First, can you let me know how you got started as a photographer?
Well, my family has always been involved in photography. My grandfather got started in Italy – he had an interest in photography – he was a cabinetmaker too. My dad was too – and when I got married we had a little boy I was so proud of – so I loved taking pictures of him.
I mostly loved taking black and white pictures – I loved the dark room work – developing pictures.
How did that carry over to working with the Steelers?
I worked at Kennamtal in Latrobe. I had some friends there – we did photography together on the side, shooting weddings and local sports leagues. I was always a sports fan. I remember Joe Tucker in the 40s calling games for the Steelers. That’s when Bill Dudley had a disagreement with Jock Sutherland and was traded away. They had Johnny “Zero” Clement then and I remember listening to Joe Tucker call those games – “Joey Zero deep!”
I worked full time, but I really wanted to be like the the Sports Illustrated guys and take sports pictures. In 1975 I contacted Joe Gordon of the Steelers – just asking him if I could take pictures at some of the games. He said “Yes” and gave me a pass to a game – against Kansas City. I kept in touch with Joe over the winter months, and he told me that I could come up to camp the following year and take pictures. He gave me credentials then for the whole year.
They had a photographer then though right?
Harry Homa was the team photographer. I really wasn’t interested in a full-time job there anyway – I was still working full-time at Kennametal. Harry was very nice to me. Joe later told me about NFL Properties – and I knew that I wanted to get in as a photographer for them – to cover the Steelers for them.
In 1980 I actually traveled with the Steelers – just on the weekends. I wanted to get pictures of the Steelers in their white jerseys. Joe – he wanted headshots because those could be used in so many ways – in gamebooks … in a lot of ways. So, I was always looking for headshots.
Any specific pictures stand out to you from your time there?
I was looking for the sidelines stuff. NFL Properties and Joe – they wanted to see the faces of the pros. Sweaty, tired… Things the average fan couldn’t see usually.
My favorite team in the 40’s was Army. They had Doc Blanchard and Glenn Davis – but I never saw their faces – it was all radio.
One player I did get to know that year I traveled with the team was Frank Pollard. He was a great kid. It’s funny, my kid just sent me the video I took from that game last month and I was watching it. Frank and Abercrombie did some good, hard running that game!
Any of the player you enjoy taking pictures or being around most?
Lambert was my all-time favorite. He always had those stern looks. In fact the first picture I ever had published was of Lambert on the sidelines.
I did get a good picture of Bradshaw too – when they played Cleveland and he was on the sidelines, dazed – racked up. His eyes just stood out to me. That’s one I sent to NFL Properties and they ended up using it. It took up the first two pages of a book they put out on NFL quarterbacks.
What pictures did you most enjoy taking?
I liked pictures of Hall of Fame players. The one I took of Ham hanging on Roger Staubach – and the one where Earl Campbell is hitting the hole and Joe Greene was just off his left shoulder. Those are two I liked.
I also got a good one of the time they lost to the Patriots. It was at the end of the game and Bradshaw hit Swann for an apparent touchdown but Swann was over the end line and it got called back. I got a good picture of Swann in the air parallel to the ground, just over the end line…
Any others?
Webster and Noll were also great to take pictures of. Noll was my favorite Steeler. I really liked him – he was a good guy. Once my sister’s friend brought her child who was in a wheelchair. I was calling over some Steelers to see if they would take a picture with him but they wouldn’t come – I think they were afraid to get out of line. Chuck Noll saw that and came over and we took pictures of him with the boy.
Did Chuck try to give you any photography advice as an avid photographer?
No…he just told me to hang in there and do the job the right way.
Any memories stand out to you most from your work there?
I remember the Oilers game where Mike Renfro bobbled the ball and they said it wasn’t a touchdown. I was there, I just didn’t get that picture – I didn’t have the right equipment to get that shot. I got pictures of Mike Renfro and Bum Phillips’ expressions after it though – when they were so upset. But I’ll tell you – I was standing right there and Mike Renfro did bobble the ball!
Any thoughts looking back at your time there?
I made lots of good friendships there. Harry Homa accepted me and let me help him a lot on picture days – he was a really good guy.
Now, I’m a widower. My wife died of pancreatic cancer 20 years ago. She was everything – I used to share everything with her. Things are so different without her. But I’m still active and taking pictures sometimes – I did for West Virginia a little while ago. But my legs aren’t the same as they used to be. I’ll still get out there though and take pictures. It’s what I love to do.
Read more by former Steelers via the book Steelers Takeaways: Player Memories Through the Decades. To order, just click on the book:
