Steelers Treasures at Home in the Strip
History Center Exhibit Celebrates 75 Seasons
By Jason Smith

At the corner of 12th and Smallman Street in Pittsburgh's Strip District resides a temporary Mecca of one team; a team that defines the city it represents. A melting pot of relics from men, who through playing a game, made people forget about their daily toils and hardships for a few hours.

The Heinz History Center is hosting The Pittsburgh Steelers 75th Season Celebration: Treasures from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and much more. First you see it, then you are there. The Styx song "Renegade," which typically pipes throughout Heinz Field on Sundays, fills your ears, and wall-to-wall Steelers memorabilia consumes your sight. Football fans of all generations can truly appreciate this awe inspiring exhibit, which visually depicts some of the defining players and moments in Steelers' history.

The steel industry raised the city Pittsburgh to greatness, and then cruelly almost broke its back.

"Because of the collapse of the steel industry, this town needed another identity and just about the time the steel industry started to slide the Steelers got really good," long time Steelers play-by-play announcer Bill Hillgrove said. "I think everybody grabbed that identity…this city more so than any other identifies with their team."

What better way to illustrate this point than to honor the people and players who captured the essence of the city through their style of blue collar play on the football field?

The Western PA Sports Museum, with help from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, has shown through this exhibit how Art Rooney's dream became a reality.

Starting with the team's inception in 1933 and working up to present day, visitors can see such memorabilia as John "Blood" McNally's game-worn pants, or a wall of Steelers football cards that features more than 800 players. Of course, this is only a small sampling of the many contributions the exhibit has to offer.

The bronze busts of all 19 Steelers Hall of Fame inductees were featured at the exhibit Nov. 10-18, marking the first time the busts had ever been displayed outside of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. All five Steelers' Vince Lombardi Super Bowl Trophies, which rarely leave the team's South Side headquarters, made it to the exhibit over Thanksgiving weekend. Additionally, Franco Harris' Super Bowl rings will be on display for a short period of time. Fans need not fret though, as the rest of the entire exhibit will continue to run through February 10, 2008.

More than 100 specially selected Steelers artifacts can also be viewed, including unique items such as the exact section of turf from Three Rivers Stadium where Franco Harris made the "Immaculate Reception." Rocky Bleier's Purple Heart, awarded during the Vietnam War, is featured. Take a look at game-worn equipment from Hall-of-Famers including, but not limited to, Mel Blount, Terry Bradshaw, Jack Ham and Ernie Stautner Children and adults can test themselves in the mini-NFL combine, which allows visitors to test their athletic ability by performing the shuttle run and vertical leap and test their wits with a portion of the Wonderlic test, similar to the same one all top draft prospects take at the combine.

Fans can also share pictures and fond memories of the Steelers with one another by leaving photos they bring with them on a collage wall and writing in a sign-in book. The franchise's history is in abundance about the room. Video footage from great moments in the past play on several TV's throughout the exhibit, allowing families and friends to relive and learn about what has made the Steelers the team they are today.

Anne Madarasz, Director of the Western PA Sports Museum, discussed the pieces from the exhibit that are drawing the most interest.

"Anything from the Super Bowl years, especially from the players people identify with, people like to see," said Madarasz. "It really depends on the age of the visitors and who they identify with."

Football fans in general have been enjoying the exhibit because it is not only a celebration of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but a celebration of the growth and advancement of football over the years in the United States as a whole.

Even those who were responsible for the history displayed in the exhibit seem to enjoy it. Many former Steelers whose memorabilia lines the walls of the History Center have already visited the museum to view the history of the team they once played for. Numerous greats including Terry Bradshaw, Joe Green, Gary Anderson, John Stallworth, Carnell Lake, Greg Lloyd and others have stopped in to gaze upon what their efforts have brought to the city of Pittsburgh.

Joe Horrigan, Vice President of Communications and Exhibits for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, offered an intriguing perspective as to what this team has meant to Pittsburgh.

"The Steelers are an iconic team which has transcended the leaner and better years of the city," Horrigan said. "This tells a story of a family (the Rooney's) and of the city they represent. It is important to realize a good team now is not an instant success story, but comes over time from hard work and dedication."

Summarizing a city and its football team in a 5,000 foot room is a strange concept to behold and a difficult concept to master. But for Pittsburgh Steelers fans, the Steelers' exhibit at the Heinz History Center captures the essence of the bond between fan, team and city.