Local

Famed Three Rivers grounds man, Pittsburgh sport fanatic ‘Dirt' DiNardo dies

PITTSBURGH — Steven DiNardo, who was known to generations of Pittsburgh sports fans as "Dirt" DiNardo, died overnight at St. Clair Hospital.

DiNardo was famous for his baseball cap, large-framed glasses, and ever-present cigar. He was the steward for the members of Teamsters Local 250 that comprised the Three Rivers Stadium grounds crew.

DiNardo was also made famous by NFL Films, when Steelers Hall-of-Famer Joe Greene playfully chased him around the field.  He was friends with many of the pro-athletes from the 1960s and 1970s, as well as Steelers founder Art Rooney Sr.  He was also close with former Raiders coach and Hall-of-Famer John Madden.

DiNardo was a Pittsburgh original who became synonymous with the heyday of Pittsburgh sports that included the Steelers 1970s Super Bowls and the Pirates 1979 World Series team.  He was mentioned in Roy Blount Jr.'s bestselling book, "About Three Bricks Shy Of A Load," which profiled the pre-Super Bowl Steelers.

"Dirt" DiNardo would have been 83 years old on Saint Patrick's Day.