Author – Page 2 – Welcome to Steelers Takeaways!

Chuck Finder, Author, the Steelers Encyclopedia

Chuck Finder

First, can you tell readers about your new book – the Steelers Encyclopedia. What inspired you to write the book and how it differs from other Steelers books?

It wasn’t so much an epiphany or lightning bolt from above. Rather, about a month after I took a voluntary buyout from half my life as a newspaper wretch, a call came from a publisher: “How’d you like to write a Steelers book?” It’s an idea that knocked around my cranium for years. But I held back, wanting to wade into the deep end of the sports-book pool with a craft more seaworthy than a ducky innertube (nothing against them, so long as you’re under the age of five).

These publishers found a niche with an Encyclopedia-style book, and that concept struck a chord with me. It allowed a laser focus on the coaches, the players, the Rooneys, the important moments and the few people who comprised the down-then-up arc of the Pirates/Steelers franchise. Moreover – and here’s where this book differs from the rest – this broad approach allowed for nearly 100 different voices and 150 rare photographs. From Hall of Famers to assistant coaches to trainers to media, from Joe Greene to the virtual Joe Blow, men with roles big and little in the 80-year history were given the ability to show their faces and share their oral histories. It’s a fun ride. It’s a fun read, I hope.

How can readers order the book?

It comes out Sept. 8, but you can preorder already via online sales:

+ Amazon at //www.amazon.com/Steelers-Encyclopedia-Chuck-Finder/dp/143990832X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1341545144&sr=1-1&keywords=%22Steelers+Encyclopedia%22

+ Barnes and Noble at //www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-steelers-encyclopedia-chuck-finder/1109647411?ean=9781439908327

+ And here is the publisher’s page //www.temple.edu/tempress/titles/2194_reg.html

Come September, it will be in bookstores throughout the Western Pennsylvania and, so we hope, anywhere Steelers fans shop. Make sure you ask for it!

How has your experience as a sportswriter and columnist for the Post-Gazette affected the way you approached the book – and did that experience make it in any way more challenging for you to come up with a different approach?

Actually, it felt as if that quarter-century of background and experience prepared me to write a better book on a familiar subject. Even beyond than that work experience, I was fortunate to grow up as a family friend of the Steel Curtain’s backup, Steve Furness. From an early age, I got to meet teammates and hear stories from behind the ‘70s scenes. So when it came time so many years later to call on folks I’ve known for so long, it seemed like renewing old acquaintances and them launching into, “Here’s one you never heard…..” Out poured stories that few outside of the team circle ever heard. Like when Gary Dunn prefaced one tale, “Here’s one you can retire on.” (If only that were true!)

Long answer short, my experience and familiarity allowed me to hold intimate conversations. My career as a journalist gave me the diligence and the doggedness to interview so many, to double- and triple-check stories, to back up statistics and to pore through accounts from a variety of different Pittsburgh media sources. Combined, those factors made the fresh approach – oral histories and hardly-seen photos – flow almost seamlessly together.

In researching the book, what are some of the biggest perceptions about the team that were debunked from the 100+ interviews you conducted?

Not sure if anything was debunked, but instead it was reinforced: somewhere between great fortune, divine providence and overdue karma came together this amazing amalgamation. Talent met character met camaraderie met fortitude met intelligence. These folks take you inside the draft room, inside the trainer’s room, inside the meeting room, inside the weight room, inside the locker room, through the tunnel, onto the practice field, into the game, to the Super Bowl. . . and on the raucous bus afterward. In quite a few occasions, they simply collided with dumb luck.

For example, take the John Stallworth story. Bill Nunn pulled some shenanigans in scouting Stallworth, then played poker on draft day: There was war-room sentiment to take Stallworth in the second round rather than Jack Lambert, but Nunn calmly convinced them that Stallworth would last until the fourth round (they had no third-rounder, remember). Later, on the practice field, Chuck Noll suggested that Stallworth shed his glasses for contacts. And from there Stallworth competed with Lynn Swann for Terry Bradshaw’s attention and passes. It all worked – the three each became Hall of Famers. Oh, and Stallworth owns a piece of the club now, too.

Hindsight and maturity allows many of the significant people of those ‘70s Steelers to talk about the rise of those players, those coaches. I found it to be a fascinating look inside a club I heretofore thought I knew pretty well. . . and I thought wrongly.

Who were some of the biggest characters you interviewed, and what made them so? Any examples?

So many characters have crossed the thresholds at Forbes Field, Pitt Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium and Heinz Field – Lord, how I wished Bobby Layne, Johnny Blood McNally and Bullet Bill Dudley were still around to take out for a brew. So many people whom you might not expect suddenly were outspoken, such as Dick Hoak’s recollections of the South Park training facilities or Troy Polamalu’s personal pick for his favorite coach of all-time.

Every person interviewed will have a story or quote to make readers laugh, think, drop their jaw. But my personal favorite was 95-year-old Chuck Cherundolo, a star center in the 1940s and a coach thereafter. The delight that Buck O’Neil brought to Ken Burns’ baseball documentaries (certainly on a grander scale), Cherundolo brought the same sheer joy to this Steelers history. Through his thick glasses, you could almost see him replaying moments in his eyes. Bullet Bill Dudley, he growled? Not that fast. Is Bill still alive? (No.) Walt Kiesling, he still living? He’s gone, too? I guess when you get to be 94, they’re all gone.”

What interviews stand out to you the most, and why?

Beyond Chuck Cherundolo (about whom so many older players raved and asked for his address) and Hoak and Polamalu, some open and honest and incisive and funny tales came in particular from Joe Greene, Andy Russell, Larry Brown, Mike Wagner, Gary Dunn (he had me howling), Jon Kolb (he has a great line about the Immaculate Reception), Frenchy Fuqua (speaking of), John Stallworth, Jack Ham (now he has quite the story to tell), Ralph Berlin (he misses the players’ poker games), many of the Rooneys… even Bill Cowher had a good crack about playing racquetball with Kevin Colbert.

Who knows, this might be the last book where Hines Ward, Aaron Smith and James Farrior talk together. I don’t want to give too much away quite yet, but they just were so at ease talking about their days that their words prove both entertaining and informative.

In speaking with many of the older players – the pre-70’s Steelers – do you think the post-NFL adjustment was easier for them versus the more modern day players because they had to create non-football careers and non-football for themselves while they were still playing since they got paid so much less?

There was little adjustment in those days. People tend to forget, but the NFL wasn’t a big deal until the 1970s… and even then it wasn’t as monolithic as it is today. Franco Harris rode a PAT bus to work his Rookie of the Year season, for goodness sakes. In the decades preceding, players HAD to make a living outside of football.

Tim Rooney Sr. remembered marriage being a barrier – some guys had to retire from the NFL so they could make a real living somewhere else and support their brides. Ernie Stautner, one of the toughest Steelers ever? He owned a drive-in theater in Lake Placid, N.Y. His business was so successful, he was allowed to report to camp late because it was still the high-season at the drive-in.

Who were some of the more under-appreciated players and coaches in Steelers history, from your perspective?

Wow, talk about an idea for a book!

