10 Quirky Facts about Pittsburgh Sports History

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Charlotte Hopkins

2.    Honus Wagner retired from professional baseball after the 1917 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. That year he ran for Allegheny County Sheriff but lost. He went on to serve as a sheriff's deputy and constable from 1917 to 1919.

3.    The longest game in Pirates history happened on August 22, 1917, against the Brooklyn Robins (now known as the Los Angeles Dodgers). The game played at Ebbits Field, reached 22 innings. Brooklyn won the game 6-5, walking it off in the bottom of the 22nd inning. That same game holds the National League Record for the most innings pitched by a reliever, which was 16.2 innings. Following the marathon game, Pirates outfielder Carson "Skeeter" Bigbee reportedly returned home in the early morning hours and found all his clothes outside. His wife, thinking he had been out all night with another woman, had thrown him out. There was no TV at the time so no way of her knowing what happened. She could not have heard about the game on the radio newscasts programs did not start until 1920 and it would not be until 1921 that baseball games were broadcast. She allowed him to come home two days later after he showed her a newspaper article that boasted about the 22-inning game.

4.    The Pittsburgh Steelers were established on July 8, 1933. Originally known as the Pittsburgh Pirates, the team was founded by Art Rooney. In 1958, they started playing their home games at Pitt Stadium because Forbes Field was not large enough for all of the fans. That was until the Three Rivers Stadium was built in 1970. This photo was taken at the Steelers final game played at Pitt Stadium.

5.    Pittsburgh native, John Woodruff, represented the United States in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. He won the gold in the 800-meter dash. Hitler refused to shake his hand because he was an American.

6.    In 1943 the Steelers were lacking in players, due to so many men being away at war, that they teamed up with the Eagles and became the Steagles. The following year they teamed with the Cardinals (who were in Chicago at the time) and were called the Card-Pitt. They did not win a single game.

7.    Roberto Clemente once caught a ball on his back. On July 25, 1956, while playing right field against the Chicago Cubs at Forbes Field, he was running to catch a flyball hit by Dale Long and slipped and fell, landing on his back. At the last second, he managed to reach out and catch the ball. (thumbnail photo!!)

8.    Ed O'Neil, of Married with Children, was a defensive end for Youngstown State and in 1969 he tried out for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He did not make the cut, losing out to “Mean” Joe Greene. In 1970, Phil Robertson, of Duck Dynasty, played football at Louisiana Tech with Terry Bradshaw. Both men were quarterbacks, and in fact, Bradshaw was Robertson’s backup. Robertson was offered a position with the Steelers but turned it down because it interfered with duck hunting season.

9.    After joining the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, "Mean" Joe Greene took on a second job at the Steel Mill during the off-season for his first few years on the team. The mill was located where the Waterfront now stands. His salary with the Steelers amounted to $25,000, and he needed a second job at the mill to supplement his income.

10. Willie Stargell served as the captain of the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1978 until his retirement in 1982. He was known for handing out "Stargell Stars" as a form of recognition for excellent plays or contributions by his teammates. The players would then sew these stars onto their baseball caps as a symbol of achievement.