Ah, hell. You guys should not have done that: bringing back old memories. It’s only February. I’m going to have to wait seven months to see the Panthers again, and it is going to be in sanitized Heinz Field. I miss walking up Cardiac Hill. (Well, maybe not.) On the plus side, I’m glad to see that there Pitt fans on this board who are almost as old as I am.

Beeno Cook was on “The Fan” this morning and if the West Virginia fans think they can get away with the way they’ve behaved, in the Big 12 they are are mistaken. He said he knows the Big 12 comissioner Nienas and he will not put up with it.

A good many years ago I was at a Pitt-West Virginia, not too many years after they opened their new stadium. The fans on the upper level were throwing things down on the Pitt section below. The PA anouncer got on the PA system and asked the fans to please stop throwing things form the upper deck, because some of the people below are Mountaineer fans. Only in Morgantown!

I loved the walk up Cardiac hill also. My dad would never let me buy a pennant before the game…he said they were always cheaper afterward and he was right. The 9-1, 63 team was my fave until 76 of course. I idolized Fred Mazurak, Frankie Gustine et al. One time, Bob Longo (another Baldwin grad) came to our summer camp to work with the split ends…I was one. I could not sleep the night after I was so excited. Johnny Mike lived near us, as did Longo. I can almost recite the entire team. I was accepted at W and J
Grove City and a few others. My Pitt acceptance was the last one. I cried when I opened the letter. Got an invite signed by Dave Hart to go out for the freshman team…obviously, he never saw me play.

I add some of this for the younger guys who are just making memories now. Sometimes I/we get a little crazy on this site and overemotional about the twists and turns our alma mater has taken. This past year is so bizarre that no one would believe it, if we were all not witnesses.

No matter what has happened or will happen, I could not be prouder to be a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh!
Now, if only Gibbs can stop those damn turnovers at the top of the key!!

To those looking at the weak football schedule and thinking about not ordering season tickets your not Pitt fans. Because of the circumstances beyond Pitt’s control on scheduling is no time to punish Pitt’s players.
Renew your season tickets for the players , for the new coach, and for the impression it will make on recruits for the 2013 class.

How well I remember…..

“Ladies and gentleman and children of all ages…The University of Pittsburgh is PROUD to present under the direction of Robert L. Arthur…THE WORLD FAMOUS….VARSITY MARCHING BAND… the drums would pound away in unison and the band led by our drum major would come charging out from under the entrance in the end zone….another day…another game against Syracuse or Navy or…yes, the HATED Penn State Nittany Lions.

HAIL TO PITT…Isnore Class of ’63.

Al Grigaliunas Industrial Engineer; MBA
Gene Sobolewski Education
John Maczuzak Electrical Engineer
Ernie Borghetti Dentist
Ed Adamchik Business Administration
Ray Popp Unknown
Chuck Ahlborn Dentist
Fred Mazurek Accounting; Law
Paul Martha Law
Pete Billey Dentist
Rick Leeson Dentist

Ah, degrees/education like that are from yesteryear.

The following got truncated from the above post:

In 1963, rules required players to play both ways (offense and defense). As I recall, the starting lineup on the 1963 team was comprised of:

How about Randy Hooooolllllllooooowwwayyyyyyyy?

Pitt Tavern before and after the game. No surprise they closed down since they only grossed more that $100 5 times a year.

Homecoming floats around the Pitt Stadium track for the game.

Memory lane, thanks Dan

Homecoming floats with flowers made out of toilet paper spray painted and stuffed into wire mesh.

Apres float making-
Beers at The Luna Bar with Nicky the waiter who looked exactly like Nikita Khruschev!!

I remember 3rd ranked Pitt getting screwed out of a bowl game in ’63 (just started following sports then)
I remember reading about Frank Clark’s FG in Sunday’s Press
I remember Steelers playing at Pitt Stadium in late 60s
I remember how Dorsett owned ND all 4 years
I remember Carson Long’s bad day vs PSU
I remember Dorsett going > 6000 yds vs PSU in 24-7 win at 3 Rivers
I remember Tom Yewcic in ’76
I remember Cavanaugh getting hurt in opener vs ND in ’77 and defense fought so valiantly
I remember PItt getting ripped off at Florida St in ’80
I rememebr the clock running out in ’83 but PSU was allowed 1 more play when they kicked the tying FG
I remember Coach Gottfried running down the sideline when a Pitt DB returned an interception to seal the game vs PSU in late 80s

@isnore – Was you a Pitt Band Guy too???

