(
January 27 ,
1901 -
August 25 ,
1988 ) was the founding owner of the
Pittsburgh Steelers franchise in the
National Football League .
Rooney was a lifelong resident of the
Pittsburgh area having been born and raised in the Pittsburgh suburb
Coulterville . He graduated from Duquesne Prep, then went on to
Duquesne University before founding the
Pittsburgh Steelers .
Rooney is a beloved figure in the city of
Pittsburgh . His affiliation with the NFL began in 1933 after he traveled to
Saratoga Race Course in New York and won at least $2,500 in a parlay of longshot winners. He soon used that $2500 to pay the required
National Football League franchise entrance fee for a club based in the city of Pittsburgh, which he had named the Pirates (also the name of the city's long-established
Major League Baseball club).
Rooney sent shockwaves through the NFL by signing
Byron "Whizzer" White to a then record breaking $15,000 contract in 1938. This move, however, did not bring the Pirates a winning season. The club did not have a season above .500 until 1942, the year after they were renamed the
Pittsburgh Steelers .
During
World War II , the Steelers had some financial difficulties and were merged with the
Philadelphia Eagles in 1943 and the
Chicago Cardinals in 1944.
After the War, Rooney became team president. He longed to bring an NFL title to
Pittsburgh but was never able to beat the powerhouse teams, like the
Cleveland Browns and
Green Bay Packers . After forty seasons, it seemed as the Steelers would always be destined for the second division. Following the AFL-NFL merger in
1970 , the Steelers agreed to leave the NFL Eastern Conference and joined the AFC Central Conference.
Through expert scouting, the Steelers did become a power. In
1972 , they began a remarkable 8-year run of playoff appearances. In Rooney's 41st season as owner, the club won the
Super Bowl . They followed up with
Super Bowl victories following the 1975, 1978 and 1979 seasons. In between those championships, during the
1976 season, the team only allowed a staggering 28 ''total'' points in the final 9 games of the season, including 5 shutouts.
After the 1974 season, Rooney reliquished the day to day operation of the club to his son
Dan . He remained as Chairman of the Board of the club until his death in
Pittsburgh in 1988.
Art Rooney received many awards during his career. In 1964, he was elected to the
Pro Football Hall Of Fame .
Duquesne University named their football field in his honor in 1993. In 1999,
The Sporting News named him one of the 100 most powerful sports figures of the 20th century.
A statue of his likeness graces the entrance to the home of the
Pittsburgh Steelers ,
Heinz Field . He also has a street named in his honor on
Pittsburgh 's north side.
