The Terrible Towel is an iconic symbol of the Pittsburgh Steelers and their fans. It was created by Myron Cope, a former sports broadcaster for the team, in 1975. The towel has been described as “arguably the most successful promotional tool in sports history.”
It is estimated that over three million Terrible Towels have been sold since its inception.
In 1975, the Pittsburgh Steelers introduced a new tradition – the “Terrible Towel.” The brainchild of then-steelers broadcaster Myron Cope, the Terrible Towel has become an iconic part of Pittsburgh sports culture, and is one of the most recognizable symbols in all of professional sports.
So where did this tradition start?
Contrary to popular belief, it didn’t start at Super Bowl X – despite what Mr. Cope may have said in jest during his broadcast. In reality, the first time the Terrible Towel was seen by the public was on October 30th, 1975, during a Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins.
The idea for the Terrible Towel came about when Cope was looking for a way to fire up the home crowd at Three Rivers Stadium.
He got his inspiration from a yellow rally towel that he had seen fans waving at Indianapolis 500 races. And so, with some help from local department store Kaufmann’s, 10,000 “Terrible Towels” were born.
Cope instructed fans to wave their towels whenever something good happened during the game – and boy, did they ever!
The Steelers went on to win that Monday night matchup 28-17, and “The terrible towel became an overnight sensation”, as Cope later said.
In subsequent years, the Terrible Towel has taken on a life of its own. It has been raised above stadiums around the world by famous Pittsburghers like Arnold Palmer and Andrew Carnegie; it has been flown on space shuttle missions; and it has even been used as a prop in Hollywood movies like Batman Forever and Transformers: Revenge of The Fallen.
But no matter where it goes or who waves it, one thing remains clear – when you see that gold and black twirling through the air…you know you’re in Pittsburgh!
When Did the Terrible Towel Start
The Terrible Towel is a rally towel associated with the Pittsburgh Steelers American football team. It was created by Myron Cope, a sports announcer for the team, in 1975. The towel has become a symbol of the Steelers and is waved by fans at their games.
It has been described as “arguably the best-known fan symbol of any professional sports franchise”.
Cope was inspired to create the Terrible Towel after attending a baseball game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Dodgers in which he saw fans waving towels. He wanted to create something that would unify Steelers fans, so he came up with the idea of a rally towel that could be waved at games.
He initially called it the “Terrible Towel” because the Steelers were not doing well at the time and he wanted to encourage them with a rallying cry. The towel became popular among Steelers fans and has since been described as an “instant success”.
The Terrible Towel has been called one of the most recognizable symbols in all of sports.
It has also been credited with helping to turn around the fortunes of the Steelers, who went on to win several Super Bowls after its introduction.
How Did the Terrible Towel Come to Be
The Terrible Towel is an iconic symbol of the Pittsburgh Steelers, one of the most popular and successful teams in the National Football League (NFL). The towel was created by Myron Cope, a sports broadcaster who was looking for a way to give fans a way to show their support for the team. Cope came up with the idea of a yellow towel that could be waved around during games, and he named it the “Terrible Towel.”
The Terrible Towel quickly became one of the most recognizable symbols in all of sports, and it remains an important part of Pittsburgh Steelers’ culture today. Every home game, thousands of fans wave their towels in support of their team. And when the Steelers win a big game or championship, fans often wave their towels in celebration.
Who Started the Terrible Towel
In 1970, the Pittsburgh Steelers were looking for a new promotional item to help bring fans into stadiums. Myron Cope, a sports broadcaster for the team, came up with the idea of a yellow towel that could be waved around by fans in the stands. The Terrible Towel was born.
The towels were an instant hit with fans and have become one of the most recognizable symbols of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Over 40 years later, they are still going strong and are now produced by a company called RTKnitwear.
Credit: www.nytimes.com
Conclusion
The Terrible Towel is a Pittsburgh Steelers fan tradition that started in 1975. Myron Cope, the longtime radio voice of the Steelers, came up with the idea as a way to generate excitement and unity among fans. The first Terrible Towels were hand-painted by local artist Vera Clemente, wife of late Pittsburgh Pirates great Roberto Clemente.
Since then, the yellow towels have become an iconic part of Steelers’ culture, waved proudly by fans at games and used to support various charitable causes.
