44 years ago, the iconic Terrible Towel was invented

PITTSBURGH — One of the most iconic items in sports today, the Terrible Towel was born 44 years ago on Dec. 27, 1975 by Myron Cope while working as sportscaster at a local radio station.

Officials with the Steelers said the account was chronicled in the late Cope’s book, “Double Yoi!”

You can customize your WPXI News App to receive alerts for sports news. CLICK HERE to find out how.

Cope, an icon himself in local sports history, wrote he was called into the station general manager’s office and was told he had better come up with some sort of gimmick. He only had a few months left on his contract.

Nearing kickoff for the next game on a rainy, cold day, Cope wrote, tens of thousands of Terrible Towels were waving in the air around the stadium and the legend of the towel was born.

Today, the Terrible Towel can be found in the standard gold with black lettering, in a camouflage edition, in special editions for various holidays, in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness, as a full-length beach towel and printed in various languages. It’s been taken to the peak of Mount Everest and blasted into space to the International Space Station.

A look at Pittsburgh Steelers History A look at Pittsburgh Steelers History

© 2019 Cox Media Group