I marched under Bob Arthur ’70 was last year band was all male…. u years I came “Out of the Hole” at Pitt Stadium.. Just look at the first post for as little Piit Eye Candy!!

link to ford-trucks.com

Memories on top of memories!! HTP!!

u = 8

Immaculate Reception – who was the halftime show???

Pitt Band!

CompLit- I am proud to say that I had the wonderful Pitt Band Title…band manager…which as you know was a WATER BOY!!

I had friends in the Band and they recruited me so that we could go on the trips.

I will never forget seeing Pitt destroy Notre Dame in South Bend.
My favorite Pitt game of all time still remains the 1960 game against Syracuse in the dump, Archbold Stadium. Ditka was beyond belief and Pitt shut out a great Syracuse team 10-0.
Yes, Pitt stopped the one and only legend…Ernie Davis on Syracuse Parents Day…loved every moment of it…Pitt football has had many great games in the past and hopefully we will once again have a fanbase that knows that our history says that we are a football school.

Dan the walk up cardiac hill was tough but when i was young we used to run down the hill that was
a trip did you ever run down the hill.
i to remmber fred mazurak and bob longo
but the game that hooked mewas when eric crabtree
and garrett ford had 7 TD between them.
I think crabtree had 3 td and ford had 4 tds
i was hooked after that game it was so exciting
DAN do you remmber that game.

I have not been to a game in years live to far away does the band still march on to the field
do they play as loud as they used to our are they handcuffed now.

OK guys trump these tidbits: I can recall sitting in the endzone and viewing Bimbo Cecconi and Carl DePasqua(a future Pitt coach) cavort in the days befote WWII. How ’bout Bobby Bestwick and Jimmy Joe Robinson (future Presbyterian pastor) and Muha and Bill McPeak? Remember them? Also, I watched Jack Smodec and those tough two way players of mt pre-college days. I vividly recall covering the frosh gridders at Kiski when future Pitt starters Rudy Mattioli and Bill Hoffman and Chet Rice were in the backfield. Can still recall traveling to Ellsworth Center to see Eldred Kraemer and Lou Palatella get ready for the Saturday games. As ab upper classman I saw Dick Dietrich, Joe Schmidt and oh so many mire Blue and Gold gladiators. I haver never regretted being a GOLDEN PANTHER until the past season when “High Octane” almost ruined our stirling reputation. Pitt WILL COME BACK and Paul Chryst will lead them. Yes, gentlemen–I’m BULLISH on Pitt football!! Rev. George from Columbus.

Frankcan, I don’t think the band is as loud as they used to be. At least not when playing from the stands.. though that might be because the acoustics are not as good at Heinz field as they were at Pitt stadium.
I remember being at a game in 1984 I believe it was, when Pitt played PSU and state had a first and goal at like the 1 yard line. Pitt’s coach put Bill Fralic in on defense, and Pitt’s D stopped them four times in a row. 🙂

The band still runs on the field led by the drumline, plays in the stands and on the field at halftime led by the phenomenal Jack R. Anderson. Before the game, the band marches down West General Robinson Street into the stadium. Heinz Field acoustics aren’t great but the band still is. Be sure to stick around afterwards to hear the drumline behind the open end of the stadium.

wbb….

That cb would be one Billy Owens in 1987. Still get goosebumps every time I see the highlight of that play remembering how me and a buddy of mine went completely insane screaming as he ran down the sideline….good times indeed.

pitt fan28 pitt DAD THANKS FOR THE INFO

Dan,
I remember the walk up Cardiac Hill with Pittsburgh Press vendors hawking their special stadium editions with my dad. We would have season tickets, but I would nag him to sit in the Pitt student section where there always was room. The frat thugs would try to make everybody move around because they were holding seats for their superiors. This was back in the 60s and the only game that ever sold out was Notre Dame. The Coca Cola was always straight cane sugar and flavoring, a little flat, but always provided a buzz and a good mixer for the students. Looking down at the Pete I can feel the ghosts of games past, and my dad.

