|
|
"A comprehensive, collaborative elections resource."
|
Rooney, Arthur Joseph "Art"
|
| Affiliation | Republican |
|
| Name | Arthur Joseph "Art" Rooney |
| Address |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , United States |
| Email | None |
| Website | None |
| Born |
January 27, 1901
|
| Died | August 25, 1988
(87 years)
|
| Contributor | Barack O-blame-a |
| Last Modifed | Old LW
Oct 20, 2011 05:44am |
| Tags |
Irish - Welsh - Married - Widowed - Catholic -
|
| Info | Art Rooney, "The Chief" as he was known in later years, was a standout athlete in baseball, boxing and football as well as one of the top horse handicappers of America in his younger days. Rooney co-promoted boxing as well in Pittsburgh (The city's second most popular sport in the early 20th century behind baseball) with his business partner Barney McGinley. A Republican, Rooney was also active politically. He never changed his voter registration despite mainly siding with Democrats in his later years. He supported FDR and the New Deal.
Rooney's main claim to fame however is in founding the Pittsburgh Steelers NFL franchise. Rooney's teams often struggled to win games and for the first forty years of the franchise, he generally lost more than he won. However, Rooney was regarded as one of the most influential NFL owners, acting as a moderate buffer between the more bombastic owners such as George Preston Marshall and George Halas. The Steelers finally acheived success in the 1970s when Rooney was an elderly man. The grandfatherly image reshaped public opinion of him in Pittsburgh (Many fans regarded him as stingy). The ever present stogie and generally a kind word to say about everyone, Rooney soon became the most popular man in Pittsburgh as his Steelers won four Super Bowls.
The 80s proved to be a downtime for the franchise as Hall of Famers retired and could not be replaced. It was on August 25th of 1988 that Rooney suffered a dizzy spell at his offices with his son Dan present. An ambulence was called and in characteristic Art Rooney fashion, he wanted to ride in front as opposed to being in the back on a stretcher. In the hospital, Rooney suffered a massive stroke and slipped into a coma. He died later that day. A Catholic, Rooney's rosary had to be pried from his fingers after he breathed his last. The funeral was perhaps the largest outpouring of grief in Pittsburgh history. Today, Art Rooney is probably the city's most popular figure. A stage play called "The Chief" starring Pittsburgh born actor Tom Atkins as Rooney ran multiple times.
|
 | BOOKS |
 |
|
| Title |
Purchase |
Contributor |
|
| Start Date |
End Date |
Type |
Title |
Contributor |
|
| Date |
Category |
Headline |
Article |
Contributor |
|
| INFORMATION LINKS |
|
|
|
|
