Football Legend Vince Lombardi Was Not Known to Toss Around Many
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ootball legend Vince Lombardi was not known to toss around many compliments, F so when he signed the back of a 1968 Dapper Dan Club dinner program “To Al Abrams, in high esteem, Vince Lombardi,” it was a huge compliment to the Post-Gazette The 1 By Richard “Pete” Peterson “Pete” Richard By sportswriter and longtime coordinator of the charity event. Aside from occasional fan mail and Golden Quill awards, sportswriters rarely receive accolades, yet they were and often still are a prime conduit between athletes and fans. During the age when newspapers were the main source for news and opinions about sports, Pittsburgh’s top sportswriters wrote daily columns, sponsored major charities, and became household names. They were routinely elected president of the Baseball Writers Association of America and of the National Football Writers Association.2 A few eventually received Hall of Fame recognition for their meritorious service to sports, including playing a leading role in the integration of baseball, and one became famous for creating the Terrible Towel.3 Pittsburgh’s newspaper archives are filled with bylines of The Golden Age of Pittsburgh’s Sportswriters sportswriters who wove the stories that helped transform the city’s championship teams and athletes into legends. Storytellers 28 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 Pirates Pitcher Deacon Phillippe. Library of Congress. There is no way of knowing who was Wagner’s signature, the American Tobacco Pittsburgh’s first sportswriter, but longtime Company stopped printing the Wagner card, Pittsburgh Press sports editor Chet Smith, but in 2007 one of the few still in circulation set writing in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania a record by selling for $2.8 million. Sports Hall of Fame, gave the honor to Gruber was an unabashed rooter for bearded John Gruber, a reporter for the Barney Dreyfuss’s Pittsburgh ball clubs and Pittsburg Times, the Pittsburgh Post, and the didn’t hesitate to “gush” in his description of Pittsburgh Leader.4 Smith based his claim on their successes on the field. In his coverage of the questionable story that Gruber, who began the first modern World Series game, played on his career in Pittsburgh as a reporter in 1882 October 1, 1903 between Pittsburgh and the after briefly working as a printer, invented and Boston Americans, he declared, after Pittsburgh handset baseball’s first box score. Gruber may handily won the game 7-3, “There is gloom in have laid the type for the first box score printed old Boston town tonight ….The work put up by in Pittsburgh, but historians credit journalist the National League champions simply made and baseball pioneer Henry Chadwick, elected the Boston men look like counterfeit money. John Gruber to the Hall of Fame in 1938, for developing the This is no gush, but the downright truth, and on Deacon Phillippe modern box score and introducing statistics to it is this that makes the gloom so thick here. (“Phillippe the Whole Cheese”) in Game One of 5 the game in 1859. Local fans cannot see how their team is going the 1903 World Series Although John Gruber might not have to win a game let alone the series.”7 invented the first box score, he did play an If John Gruber actually does deserve “The chief cause of Boston’s downfall interesting role in the history of the famous and the title of Pittsburgh’s first sportswriter, was the work of Deacon Phillippe on rare Honus Wagner baseball card, printed by the it’s because he was likely the first reporter to the rubber. The deacon was all there American Tobacco Company in 1909 without cover and write about baseball for a Pittsburgh and had everything a champion pitcher Wagner’s permission. The company offered newspaper. He also served as the Pirates official should have. Only six hits were made off Gruber, who was the Pirates’ official scorer at scorer for 40 years. Gruber died in 1932 at age the time, $10 if he could convince Wagner to 79. His death followed the passing of Barney his delivery, two going into the crowd endorse the promotion. Wagner, who didn’t Dreyfuss by less than a year. and counting as three-baggers and two smoke, turned down the others of the scratchy order. One was a offer, but sent a $10 check to Texas Leaguer into left field, and the other Gruber, who framed it and a hard drive to Bransfield. The deacon hung it in his den.6 Denied struck out ten batsmen, something he did not accomplish in the National League…. The American League champions were absolutely powerless against Phillippe. Of the first seven men who faced him, he If John Gruber actually struck out five, fanning the entire side does deserve the in the second inning. Not a man went title of Pittsburgh’s to base