A black-and-white photograph showing 14 men posed beneath a sign reading “Francos Italian Army Command Staff.” Most of the men are standing, with a few kneeling in front. One man in the back row is wearing a football jersey with the number 32. *AI generated alt text

Game Changers: Franco's Italian Army

Event Information

Date & Time
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Location Franco Harris Sports Museum 1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh PA, 15222
Ticketing $10 for non-members
$5 for History Center members
Category
Register

Join the Franco Harris Sports Museum and the History Center’s Italian American Program to explore the story behind Franco’s Italian Army, the legendary fan group that helped forge the rise of Steelers Nation, representing a new identity for Pittsburgh that merged the city with sports.

During this special panel discussion kicking off Italian Heritage Month, Anne Madarasz, director of the Franco Harris Sports Museum, and Melissa E. Marinaro, director of the Italian American Program, will join original members of Franco’s Italian Army and special guests to share stories and explore the group’s lasting cultural and social impact.

The program will not only remember and celebrate Franco’s Italian Army, but also reflect on issues related to ethnicity, identity, and the enduring legacy of the 1970s.

In 1972, Steelers rookie running back Franco Harris took the NFL by storm. A first-round draft pick, Harris finished the season with 1,055 rushing yards, a Pro Bowl nomination, and an NFL Rookie of the Year Award.

His breakout season inspired a new kind of Steelers fandom. That November, a group of fans traded black and gold for the green, white, and red Italian Tricolor and marched onto the scene as Franco’s Italian Army, just as the Steelers were battling for their first division championship in 1972.

Originally made up of second-generation Italian Americans from Pittsburgh’s East Liberty neighborhood, home to one of Pittsburgh’s historic Little Italies, the Army celebrated Franco’s heritage and reinforced their own ethnic pride and traditions in their Steelers fandom by including Italian food, wine, and gear in their game day traditions.

The Franco Harris Sports Museum’s annual Game Changers program explores the people, stories, and pivotal moments in Western Pennsylvania sports history that have transformed Pittsburgh and left a lasting impact beyond the playing field.

Admission

Tickets are $10 for non-members and $5 for History Center members.

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