Just got back. Wow, great stories, great memories.

Also, to those of you younger panther fans, enjoy the stories, you will have memories too, even at Heinz Field.

Yes, I long for Pitt Stadium, but, I would never take anything away from younger Pitt fans today.

A lot of your memories will be when you are 8,9, 10 years old, and started going to games.

And, if it’s Heinz Field, that shouldn’t diminish your Pitt memories one bit.

We’re just enjoying some old moments, and we are here because we still love Pitt, even in Heinz.

We got the Pete out of the deal, but, the Stadium did have character, even though not so many amenities.

***Just to show we’re all in this together, actually, one of my favorite memories was just 12 years or so ago, at THREE RIVERS STADIUM!!!!

Yep, stadium really didn’t matter, Pitt 12 PSU 0.

Why that one, well, I knew we weren’t going to be playing them again for awhile, and I went with my Dad.

I knew he was getting older, and had some health issues. I had thoughts of a loss, and I can remember clearer than day, grabbing his coat and practically punching his arm off as they counted down the last 10 seconds and we had down it.

Had bragging rights in the family. He passed away in 08′, and that was his last Pitt-PSU game.

So, all kinds of things make memories, and I look forward to some great memories in Heinz with hopefully a great team with Coach Chryst and the ACC coming!!!

Pitt Stadium was a special place though.

Hail to Pitt!!!

@give it a rest. I don’t know. I actually think not, it was a younger radio station guy, like a WTAE guy who had taken over that did that. He was like a sports reporter or something, or maybe worked for Pitt radio, I don’t think it was Roger.

@BigGuy, great memory, starting line up, impressive.

@isnore. Band was always great, Pitt Script!!! Still is.

@Frank, ya, I ran down it a few times, to get to the bars!!! No, I don’t remember that game.

@Tony, ya, a lot of my Pitt stuff is tied to my Dad also. Sometimes I drive up there and get out of the car, and just stand and look down for 5 or 10 minutes!!

@Rev George!! I don’t remember them (46 yo), but, my Dad played with them. My Dad played 46-48, right after he got home from the Pacific.

He started his junior year, cut short with knee surgery beginning of Senior.

Anyhow, just saw Mr. Cecconi a few months ago at church. He still looks great!!!

My Dad and Bimbo hitchhiked together to Kiski for camp!!!

My Dad always laughed, he just left a hut in the Pacific, and when he got to Kiski, there were those same type of huts again!!!

Also, Herbie Douglas and Jimmie Joe Robinson, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Douglas.

So, I got to meet a few, but just about all of those names I heard him talk about.

He wasnt’ a star, but a good athlete, and got to start quite a few games. Defensive halfback they called it back then.

My Dad was a very self-deprecating guy, had an interception against Penn St., ran it back, and said he got hit so hard he fumbled the ball, but it went out of bounds.

He also spoke of getting clobbered by Leon Hart at ND.

Also, getting beat 67-0 at Michigan!!! ha ha

They did have one 5-5 year, one lousy year. He did go 2-0 against Penn St.

Says best game they ever played, was a loss, at Ohio St that they should have won.

Well, I could go on sir, but, I just wanted to let you know, there still are connections to the past around!!!!

Hail to Pitt!! Goodnight all!!
I just saw Mr. Cec

Sorry, have to address,

@wbb, don’t remember your first three, but the rest I certainly do remember. Carson Long, money kicker, missed 3??? I think?? Wasn’t his wife in labor or something??? Cold as hell, at Three Rivers right??

@complit, great trivia question. I think I have heard that over the years, but, you would have stumped me at the bar!!!!

