RAY SWANSON | Keystoner Art Rooney portrayed on stage

Its darkest days were perhaps its brightest days.
We're talking about the city of Pittsburgh during an era when the city's steel mills were booming and the smoke stacks were billowing out a black haze that covered the city and darkened the horizon. Times were good indeed.
The people of Pittsburgh do not forget. They remember well, the days of the Great Depression when America was reeling, wondering when and where the next meal would come from if it came at all.
Now Pittsburgh had its men of distinction, gentlemen like the Mellons, Carnegies and another pillar by the name of David L. Lawence, who served as mayor of Pittsburgh for 12 years. These prominent men all had their place in building the city into one of the greatest of modern times.
One man, however, who perhaps carries the banner for all Pittsburgh dynamos was Art Rooney, Sr., born in Coultersville, Pa., in 1901, who died at age 87 in August 1988.
"The Chief" on stage
Last week my son Gary, his father-in-law, Warren Hickman and I took in the play "The Chief," starring Tom Atkins. It was staged at the O'Reilly Theater in Pittsburgh. Atkins portrayed Rooney and went solo for the one hour, 22 minute performance. He was superb to say the least. The entire show took place in Rooney's office at Three Rivers Stadium in March of 1976.
Rooney, with his trademark cigar, was a man among men. His deeds, his charities and his emotions will live in the hearts of Pittsburghers for years to come.
Perhaps his greatest claim to fame was being owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. His family continues to follow his leadership abilities.
When a man can raise the hair on the back of your neck or bring tears to your eyes, he's a tremendous actor. Atkins did that.
He talked of the early days when Rooney, who was not a bad boxer in his younger days, purchased the Pittsburgh Pirates (a franchise in the NFL) in 1933. He changed the name to the Steelers in 1940. Winning didn't come easy and in 1942, the Steelers registered their initial winning season at 7-4. What followed in later years were four Super Bowl championships in 1975, 1976, 1979 and 1980. Rooney credits Chuck Noll for drafting the players who turned the tide.
Never wanted spotlight
Rooney never wanted to be in the spotlight. It had been said that during the Depression, winter weather was harsh and cold. And many times families would wake up in the morning to discover that piles of coal had been deposited in their driveways. Some knew where it came from, others didn't.
Atkins brought all this to life, the good deeds of a man who wanted to be "just one of the guys." In 1964, Rooney was inducted into the NFL's Hall of Fame.
Atkins uncovered some great quotes made by Rooney. "You think the Allegheny River is dirty today, we used to swim there. The water was really dirty, sometimes you would even see a dead horse floatin' by."
About the Bobby Layne days: "When you went to the huddle the smell of booze was so bad that you got a free drink."
As Rooney, Atkins became more emotional when he spoke of Rocky Bleier, who came back from the war, all shot up, and recuperated to spark the Steelers to Super Bowl glory.
Some say that Rooney was Mr. Santa Claus. Others say he was better than Santa.
Didn't refect on wins and losses
Rooney's observation of football didn't reflect on wins and the losses. It was all about the friends and associations he had made down through the years. He talked about his good friend David L. Lawrence. He reflected on his conversations with Pie Traynor, and the big fight by Billy Conn and Joe Louis, a bout in which Conn nearly won the world heavyweight championship before being KO'd in the last round.
As we departed from the O'Reilly Theater that afternoon, Heinz Field was located just several blocks away and the Steelers were dropping a 24-20 heartbreaker to the Cincinnati Bengals.
For some reason, Warren and I didn't seem to mind that much. We just had one-and-a-half hours with Art Rooney and enjoyed every minute of it.
Rooney was no angel. He admittedly played the ponies, was at times a street fighter, laid bets, even skipped Mass at times, but it was his big heart that still lingers with Pittsburghers. He was genuine and the designer of four Super Bowl victories. Thank you, Mr. Rooney.