They came from Connellsville, Chicora and Cabin Creek. Their names were Johnny Lujack, John Gaisford and Jerry West. They excelled in football, golf and medicine, and basketball, respectively, and they were hailed as hometown heroes.
They came from East Liberty and South Oakland in the heart of Pittsburgh. They were Billy Conn and Danny Marino. They were both street smart guys. They were both fighters. One was a boxer. They called Conn “The Pittsburgh Kid.” One was an All-American football player at Pitt. In 1998 Marion was named the National Football League's Man of the Year.
A young woman named Korie Hlede came from war-torn Croatia to Duquesne University and added to a basketball tradition that included Chuck Cooper, Dick Ricketts, Sihugo Green, Willie Somerset, Mickey Davis and Norm Nixon, and she is the only one whole jersey was retired.
They came from Brooklyn, Brookline, Bethel Park, Bridgeport, Braddock and Buffalo. Their common bond was their ability and their determination to overcome adversity and succeed. They have shown the way for the rest of us.
Suzie McConnell Serio
Snapshot: Pierre Larouche
Snapshot: Chuck Noll
Snapshot: Andy Van Slyke
Snapshot: Mike Wagner
Dr. John C. Gaisford
Father Sam David
Dr. Thomas E. Starzl
Bob Friend, Jr.
Boys of Summer
Sports Book Series
|Twin Killing: The Bill Mazeroski Story (Hardcover)|
|The authorized biography of the greatest fielder in the history of baseball -Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Bill Mazeroski. Maz's trademark was his lightning quick pivot on the double play (a.k.a. Twin Killing).|
|Sailing the Three Rivers to the Title (Softcover)|
Greg Spalding imitated Willie Stargell's windmill, Clemente's inside-out swing, Davalillo's leg kick, Hebner's jersey-tucking, Sanguillen's free swing and smile and Milt May's raised bat style in his frequent boyhood neighborhood games of homerun derby. Naturally, he also followed the team religiously through the eyes of Bob Prince and Nellie King.
|Glory Years: A Century of Excellence in Sports (Hardcover)|
|These are the stories of some of those special people and places, some more familiar then others. They all have something in common, a bond that ties them to the area and a sense of commitment, dedication and persistence that shows the way.|
|The Classiest Team Baseball Ever Knew (Softcover)|
|This work is a tribute to the 1972 Pittsburgh Pirate Latin American Players. The 1972 Buccos fell just short of heading to the World Series for the second straight year with an incredible lineup. Yet what truly sets this team apart was their mature attitude in the midst of a heartbreaking defeat, one of the most bitter in baseball history.|
|The Men in the Mustard Hats (Softcover)|
THE MEN IN THE MUSTARD HATS completes Greg Spalding's trilogy about the Pirates of the early 70s. This work, Spalding's sixth, covers the special period in Pirate baseball when the Buccos won five division championships in six seasons.
|Memory Lane (Softcover)|
|Through the years Western Pennsylvania athletes have always ranked among the nation's elite and most productive. George Von Benko has been a first hand observer for close to 50 years and his Memory Lane recounts the accomplishments and honors they have earned. It includes baseball Major Leaguers, collegiate football and basketball All Americans, NFL and NBA stars, olympians, legendary coaches on both the scholastic and collegiate scene and national figures like Sandy Stephens, Ernie Davis, Johnny Lujack and Vivian Stringer.|
|Memory Lane Vol 2 (Softcover)|
If you enjoyed George Von Benko Memory Lane you are sure to enjoy Memory Lane Volume 2. George has been a first hand observer for close to 50 years and his Memory Lane Volume 2 recounts the accomplishments and honors they have earned. It includes baseball Major Leaguers, collegiate football and basketball standouts, NFL and NBA stars and legendary coaches on both the scholastic and collegiate scene. Many Western Pennsylvania legends are profiled. His stories reveal a time when every school, city, borough and township turned out Division One athletes as regularly as clockwork.
|Three Rivers that Spawned the City of Champions (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)|
|Greg Spalding’s hardback revision of "THREE RIVERS THAT SPAWNED THE CITY OF CHAMPIONS" includes 100 more photos as well as a lot more statistics, opinions and insights. Many of the photos stand as very unique, such as Hall of Fame parade photos of Mike Webster and Terry Bradshaw, Hall of Fame induction photos of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth, Hall of Fame busts of Franco Harris, Terry Bradshaw and Joe Greene; photos of the Hall of Fame plaques of Willie Stargell and Roberto Clemente from Cooperstown, as well as unique things like one of Jim Leyland’s lineup cards from the Pirate dugout. The book also includes photos from the Steelers 75th Anniversary celebration at the Heinz History Center and the Three Rivers Historical Marker Dedication Ceremony.|
|Alle-Kiski Sports History: A Century of Sports in the AK Valley (Softcover)|
|How did forty-seven , mostly gritty, blue-collar towns on the edges of four counties outside of Pittsburgh, produce such an unparalleled wealth of sports accomplishments? Sports journalist George Guido attempts to answer that question in his meticulous 300-plus-page compilation of stories, stats, and incredible photos that made the A-K Region world famous.|
|Beyond the Goalpost (Softcover)|
|Andy has always been attracted to athletic challenge, adventure and possibly even danger. In this book Andy tries to understand what it was that drove him as a young child, and to recall who were his mentors and especially ask himself why he was so driven to pursue what many would consider dangerous sporting activities for example: professional football, mountain climbing, wilderness canoeing, cave exploring, and scuba diving.|
|The Whistling Irishman: Danny Murtaugh Remembered (Hardcover)|
|Danny Murtaugh's biography. Written by his granddaughter Colleen, The Whistling Irishman tells how Danny clawed his way from poverty to become a two-time World Series champ. It features stories from his teammates, players, family, and friends. Whether or not you knew him, the story is bound to inspire you.|