The Wearing of the Black and Gold

In the days following the 1972 draft, the sports pages in Pittsburgh newspapers used words such as “skepticism” and “surprise” when talking about the Steelers’ first-round pick: Franco Harris.

In December 1947, Pittsburgh stepped in to host the 1948 NFL Draft—the first and only time the event was held in the city until this year.

Professional football was born on the North Side in November 1892, fueled by an intense rivalry between the Pittsburgh Athletic Club and the Allegheny Athletic Association. Both believed themselves the best; both sought to assuage the sting of playing to a tie score on Columbus Day. And both were willing to use whatever means it took to win, including money. 

Three Rivers Stadium is gone now, but the memory of what happened there on Dec. 23, 1972, lives on. 

It goes back a long way, this tradition of quarterbacks as a natural resource in western Pennsylvania.
-Roy McHugh, The New York Times, 1991

It’s said that Pittsburghers bleed black and gold and, at least metaphorically, it seems true. We adorn our homes, our cars, and ourselves in all manner of the chosen colors.…

Homestead, Pa. has an extraordinarily rich sports history. Traditions of success in early professional football, women’s swimming, basketball, and baseball frequently filled Pittsburgh’s sports pages. Through the 1940s, though, town…

Most of the Pittsburgh Pennies weren’t looking to break barriers or change the world when they laced up their skates and took to the ice in 1973, but now 50 years later, they are seen as trailblazers. The Pennies came of age in the era of Title IX when opportunities for girls and women to participate in organized athletics began to expand. The team was homegrown, formed by a small group of young women and some of their parents who came to know each other at the Alpine Arena in Swissvale. A love of the game and a desire to compete initially brought them together. What they created is now recognized as integral to the establishment of competitive hockey for girls in the region.

An autograph often becomes a fan’s first cherished keepsake, a way to commemorate a personal meeting with a hero. As we mature, few people we meet rise to the level…

Separated by just 70 miles, feelings run strong in the football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University. Sept. 1, 2022 marks the first time in more than a decade that the two teams will clash in what fans affectionately refer to as the “Backyard Brawl.”