Tuesday, September 20, 2005
In his motivational speech, Bleier will talk about the challenges he has faced.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Rocky Bleier, Vietnam War veteran and former running back on the Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl teams, is the guest speaker for the Youngstown/Mahoning Valley United Way's upcoming Champions Among Us dinner.
At the dinner at 5 p.m. Sept. 29 at Mr. Anthony's in Boardman, Bleier will share his inspirational journey from being wounded on the battlefield in Vietnam to becoming a starting running back for the Steelers in the 1970s.
Bleier also is honorary chairman of United Way's 17th annual golf outing Sept. 30 at the Youngstown Country Club in Liberty.
Advance reservations are required for both events and can be made by calling JoAnn Stock, director of marketing and resource management, at (330) 746-8494.
Today, Bleier, who played 12 years for the Steelers before his retirement in 1980, has interests in several businesses and gives 90 to 100 motivational speeches a year. His major theme is how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.
In his motivational speech, "Be the Best You Can Be," Bleier talks about the challenges he faced in his life, and urges people to strive for greatness.
Quoted in a United Way press release, Bleier said: "I have learned that I don't have to be best, but you must do what you can and give the best you've got."
Football career
Bleier played football for the University of Notre Dame even though he was considered too small. The school won a national championship in his junior year. The Steelers drafted him in 1968 just a few months before he was drafted by the Army.
He went to South Vietnam in May 1969. Three months later, his platoon was ambushed, and Bleier was struck by a bullet in the left thigh and fell to the ground. While fending off the enemy with a M-79 grenade launcher and waiting for help, he was struck in the right leg by shrapnel from a grenade. He was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart.
Bleier returned home and was placed on the Steelers' injured reserve list for the 1970 season. He worked at rehabilitation, moved up to the team's regular roster in 1972, and won a starting position in 1974.
In 1976, Bleier and teammate Franco Harris became only the second backfield tandem in National Football League history to both gain more than 1,000 yards rushing in a season.
Beating the odds
Bleier wrote about his experience in overcoming his Vietnam wounds and other adversities in his book "Fighting Back," which was made into an ABC-TV movie of the same name.
"His life story about beating the odds and overcoming adversity is compelling and inspirational, and contains messages from which we, as individuals, and all of us as a community, can benefit," Stock said.
What makes Bleier so popular as a speaker is his ability to translate core values in his speech, "Be the Best You Can Be." With real-world practicality, he points out ways to reach new levels of inner confidence, Stock said.
The Champions Among Us dinner begins at 5 p.m. with a cash bar and silent auction. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by Bleier's presentation.
Registration for the 17th annual golf outing will begin at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast and a shotgun start scheduled for 9 a.m. The outing also includes lunch.