Pittsburgh Notables
The Pittsburgh region has produced some of the most notable names in
history, sports, and entertainment. Hailing from Pittsburgh are not
only famous industrialists and philanthropists, but writers, athletes,
artists, actors, and inventors.
There are many Pittsburghers you know, from Mr. Rogers and George Romero
to Andy Warhol and Perry Como, but many you may be less familiar with or
even surprised to find they share Pittsburgh roots.
Pittsburgh, like the best metropolitan cities, has been a melting pot of
cultures over the years whose famous notables rose above humble beginnings
to contribute to our national identity. From sports icons to little
known inventors, Pittsburghers have touched the world!
Great Names You May or
May not Know as Pittsburghers
Sports Legends
Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas, commonly referred to as one of the greatest players ever,
was a quarterback from 1950’s through the 1970’s. From Lithuanian
descent he was raised in the Mt. Washington neighborhood by his mother after
his father’s untimely death when he was 4.
Joe Namath
Joe Namath, Pittsburgh’s Hall of Fame football player was raised in the
former steel town of Beaver Falls. As a decorated quarterback he led
his team, the NY Jets, to victory at Super bowl # 3 in 1969.
Joe Montana
Joe Montana, yet another of Pittsburgh’s NFL stars and Hall of Fame
inductee, was raised in the coal mining town of Monongahela. He
attended Ringgold High School and later accepted a scholarship and played
football at the University of Notre Dame.
Dan Marino
Dan Marino, one of the most famous quarterbacks in the country, even
non-football fans have heard of him! He’s a graduate of Pittsburgh’s
Central Catholic High School. He also attended the University of
Pittsburgh where he led the Panthers to numerous victories.
Honus Wagner
Honus Wagner, born, lived his life and died in Chartiers, now know as
Carnegie. He was the Pittsburgh Pirates Shortstop for most of his
baseball career. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936, he was among
the first five voted in. After retirement as a player, he coached for
Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Have you ever
visited the sports store downtown bearing his namesake?
Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle, world champion wrestler, graduated from Clarion University
and won an Olympic Gold Medal in 1996.
Pittsburgh Industrialists, Inventors, and Publishers
Henry Clay Frick
Once known as the “most hated man in America,”¹
Henry Clay Frick was a ruthless businessman often considered one of
America’s robber barons. He was a main participant in the unfortunate
actions taken against the union workers during the Homestead Strike of 1892.
Nevertheless, he formed a company with Andrew Carnegie which would later
combine with several other steel companies and become U.S. Steel.
George Westinghouse
George Westinghouse, inventor of the railway air brake, rival of Thomas
Edison and a pioneer in the electrical industry. He founded Union
Switch & Signal Company which is known today as Ansaldo STS-USA.
Frank Conrad
Frank Conrad is credited with founding the first commercial radio station
operated from his Wilkinsburg garage. That radio station is better
known today as KDKA. Frank Conrad was also an inventor and began
working for Westinghouse as a teenager. During his lifetime he was
awarded 200+ patents.
Richard Mellon Scaife
Richard Mellon Scaife, owner of the Pittsburgh Tribune Review founded and
Headquartered in Greensburg, PA. His mother Sarah was a member of the
affluent Mellon family. Scaife was well known for his drive to make
the newspaper successful and for his political activism. He supported
the Arkansas Project that sought the truth regarding allegations of
misconduct between President Clinton and Paula Jones. Previously he
was a supporter of Richard Nixon until the Watergate scandal broke.
Pittsburgh Writers and Artists
Mary Cassatt
Mary Cassatt, an Impressionist period painter mentored by world renowned
Degas. She was known for her paintings of women and children and their
close relationships. Her works were exhibited alongside artists such
as Monet, Manet, Pissaro and Cezanne.
Rachel Carson
Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring published in 1962. The
subject of her book shed light on and questioned the use of pesticides and
the impact on the environment. The book had such an impact on the
American public in that it was instrumental in the ban on DDT and the
formation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She was a
graduate of the Pennsylvania College for Women since renamed Chatham
University.
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Mary Roberts Rinehart, rivaled the popularity of Britain’s Agatha
Christie, she is credited with the phrase “the butler did it,”²
although she may not have actually used it. She was a regular
contributor to the Saturday Evening Post and was the “first woman”³
war correspondent during WWI in Belgium.
Pittsburghers of the Stage and Screen
Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly, reared in the Highland Park section of the city, began
dancing when he was eight years old at the behest of his mother’s enrollment
in dance school. He attended the University of Pittsburgh and ran a
dance studio here in the 1930’s before moving to NYC. Gene made his
debut on Broadway in 1938.
David Selznick
David Selznick, a Golden Age Hollywood producer most famous for the movie
Gone with the Wind. His father was a distributor of Silent Films and
through his contacts David was able to relocate to Hollywood and pursue his
dreams and career.
Michael Keaton
Michael Keaton, born as Michael John Douglas in Coraopolis, was raised in
Robinson Township. He is well known for his funny, yet creepy role as
Beetlejuice in the movie of the same name, the villainous tenant in Pacific
Heights and as the “caped crusader,” Batman!
August Wilson
August Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright hails from the Hill
District. He was born Frederick August Kittel, Jr. He later changed
his name to Wilson in honor of his mother. He was awarded the one and
only degree from the Carnegie Library due to his diligence in educating
himself with their resources.
As you can see over the years many talented individuals have risen to
stardom from Pittsburgh and many more have made significant contributions to
society. So the next time you think of Pittsburgh and all its glory,
keep in mind that you never know where life can lead you, but you surely
know where your birthplace is!
by Tammi Oliver
Wikipedia References:
¹http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Clay_Frick
²http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Roberts_Rinehart
³http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Roberts_Rinehart
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