PITTSBURGH -- Friends and family are mourning the loss of Myron Cope, the former Steelers radio announcer who died Wednesday after a long battle with various health problems.

And fans in "Steelers Nation" are weighing in, too, on the energetic sportscaster's life.

Cope spent a lot of his time in Latrobe covering Steelers training camp at St. Vincent College, and community members there said they're sad to see him go.

Officials at the former Rolling Rock beer plant in Latrobe loved Cope. In fact, they once plastered his face on collector's edition cans.

Latrobe's own legends, retired golfer Arnold Palmer and Donald "Doc" Giffin, also had great respect for Cope.

"We were good friends," said Giffin. "I was a bachelor working up here with Arnold, and we had a tradition for a number of years when his (Cope's) wife was still living, Mildred. We'd go down to their house in Green Tree on Christmas Eve."

Steelers fans call Cope legendary. It was he who put greatness into one package during the Steelers dynasty era in the 1970s and fans have not forgotten that.

"It was so much more than someone dying," said John Riles. "It was like a part of the city was gone. It's like losing a relative. That's what it felt like."

"I thought he would beat it," said Mike Hampton. "It's almost like a relative, when a relative dies. It's like you don't believe it until it sets in."

Feinberg's, in the Strip District, was one of the first stores to carry a license to sell Cope's signature Terrible Towel.

"Since we were the only ones with the license at the time, other stores would line up at our dock and wait for the truck to pull up," said Sylvia Feinberg.

At Cupka's II on the South Side, where they turned down the television volume during Steelers games and listened to Cope on the radio, his memory will always be sweet.

"Today is a sad day in sports history," said John Witner. "We lost Myron Cope, the legendary."

Last month, Sharky's Sports Bar in Latrobe decided to honor Cope's famous Terrible Towel by creating a "terrible wall," which was filled with Steelers signatures. Workers and management said they are sad Cope won't be back to see it.

"He's been here many times," said Sharky's manager John Huemme. "He's guest bartended for us. He's always been around."

"I don't think anybody will come along who is going to be like him," said fan William Lint. "One of a kind. I don't think it will be the same."

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