Voice of the Steelers - Myron Cope Dies

KDKA TV ^ | 02/27/2008 | NA

[prisoner6]

A Look Back At The Life Of Myron Cope

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) From the Terrible Towel to the memorable Pittsburgh sayings, Myron Cope is a legend in sports broadcasting, but today his distinctive voice was silenced. He was 79.

And when it comes to colorful characters, Pittsburgh has produced none more unique than Cope.

But before Cope ever graced the airwaves, he was celebrated for his outstanding writing and special features for Sports Illustrated and the Saturday Evening Post. He was a star in the world of sports writing, but otherwise an unknown.

Then in 1968, a radio executive invited him to broadcast a brief daily sports commentary.

"What? My voice? But the radio executive said, 'We think we see a trend toward obnoxious voices,'" said Cope.

Those commentaries led to a spot in the Steelers broadcast booth starting in 1970, and soon after Cope began hosting a nightly sports call-in show.

The fans respected Cope, and Cope respected the fans, but he always made it fun, win or lose.

"The Steelers never had any cheerleaders," said retired Steeler, Dwayne Woodruff. "With Myron Cope, we didn't need any cheerleaders."

Cope invented the Terrible Towel in 1975 when the Steelers were headed into the playoffs and the broadcast bosses were looking for a gimmick.

[prisoner6]

A very sad day for The Steelers Nation. Myron was REAL Pittsburgh...a part of our city has gone.

Prayers for his children...I believe the proceeds from the Terrible Towel go to a special education school that one or both of his children attended.

Thank yunz Myron for some great memories n'at!

Yoi and double yoi!

prisoner6

[prisoner6]

Hmmm...got a proxy error the first time I tried to post so I tried again and got as dupe. Please delete. THanks!

RIP Myron.

prisoenr6

[cjshapi]

RIP Myron. You were one of a kind and you will truly be missed.

Yoi and double yoi will live on....

[Steve_Seattle]

As a kid, I would sometimes see his articles in the old “Sport” magazine. RIP

[CodeMasterPhilzar]

Thanks for the memories Myron. I grew up in Pittsburgh, listening to you report the games. I still remember “This is Myron Cope...on sports.”

[PA Engineer]

Oh wow. The radio voice (kind of scratchy) of my youth. A very sad day for Pittsburgh.

[martin_fierro]

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Rest in Peace, ya Jagoff

[PurpleMan]

There was only one and will evermore be only one “Myron Cope On Sports.”

[PennsylvaniaMom]

Yoi...how sad. He had been ill for quite awhile. Rest in Peace Mr. Cope.

[Petronski]

Thanks, Myron! Prayers and condolences all around.

[Ditto]

The fans respected Cope, and Cope respected the fans, but he always made it fun, win or lose.

So true. And the players all loved him too. Cope always had the right attitude about sports unlike most of these blow-dried broadcasters that make a game sound like War & Peace.

I recall listening to his radio show on night and some guy called in all depressed after a tough Steeler lose.

Cope replied; "Fellow, in the Department Store of life, sports is the toy department. Don't take it seriously."

RIP Myron. A life well lived.

[PennsylvaniaMom]

The proceeds go to the Allegheny Valley School. His son is a resident there (I believe he is profoundly autistic).

I remember the commentary when he 'created' the Terrible Towel. The Stillerz were going to play Houston, and the Oiler fans were waving hankies at the time...and cope's logic was (to the affect) that a hanky was feminine and dainty and football players sweat...so bring a black or gold towel. And then some enterprising yunzer w/silk screen operation took it from there.

A sad day for the Steeler Nation.

[MarineBrat]

A sad day indeed! Prayers and double prayers for our beloved Myron!

It seems like just yesterday that I was sitting at the kitchen table with my brothers and sisters getting ready to go to school in the early 1970’s, listening to KDKA to see if (I hope I hope) my school was closed for the day because of snow. Myron would come on the radio and give his sports report and then sign off with... “This is Myron Cope, on sports!”

God Bless you Myron. ‘Tis a sad day for us. Tell Pops, Roberto and Iron Mike we miss them.

[mak5]

Hmmmm..Hah! Deck those Broncos, they’re just Yoncos! Give the Copanut tree a shake for Myron. An alum of my high school, my college, and as much a part of Steeler history as Terry Bradshaw, Franco Harris or any of the Super Steelers.