@Frankcan – my pleasure – proud father of two band members – trombone ’06 (also in the pep band), drumline ’10 (also a leader of the Zoo)

I know this has been mostly a football discussion and, while I did go to a game at the old Pitt Stadium in ’74 and I enjoy Heinz Field, I love the Pete and my best Pitt memories are the Big East Tournament at MSG.

isnore and all you older fans, let’s put this in perspective by considering the young guys who may be reading this board: Back in 1960 if we heard some long time fan talk glowingly about games that he remembered seeing in 1910, what would your thoughts have been?

like most of you, my dad took me to games in the earlie 70’s and early 80’s. Priceless memories, even for a young kid. My dad would park 10 miles away and make us walk up cardiac hill. Still remember T.D. going for 199 against WVU before he was thrown out for throwing the ball and/or taking a swing at someone after he was tackled out of bounds..

This link may have already been posted. If so, I apologize. Interesting perspective from former Pitt basketball layers on this year’s troubles:
link to pittnews.com

BigGuy:
I would have been very impressed. I think you underestimate the appreciation for history and culture many young fans have. When my dad talked to me about Pitt football, he was speaking about going to see the Jock Sutherland teams in the 1930s. Even now I remember the pride he had in his voice. Just like many fans on this board take each defeat to heart, he was torn up by what happened to Pitt football in the 1960s. It was really hard for him to go to games in the era. You are right in one way, though. College football has become more like arena football with no conference loyalties, rivalries coming and going, and clown costume uniforms. But any fans who annually go through the media guide and see all the past records, Rose Bowls, All-Americans, and those tough-as-nails schedules of the 1950s appreciate Pitt football for what is, what it was, and what it can become.

@wbb: I too remember and most of all, I remember Pitt beating Georgia for the National Championship in the Sugar Bowl in ’76 — I was there. I bought Pitt season tickets in ’72 and kept them until I moved south in ’96. I was there for all your “remember(s).” What a ride. HTP!

Time for a comic interlude compliments of Toad Graham:

link to bloguin.com

@wbb, It was Navy (24-12, & Roger Staubach)that cost us a major bowl in ’63. I was at that game in Annapolis with my father. I still can’t believe Pitt did not get a bowl invitation with only one loss, admittedly, there were not nearly as many bowl games played in the ’60’s. BUT…

Speaking of the Pitt Band at old Pitt Stadium, remember Pitt’s herald trumpeter’s that you play a fanfare and the band members would double time out of the tunnel. As a kid, I though that was really cool.

Pitt is a football school, a basketball school, a baseball school… Pitt is It! HTP!

Guys, I don’t think I’ve ever laughed as hard at a Pitt game as I did when DON IRELAND said there was a tractor in the parking lot with its light on. Here’s the new story:

link to nytimes.com

Or how about Roger Houston promoting the next home game and yelling…”BEEEEEEE THERRRREEE”

Kevin, Pitt ’87

Win or lose, we are Pitt! Young or not young, we should support our school. Criticism is fine, we all have opinions, but in the end, we are Pitt! HTP forever!

BigGuy (11:40PM)

I am originally from Noo Yawk and did not have any Pitt connections. In fact, I had never been to a college football game and had only attended a few high school games (My high school had OUTSTANDING basketball and our football field was in the process of being torn down).

When I got to Pitt I had the opportunity to learn bout Pitt’s amazing football history. Stories were told about Marshall Goldberg and the Pitt/Fordham rivalry, etc. I learned that Pop Warner and Jock Sutherland had been Pitt coaches.
Entering old Pitt Stadium you could almost feel the past history of Pitt Football (remember please that our basketball team was awful in those days).
If a student enters Notre Dame, USC, Alabama, Ohio State, etc. believe me they hear about the glories of football. I did my graduate work at The University of Pennsylvania and it was not unusual to hear about the glorious Quaker teams that ran rampant in Franklin Field. The Penn/Cornell Game was still a big thing in those days. So, BigGuy the answer is YES…I believe that today’s Pitt students would be interested to know that Pitt has had a glorious history on the gridiron….I blame our athletic department for allowing much of it to drift away. Stevie has no interest in preserving anything from the past.
WE CAN ALL MAKE FUN OF PSU, HOWEVER, THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE SAID ABOUT THE SCHOOL SPIRIT THAT EXISTS WHEN THE BLUEBAND MARCHES ON TO THE FIELD AND THE PLAYERS COME RUNNING OUT IN UNIFORMS THAT DATE BACK 50 YEARS!!

