The '63 Steelers (57 page)

47
. Al Abrams, “An Artisan at Work,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Oct. 30, 1963.

48
. UPI, “Dial Makes Good without Giants,”
Detroit Free Press
, Dec. 13, 1963.

49
. Jim McCulley, “Don's Big Toe Is Giant Edge in Stadium's Whirly Winds,”
New York Daily News
, Dec. 13, 1963.

50
. Williams, “Michaels vs. Chandler FG.”

51
. Ibid.

52
. Pat Livingston, “Parker Favors Dry, Fast Field,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Dec. 14, 1963.

53
. McCulley, “Don's Big Toe.”

54
. Myron Cope, “Pro Football's Gashouse Gang,”
True
, Sept. 1964, 37.

55
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, Aug. 13, 2008.

56
. Myron Cope, “Pro Football's Gashouse Gang,” 37.

57
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, Aug. 13, 2008.

58
. Arthur Daley, “Steelers Title Bid Poses Problem!”
New York Times
, Dec. 13, 1963.

59
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 80.

60
. Cope, “Pro Football's Gashouse Gang,” 37.

61
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 81.

62
. Clendon Thomas, conversation, Aug. 30, 2008.

63
. UPI, “Taylor Declares: ‘I Never Took Worse Beating,'”
Youngstown Vindicator
, Jan. 1, 1963.

64
. Jack Sell, “28,000 to See Steelers in Exit,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 13, 1958.

65
. Dick Haley, conversation, May 14, 2008.

66
. Jack Sell, “Future Steeler Stars Meet in Hotel Roosevelt, Look to Bowl Activity,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 17, 1963.

67
. Andy Russell, interview, April 19, 2010.

68
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 82 (play-by-play indicates winds west/northwest, 15–25 mph).

69
. Joe Bradis, “Parker Blames Both Offense and Defense,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 16, 1963.

70
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 82.

71
. Pat Livingston, “Johnson Was Given OK to Pass up Drills to Help Heal Ankle,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Oct. 21, 1963.

72
. Bradis, “Parker Blames Both Offense and Defense.”

73
. Robert Smith,
The Great Teams of Pro Football
(New York: Dell, 1965), 187.

74
. Pat Livingston, “Gifford Turns Tide for Giants,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Dec. 16, 1963.

75
.
Rocky Bleier with Terry O'Neil,
Fighting Back
(New York: Warner Books, 1976), 64–65.

76
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, April 30, 2010.

77
. Tex Maule, “Y. A. Tittle Starts Another Season,”
Sports Illustrated
, Oct. 6, 1958.

78
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, Aug. 13, 2008.

79
. Brady Keys, conversation, Sept. 4, 2007.

80
. Smith,
The Great Teams of Pro Football
, 227.

81
. Red Smith, “Winner-Take-All,”
New York Herald Tribune
, Dec. 16, 1963 (published in
Youngstown Vindicator
).

82
. Riger,
Best Plays of the Year 1963
, 85.

83
. Arthur Daley, “Watchful Waiting,”
New York Times
, Dec. 17, 1963.

84
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 84.

85
. Daley, “Watchful Waiting”; Daley,
New York Times
, Dec. 17, 1963.

86
. Y. A. Tittle, conversation, Sept. 8, 2008.

87
. Pat Livingston, “Glass Solid Gold in Steeler Defense,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Sept. 25, 1963.

88
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 84.

89
. Andy Russell, interview, April 19, 2010.

90
. Ibid.

91
. Riger,
Best Plays of the Year 1963
, 85.

92
. Smith,
The Great Teams of Pro Football
, 188.

93
. Dick Haley, conversation, May 14, 2008.

94
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 84.

95
. Gordon S. White Jr., “Everyone Agrees Gifford Held Victory in Palm of Right Hand,”
New York Times
, Dec. 16, 1963.

96
. Daley, “Watchful Waiting.”

97
. Joe Trimble, “‘Bald Eagle' Clicks on 17 out of 26 Aerials Good for Three Touchdowns,”
New York Daily News
, Dec. 16, 1963.

98
. Art Rooney Jr., conversation, April 29, 2010.

99
. Harold Rosenthal, “Giants, Bears Score Impressive Triumphs, Play for NFL Crown Dec. 29,”
New York Herald Tribune
, Dec. 16, 1963, (published in
Youngstown Vindicator
).

100
. Livingston, “Gifford Turns Tide for Giants.”

101
. Joe Trimble, “‘Sweetest Year,' Tittle Says,”
New York Daily News
, Dec. 16, 1963.

102
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 85.

103
. Ibid.

104
. Ibid., 124, 136.

105
. Tex Maule, “The Giant Story: Tittle Takes Dead Aim on a Title,”
Sports Illustrated
, Dec. 23, 1963.

106
. Art Rooney Jr., conversation, April 29, 2010.

107
. Brady Keys, conversation, Sept. 4, 2007.

108
. Leonard Shecter, “Lou Michaels Takes a Last Crack at Title,”
New York Post
, Dec. 16, 1963.

109
. Al Abrams, “A Good Man Bedded Down,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 10, 1959.

110
.
Red Mack, conversation, Aug. 8, 2007.

111
. Clendon Thomas, conversation, Aug. 30, 2008.

112
. Gary Cartwright, “Layne Was Toughest,”
Dallas Morning News
, Feb. 19, 1967.

113
. Timothy Gay,
The Physics of Football: Discover the Science of Bone-Crushing Hits, Soaring Field Goals, and Awe-Inspiring Passes
(New York: Harper, 2005), 128.

114
. Didinger,
Pittsburgh Steelers
, 85.

115
. UPI, Dec. 17, 1963.

116
. Jack Sell, “The New Era,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 19, 1963.

