Myron Cope, a distinctly Pittsburgh legend, passed away today. His unmistakable voice and unique vocabulary, and of course, his legendary invention The Terrible Towel, are as much a part of Pittsburgh Steelers tradition as is smash mouth football and devastating defense and bone crushing blitzes.
When I first moved to the Pittsburgh area and heard Myron for the first time, my initial thought was, “You’ve got to be kidding me…they let THAT voice on the air?”
But, ‘hum-hah’, it wasn’t long before I was turning down the sound on TV, and with the rest of the great Steeler Nation, listening to Myron Cope on the radio. A game wasn’t complete without Myron’s trademark “Yoi and double Yoi!”
From the Steelers web site:
Myron Cope, a hall of fame broadcaster who spent more than three decades as the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers, has died after battling various health issues in recent months. He was 79.
Mr. Cope served as a color analyst for the Pittsburgh Steelers for 35 years (1970-2004) and became the first pro football broadcaster to be elected to the National Radio Hall of Fame in 2005. Only two days prior to the announcement of his election to the National Radio Hall, Mr. Cope was presented the Pete Rozelle Radio and Television Award at the 2005 Pro Football Hall of Fame ceremonies in Canton, Ohio.
“Myron contributed so much to the Steelers and our fans over the years, that he cemented a place in broadcasting history that is reserved for only the best in the business,” said Steelers Chairman Dan Rooney.
Posted on February 27th, 2008 by Paul
Filed under: Football and Other Sports
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