I hear a lot of fans stating (because of the potentially weak schedule) that they won’t waste their time on going to the home games.
Well that is exactly the reason Pitt is in the position they are in. You should support the team no matter what if you want the school to provide a good product.
If we all (Pitt fans) show support no matter what then better coaches will want to come here, better athletes will also.
Poor fan base, look at BB now, people jumping ship already.

@mariettamike -The Herald Trumpets still lead off the Pre-game.

Next trivia… Ass’t Band Director under Robert L. Arthur was a volunteer Pitt Dentist (Prof.) “Doc” Anderson…. wait for it !!

Father of Jack Anderson (who also was in the band and is now Director)

Benny Benack scored a lot of the music. Frankie Gustine was a great financial supporter of the Band.

Being the Pitt Band director may, in fact, be the best job in the world because Jack Anderson is certainly the happiest man I have ever met.

Pretty awesome stories. I’m a younger fan (12-0 PSU game was my freshman year), but still good to read. I know years from now I’ll still be talking about Pitt football like the 2002 game I went to in Blacksburg where I saw Pitt beat #3 Va. Tech, or watching Larry Fitzgerald etc., etc.

@frankarms It’s absurd to criticize people for not wanting to attend those horrible home games. Games against FCS teams are like preseason NFL games. Are Steelers fans bad because they don’t pack Heinz field in August? No. Pitt could potentially play 3 HORRIBLE teams home (maybe 2 FCS teams and another FBS bottom feeder). If the schedule looks like that, why would anyone buy season tickets. I know I won’t. I will buy a ticket for the Va Tech game and then scalp tickets for the other games. People basically give away tickets for those FCS games.

Also, could you please explain what “bad” position Pitt is in right now? I’m pretty sure Pitt athletics have top facilities, a top basketball program, a rising baseball program and a football program that has been close and could get over the hump with good coaching. Plus, Pitt is going to the ACC soon a top conference. Such a “bad” position indeed.

A Pitt Band story-

The Varsity Marching Band was chosen to play The National Anthem at Forbes Field for the opening game of the 1960 World Series. The Anthem was sung by Pittsburgh’s own, Bille Eckstine (for the youth who post here he was a very popular singer and band leader in the 40’s, 50′ and 60’s.

Forbes Field’s sound system was nothing comparable to today’s hi-tech audio systems and the words Roberto Clemente sounded like///Roberto Erto//Clemente Ente.

The band started to play the Anthem and poor Billy started to sing, however, the notes and his words were rebounding throughout the ballpark.
I was standing fairly close to the microphone and could clearly see the panic on his face as he struggled to keep up with the Band. The Band was perfect, however, Billy looked like he was going to trash his pants.

After the Bucs won the Series the Band did a halftime tribute to the Champions with one of the Band managers pretending to run the bases after Maz hit the winning home run. The Stadium erupted with an enormous standing ovation…quite possibly the loudest cheering ever heard for a Pitt Band halftime show!!

Dan and outhers the game with eric crabtree and
garrett ford was in 1965 ford had 356 yd
crabtree 206 yd there was a total of 1071 yd in the game WVU won the game 63 to 48 but you were on the edge of your seat for whole game.

One more thought… Jack Anderson grew up around and in the Pitt Bands (he probably has 60 yrs. of Pitt in him. His “right-hand” is Lou Rusiski (around band 40 yrs.) and Ass’t Director Dr. Mel Orange (Pitt 26+ years).

One place where tradition runs deep.

REMINDER-

We play the Hoopies tonight (9PM) for what could be one of the last encounters with the couch burning nation for quite some time.

Pitt basketball is down so far this year that I almost forgot about the game. The NCAA is not going to see Pitt this year and the NIT (who cares) could be our destination.

THE ONLY THING THAT COUNTS IS THAT WE WIN TONIGHT AND SEND WVU OFF TO THE BIG 12 WITH A BAD TASTE IN THEIR TOBACCO CHEWING MOUTHS!!

