1979: The City of Champions
This is the story of 1979 when Pittsburgh was in crisis, and then it became the “City of Champions.”
In this new episode called, "1979: City of Champions," it's about more than sports. It's a kinship story, born out of crisis and saved by two championship teams. Something happened to Pittsburgh in 1979 and it would never be the same.
This is a 90-minute, narrative episode featuring six people and the full story of the City of Champions, with perhaps a special emphasis on what was happening in the community before, during and after 1979.
I’d characterize it as a kinship story between Pittsburghers and their teams. A special bond that was formed in 1979 that has never let up.
For those who remember, this will bring back lots of memories, and for those who weren’t born yet, they may just wish they were there.
Here’s a summary:
We talk to Walter Iooss, Jr., the Sports Illustrated photographer who took that iconic shot of Willie Stargell and Terry Bradshaw for that 1979 cover and feature article. Walter is considered SI’s best photographer ever. We talk to Kent Tekulve about his story with the Pirates and 1979 and get his deeply personal perspectives. Lanny Frattare walks us through that season and the drama on the field. Former Steelers exec Joe Gordon gives his stories. John Steigerwald recaps 1979 from the perspective of a sports reporter who covered both teams through those championship years. And author Michael MacCambridge, who wrote the book, “Chuck Noll: His Life’s Work,” gives a more objective and analytical perspective on why Pittsburghers embraced the identity, “City of Champions” like no other city in the country that may have had multiple champions.
With the release of this episode, we move substantively closer to Shaping Opinion 2.0. More to come on that.