaw's near sideline toward the -Go Tatum's pads, shot back 10 yards where back, out of the pocket, running to his right. Franco!-stiff-arming the Raiders' Jimmy Franco made a shoestring catch. Where's He ducks one pursuer, his eyes downfield, Warren, somehow staying in bounds, then in ? Seconds before the snap, I looking for a receiver. He shakes loose from for a touchdown. Unbelievable! The crowd remember seeing him head for the elevator the rush, then fires at Frenchy Fuqua cutting goes crazy-is it really a touchdown? Fans so he could be in the locker room to console across the middle. The ball, Frenchy, and swarm the field, mobbing Franco and the players when they came off the field. He Raiders safety arrive at the same Bradshaw. I know there's going to be missed the whole thing! The most place at precisely the same time. I hear the controversy, so I run down the stairs into the incredible play I ever saw. collision even from where I'm sitting-four press box where the reporters sit stunned, Just then the press box phone rings. It's levels up, just above the press box. That's it ... looking at each other in disbelief. on the wall right where I'm standing, so I the game's over ... but wait! There's Franco Everybody is talking, yelling, trying to answer it. It's Jim Boston, our man on the Harris with the ball-where did he come piece together in their minds what their eyes field, calling from the dugout. He from?-running for all he's worth along the just saw. They're saying the ball ricocheted off tells me he's got Fred Swearingen, the referee-the guy in charge of the crew McNally shouts into the phone, "Well, you have officiating the game-standing right next to "THAT'S IT ... THE GAME'S to call what you saw. You have to make the call. him. Boston says Swearingen wants to talk to OVER ... BUT WAIT! THERE'S Talk to your people and make the call!" Of Art McNally, the supervisor of the officials. I course, no one had seen the television replay can see McNally in his usual place at the other FRANCO HARRIS WITH THE yet-it all happened too quick. So I turn back end of the box. So I yell, "Art McNally! Art BALL-WHERE DID HE COME to the field. The officials are huddled together McNally! They want to talk to you!" He FROM?-RUNNING FOR ALL at the 30-yard line. I know the rule: if the ball comes over, takes the phone, and I hear every bounced off Tatum before Franco caught it, word he says. HE'S WORTH ALONG THE NEAR then the play stands and it's a touchdown. If The noise in the press box still hasn't SIDELINE TOWARD THE END the ball bounced off Frenchy, then the pass is died down, so McNally is pressing the phone incomplete, the game's over, and the Raiders to his ear so he can hear what Swearingen is ZONE-GO FRANCO!" win. I'm straining to see the replay on the TV -Dan Rooney saying. I don't know what the ref said, but - suspended overhead in the press box and trying to hear what the commentators I look for my son Artie, but he's still out on Frenchy-helmets off and grins as big as are saying. the field picking up the team's equipment can be. They're debating the call: "Did Frenchy and running interference for the players Dad doesn't say anything, but Chuck touch the ball? Was the catch good?" Finally, making their way through the swarming steps up and makes a little speech, "You guys Swearingen steps away from the other fans. Across the locker room I see number played a great game-I'm really proud of officials and raises his arms to signal 32-Franco. I'm not a touchy-feely kind of you! Now next week we have another big touchdown. The press box goes wild, papers guy, but after I shove my way through the game, so don't celebrate too long." Chuck is fly, reporters yell at each other-and I run for crowd I can't help but give him a big hug. all business. Can you believe it? He could the elevator. "Franco, that was the greatest play I ever keep his cool even during the "Immaculate Now, I don't know if the Lord is worried saw!" And I mean it, too. Then there's the Reception." That's what , the about every football game that's played, but Chief, standing with Coach Noll, players all voice of the Steelers, later called it. At first I in this case it sure seemed like a case of divine around them-, Andy Russell, thought it was sacrilegious, but over time It intervention. The locker room is a madhouse. Gerela, Ham, , Bradshaw, kind of grew on me. The Immaculate Reception is one of the The Immaculate Reception changed not greatest in the history of only the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers but I'M NOT A TOUCHY-FEELY KIND football, even though Al Davis and coach the NFL itself. The Steelers went from 40 complained bitterly about the seasons as the "lovable losers" to a great, great OF GUY, BUT AFTER I SHOVE MY call and how it destroyed their season and the football team. Maybe the best that ever WAY THROUGH THE CROWD I Raiders that might have been. played. The national television audience for CAN'T HELP BUT GIVE HIM A Frenchy-ever the showman-added to the that game was huge, one of the largest ever to controversy by refusing to give a straight see a football game. The excitement of that BIG HUG. "FRANCO, THAT WAS answer about whether or not he had touched one play captured the imagination of fans THE GREATEST PLAY I the ball. But summed it up: "Well, everywhere, especially throughout the far- EVER SAW!" if Frenchy didn't touch the ball ... and Tatum flung Steelers Nation. The moment was so didn't touch the ball ... well, the rule book powerful, so memorable that millions of -Dan Rooney doesn't cover the hand of the Lord." people who saw the game on TV honestly ......

believe they were in the stands at Three Rivers Of course, there are other milestones in Lambeau, , , Walter Stadium that day. The Immaculate Reception the history of the NFL. I saw most of them, Kiesling, George Marshall, Charley Bidwill, immediately entered the realm of sports because I celebrated my first birthday the , and, of course, the Chief-men who legend. It is still one of the greatest plays in same year the Steelers played their first season knew and loved the game and shared with me NFL history and, for that matter, all of sports. in 1933. In some ways I think of myself as the their values of hard work and sportsmanship This play and this playoff game helped Last Steeler, the last of the founding and fairness. The National Football League establish pro football as America's passion, generation of the NFL. I've had the good has come a long way since its beginnings, and surpassing baseball, "America's pastime,' as fortune to know and work with the men who I'm honored to have been a part of it. the number-one sport. started -, Curly Pro football was born on the muddy fields of Pittsburgh's in 1892-just AT FIRST I THOUGHT ITWAS SACRILEGIOUS, three blocks from where I was born 40 years BUT OVER TIME IT KIND OF GREW ON ME. later. I guess you could say the game is in -Dan Rooney my blood. 0