When Rooney Sold the Steelers

When Rooney Sold the SteelersSteelers linebacker Leo Nobile once nearly drownedduring a game. Placekicker Booth Lusteg routinely warmed up by kicking paper cups instead of footballs. Buff Donelli served as head coach of the Steelers and the Duquesne University griddersat the same time. Quarterback Cliff Stoudt earned two Super Bowl rings without once stepping onto the field. And Frank Sinatra and Franco Harris sipped wine togetherat a Steelers practice. These and many other

Steelers linebacker Leo Nobile once nearly drowned—during a game. Placekicker Booth Lusteg routinely warmed up by kicking paper cups instead of footballs. Buff Donelli served as head coach of the Steelers and the Duquesne University gridders—at the same time. Quarterback Cliff Stoudt earned two Super Bowl rings without once stepping onto the field. And Frank Sinatra and Franco Harris sipped wine together—at a Steelers practice.

These and many other unusual stories are featured in When Rooney Sold the Steelers: An Offbeat History of Pittsburgh’s Beloved Team. You’ll read about the Steelers linebacker who went on to fame … as Tarzan; the team’s male cheerleaders, who were terminated not long after a cannon mishap; the only individual to suit up for both the Steelers and the Pirates; and the time owner Art Rooney, a former boxing champion, punched out his head coach.

When Rooney Sold the Steelers (yes, he actually did) covers key moments (and some little-known ones) in franchise history: how the Steagles, a team formed by a wartime merger of the Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles, finished with a winning record despite dealing with two constantly bickering head coaches; how a spelling lesson inspired Terry Bradshaw to become a Super Bowl hero; how Joe Greene drained 27 16-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola during filming of an iconic television commercial; how a lopsided Steelers victory might have prevented casualties from a plane crash; and how head coach John “Blood” McNally missed a game because, incredibly, he didn’t realize the Steelers were playing that weekend.

When Rooney Sold the Steelers also shines a spotlight on the O.J. Bowl; the Steelers standout who went on to become a Supreme Court justice; a game that featured a mind-numbing total of 31 punts; the birth of the Terrible Towel; the die-hard fan who rooted for the Steelers even after death; and how the Immaculate Reception—a play that altered the trajectory of a franchise—got its name.