it blows my mind that that’s my family!!!! al vento was my uncle.. i had the honor of meeting franco at my uncle al’s funeral and he was the sweetest guy ever. he asked me for a picture! he asked me! may he rest in peace with uncle al and tony ❤
Emmalee, I went to Peabody and knew your uncle Al Vento since the beginning of time. And I knew Franco and even drove him to work a couple of times in 1972. They were both wonderful men who loved life and loved people. Both were kind, humble, and giving of their time and efforts to make Pittsburgh and the world a better place.❤
A little piece of every Pittsburgher died today with the passing of the late great Franco. We miss you already. Now go and carry the ball with the great Steelers already in Heaven. Coach Noll will be there to supervise. Rip champ
Absolutely I walked into work that day living in Florida and my boss who is also from Pittsburgh said to me that Franco Harris died I was shocked and said you care if I go home for the day and he was like go ahead man no problem and I got in my car and cried it felt like a diamond fell off the Steelers Logo that day
Once you heard that voice, it was very hard to forget. I lived there and listened to this man in the mid 80's to the late 80's and always paid attention. Didn't always agree, but he was one of a kind and unforgettable no doubt about it. A true character and knowledgeable person, like him or not. They just don't make them like that any more....
This is an amazing example of back when players on a team and the city had a connection. They were part of their city and it's people. There was a much more close relationship than today. Seems like it would've been so much more fun to be a fan in those days. Look at Franco with those men at the end. It's hard to imagine a lot of the stars of any sport today being that appreciative and having that kind of lasting bond with a group of fans. They really cared for one another. Beautiful stuff.
Yes, indeed. That's because it wasn't a revolving door of free agency back then. The local fans could rally behind players who stuck around there their whole career, the teams all had a nucleus of star players. Pittsburgh had Bradshaw, Harris, Swan, Stallworth! 4 Super Bowl titles followed...blue collar Pittsburgh fans were thrilled! A sense of family, community, togetherness with such teams. Plus the cute "Franco's Army" nickname and army/Italian customs incorporated....just brilliant fun! I love their superstitions too!
It still happens. Big Ben commented on his connection with Pittsburgh and the people throughout his entire career. Hines Ward, Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Ike Taylor, Ryan Clark, Jerome Bettis and the list goes on. They all spoke of having that connection. It’s not exclusive to the 70’s.
Steeler fans embraced Franco, and Franco has loved the city right back. His support for community efforts and charities is legendary. He's an Army brat who loves to upgrade young soldiers on his flights. He attends countless charity events. He uses his fame and his platform to brighten peoples' lives and make the world a better place. I first met him in 1972 and assure you he is the real deal.
RIP Franco! I remember so vividly experiencing the "immaculate reception"!! As an innocent ten year old boy, I cheered for what just happened on my family's color Zenith TV!! I could not believe what just transpired, but my childhood hero saved the day!! My pee wee football team wore the Steeler colors proudly and I would eventually wear #32, so this loss hits me square in the chest... Also, being of Italian heritage, I remember Franco's Italian Army which was popular among we paisons! Thanks for the upload of this video! ... and thank you, Mr. Harris, for all the great memories taking me back to my youth! May you rest in eternal peace!!
I live in NY, not a Steelers fan, but I heard about and knew of Franco's Italian Army. If you really followed football in the 1970s, you had to have heard about this.
Franco Harris was a great athlete, a great person not only on the but off the field as well, he had a huge heart and really cared about people, he will be missed, thanks for the memories Franco Harris rest easy!
I'm from Pittsburgh area all my life,but was too young to remember a lot of this,I first watched the Steelers play in Super Bowl 13 against Dallas when I was 9
FYI, I don't know why but they're called hypocycloids! They represent the three materials that produce steel! Yellow for coal, orange for iron ore, and blue for steel scrap!
I met the great Franco once at a party in San Diego, maybe 2002 or 2003. No shit, he was as nice of a guy as i have ever met. I am certain he doesn’t remember it, but my wife and I will never forget it. God Bless Franco.
I'm a Cleveland Browns fan and I'm truly sorry for Franco Harris' family loss. That play really does seem like the catalyst that changed the momentum for the Steeler franchise. Most amazing play in NFL history. Good luck the rest of the way to make the playoffs in 2022! Beat the Raiders. Merry Christmas!
I remember riding the Pat Bus back then to and from work, and Franco's Italian army was plastered everywhere, Franco was the most popular person in the whole of Pittsburgh in those days, even non football fans knew of Franco Harris! Even today Franco is still in the Pittsburgh Public eye!