As for coaches, I’m not sure Bud Carson receives as much credit. Several players loved telling how he could change gameplans in the tunnel before the game. And how they reveled in telling famed 49ers coach Bill Walsh how Carson solved Walsh’s offense all those years. The under-appreciated players could be summed up thusly: The Steelers historic line of centers doesn’t begin and end with Ray Mansfield (who came to the Steelers as a defensive player), Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Maurkice Pouncey. No, Cherundolo and his replacement Bill Walsh (not the 49ers coach) were two of the best linemen in their day, let alone centers.

As a sportswriter and now author, you get to talk with players and see them outside of the on-field, game-time environment. How different is the perception that fans have of players from reality, and how much do you think that frustrates the players?

Some relish their roles and personnas, others spend careers – if not lifetimes – trying to avoid perceptions… or misconceptions. The intrusive, 24-7-365 nature of this society and media, and that includes social media, plays a role in that. Little is perceived to be either private or off-limits anymore. For some players, Pittsburgh actually is a haven: most fans give them their space, allow them to breathe and act for what to them is normally. Otherwise, a beard would never have its own Facebook.

What’s next for you – another book on the horizon? Or did you want to get back into sportswriting?

This was my first solo book project, and it was a lonnnng, draining process. But it was, and is, enjoyable, fulfilling and, if people like the book as much as I hope they will, rewarding. I’d love to do it all again. The future for me is, well, filled with unwritten chapters.

After I left sports writing, several roads opened: this book, some online work with CBSSports.com, some free-lance writing, teaching opportunities, and a new career in media relations. Hey, I still got two boys, a wife, a father and a mother-in-law, three dogs and two snakes to look after. The heck with a plate, that’s a full buffet in front of me.

Any last thoughts for readers?

The same as the Steelers quiz on your website – and many of those answers are found in “The Steelers Encyclopedia” – there is so much more to learn about this franchise. I spent twenty-five years around them, inside the locker room, and for years before that I knew many of them off the field. And in compiling this book I found out: You think you may know a team, but you really don’t.

Feel free to pass the time until September with blogs about the book every Friday on my immodestly named site, ChuckFinder.com (hey, it was available!). Once the season arrives, here’s hoping fans get an enjoyable season from the team and an entertaining education from “The Steelers Encyclopedia.”

John Mehno: The Best Pittsburgh Sports Arguments book

John Mehno:

First, I know the book has been out a while, but can you tell readers what inspired you to write The Best Pittsburgh Sports Arguments book?

I was approached by the publisher, Sourcebooks. They had done books on New York, Chicago and Boston and were expanding the series. Pittsburgh was one of the choices for the next wave. I’ve done three books, but this was the most enjoyable working experience. It was like writing 100 columns.

How can readers purchase the book?

I don’t know how many book stores are still around these days, but I’m told some of them have it. Amazon has a Kindle edition available. Barnes and Noble online has a Nook version for sale.

What surprised you most as you researched and wrote the book?

I had forgotten how dreary the Steelers were in the second half of Chuck Noll’s career. They had an incredible six years of drafting (1969-74) that translated into six exceptional years on the field (1974-79). After that, though, they were barely .500. The organization was rejuvenated when Bill Cowher and Tom Donahoe came in with fresh ideas.

Looking back on Forbes Field, it wasn’t necessarily the field of dreams of everyone’s memory. It was cramped and dirty, parking was scarce, and the legendary left field bleachers were a miserable fan experience.

The Penguins’ success of the early ’90s was built on the failure throughout the 1980s that consistently got them top draft picks. I don’t know if Penguins fans appreciate how important Edward DeBartolo Sr. was because he let Eddie Johnston tear it down and start over. Instead of building a team just to make the playoffs, they were finally building to compete for championships.

You currently cover the Pirates for the Altoona Mirror. How did you get started as a sports journalist and what are some of your favorite experiences to date?

I actually started when I was 14, writing (badly but enthusiastically) for pro wrestling magazines. That led to a job with wrestling promoter Gene Dargan, writing press releases while I was in high school and college. Wrestling was a very odd business, completely dishonest and understandably secretive. It was a unique experience to be a teenaged fly on the wall amid Bruno Sammartino, Professor Tanaka, Killer Kowalski, George Steele and Baron Scicluna. Most of them were nice people when they weren’t in character.

I also did some freelance pop culture writing for a short-lived Rolling Stone competitor called Zoo World. College and I were incompatible, so I left after two years and was able to hook on in 1974 with Steel City Sports, a local sports weekly. It became Score Pittsburgh and eventually went out of business. I still have an impressive collection of uncashed paychecks that bounced back from the bank.

Being around the press box led to other opportunities. I did thousands of assignments for Associated Press over 25 years and also worked for UPI when it existed. I was the Pirates correspondent for The Sporting News for 12 years, did Pirates notes for several years for USA Today. I’ve written a Sunday column for many years for the Beaver County Times and do a weekend column that’s on the Uniontown Herald-Standard website. I’ve done hockey for the Washington Observer-Reporter and have been a contributor to Pittsburgh Sports Report. I provide Pirates, Steelers and Penguins coverage for the Mirror, and also write two columns a week and a blog for them.

I’ve had bylines in the Washington Post, New York Daily News, Chicago Sun-Times and Dallas Morning News, as well as the Post-Gazette and Tribune Review.

I’ve done radio news reporting and talk shows along the way, and spent one mostly unhappy year as Carnegie-Mellon’s sports information director.

Everything is different when you get behind the curtain and see how things really operate. But I still enjoy sports, and part of this job is getting to know people and sharing stories and information. Bobby Cox, the former Braves manager, said that being around the ballpark keeps people young. It’s a unique environment, and any student of abnormal psychology finds the press box fascinating.

What was your most difficult story/interview so far, and what made it so?

There are always a few people who go out of their way to be difficult. Dave Parker and John Candelaria filled that role on the old Pirates. Going way back, Richie Zisk was unpleasant. Pete Vuckovich worked at being miserable. Greg Lloyd had a scary amount of rage. Tom Barrasso built up resentment toward the media, which was unfortunate because he was always an interesting interview.

In the course of writing a sports media column, I managed to upset Sam Nover and Milo Hamilton. On rare occasions, the degree of difficulty is subtle. Mario Lemieux was often very politely uncooperative to the media.

On to the Pirates…who are some of the Pirates’ picks in this year’s draft you are most excited about, and what surprised you most about the draft?

I have no idea. I claim no expertise in college and high school baseball.

Do the Pirates over-rate their prospects? There have been a few mentions of the front office overvaluing some of their prospects and that this is standing in the way of some trades?

When an organization drafts a player, they obviously see value in his talent. Sometimes other organizations don’t share that opinion. The bigger danger is giving up on players in the organization. The Cam Bonifay regime paid a sizable signing bonus to Chris Young. When the Littlefield group took over, they couldn’t see any potential in Young and gave him away in an inconsequential trade. He had five pretty solid seasons for the Padres. He was pitching for San Diego at an affordable price when the Pirates had Mark Redman and Victor Santos in their rotation.

The Pirates gave away Jay Buhner in a stupid trade when he was a Class A player. He had a 15-year major league career. They lost Bobby Bonilla and Bip Roberts as Rule 5 players. Syd Thrift was able to make a trade to get Bonilla back.