on balls before the steady firing first sportswriter, of the deacon. His grand performance it’s because he was was cheered by the spectators and likely the first reporter vociferously applauded by the Pittsburg to cover and write delegation, which soon was the only living thing in the stands.” (Pittsburgh about baseball for a Post, October 3, 1903.) Pittsburgh newspaper. John Gruber, Pittsburgh’s first sportswriter. WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY SUMMER 2010 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette photo archives. | 29 Champion boxer During his long career, Keck was recognized Harry Greb. Library of Congress. as the leading authority on Pittsburgh’s many boxing champions, including Harry Greb, Fritzi Zivic, and Billy Conn. Fritzi Zivic and Billy Arnold, 1945. Courtesy of Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Harry Keck on Harry Greb (“Greb Light-Heavy Champion”) in his bout against Gene Tunney “The dope panned out properly in Madison series games, including Davis’s lament following Square Garden tonight and when Harry John Gruber was the first Pittsburgh Pittsburgh’s eventual loss to Boston after Greb, Pittsburgh’s greatest fighter, left sportswriter to attract public notoriety, but it winning the first game of the series: “It is a pity the ring at the conclusion of a hard was his more polished contemporary Ralph that the Pittsburgh pitchers were not right for the 15-round bout with Gene Tunney, he was Davis who gained a national reputation with his Series, for, under the present circumstance, there the new light-heavyweight champion, and writing. The highly respected Davis, regarded will always be doubt in the minds of the fans during his long and distinguished career as whether Collins’ team could have triumphed the logical next opponent for a battle with the dean of Pittsburgh sportswriters, became had the local [Pirates] been at their best. For George Carpentier for the championship the sports editor for the Pittsburgh Press and myself, I do not think they could.”8 of the world at 175 pounds…. Greb won the Pittsburgh correspondent for The Sporting Ralph Davis also covered the Pirates’ first the decision of the two judges and the News in 1903 when he was only 21 years old. World Series victory over Ty Cobb and the referee…. There was little doubt that In his first year as sports editor and Detroit Tigers in 1909, their dramatic come- the officials would give the award to correspondent, Ralph Davis, like John Gruber, from-behind win against Walter Johnson and the man who had entered the ring the reported on the 1903 World Series. When Hall the Washington Senators in the 1925 World of Fame baseball writer Fred Lieb was preparing Series, and their loss in four straight games challenger, and when the announcement his book on the Pittsburgh Pirates for the highly to Babe Ruth and the New York Yankees in was made the house let loose a great roar regarded Putnam team histories, he relied on 1927. Unlike his lament for the Pirates in of approval.” (Pittsburgh Gazette-Times, Davis’s dispatches to The Sporting News on 1903, Davis praised the conquering Yankees’ May 24, 1922.) 30 WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA HISTORY | SUMMER 2010 domination of the Pirates in 1927, writing, Smith, who had just become sports editor Pirates Pitcher 10 John Miljus. “There is no use to try to deprive the Yankees for the Pittsburgh Press. Smith’s words are Library of Congress. of their laurels. They are a great ball team, and eloquent, and today serve as a reminder of why they out played the Pirates in every department baseball waited over 70 years before inducting a throughout the series.”9 well-deserving Dreyfuss into the Baseball Hall Ralph Davis retired in 1931, but, after the of Fame: “Opinionated to a degree, lacking death of Barney Dreyfuss on February 5, 1932, the flair for showmanship which carried Ralph Davis The Sporting News asked him to write a tribute other owners to greater heights of popularity, on last game defeat to the Pirates’ longtime owner. Published Dreyfuss was not what newspaper men called (“Wild Pitch Ends on February 11, the Davis article includes good copy, but even his bitter enemies were Series”) in 1927 numerous testimonials to Dreyfuss’ greatness forced to admit that he was baseball’s warmest World Series as a Pirates owner, including one from Chet supporter and wisest counselor.”11 “It’s all over. The world series of 1927 has passed into baseball history and the New York Yankees are the premier…. They One of the first things that Wendel Smith did won the honors today in one of the most in his new position as sports editor of the thrilling contests in all world series history. Pittsburgh Courier was to begin a campaign And yet the finish came in one of the most to integrate major league baseball.