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The Chief
“My father always used to tell us boys, "Treat everybody the way you'd like to be treated. Give them the benefit of the doubt. But never let anyone mistake kindness for weakness." He took the Golden Rule and put a little bit of the North Side in it.” — Art Rooney Jr. on his father
What a man “The Chief” was.. Just a man of the people, no other way to put it. A kind hearted, sports loving, and gambling degenerate we can all relate too.
Before paying the franchise fee of ONLY $2,500 ( I now know without a doubt, the first thing I’m doing with a time traveling machine) The Chief was a boxer in college that qualified for the Olympics. Played minor league baseball and served as the Player-Manager, awhile leading the team in several stat categories. Then, he starts playing Halfback/Manger with two semi-pro football teams in Pittsburgh that he eventually takes over, combines the two teams and named them after himself. Just out there making moves.. This team would later become the pro franchise after only paying $2500... This guy was basically who Jackie Moon had wet dreams about.
Chief Rooney’s Legendary Day at the Track
Just three years after purchasing the team, The Chief hit a parlay at the Saratoga race track of 160,000!!Using an inflation calculator that comes out to 2.9 Mill in 2020! Now there is some dispute about the actual number, some reports was it was close to 250,000. Either way, The Chief loved the ponies and that’s a shit ton of money back then. Obviously, he used those earnings and invested it into his football team and other ventures. Allegedly, The Chief NEVER bet on Steelers games. It was only the ponies, I actually choose to believe that. I think he loved the team to much to risk losing it.
Source -“Rooney`s connection with the operation surfaced during the trial of Paul Hankish, 58, whom the government said started running a bookmaking operation in Bridgeport, Ohio, in 1957.” - “U.S. Attorney William A. Kolibash wrote in a statement released Tuesday that a Hankish associate took out-of-state bets over the telephone ''from a Pittsburgh-based group headed by Art Rooney, who they code-named No. 42.'' - “No. 42'' placed bets with a Mississippi and Texas bookmaker totaling $100,000 a weekend, the statement said. But the statement referred to several No. 42s and it was unclear whether it referred to Rooney.” - “The Hankish associate, Norman Farber, said he met Hankish in 1957 after setting up a small-time horse betting operation. This was the middle man for the horse bets. - “Mr. Farber had a gambling connection with Mr. Rooney not involving football, Mr. Rooney was not betting on Steelers games.''
It wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows for our Chief, the Steelers franchise went through some rough times. Before hiring Noll... One playoff game in 36 years. But, that never broke his love for the organization and players. Chief, would invite the grounds crew to the team box for dinners. This man treated EVERYONE with the same level of respect. It’s easy to see why the Rooney rule exits.
-Howard Cosell on the Rooney’s, “The Rooneys are the finest people, the people I most respect in American sports ownership. I've always felt that way. And there's no reason to change. They are people of integrity and character. The way they put the Steelers together, to hire a man like Chuck Noll, to emphasize the team concept. I have a whole transcendental feeling for the Steelers and the Rooneys and Pittsburgh. — Howard Cosell, October 1982
-Inviting a groundskeeper up to the owner's box for dinner, “I'll never forget the way he introduced me, 'This is Ralph Giampaolo, a member of our organization.' Not a member of our ground crew. Not some rinky-dink bum. But a member of 'our organization'. As far as [Curt] Gowdy knew, I was vice president of the team. Mr. Rooney made me feel 10 feet tall.”
We should all live by the North Side Golden Rule. If Art Rooney isn’t in your top 10 list to have a beer with after this... what are you doing with your life?