The pitching seems to be slipping as of late. A minor blip, or cause for concern?

It’s a cause for concern. Pitchers wear down as the innings pile up. The Pirates had four starters who couldn’t finish the season last year. It’s a concern for both the rotation and the bullpen.

Looking at the team’s personalities – who are the locker room leaders on the team and who are the real mentors of the young guys on the squad?

A.J. Burnett and Rod Barajas have had a positive impact.

How much does humor play a part on this team and who are the guys you see that keep the team loose, and how so?

This group gets along very well. You don’t need to be close to be successful, as the teams of the early 1990s showed. But it’s positive. They’re having fun with the Zoltan thing, which spread to the fans. A lot of things players find funny don’t really translate outside the clubhouse.

What makes this team better than 2012’s team that collapsed in the second half of the season?

They should benefit from last year’s experience. The top of the rotation is better this year, but the endurance of the pitching staff is something to watch.

Any last thoughts for readers?

Settle down. It’s sports. Believe it or not, Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin know more about football than you do, and they have a bigger stake in wanting the Steelers to succeed than you do.

Referees and network announcers don’t hate Pittsburgh. Don’t obsess over games. Don’t listen to sports talk shows for more than 20 minutes at a time. Some of them will melt your brain. For heaven’s sake, stop saying, “Thanks for taking my call.” It’s what they do. Enjoy sports, but try to keep them in perspective.

Jim Rooker, Pirates Pitcher 1973-1980, Broadcaster 1981-1993

Jim Rooker:

First, can you let readers know about your books you’ve published – what got you into writing children’s stories and how you got started?

When I was a part-owner of Rooks restaurant in Pittsburgh, my partner and I rotated working at the restaurant so I would fly back and forth from Jacksonville, where I had a second home. I had a three-to-four month year old grandson then and had a soft spot in my heart for him, and kids in general.

I started thinking on what I could do for my kids and grandkids. I was bored on the flight back and thought, maybe I could write a book. I knew I couldn’t write a long and detailed story if it was for a kid, so I thought I come up with a short story, and used my baseball background as something I knew.

I knew kids had an affinity for little things – like Thomas the Train Engine. So I thought of objects to use, and came down to my first object – a baseball.

I told my wife I had an idea and before I even told her what it was she just rolled her eyes at me (laughing). Then I told her my idea and she just said “Okay Rook”. It took a while to get the process going. I was sitting down outside one day and finally got the name down. I wanted to keep it simple and got “Paul the Baseball”. I wanted to get into the mind of the object and tell the story from it’s point of view and get a relationship going.

Now, all three of my books are about objects – a ball, a bat and a mitt. They are easy reading for kids, parents and grandparents. My granddaughter was two and saw the book and immediately wanted me to read it to her. My four year-old grandson says the words before I do. They all rhyme so it makes it easy for them.

How can readers order the books?

They can order them here at: www.mascotbooks.com.

You spent seven years in Detroit’s farm system before being selected in the expansion draft by Kansas City and finding your way in the majors. How difficult was that time in the farm system and how did you remain confident during that time?

Back then, you didn’t have the fast road to the big leagues like you do today. It was a different culture then. We had D-ball all the way through A-ball first. You had to climb the ladder. Maybe you had some special athletes that would start a little higher, college guys, but that was it and we accepted that was the case. You could have a great year but not jump one classification – you had to prove yourself again first – that it wasn’t a fluke. Keep in mind there were less teams then too so there may have been no place for you to go.

I never had the idea to quit though.

What was the roughest part of you and did you incorporate any of that lesson of perseverance into your books?

I was lucky to have been converted to pitcher, really. I was an outfielder in C-ball. I was still learning as an outfielder converted-to-pitcher when I was in Kansas City. It was on the job training.

I wasn’t confident then in my ability – I hadn’t pitched that long. I wasn’t catching on to throwing the ball over the plate consistently.

As for including those lessons in the books…these are for three to five-year olds, so how serious can you really be? You need to catch their attention – these weren’t meant to be teaching books. If I can get to the next set – I envisioned nine books – then I could start into that – teaching things like friendship and teamwork…

You were traded to Pittsburgh in ’73 and had some of your best seasons there. What clicked for you then in Pittsburgh, and why?

In Pittsburgh I got confident as people were telling me I had the ability.. I helped but I doubted myself still. In Winter ball I developed a sinker on my own and that helped me tremendously. When I was behind in the count I could use the sinker instead of relying on my fastball. Now I could strike people out without having to throw the ball over the plate all the time and get hit.

I do often wonder…How did I hang on for so long? How close was I to being released. You never now that….

Especially as a pitcher, there’s clearly a good deal of down time during each week. How did you deal with that downtime?

Normally, pitchers are like kickers. You work once in a while….I always thought it was the best job in baseball – you work once every five days!

But you do have downtime and have to invent things to do to hold your interest. I always sat near Stargell and asked him questions and talked to the trainers and pitching coaches to learn new things. I never bothered the managers though – they were always too busy.

I got more information from hitters than from pitchers. Once I saw Willie hit a three-two slider for a home run in Montreal. The pitch was unhittable – it boggled my mind. It was a low outside slider that he hit down the left field line. I just looked at him – there was no way he could have looked for that pitch.

After things settled down in the dugout I asked him how he did it and that there was no way he knew the pitcher would throw that. He told me he wasn’t thinking about the pitcher. He was thinking about the catcher and knew the catcher would call a slider. Those are the lessons you learn that you can apply to other hitters.

Lenny Green was another good hitter that taught me that the fastball was still the best pitch in baseball. Hitters have a harder time adjusting to a fastball than any other pitch, even if it’s not that fast if you can locate it right. Dave Giusti always use to ask me how I could get a good hitter like Billy Williams out all the time like I did. I told him I pitched him backwards like I was behind in the count….these are the kinds of lessons you learn.

How important was humor to you and the team?

I remember once I cleared out all the cans of Coke out of the big cooler we had in the clubhouse. I found this ugly mask with this crazy hair and crawled into the cooler and sealed myself inside. I don’t know how long I expected to stay inside, but shortly after John Milner opened it up and I reached out and grabbed him. He screamed – I couldn’t ever duplicate the sound he made – and he jumped back in the air and hit the wall behind him so hard he fell on the ground. I was laughing but he threatened me after that with a knife – told me he’d cut my heart out – and chased me around the clubhouse a bit.

It’s a long season – you need to break things up sometimes. Bert Blyleven use to give people hot-foots all the time with matches. He got me once too, which hurt me – I was his compadre and helped him give the hot foots – I was hurt he got me too (laughing).

Despite being a spot starter during the ’79 season, you got the starting nod in game five of the World Series. What was behind that decision and how surprised were you to get the call? And why do you think your performance was so strong that day (only one run in five innings)?

’79 was an uncomfortable year for me. I had nagging injuries but nothing too serious. Towards the end of the year I felt a tweak in my back and they put me on the disable list . I think they just used that as a reason – they wanted to see if they could replace me with anyone else before the playoffs.

