Exclusive with Former Steelers Offensive Lineman Mike Sandusky, 1957-1965

First, can you let me what you got involved with after football?

Well, I did a little wrestling – I just tried that out to see how that was. My folks had a bar so after that I went into the bar business with them for a bit and then ran my own liquor store.

How did you get involved in wrestling?

My wife went to the University of Maryland and knew some folks around there. She got some signatures together to get fans to come see me wrestle in DC. We got 100 or so people to watch. It wasn’t much but it was fun to try it.

Was the post-NFL transition difficult?

It was just really different. Some guys played because it was a job. I played because it was a job yes, but also because I loved it. There were a couple of times I’d get hit in my noggin and wake up in the hospital wondering where I was.. But I enjoyed it. But I also knew it was time to move on. I’ll tell you though – the Pittsburgh fans – you can’t beat them.

How did you end up in Pittsburgh?

I was drafted by the 49ers in the fourth round. Coming out of school – I was just a young man – I didn’t know much. They just told me there to take it day-to-day and keep my nose clean. The coach told me he thought I’d become a good NFL player. I remember he told me once about a guy – a wedge-buster on kickoffs who would fly at you feet first. He watched out for you and taught you to keep your eyes open.

It’s funny. I remember sitting at the training table in San Francisco as a rookie eating with the guys. They had those round ones where a few of us would sit. Well a guy across from me says “Salisbury, pass the salt.” I’m not paying attention – I don’t think he’s talking to me, of course. So, he says it again, and again I don’t answer. Finally he stands up and looks at me and says “Salisbury pass the salt!” I just looked at him and said “My name’s not Salisbury it’s Sandusky!” Everyone laughed then. It seems small, but those are the little things that bind teams together – those moments.

But they ended up trading me to the Steelers. I was the guy they threw in in the deal. But I was happy to meet and play for Buddy Parker.

How was Buddy to play for?

I was surprised to get traded. Buddy was alright. Every coach has their own mystique and way. With Buddy if you didn’t play well you were on his manure list.

Parker put me on the field and never said a word to me. But he observed us all a lot. He just wanted you to play hard and win. With him, there was never a reason to lose. He’d have us all watch film over and over again. He’s the one that got Bobby Layne to get all the players together every Monday night to go bowling. Just to create some togetherness. He always felt there should be no individuals on the team.

Buddy was a good coach. I think sometimes he was just too hard on himself. But that was him – who he was. He was a hell of a man. I think everybody goes through rough times and has some good and bad in them. Coaches – they want to be liked too. But they want to win. You play to win – and Parker felt there was no reason ever to lose. As a player, if you messed up, it haunted you for weeks. Parker was the same way as a coach.

Who were some of the guys you faced that you remember most?

All the guys then were on the rough side – not dirty but they played close to it. I remember playing the Giants, and as a player you always tried to find a way to get the upper hand on an opponent. Well, I was going up against Rosie Grier and I knew he played the guitar or banjo – I forget which. Well, I tried to get on his good side. I asked him how the guitar playing was going. He looked at me and said “I didn’t come here to discuss my guitar playing. We’re here to play football.”

I just thought, “Ok. Here we go.”

We took a bus to games – Cleveland and Philadelphia. You could get stir crazy on those trips and play some jokes on each other too to lighten it up. But we had serious and straight guys like Pottios and Hoak too.

Any fun stories of your teammates you remember?

John Henry Johnson – he and I used to play pranks on each other. He was a funny guy – a great player.

Well once I had some white tape and wrote three k’s on it and taped it to his car. He came back and said “God damn Mike! What are you doing – I live in the Black section of town. You’re going to get me killed!”  But he laughed – we were close and it was a different time. We could joke like that then.

Buddy Dial used to room with Ed Beatty when we practiced at Slippery Rock. Once I caught a bird and put it in his dresser drawer in his room – I propped the drawer open enough so the bird could breathe and all. Well, Buddy went into his room and a little while later we heard a loud scream! “Who did this!” he yelled. I didn’t tell him it was me until a while later!

Any other memories stand out?

Another from Slippery Rock – one I will never forget. We were walking near the crick when we heard someone yell at us “Stop or I’ll shoot!” Well it turns out a cop was chasing a guy and he was hiding behind a tree near us. It all turned out ok but me, Ed Beatty, John Henry, Krupa…we all ran out of there.

Any on-field memories stand out?

Playing Washington – we threw an interception and I was chasing the guy down the sideline when I got blindsided and planted right on my butt. The only thing that came to my mind was “Good shot!”

And blocking Chuck Bednarik. I was running down the line and I yelled “Chuck!” right before I threw the block. He turned to me after and said “Thanks. You saved my knees!”

Another good funny story by the way. Jimmy Orr and Myron Pottios used to room together, We’d often go meet and eat in our rooms together then go to practice. Well once I went to their apartment and on the way I saw a dead skunk. I picked it up and snuck it in Pottios’ drawer, underneath it where he didn’t see it. Well, I forgot about it for a couple of days. We went back to their room again to eat and Orr said “Mo – don’t you ever wash your underwear?” We started laughing. Pottios pulled his drawer apart and the skunk fell out. He was not happy. I kept that one to myself for a long time.

Who were some of the toughest guys you saw play then?

Ernie Stautner was tough. A nice fella but tough. He and Roosevelt Brown of the Giants had some terrific battles. I just used to watch them go at it – it was great to watch.

John Reger – he was a Steelers linebacker then. During a game a back took a swing pass – he had those facemasks with the middle protector only. Well, Reger went to clothesline the guy and the middle caught his bicep and split it in half. They had to rush him to the hospital and sew his arm up.

But no one ever was really nasty to other people or tried to hurt them. Don’t get me wrong – they’d cut your heart out though if it meant winning. Winning meant everything then. From the coaches to the waterboys – if you won it was like the sun came up – if you lost it was like a rainy day.

What do you think of the game today? You still watch?

I still watch on Sundays but more to see what plays they are running-  to see what they are trying to do more than the players themselves.  I liked the rougher and tougher games we played better. It felt more meaningful – you gave it all you can, man on man.

And Pittsburgh – it was a tough team and a hard-working town. I loved playing there in front of those fans – I really did.

Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades.  To order, just click on the book: