PITTSBURGH -- Chanting "Myron" and waving yellow towels in a downtown snowfall, hundreds of Pittsburghers braved the cold to remember the late Myron Cope on Friday afternoon.

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and radio station B-94 held a public "Terrible Towel Day" outside the City-County Building in honor of the legendary broadcaster, who's credited with inventing those famous yellow rags that Steelers fans bring with them to games.

"I think it would be the most appropriate for a man like Myron Cope, instead of a moment of silence, that everybody grabs their towel and put it over their head, and they start waving it for a minute," said B-94 DJ Bubba Snyder. "One minute. The greatest minute for the man who created the Terrible Towel."

And that's what the crowd did, stopping the noise and silently twirling their towels around for what turned out to be a little more than exactly one minute.

Video: A Final Towel-Wave For Myron Cope

Meanwhile, a giant replica banner of a Terrible Towel was hung outside the main entrance to the City-County Building.

Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney said a few words before the event started, then left to attend a private, family funeral for Cope in Green Tree.

"This is a great tribute to Myron," Rooney said. "Myron did so much for the Steelers. You know, it can't be put in words."

"Because of his legacy, the impact of Myron's life will be felt, and his remarkable voice will be heard forever in the Steelers Nation," said Cope family spokesman Dan DelBianco.

"Obviously we respect the privacy of the family in their decision to hold a private funeral but felt in order to pay tribute to Myron's life, to hold a public event where we showed him we appreciated everything he did for Pittsburgh, we will do so with one last final salute with the wave of the Terrible Towel," Ravenstahl said.

Cope, 79, died on Wednesday morning after a long battle with several ailments, including pneumonia and throat problems.

He called Steelers games on the radio for 35 years and is the only football commentator in the national Radio Hall of Fame.

"He's gone, but he's always going to be with us every Steelers game, every year," said fan Janice Metz.

"Very emotional right now," said fan Joe Bagnato. "I'm going to miss him. I listened to him all the time."

---

Related Links:
More County News

Get RSS | E-Mail Alerts

---