Well, when I got healthy I was so happy to start a World Series game! As a kid and a player you always dream about starting in the World Series. People asked me how I could take the pressure. It was no pressure for me – I thought it was the greatest thing! If we lost the series was over – I was the guy responsible for keeping us in it!

Well, I jammed every player I faced. They thought I had a sore arm and would throw the sinker all day. We caught them completely off-guard and I loved every minute of it!

What are your thoughts on today’s Pirates team and front office?

They will probably be better than they were last year in regard to their overall record. So far the pitching is doing a very nice job overall, but to me I think their lack of offense in the long run is going to be of concern. Alvarez seems to be turning things around and they sorely do need the long ball.

Garrett Jones may help in that regard. McCutchen , Walker, Tabata are a good nucleus and with the help from McGehee and others might add a little punch. Time will tell and my fingers are crossed.

Beat ’em Bucs!!!

Last thoughts for readers?

These books – I was proud of my baseball career, but when you come up with an idea and see it in your hands….When I got the books in my hands, I got emotional. I wish my mother were alive – she really would have gotten a charge out of these books.

Thomas White, Author, Forgotten Tales of Pittsburgh

Thomas White:

First, what got your started as an archivist both at the Heinz History Center and at Duquesne?

I’ve always been interested in history since I was a child, so when I went to college that was the field that I chose to study. In graduate school I specialized in the area of Public History, which covers things like archives, museums, oral history, historic preservation, and historical editing.

Public historians take academic ideas about the past and apply them to local history while at the same time making them accessible to a general audience. I gravitated toward the archives aspect because I enjoy working with original documents, photographs and maps.

How do you come upon new materials for those collections?

As an archivist I’m always coming across old newspaper stories and obscure first-hand accounts of events. Anytime I see anything interesting I save it.

With folklore, my first encounter with stories if often by word of mouth. When I hear about a legend I collect as many different “versions” of the story as I can and then to determine the historical truth behind it.

What have been the stories that have fascinated you most in your research, and what made them so interesting for you?

It is difficult to pick just one or two because there are so many good ones. I’ve always been a fan of the story of the Lost Bomber of the Monongahela, the B-25 that crashed in the river in 1956 and was allegedly secretly removed by the government. It is probably Pittsburgh’s most popular conspiracy theory/urban legend.

But I like all of the legends that have hidden cultural meanings because they are both entertaining and provide insight into our society at the same time.

Much of what you write on is based on Pittsburgh folklore and history – from books like the Forgotten Tales of Pittsburgh and Legends and Lore of Western Pennsylvania. What makes Pittsburgh’s lore and culture unique, in your opinion?

Western Pennsylvania is an area rich in folklore and legends. This region was forged by blood and steel and innovation and faith. It has been many things—a battleground, a gateway to the frontier, a workshop for the world, and a center of religion, education and medicine.

Tradition thrives here. Families took root in western Pennsylvania and stayed for generations. They formed stable, tightknit communities in the city and surrounding towns. Even when these natives they leave, they still carry the Pittsburgh identity with them (hence the Steeler Nation). That stability has allowed the population to maintain connections to the past, and regional folklore has flourished.

Traditional beliefs, customs, and stories have been handed down orally and in writing. Legends that might have been lost in an area with a more transient population have survived here.

How much have sports played a part in the stories you’ve included in your work and the folklore of Pittsburgh, and how so?

So far I haven’t written specifically about sports directly (though I hope to gather some sports legend in the near future), but I do write about some of the places and social factors that impact local sports culture.

My favorite piece relates to the lost islands that were once located across from the Point where the stadiums are today. They were eventually back filled or washed away, and the land became home to Pittsburgh’s Exhibition Halls and eventually Exposition Park, where the Pirates played in the first World Series.

In the 1700s the islands were allegedly cursed and served as the site of execution for many of the captives of the Braddock expedition during the French and Indian War. Later they were the site of several ghost stories.

In modern times that strip of land housed Three Rivers Stadium and later PNC Park and Heinz Field.

Who are some of the Pittsburgh sports figures over history that you feel have most impacted Pittsburgh’s culture and history, and how so?

Obviously Art Rooney Sr. had a huge impact in a variety of ways, but most everyone is familiar his story. Roberto Clemente as well, who stood as an example of how a professional athlete should act on and off the field.

But I would have to say the largest impact on Pittsburgh collectively was the 1970s Steelers as a whole. They provided the region with something to be proud about while it was facing the decline of the steel industry and economic uncertainty. They really became a key factor in defining the modern identity of the city.

Being such a huge follower of Pittsburgh’s history and culture, how much of a concern do you have that Pittsburgh’s unique culture and history get overshadowed by Pittsburgh’s sports reputation and image?

I think Pittsburgh’s sports reputation is inseparable from the other aspects of its unique culture. Together they make up Pittsburgh’s identity. On some level it is all tied to the city’s work ethic – a town that works hard and plays hard.

In many ways (and us Pittsburghers often forget it) this city “built” modern America. From the industrial era when our steel literally did build the country anew, through all of our technological advances like Westinghouse’s first atom smasher and atomic power plants and our current medical advances, to the Steelers, who helped redefine professional sports in the 70s making it the industry that it is today.

We could list important things that have come out of this city all day, but they all represent part of the same character and culture that define this region.

What new books are on the horizon?

I should have a new one out by the end of the summer titled Gangs and Outlaws of Western Pennsylvania, co-authored with Michael Hassett. It covers exploits of some of the areas less-than-respectable characters.

Any last thoughts for readers?

I’d just like to remind everyone to take the time to appreciate the great history and culture of the city that they live in. There are not many places where you can go to a Smithsonian affiliated museum, listen to a first class orchestra, ride on tracks up the side of a mountain, take a trip on a riverboat, watch a championship sports team, go to an amusement park, and eat a sandwich with French fries and coleslaw on it all in the same weekend.

E. Lee North, Author, Battling the Indians, Panthers & Nittany Lions: Washington & Jefferson College’s Century of Football, 1890-1990

E. Lee North:

First, can you tell readers a bit about your writing career and how you got started as an author? What about your time at Washington & Jefferson influenced your writing career, and how?

Well, I have said it was W & J that got me into writing, as I was editor of The Red and Black for a couple of years and did a lot of work on our old Alumni Bulletin. But not too long ago I found my diary for the year 1941; I was a senior at Bay Shore, LI, NY High School.

Why, I do not know, but I recorded just about everything from January 1st into September, 1941. That was one of the most critical years in US history — along with 1776, 1861, 1929, and 2001. Author House published the diary a few months ago as “The 1941 Diary of a Deaf Long Island Teenager.” But there is no question that the work at W & J propelled me ahead into the literary world.

Your new book “Battling the Indians, Panthers & Nittany Lions: Washington & Jefferson College’s Century of Football, 1890-1990” covers W&J’s football history – what inspired you to write this book and what are some lessons/stories about the program you were most anxious to get across to readers?

I was lucky to enroll at W & J, particularly since I was brought up in New York. My Dad, Lt. Col. Edward L. North, fought in both world wars but moved from civil engineering to management at Wheeling Steel in 1942–before he re-joined the Army for WW II..

W & J was close by, so I visited, and was accepted. I not only learned of some of the Presidents’ athletic and educational super-stars, I met some, particularly Wilbur F. “Pete” Henry, our athletic director. Although he was an all-time All-American football player, at W & J and in the pros, he was one of the most unassuming gentlemen I ever met. I had to put a whole chapter on Pete in “Battling” to tell his story.

Many may not realize how many modern day connections there are between this small school and today’s NFL. Roger Goodell, Dan Rooney, Dan Rooney Jr. all attended W&J, as did Green Bay’s former offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. How did W&J end up having such an impact?

Going back to W & J’s early football years, despite an enrollment of under 500 students (and we were all-men til 1970), the Presidents competed with Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, and many other top gridiron elevens. I think Coach Bob Folwell (1912 to 1915) was one of the finest football coaches ever, anywhere.

After graduating from Penn, where he was a star and football captain, he started coaching at Lafayette in 1908. As did W & J, Lafayette took on the grid powers. Coach Folwell led them (1908-11) to a 22-4-1 record and they were ranked with the top teams. Enter W & J’s great Graduate Manager Robert Murphy: he heard the rumors that Coach Folwell was not happy with the situation at Lafayette.

Somehow Manager Murphy convinced Folwell to switch to W & J. In his four years at Jay (1912 through 1915) , Folwell’s teams won 35, lost four, and tied three. But did they play anybody good? Well as examples, they beat Pitt three times in four games, and won two and tied one in three games with West Virginia.

Folwell went on to coach at Penn and Navy, and coached the NY Giants first football team in 1925. Health problems forced him out of football in the 1920s. Noted football statistician Tex Noel lists Folwell as one of the top five college coaches.

How did you go about researching this book – who helped and were you able to work with any of the people you wrote about in the book?

I received help from dozens of people in doing the Hundred-Year history… since we contacted every team W & J ever played (still extant), we managed to include inside information on many of the stars W & J played against.

From the W & J side, I have to salute then-Pres. Howard Burnett, Athletic Director Paul Reardon, and publicists Ed Marotta and Susan Isola. And Coack John Luckhardt provided tremendous help (see Ch. 17 and 18. I did list more than one hundred helpers in Appendix I (“Acknowledgments.”) BTW, I searched through many athletic histories in libraries, and believe ours has the most comprehensive index of all.

What were some of the biggest surprises you came across as you researched the book?

To be honest, it was one surprise after another, all the way from W & J’s season of 1890 thru most of the 1930s. How could this little college compete — and beat — so many great football teams? I think it was a combination of western Pennsylvania athletes; people who dedicated themselves to the Red and Black; and especially – Grad Manager Robert Murphy, so dedicated he mortgaged his house to get the funds to take his family to his own Rose Bowl game.

How can readers purchase the book?

Contact the Book Store, W & J College, 60 So. Lincoln St., Washington, PA 15301. Also, the publisher, Daring Books, Canton, OH. And it’s listed on the internet outlets.

There were dozens of NFL players from this small school that played in the 20’s and 30’s – why was this the case and who were some of the most notable players from that era?

Again, I think it was dedicated people— the coaches and administrators, who sought out and trained W & J’s football players. And the fact that western PA has always been a fertile ground for football talent.

Our most noted gridders would include Pete Henry, Clark Shrontz, John Spiegel (led nation in scoring in 1913), Britt Patterson, Bill Inglis, Forrest “Jap” Douds (blocked THREE punts in a West Virginia game), Burlieigh Cruikshank, Bill Amos, Russ Goodwin, Scrubby McCreight, Charles “Pruner” West, and — maybe the best of them all — Hal “Swede” Ericksen, played 1919-22 including the Rose Bowl.

Alas, there are really a hundred W & J players who could be added to the list, please see our Chapter 19, wherein we list the best players by position and list our top opponent players.

You were the Publicity Director at Washington & Jefferson for a while as well. What are some of the interesting experiences you had in that role?

There were many, but I’ll just mention four—

1/ that trip to Forbes Field and the press box with Pete Henry;

2/ W & J put forth plans for perhaps the first “green” study in the country. Our office got a lot of publicity out of it. It was to be an environmental program and would be funded mostly by the state. Plans were approved by the state legislature… BUT our Board of Trustees turned it down! I was a bit disappointed, but in retrospect, believe the Board did the right thing, they did not want the state to start running our school.

3/ President Jim Case asked me one day if I’d go to Pittsburgh with him to a Board meeting. Of course I agreed. It was in a nice old hotel as I recall, with one of those long oval tables. Purpose of the meeting was I believe for President Case to defend his “overspending.” Case was adamant in explaining “G D it, we have to go ahead, we cannot go back,” and more words to that effect. I was a bit of a 24-year-old neophyte, but I worried that Case would be gone. He soon was.

4/ Invited to speak at a youth affair, I walked up stairs to the meeting behind Honus Wagner, the Pirates’ Hall Of Fame shortstop. I’d heard that he was quite bow-legged. It was true, I could see people up ahead while looking up through Honus’s legs. What an honor!

Are you a Yankees fan as a New Yorker now? I know you are a big Pirates fan after living in Western PA for a while.What are your thoughts on the Pirates today – do you see real progress being made?

No, no, I am not a Yank fan, that was only in my teen years. Since I went to W & J and Pennsylvania, I’ve been for the Pirates. Loved those “Lumber Company” (Stargell and all) signs we used to see by the airport. Recent years have been terrible for the Bucs, but there’s always a next year. I do think they’ll improve a lot this year.

Any new books on the horizon?

Mentioned the new 1941 Diary above. In addition, I’m working on a wolf book. My “EYES THAT HAUNT” novel was published a few years ago, It’s a story of a man saving a wolf from a trap, and the wolf later returning the favor. We’ve gotten some nice reviews, but the best was from W & J President Tori Haring-Smith: “Thanks for your wonderful book, Eyes That Haunt.

As you may know, I am an animal lover, and the relationship between Trapper and Kai-No [our wolf] is beautifully drawn.”

In response to your question, I’m working on a sequel to “”EYES”… they’re shooting the wolves from airplanes and helicopters in Alaska, and I’m hoping my Trapper and his little wolf pack can put an end to it.

Any last thoughts for readers?

I hope they can find a copy of “Battling” — it’s in some libraries and last I knew, the College has more for sale.

Thanks, Pittsburgh Sports Daily, for having me.

Murray Tucker, on Father Joe Tucker, Steelers/Penguins Broadcaster, 1936-1967

First, can you tell us what inspired you to write the book Screamer – the story of your father’s broadcasting career with the Steelers and Penguins from the 1930’s-1960’s?

I was inspired to write the book, Screamer: The Forgotten Voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers when I read a response in a web site trivial pursuit question that bothered me. It asked: What team has only had two play-by-play announcers for forty years.

Based on the limit on years, the correct answer was the Steelers, Jack Fleming and Bill Hargrove. But the question should have added another 28 years, and the answer would have been the same, but then there would have been three. My father, Joe Tucker, was the forgotten voice.

