Today in Wheeling History: August 25--Arthur J. Rooney Sr., who once played for and managed the Wheeling Stogies baseball team in 1925, leading the Middle Atlantic League in several categories, died in Pittsburgh at age 87, ending his tenure as the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential figures in NFL history. (1988)
Arthur Joseph Rooney Sr., born January 27, 1901, in Coulterville, Pennsylvania, was the eldest of nine children of Irish Catholic immigrants. In 1913, his family moved to Pittsburgh's North Side, where Rooney spent most of his life.
Rooney excelled in sports from a young age, particularly in baseball, football, and boxing. He attended St. Peter's Catholic School, Duquesne University Prep School, and briefly studied at Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Georgetown University.
Rooney's connection to Wheeling, West Virginia, was significant in his early sports career. In 1925, at age 24, he played for and managed the Wheeling Stogies, a minor league baseball team in the Middle Atlantic League. During this season, Rooney led the league in games, hits, runs, and stolen bases, finishing second in batting average. His brother Dan, who played catcher for the team, finished third in batting average. This experience in Wheeling helped solidify Rooney's reputation as a talented athlete and leader in sports.
On July 8, 1933, Rooney paid a $2,500 franchise fee to found the Pittsburgh Pirates NFL team, later renamed the Steelers in 1940. The team struggled initially, not achieving a winning season until 1942.
Parallel to his public sports career, FBI documents reveal Rooney was involved in various illegal activities from the 1920s through the 1940s, including numbers operations, illegal brewing during Prohibition, gambling, and slot machines. He was referred to as the "slot machine king of Allegheny County" in the 1940s.
Rooney married Kathleen McNulty on June 11, 1931. They had five sons: Dan, Art Jr., Timothy, Patrick, and John.
The Steelers' fortunes changed in 1969 when Rooney hired coach Chuck Noll. Under Noll, the team won four Super Bowls in the 1970s (IX, X, XIII, XIV).
Beyond football, Rooney acquired Yonkers Raceway in 1972 and owned other racetracks. He was also briefly a part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team in the late 1960s.
Rooney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964. He stepped back from day-to-day operations in 1975, passing control to his son Dan, but remained Chairman of the Board.
Known for his integrity in sports ownership, Rooney was popular among NFL owners as a mediator. He was the only owner to vote against moving a franchise to Dallas in 1951 due to concerns about racism.
Art Rooney Sr. passed away on August 25, 1988, in Pittsburgh at age 87, from complications of a stroke. He is buried at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
Rooney's legacy includes the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in the NFL, established in 2014, and a statue outside Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium). He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in NFL history, known for his perseverance through the Steelers' difficult early years and the team's eventual rise to prominence under his ownership.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/exQHh) (https://shorturl.at/w7J85) (https://shorturl.at/oQGwj) (https://shorturl.at/uKHHN) (https://shorturl.at/AV1Xt) (http://alturl.com/bdmyh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; explorePAhistory.com
Arthur Joseph Rooney Sr., born January 27, 1901, in Coulterville, Pennsylvania, was the eldest of nine children of Irish Catholic immigrants. In 1913, his family moved to Pittsburgh's North Side, where Rooney spent most of his life.
Rooney excelled in sports from a young age, particularly in baseball, football, and boxing. He attended St. Peter's Catholic School, Duquesne University Prep School, and briefly studied at Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania) and Georgetown University.
Rooney's connection to Wheeling, West Virginia, was significant in his early sports career. In 1925, at age 24, he played for and managed the Wheeling Stogies, a minor league baseball team in the Middle Atlantic League. During this season, Rooney led the league in games, hits, runs, and stolen bases, finishing second in batting average. His brother Dan, who played catcher for the team, finished third in batting average. This experience in Wheeling helped solidify Rooney's reputation as a talented athlete and leader in sports.
On July 8, 1933, Rooney paid a $2,500 franchise fee to found the Pittsburgh Pirates NFL team, later renamed the Steelers in 1940. The team struggled initially, not achieving a winning season until 1942.
Parallel to his public sports career, FBI documents reveal Rooney was involved in various illegal activities from the 1920s through the 1940s, including numbers operations, illegal brewing during Prohibition, gambling, and slot machines. He was referred to as the "slot machine king of Allegheny County" in the 1940s.
Rooney married Kathleen McNulty on June 11, 1931. They had five sons: Dan, Art Jr., Timothy, Patrick, and John.
The Steelers' fortunes changed in 1969 when Rooney hired coach Chuck Noll. Under Noll, the team won four Super Bowls in the 1970s (IX, X, XIII, XIV).
Beyond football, Rooney acquired Yonkers Raceway in 1972 and owned other racetracks. He was also briefly a part-owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team in the late 1960s.
Rooney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964. He stepped back from day-to-day operations in 1975, passing control to his son Dan, but remained Chairman of the Board.
Known for his integrity in sports ownership, Rooney was popular among NFL owners as a mediator. He was the only owner to vote against moving a franchise to Dallas in 1951 due to concerns about racism.
Art Rooney Sr. passed away on August 25, 1988, in Pittsburgh at age 87, from complications of a stroke. He is buried at Christ Our Redeemer Catholic Cemetery in Pittsburgh.
Rooney's legacy includes the Art Rooney Award for sportsmanship in the NFL, established in 2014, and a statue outside Heinz Field (now Acrisure Stadium). He is remembered as one of the most influential figures in NFL history, known for his perseverance through the Steelers' difficult early years and the team's eventual rise to prominence under his ownership.
To learn more: (https://shorturl.at/exQHh) (https://shorturl.at/w7J85) (https://shorturl.at/oQGwj) (https://shorturl.at/uKHHN) (https://shorturl.at/AV1Xt) (http://alturl.com/bdmyh)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; explorePAhistory.com
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