Pitt -3

@Wardapalooza, your are correct. I think Pitt is in one of the best positions it’s been in awhile.

Football- Coach Chryst, moving to ACC

Basketball- When you take a step back, and look at it, c’mon, 10 years of the tournament. Coach Dixon has one of the top, if not top player coming in next year, with another big recruit to go along side him. Moving to ACC.

I think we could we heading for some great rides in football and basketball the next couple of years.

Rev George – I bow to your lore sir!

I remember the Eric Crabtree game. I had the privilege of having season tickets just in front of Anderson’s wife and met him on occasion. My life has been devoted (other than Pitt) to choral music so I followed the Pitt Band. For years they would come out and play with the best local high school bands in a concert. I still cannot get over how good the HS Bands were in WPA and most 200 members. I used to dream about the Pitt Band coming out of the tunnel at quick step after the trumpets played their flourish. The opening number was “The Conquerer”. Does anyone remember that the Pitt Band always played the other team’s fight song as a salute! Will never forget my first Pitt/ND game at the stadium. When the Pitt band played the ND Fight song the entire place went nuts! Does anyone remember Alan Popsack sp? the long time drum major?

With all the talk about walking up Cardiac Hill. I have some memories as well. I remember parking at the gas station on Forbes Avenue, yes there was a gas station there then. The owner would close up on Game day making his station a parking lot. We would stop at a cigar shop where my father’s friend George would pick up a few cigars before the game. Then we would start up Cardiac Hill. On the walk up, I always wanted to buy a penant, but my father would tell me, “They’re a waste of money.” The same for pretzels “They’re just bread.” Hotdogs and peanuts at the game were ok. One time on the walk up the hill, for a game against Penn State, I wanted to buy a Penn State penant, but I got a no. Good thing,….. because it’s important to instil the proper values in your children.

@Dan 72 – Remember Alan – I think I was a fresh or soph when he was DM!

Rev. George, an integral player on that ’63 football team was Rev. Bob Long who would become a Presbyterian minister. In fact I believe that he was a starter at end.

BTW, my recollection is that Pitt was scheduled to play Penn State the weekend after JFK was assassinated. The game was postponed as a result; however, the Orange Bowl committee had to make a selection before the postponed game took place. They gambled that Penn State would beat Pitt and chose them. Wrong decision/selection.

Nice trip down memory lane.

My time with the Pitt Band made me a Pitt sports fan. I witnessed 2 years of Dave Hart and 2 years of Carl DePasqua without the benefit of alcohol.
Does anyone remember pep rallies on Friday nights in front of the union? The band would march down Cardiac Hill, play H2P at the Union, then march single file thru the Cathedral and then the Towers and then march back up Cardiac Hill. I get chest pains just thinking about that march today. The echo of the drum line in the Commons Room was awesome.

The elder Jack Anderson is still the most friendly, upbeat person I have ever met. And Jack the younger is right up there too.

Lets take one last victory over the hoopies.
Hail to Pitt!

This was nice but were the hell is the RB coach
wisconsin has only 8 coachs is he in fear that if he names one wisconsin will take him also like thay did the last one. name a RB COACH

This was good stuff good times but were is
the RB coach wisconsin has 8 coachs is our HC in
fear that if he names a RB coach that wisconsin
will take him like they did the last one.
name a RB coach .

Dan: Would REALLY be interested in your dad’s name since he plated centuries ago and I encouraged him. Incidentally, I would gladly trade some of the “yore” back for a few winnin g seasons. And to Big Guy: Yes, Bob Long was also a Presnyterian cleric. Chuck Rhinehart. RB from <t. Lebanon also qualifies. One would think with all that "holiness around the Panthers would have a better over all record. Not compAINING. WE do have a proud tradition!! Rev. GEORGE FROM Columbus

@dinosaur71 – And broken windows in the towers (courtesy of drum line) and marching (snaking) single file through busses on Fifth Ave. The friday pep rally was not a good time to be driving down Fifth !!!

“One would think with all that “holiness around the Panthers would have a better over all record.”

Rev. George, Bob Long and Chuck Rhinehold tried their best, but I think that Pitt’s hellraisers overwhelmed them.