Continue reading “Murray Tucker, on Father Joe Tucker, Steelers/Penguins Broadcaster, 1936-1967”

Rick Buker, “100 Things Penguins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die”

Rick Buker:

First, can you tell us about the new book – what inspired you to write the book and how you went about researching it?

I’d be glad to! “100 Things Penguins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” focuses on the top 100 players, personalities, and events that helped shape Penguins history. The book features bios on superstars like Mario Lemieux and Sidney Crosby, as well as stories about each of Cup runs and key events such as “the Save” and “the Trade.” It’s also packed with anecdotes about some of the team’s more colorful players such as Steve Durbano and Bryan Watson. And, I sprinkled in some to-do’s, like learning how to skate and calling into the Mark Madden Show.

Inspiration-wise, all the credit goes to Triumph Books, who published my first book, “Total Penguins: The Definitive Encyclopedia of the Pittsburgh Penguins” last fall. They suggested the “100 Pens” format and I eagerly agreed to do it.

Since I’d already written “Total Penguins,” I had lots of raw material for the new book. While “100 Pens” still required plenty of work, for the most part I was able to reshape what I already knew and fill in the blanks with material from online sources like “Sports Illustrated Vault” and “PittsburghHockey.Net,” which is a great web site.

What were some of the most surprising things you found in researching the book?

I think the most surprising thing I learned involved Bill LeCaine, who was one of the Pens’ first free-agent signings. A friend of mine, John Bigler, recalled that a Native American had played for the team back in the late 1960s. So I did some digging and discovered it was LeCaine. Turns out, he’s a distant relative of the famous Lakota Sioux Chief, Sitting Bull, who fought at the battle of Little Big Horn!

Where can readers purchase the book?

A: “100 Things Penguins Fans Should Know and Do Before They Die” is available online at sites like Triumphbooks.com, Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com, and at bookstores like Barnes and Noble. I believe Wal-Mart also carries it. My first book, “Total Penguins,” also can be purchased online, and may still be available at bookstores.

Tell us about the website as well–its origins and focus….

PenguinPoop.com started out a few years ago when two long-time Pittsburgh Penguins fans wanted to voice their dislike of how things were working out under Penguins coach Michel Therrien. Since then PenguinPoop has primarily focused on the opinions of seven or eight contributors whose backgrounds range from hockey players, referees, long-time fans and season-ticket holders. One of our writers has been a Pittsburgh Penguins Season Ticket Holder for 37 years! Coming up this January we will be going into our fourth year.

Besides the drafting of Crosby, what were some of the key elements in the Penguins’ turnaround after the Lemieux years?

There’s no doubt Sid is the cornerstone for our current Penguins. And you can’t overlook Marc-Andre Fleury and Evgeni Malkin. However, former GM Craig Patrick deserves a ton of credit for helping to turn the team around. Starting in the early 2000s, he drafted brilliantly. In addition to picking superstars like Crosby, Fleury and Malkin, he added the likes of Alex Goligoski, Tyler Kennedy, Kris Letang, Ryan Malone, Brooks Orpik, Rob Scuderi, Max Talbot, and Ryan Whitney through the draft. Ray Shero has done a great job of working off the foundation Patrick laid with some savvy trades and free-agent signings. And Mario Lemieux has done a remarkable job as owner.

Under his stewardship, the team built a new arena and is on firm financial ground for perhaps the first time in franchise history.

Before Lemieux, there were also lean years. What other catalysts inspired the turnaround for the Penguins’ first Stanley Cup winning season?

Obviously, Lemieux was the key. Former coach and GM Eddie Johnston once said there would be no hockey in Pittsburgh if it wasn’t for Mario. Johnston also had a big hand in the turnaround. Along with No. 66, he drafted good young players like Doug Bodger, Rob Brown, Craig Simpson, and Zarley Zalapski. Simpson was used as the centerpiece in a deal to acquire Paul Coffey. A superb offensive defenseman, Coffey helped Lemieux get the most out of his burgeoning talents by opening up the ice with his speed and passing. Although his contributions generally are overlooked, Tony Esposito drafted Mark Recchi and traded for Tom Barrasso, giving the team a stud between the pipes.

Craig Patrick was masterful during his first full season at the helm. In addition to hiring Cup-winning coaches Scotty Bowman and “Badger Bob” Johnson, he acquired future Hall of Famers Ron Francis, Joe Mullen, Larry Murphy, and Bryan Trottier and drafted Jaromir Jagr. But the man behind the scenes, owner Edward J. DeBartolo Sr., also deserves recognition. He absorbed enormous losses–some $25 million by his own reckoning–but stayed the course long enough to see his ugly ducklings transform into Stanley Cup champions.

What did prior management do wrong, do you think, that caused the team to struggle for so many years?

I think finances (or a lack of) played a huge role in the team’s early struggles. The Penguins were sold to Detroit banker Donald Parsons after their very first season. Less than three years later the league had to assume control of the franchise. The next ownership group–led by Tad Potter–built a darn good hockey team but were forced into receivership following a disastrous loss to the Islanders in the 1975 playoffs.

When Al Savill purchased the club from Potter, he basically eliminated the farm system to save money. GM Baz Bastien had little choice but to trade draft choices for veterans in order to keep the team marginally competitive. This led to a total collapse, which–ironically–put the team in a position to draft Mario Lemieux. So in a backhanded way, things worked out pretty well!

Who were some of the most interesting characters across the various Penguins teams, in your opinion, and what made them so?

For starters, Bryan “Bugsy” Watson was a real character. During a road trip to Los Angeles back in the early 1970s, he hijacked a Marriott courtesy bus on a dare (with teammates and hotel guests aboard) and took it for a joy ride. In the late 1970s, Brian “Spinner” Spencer built his own version of a Hummer from the frame of an old Army convoy truck. But for my money the team’s all-time character was Steve Durbano. A swashbuckling defenseman back in the 1970s, “Demolition Durby” made the Hanson Brothers of “Slap Shot” fame look like choir boys. He’d fight anyone, anytime, anywhere, for any reason.

One night while playing in the WHA he tore off Bobby Hull’s toupee. During one of his final games he famously mooned the Madison Square Garden crowd (hockey pants on, of course) after igniting a bench-clearing brawl.

Who are unsung heroes over the course of the Penguins’ history that deserve more recognition, in your opinion, and why?

The Pens have had plenty of players who didn’t get the recognition they deserved. Ken Schinkel and Ron Schock were diligent, productive skaters for the early Penguins, but were overshadowed by the likes of Syl Apps, Pierre Larouche, and Jean Pronovost. Dave Burrows was a superb stay-at-home defenseman–perhaps the finest of his era–but he didn’t get much ink because he didn’t put up big offensive numbers.

I thought Ron Stackhouse was vastly underrated (and unappreciated), mostly because he was a big guy who didn’t play an especially physical game. However, I think Ron Francis is the most underrated player in Penguins history. Francis may seem like a strange choice given that he’s a Hall of Famer. But he did so many things well. Ronnie was a marvelous playmaker, a terrific defensive player and face-off man, and he scored important goals. When Mario was hurt, he stepped up and became captain. Francis was a true stabilizing influence and great team guy.

Any last thoughts for readers?