I was born in 99 but my dad made sure Franco was the first steeler I knew, idk why cuz I never even watched him play live but this news is hitting hard as a Steeler fan
Outside of Pitt, few people are aware how much Italian influence is in southwestern Pennsylvania. Look at a phone book and observe how many names ending in a vowel!
I watched a documentary about Franco, he said that his mother didn't watch football but before the immaculate reception play she put on her record player ave maria my guess is to ask the Blessed Mother for a Merical. From what transpired I think the Blessed Mother answered Franco's moms payer.
It brings back good memories of an era of when the steel industry was the main employer, Chuck Noll's coaching style, and Franco's Italian Army at every home game.
There will never be another Franco Harris. Guy achieved a level of fame and could've chosen to live a Hollywood style life but stayed in the city in which he had an incredible bond and dedicated his life to making other people's lives brighter in so many ways. The stories of him working with charities, giving his time and resources to others, being a mentor to young people, young players, ambassador for the Steelers, Pittsburgh, etc, and most of all a friend... Those stories are literally endless. Guy just projected warmth and good will. JT Thomas was interviewed the other day and said "If you want to know who your friends are, look at who's around when you're in that place called nowhere. That's your friend, that's Franco." RIP.
Just like the last soldier passing from the Grand Army of the Republic, so too does one of the last - and greatest - from Franco's Italian Army. Godspeed General Harris.
I'm sad to announce that Franco had past away I'm Italian and from Pittsburgh I grew up back there ,Franco was a hero to us all I'm glad I got to meet him ,this is really sad 50 yrs ago he made the catch and just died on the eve of the immaculate reception even more now it was Devine intervention that Franco made the catch
Now a days, if you snuck wine into Heinz field or any other field for that matter, the police would swoop in with a helicopter and put you in jail for 10 to 20 years..
God Bless Franco, God Bless Vento's, God Bless Franco's Italian Army and God Bless Pittsburgh the most creative and loving city in the country, in the world.
If you weren't around in those days, there's just no way to describe it. Not only were the Steelers the greatest team of all time, they had real personality and swagger. The players were all easy to like and the games were fun to watch because you just knew they were going to win. RIP Franco!
I was 8 years old when Franco Harris caught that ball and put Pittsburg on the map he will be missed thank you for 13 years in the game God bless you and your family thank you for memories go Steelers
I was a kid during the 70s and was a rams fan in California. Back then we only saw certain teams on tv on a weekly basis...cowboys, raiders, dolphins, rams and steelers. Franco and the steelers were a team I enjoyed mostly because they beat the cowboys who I despise. This story is emotional because we will never have that era in the nfl again and because franco is now gone as well as the Army. Such a special time and I'm so glad I got to see it.
What a season and what memories. I'm not from Pittsburgh but I shared their joy. I was so sick of the Dallas Cowboys always being in it so when the Steelers came to prominence it was most welcome. Although they lost to Miami a week after the Immaculate Reception and would be eliminated in 1973 as well, it opened the door to greatness. The great Myron Cope passed away about five years after this originally aired at age 79.
@@gnranger Actually I did appreciate the historical connotation to Franco, that is of course the Generalissimo. Just offended by the implication, that's all. No big deal really.
I was 7 years old in 72 lived in Penn Hills n I still remember it that's when the steel mills were still running n we would drive into Pittsburgh on Sundays for church I was like ma what is that horrible smell she said Mike that's the steel mills n I loved it because I would also see all the traffic going to the football game n I would constantly bug my parents when in church when is church gonna end I wanna see the Steelers game n pops was a pastor I was so pissed 😂 lol man those were good times being that young n just getting into football n me n my 1st grade buddies got our Steelers hats wouldn't trade it for the world live in DC now since 88 but don't miss the hills of Pittsburgh lol God bless everyone.
That part at the end, if that doesn't tug on the heartstrings.... I mean, growing old/older and still having a connection like that...... RIP Mr. Harris!
Kind of wild that this video might secretly solve the Immaculate Reception with that angle of the hit from the Pittsburgh sideline. Looks like the ball bounced off Tatum’s chest pads, right above his number, and didn’t touch Fuqua at all. The spin of the ball doesn’t change after it hits Tatum.
Just curious I was born in mid 60s, in NYC suburbs. I didn’t know about Franco’s Italian Army from Pittsburgh. I did know about Franco being half-Italian. (from a documentary from the 1990s) - My neighbors were mixed race marriage, & had twins in 1969. I didn’t know (also until the 1990s) that interracial marriage was not allowed in the USA until ~1967. - Franco being born in 1950, was there any any negative comments about this back in the early 1970s?
