Region loses beloved sports hero
The region lost one of its most loved and respected sports heroes overnight.
In an unfortunate twist, Franco Harris passed away just days before his Steelers jersey was to be retired and the most memorable play in pro football history was to celebrated on its 50th anniversary.
In a bizarre coincidence, one of Pittsburgh’s two biggest baseball heroes, Willie Stargell, died two days before a statue of him was unveiled at the newly opened PNC Park. The sports world wasn’t meant to honor these two men in person, it seems.
Harris was one of many players from the 1970s teams who would reach the pinnacle of pro football and be enshrined in Canton. But he surpassed all the others when it came to what he brought to the community and how he represented Pittsburgh and the Steeler Nation. His contributions of time and his presence at fundraisers the past 50 years has been so valuable to so many.
He rubbed some the wrong way by being a vocal proponent on political issues and supporting certain politicians. But we doubt that any of those issues are concerns for Pittsburghers today. We have had our share of sports heroes, and in each sport, at least one that needed no last name.
We have had Mario with the Pens, Roberto with the Pirates, and no one ever asks “Franco who” if they have ever been part of the Steeler Nation. He was a superstar who always shared the glory of the gridiron with other stars. He shared his Penn State success with Lydell Mitchell, whom many thought should have been the choice of the Steelers in the draft. He shares his Super Bowl glory with the likes of Terry Bradshaw, Rocky Bleier, Lynn Swann, Joe Green and Jack Lambert.
Seldom, if ever, did he try to impose himself to the front when accolades were being given. He was as humble as he was talented. We lost another sports hero, but we lost an even better representative of the Steel City. RIP No. 32.
— RV