I count myself lucky to be a Penguins fan. We’ve been blessed with not one, but four once-in-a-generation players (Lemieux, Jagr, Crosby, and Malkin) over the span of two decades! And we’ve been treated to some of the finest hockey and most memorable plays (“the Goal” and “the Save”) ever witnessed. How very fortunate we are to root for such a great team!

Georges Laraque, Penguins Forward, 2007-2008

Georges Laraque:

First, can you let readers know what inspired you to write your new book, Georges Laraque, The Story of The NHL’s Unlikeliest Tough Guy?

When I was a kid I went through a lot of racism. I thought of quitting and read the biography of Jackie Robinson – a guy who went through the same obstacles I did and that really inspired me. I knew sharing my experiences could help kids overcome their obstacles too.

How did you overcome those experiences?

Same as Jackie Robinson. I used the racial slurs as motivation – fuel for proving them wrong. There were too many people to get mad at. Instead of getting mad at everyone, I used the slurs as my determination to show that they were wrong. I would not let them shut me down.

How has the NHL dealt with racial issues and diversity – are they doing a good enough job in your opinion?

In my career I only had one incident – the one with Sean Avery. The diversity task force in the NHL does a good job in promoting diversity.

It was in the minors that I experienced racism. But the NHL does a really good job. They have programs like the one in New York to get Black people involved. There are NHL players from all over the world – teams just want the best players, they don’t care what color they are.

You also touch on the issue of steroids in hockey. What are your thoughts on drug testing?

The league has done a lot with drug testing, but the current testing isn’t good enough. You need blood testing like they do in the Olympics. You need to be able to test for all drugs – that way you can learn if guys are suffering from the drugs they take. The effects, like depression, can be helped.

Three players passed away last year from the effects of drugs. Those could have been prevented with blood tests that could have revealed the presence of those drugs. Other than a moment of silence, what have we done to prevent more casualties?

We can protect more tragedies like these – it would help the players. We need to come up with a solution. People already forgot.

You were known as an enforcer more than as a well-rounded player. Did that bother you?

I always worked hard. If you got to know me you would know me as more than a fighter. Fighting didn’t define me as a human being. Some saw a big Black man and assumed I was a fighter, sure. – but really, no one except a few I talk about in the book really like fighting.

I was really fortunate to have thirteen years in the NHL. I averaged nine minutes in the playoffs. I was never going to have Crosby’s point totals but I always took pride that I was in the top three in points for tough guys when I played. I was more than just a fighter.

You were traded to Pittsburgh from Phoenix. How did that occur – was it something you were happy with?

I wanted to be traded. Phoenix was out of the playoffs and I wanted a chance to be in the playoffs. I fell in love with the Pittsburgh community fast. Ask Frank Bohannon – the Penguins PR guy – I went into his office every day with a schedule of places to go for charity work. Pittsburgh had some tough neighborhoods with kids that needed help.

I loved Pittsburgh – the people are unbelievable. The team, the fans…it was unreal. They are blue-collar worker guys like the tough guys in hockey.

You left after a year-and-a-half – how difficult was that for you?

The year I left we lost the Stanley Cup in game six to Detroit. Sid wanted me to stay – said if I returned he guaranteed we’d win the cup within three years. I said sure, ok (laughing).

It was tough. I was talking with Ray Shero who I respect very much,. But the team had cap issues – it had to keep it’s core players like Crosby, Staal and Malkin. They could only afford $750,000 for a tough guy, which is why they went and got Godard.

Tough guys have shorter times in the NHL. If I’m making $10 million and go down to $6 million, who cares. But going from $1.5 million to $750,000 – I couldn’t take that pay cut. I almost did anyway but went to Montreal. Of course they won the cup the next season!

You’re a busy guy. Politics (Canada’s Green Party), charity, hockey, the book….what drives you?

I am fortunate to have played in the NHL and to have this life. Hockey exists because of the fans – we can play hockey for a living because of them. It’s our duty to show our appreciation. They work 9-5 and money is tight but they still come out and pay to see us.

If we can get kids to smile – there’s no medication that can do that. There are so many things we can do to touch lives. Hockey is just a sport – it doesn’t change lives. When you retire, people don’t care about your play. What you did for the community and kids – making a difference is what matters. Whatever status you are in life, you need to be involved.

How much did the fact your parents were born in Haiti and the tragedy there affect the way you live your life?

I am lucky to be alive – I could have easily still been there. God had a role for me. A bigger role than hockey. Hockey is the stage to help me impact the world.

I’ve been to Haiti four times. I also went to Tanzania for charity too – to help raise money to prevent suicides here in Montreal. Being in Haiti was shocking – seeing how the kids are living….

Any last thoughts for readers?

The book talks about motivating kids – anyone who has a dream. Any dream is possible not matter what you think the percentage is of succeeding. There’s always a chance. In the book, I talk about kids raised in violence. It’s chain, they say. Well I am a twin and I broke the chain.

I also in the book talk about my time in Pittsburgh, Montreal, animal rights, politics, gay rights, meeting with the Dalai Lama and more. It’s accessible to hockey and non-hockey fans.

I think it’s a book that will inspire anyone.

Where can readers purchase the book?

They can go to my website at //www.georgeslaraque.com/

Kevin Henry, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 1993-2000

First, can you let readers know about the Kevin Henry Foundation – how it got started and what it’s mission is?

The Kevin Henry foundation was started after working with at risk youth in 1994 after my rookie season with the Steelers. Because of many challenges that I faced as a kid, coming from a poverty-stricken area in Mississippi, I thought it was only right that I go back to where it all began for me and be an inspiration to someone just like me.

Although you can’t get much help financially from that town I got something much more important – that love, support and good coaching.

Continue reading “Kevin Henry, Steelers Defensive Lineman, 1993-2000”

O’Brien: Al Davis Was Different and He Helped Change the Face of Pro Football

O’Brien column for The Valley Mirror

Al Davis died at his home in Oakland,California last week. He was 82 and he had been challenged by ill health for several years.

I last saw him on Sunday, Oct. 2, when the TV cameras focused on him as he sat behind glass windows in the owners’ box as his Oakland Raiders were defeated by the New England Patriots. He missed seeing only three games in his 49 years with the Raiders.

Al Davis didn’t look good. He hasn’t looked good in a long time. Some Steelers’ fans felt he never looked good. His face was the face of the enemy. The silver and gold never liked the silver and black. Daviswas the Darth Vader of pro football.

Chuck Noll never liked Al Davis. They were both assistant coaches under Sid Gillman with theLos Angelesand then San Diego Chargers in the early ‘60s. Dan Rooney didn’t care much for Al Davis. He once called him “a lying creep.” They later made up.

When Dan Rooney bid goodbye to his fellow owners at one of their meetings a few years ago – he was going to be spending time overseas as our ambassador toIreland– he said, “I’ll miss all of you guys, even you Al.”

Al Davis came up and embraced Dan Rooney and shook his hand and wished him well on his new assignment.

Arthur J. Rooney Sr., the late owner and founder of the Steelers, liked Al Davis. He said, “He’s a good football man, if he’d keep his mind on football.”

