Rooney's book provides plenty of Steelers history
Friday, November 2, 2007
By Teresa VarleySteelers.com
Friday, November 2, 2007
By Teresa VarleySteelers.com
Dan Rooney, Sr. kicked off the Steelers 75th Season Celebration weekend on Friday when he talked about his book, Dan Rooney: My 75 Years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL.
Rooney, who turned 75 earlier this year, has spent the last year and a half writing the book and hopes it will serve as a history lesson for fans.
“I wanted this to be a history book,” said Rooney. “That was the purpose of writing it in the first place. It’s really been a learning experience for me. Putting out a book is something I thought was a lot easier than it is.”
The book chronicles Rooney’s life and Steelers history, starting with the Immaculate Reception, something many thought was the birth of the Steelers team.
“There are people who think this business started in 1969,” said Rooney, referring to the year Chuck Noll was hired as the team’s head coach and Joe Greene was selected as the number one draft pick. “But I wanted it to be about the history. I consider myself the last person standing who was involved with the league from the beginning. I wasn’t there in 1920, but I knew the people that were. I was able to talk to them.”
After that it takes a step back to an earlier time, starting with his story of growing up on Pittsburgh’s North Side and playing for North Catholic High School and competing with another local high school quarterback Johnny Unitas for top high school quarterback honors in Western Pennsylvania.
Rooney devotes part of the book to the growth of the NFL through the early years and the way the Steelers grew along with the league. He talks about the many lessons he learned from his father, Art Rooney, Sr. and how he taught him about the game, but allowed him to be his own person.
While each decade of the Steelers gets attention in the book, a good portion does focus on the Steelers of the 70s and the dynasty that they created while winning four Super Bowl championships. The book recounts the decade of the 80s, when the labor issue was a hot topic in the NFL, and goes on to share the story of Bill Cowher taking over as head coach and how the team flourished.
Rooney also shares his vision for the NFL and what he sees happening down the road.
“From the beginning, every game that I went to, all of the players were fun to be with,” said Rooney. “The seasons and games were really something special. The Card-Pitts of 1944 were 0-10, so I can’t say that was a thrilling time, but it was interesting.”
Proceeds from the book will benefit the Senator John Heinz History Center and North Catholic High School. The book is also available from the Steelers Online Store.
Rooney, who turned 75 earlier this year, has spent the last year and a half writing the book and hopes it will serve as a history lesson for fans.
“I wanted this to be a history book,” said Rooney. “That was the purpose of writing it in the first place. It’s really been a learning experience for me. Putting out a book is something I thought was a lot easier than it is.”
The book chronicles Rooney’s life and Steelers history, starting with the Immaculate Reception, something many thought was the birth of the Steelers team.
“There are people who think this business started in 1969,” said Rooney, referring to the year Chuck Noll was hired as the team’s head coach and Joe Greene was selected as the number one draft pick. “But I wanted it to be about the history. I consider myself the last person standing who was involved with the league from the beginning. I wasn’t there in 1920, but I knew the people that were. I was able to talk to them.”
After that it takes a step back to an earlier time, starting with his story of growing up on Pittsburgh’s North Side and playing for North Catholic High School and competing with another local high school quarterback Johnny Unitas for top high school quarterback honors in Western Pennsylvania.
Rooney devotes part of the book to the growth of the NFL through the early years and the way the Steelers grew along with the league. He talks about the many lessons he learned from his father, Art Rooney, Sr. and how he taught him about the game, but allowed him to be his own person.
While each decade of the Steelers gets attention in the book, a good portion does focus on the Steelers of the 70s and the dynasty that they created while winning four Super Bowl championships. The book recounts the decade of the 80s, when the labor issue was a hot topic in the NFL, and goes on to share the story of Bill Cowher taking over as head coach and how the team flourished.
Rooney also shares his vision for the NFL and what he sees happening down the road.
“From the beginning, every game that I went to, all of the players were fun to be with,” said Rooney. “The seasons and games were really something special. The Card-Pitts of 1944 were 0-10, so I can’t say that was a thrilling time, but it was interesting.”
Proceeds from the book will benefit the Senator John Heinz History Center and North Catholic High School. The book is also available from the Steelers Online Store.
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