117
. Preston Carpenter, conversation, Sept. 8, 2007.

118
. Smith,
The Great Teams of Pro Football
, 227.

EPILOGUE

1
. Lou Michaels, conversation, Aug. 29, 2007.

2
. Preston Carpenter, conversation, Sept. 8, 2007.

3
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, Aug. 29, 2010.

4
. Roy McHugh, “Ex-Steeler Cordileone Tackles Zany Bar in French Quarter,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Jan. 7, 1975.

5
. Keys Group Company, “The Early Years,”
http://www.keysgroup.com/read_the_history.html
.

6
. UPI, “Parker Slated to Remain as Steelers' Coach But Layne's Career Nears End,” Jan. 8, 1963.

7
. Preston Carpenter, conversation, Sept. 8, 2007; Andy Russell, interview, April 19, 2010.

8
. AP, July 22, 1966;
Game Day
, pro football program, Dec. 19, 1996.

9
. “‘Pressure' Talk Sparks Giants,”
Pittsburgh Press
, Dec. 16, 1963.

10
. Andy Russell, conversation, Oct. 4, 2007.

11
. “The Way People Live Today,”
U.S. News & World Report
, Nov. 11, 1963.

12
. Jack Sell, “The New Era,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 19, 1963.

13
.
Sports Illustrated
, Jan. 6, 1964.

14
.
Detroit Free Press
, Jan. 1, 1967.

15
. Jack Gallagher,
Houston Post
, Feb. 28, 1966.

16
.
Game Day
, pro football program, Nov. 23, 1975.

17
. “‘Buddy' Parker, 68, Dies; Former Coach of Steelers,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, March 23, 1982.

18
. William N. Wallace, “Steelers Pit Brown, 35, against Tittle of Giants, 37,”
New York Times
, Dec. 15, 1963.

19
. Lou Cordileone, conversation, April 30, 2010.

20
. Andy Russell, interview, April 19, 2010.

21
. Jack Sell, “A Bear Rooter,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
.

22
. Al Abrams, “Steelers Might Have Won,”
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, Dec. 31, 1963.

23
. Lou Michaels, conversation, Aug. 29, 2007.

AFTERWORD

1
. Roger Treat,
The Official Encyclopedia of Footbal
l (New York: A. S. Barnes, 1964), 494.

2
. Pat Conroy,
My Losing Season
(New York: Doubleday, 2002), 14; Andy Russell,
Beyond the Goalpost
(n.p., 2009), 123.

Abrams, Al, xvi,
17
,
83
,
103
,
155
–56,
159
,
211
; on Cardinals game,
49
,
77
; on Cowboys game,
105
,
108
; on Kennedy assassination,
172
,
189
; on Michaels,
11
,
49
,
219
; on sports pages,
9
,
35
; on Steelers in Eastern Conference,
127
–28

accidents, car,
14
,
59
,
255

Adams, Kenneth “Bud,”
197

Adderley, Herb,
127
,
149–50

AFL,
172
; draft of,
196–97
,
208
; trying to gain legitimacy,
158

Albert, Frankie,
33

Alexander, Tom,
199

Allen, George,
118
,
167
,
186
,
248

all-NFL selections,
245

Anderson, Art,
238

Anderson, Bill,
162–63

Anderson, Edwin J.,
132

Anderson, Taz,
77

Andrews, Rooster,
57

Andrie, George,
215
,
217–18

Appleton, Scott,
196–97

arrests, after bar fight,
153

Atkins, Doug,
167

Atkinson, Frank,
3
,
120
,
176
,
218
,
223
; background,
6
,
208
; on effects of Kennedy assassination,
180
,
214
; in games,
74
,
104
,
203
; injuries of,
209–10
; lack of interest in football career,
208–11
; post-Steelers career of,
211
,
248

backs, Johnson compared to others,
135

Baker, Big John,
23
,
36–38
,
65
,
163
,
209
,
217
; against Cardinals,
46
,
50
; against Cowboys,
104
,
106–7
; against Eagles,
204
; field goals of,
106
,
215
; tackles by,
161
,
247

Baker, Loris Hoskins “Sam,”
104
,
215–17

Bakken, Jim,
47
,
74
,
79

Ballman, Gary,
127
,
158
,
168
,
196
; background of,
150–52
; against Bears,
181–83
,
185
; against Browns,
144–46
; Brown's passes to,
182–83
,
239
; against Cardinals,
76
; against Cowboys,
106
,
215
,
217
; against Eagles,
203–6
; fumbles,
243
,
246
; against Giants,
236–40
,
242–43
,
246
; against Packers,
124
; against Redskins,
159–60
,
162–64
; on Steelers,
157
,
166
; touchdowns by,
145
,
163
,
206
,
240

Ballman, Judi,
150–52

Barnes, Billy,
89
,
92–93
,
161–62
,
237
,
242
,
246

Barnes, Erich,
160
,
191

Barnett, Steve,
183

Barr, Mayor Joseph A.,
170

Barr, Terry,
192

baseball, popularity of,
166

basketball team, Steelers',
100

Baugh, Sammy,
54
,
59

Baughan, Maxie,
21
,
23

Becker, Jim,
178–79

Bell, Bert,
26
,
158
,
226

Belley, Dick,
xii

Bennett, Edward,
122–23

Berman, Morris,
247

Bernhard, Andrew,
122

Best, John,
27
,
88
,
107

Beyond the Goalpost
(Russell),
256

Biscaha, Joe,
193
,
195–96

Bishop, Don,
217
,
220

Bivins, Charlie,
185

Blair, Sam,
105

Bleier, Rocky,
238

blitz defense,
79
,
143

blocking: by Carpenter,
215–16
; Johnson's fondness for,
135
,
220
; by Keys,
124
; of placekicks,
24
,
26
,
74