Daviswas always taking the league to court on one issue or another, fighting to keep his Raiders in LA orOakland, or to relocate them wherever he wished. Davishad his own “reality TV series” before there was such a thing.

I spent time with Al Davis on at least a dozen occasions over a lifetime as a sportswriter and he was always interesting, available and quotable. I liked Al Davis.

He died the same week that anotherNorthern Californiaicon died. Steve Jobs, the founder and CEO of Apple, Inc., died at age 56. Both were geniuses in their own game. The Raiders won’t be the Raiders without Al Davis and Apple won’t be Apple without Steve Jobs. Both were innovative and inspirational and difficult to live with, and they changed their respective worlds.

ThoughDavisgrew up in a nice home, he liked to portray himself as a tough guy from the streets ofBrooklyn. But he graduated fromSyracuseUniversitywith a degree in English, so he was never able to pull it off convincingly.

I had a degree in English from Pitt, and Myron Cope accused me of playing “the poor kid from Hazelwood” role a bit much, so Davis and I had a bond. We understood each other.

Davisbecame the youngest coach in the NFL at age 33 in 1963 and he would later become the owner of the Oakland Raiders and one of the leaders of the American Football League. He’s one of the reasons the Raiders and the AFL lived to merge with the established NFL. There was no Raider for top talent like Al Davis.

Daviswas often at odds with the other owners and with NFL Commissioners whether it was Pete Rozelle, Paul Tagliabue or Roger Goodell. Daviswas daring and determined. “Win, baby, win,” was his slogan in running the Raiders’ operation. He stressed excellence in his organization.

He liked black and silver and chose them for the team’s uniforms because he thought the colors were intimidating. His Raiders won three Super Bowls and they were the chief rival of the Steelers for a long time. He and Raiders’ coach John Madden never forgave Franco Harris for “The Immaculate Reception” in the 1972 playoffs.

I first met Al Davis in the office of Beano Cook, when he was the sports information director at Pitt. This was in 1961 or 1962 and I was an undergraduate at Pitt. I was the sports editor of The Pitt News and I helped out in Beano’s office at the Pitt Field House.

This was a Friday before a football game at nearby Pitt Stadium. Daviswas one of four individuals who came to Cook’s office back-to-back in a 15-minute period to pick up their press box credentials for the following day.

First came Davis, then an assistant coach and scout for the Chargers. He was followed by Frank “Bucko” Kilroy, a scout for the Washington Redskins who had played for the “Steagles” in 1943; Emlen Tunnell, a scout for the New York Giants who had been a great defensive back for that club in the ‘50s and ‘60s, and then Red Smith, the outstanding sports columnist of the New York Herald-Tribune.

They are all in one kind of Hall of Fame or another. I was about 20 at the time and it should have been a tip-off to me that life as a sportswriter would be a good life.

I have been fortunate ever since to spend time with and interview some of the greatest names in sports. Al Davis was one of them. He was the least known of the four when I first met him.

He was wearing a black leather jacket over a black turtle neck jersey, dark sun glasses, and his hair was combed back in the “ducktail” style, a holdover from the ‘50s. He looked like The Fonz, a wise-cracking street corner guy from the TV Series “Happy Days” as played by Henry Winkler in a cast headed by future movie director Ron Howard. To the end, Al Davis had a “ducktail” hair style.

I ran into Davisabout eight years later in a hotel swimming pool in Atlanta. I was covering a pre-season contest involving the Miami Dolphins. I was writing for The Miami News at the time.

We were both splish-splashing away when we came upon each other face to face. I introduced myself and he said, “I know who you are, Jim O’Brien. I’ve read your stories.”

I later learned that Al Davis read the sports sections of the daily newspapers in all the cities in the league. This was 1969, the last season of the AFL before the merger with the NFL in 1970.

Al Davis was a lot like Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner in that respect. They both read the sports sections from cover to cover and they were aware of what was going on in all sports, not just their sport. Art Rooney was like that, too, a man for all seasons.

I would see Al Davis at the NFL Owners’ Meetings at Maui and Scottsdaleand Palm Springswhen I was covering the Steelers for The Pittsburgh Press in the ‘80s. Imagine getting paid to spend time in those exotic places, partying and playing tennis with the owners and coaches in pro football. I was also fortunate enough to do that in pro baseball and basketball as well. I miss those days.

Daviswas always delightful company. He liked to talk to sportswriters and share his opinions on any subject. He said he didn’t seek the spotlight, but other owners accused him of being a showboat.

I remember seeing Al Davis when he attended the funeral Mass of Art Rooney at St. Peter’s Church on the North Side in late August, 1988.

Something ironic happened that day. The church was filled. It was SRO. There had to be sixty or seventy priests there that day. George Young, the general manager of the Giants and a long time pal of Art Rooney Jr., the team’s player personnel director in the ‘70s, said, “No Catholic in Pittsburgh better have died that day or there’d be no priest available to give them the last rites.”

Pete Rozelle came into the church to pay his respects and an usher took him down the center aisle, and seated him in the last seat available on the aisle. I was sitting in a pew directly across the aisle. Al Davis was sitting directly ahead of Rozelle on the aisle seat.

I knew what was coming. When the officiating priest told those in attendance to turn and offer a peace greeting to those in front and behind them, I smiled as Al Davis turned and, to his surprise, saw Rozelle there. They shook hands and offered thin smiles. I thought that Art Rooney Sr. was smiling overhead and that he’d had a hand in this peace offering as well.

Daviswas accompanied by his wife Carol at St. Peter’s. Daviswas always quick to introduce his wife. He called her “Caroli.” She had a stroke in 1979 and nearly died. When she was deathly ill in the early ‘80s,Davisrecalled how Art Rooney was in constant touch, sent her flowers often, sent her encouraging words, and went to visit her. Davissaid he would never forget Rooney’s concern and personal kindness toward him and his wife.

Carol Davis confirmed the goodness of Art Rooney. “He’s one of the last of a vanishing breed,” she said. “When you find somebody as special as him, you better treasure him. He’s such a good man. He said he remembered me in his prayers.”

Carol is still living.

I used to go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Weekend activities inCanton,Ohiomost summers in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Daviswould be there. Daviswas often chosen by his Raiders’ players to present them for the Hall of Fame induction.

I saw him present Fred Belitnikoff, Art Shell and Gene Upshaw. Daviswas also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Some of my friends feel he is undeserving, but that’s mostly because they don’t like him and thought him a bit of an outlaw, always opposing the league in one way or another.

I talked to him inside the Hall of Fame in the summer of 1989. John Henry Johnson and Joe Greene of the Steelers got in that year, and so did Gene Upshaw.

I was with my buddies Bill Priatko and Rudy Celigoi, both from North Braddock, and we were talking to a former Raider fromYoungwood,Pa., the great George Blanda, and then Mike Ditka, of Aliquippa and Pitt.

Davisstrolled by, dressed in black. He saw us talking to Blanda and Ditka, and he thundered, “You guys fromPittsburghare always hanging out together.”

He smiled and posed for some pictures.

Pittsburgh sports author and Valley Mirror columnist Jim O’Brien has copies of “The Chief” and “Steeler Stuff” available at area bookstores. His website is www.jimobriensportsauthor.com