50 Years Of A Terrible Icon
- Andrei Ojeda
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
By now most of you have probably waved a rally towel or two. Rally towels are a common sight during games with high significance and especially throughout post season games. Some fans who have a collection of rally towels will even have a story behind certain ones. But perhaps the most recognizable rally towel to sports fans around the world is one that is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. The Terrible Towel.
The 50th anniversary Terrible Towel is available for purchase and is guaranteed to sell fast. Born 50 years ago on December 27th, 1975, longtime Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope was the mastermind behind this “terrible” phenomenon.
“I said, what we need is something that everybody already has, so it doesn't cost a dime. So I says, 'We'll urge people to bring out to the game gold or black towels,' then I'll tell people if you don't have a yellow, black or gold towel, buy one. And if you don't want to buy one, dye one. We'll call this the Terrible Towel.”.
“The Terrible Towel is not an instrument of witchcraft. It is not a hex on the enemy. The towel is a positive force that lifts the Steelers to magnificent heights and poses mysterious difficulties for the Steelers' opponents only if need be.
'Many have told me the Terrible Towel brought them good fortune, but I can't guarantee that sort of thing because the Steelers, after all, are the Towels' primary concern.
'Still, at the least, the symbol of the Terrible Towel will serve as a memento of your having been a part of the Steelers Dynasty and if it causes good things to happen to you, so much the better.' “ Myron Cope.
With the Steelers large worldwide following, fans have not also been known to bring their Terrible Towels to see their Steel City heroes on the road but on international vacations as well, posing in front of landmarks such as the Great Wall or the Eiffel Towel with their beloved gold rag.
As the NFL season approaches its final weekend, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be on the national stage on Sunday night as they take on their bitter division rival Baltimore Ravens in the final NFL regular season game of the year at Acrisure Stadium with the winner taking the AFC Central crown and the loser looking to 2026. With all that’s at stake, you already know 65,000 plus fans will have those terrible gold colored keepsakes twirling. Some of those towels may actually be 50 years old!
For more on this terrible icon, check out below A Steelers Story: The Terrible Towel.
Comments