Chronicle: The Terrible Towel, Myron Cope and charity
A simple yellow cloth has become one of the most well-known rally towels in professional sports. For fans, the Terrible Towel represents not only the Steelers but also a direct connection to charity — something that reflects its creator’s intentions.
Myron Cope himself wasn’t much of an athlete, it seems. Tim Grealish of McMurray belonged to the same country club as Cope and remembers the Towel’s creator as “one of the worst golfers that has ever gone on any golf course anywhere in the world.”
Cope would wave the towel at opponents “to curse you, so you’ll swing and miss the golf ball," Grealish recalled. "And it didn’t work, by the way, because he was so bad.”
Despite the bad luck, it brought its inventor, the Towel has become a boon for Merakey Allegheny Valley School. Since 1996, when Cope transferred the Towel’s ownership, the school for people with disabilities has raised millions from the Towel’s sales.
Fans know that they are supporting two causes with their purchase of a Towel: The Steelers as well as Allegheny Valley’s mission.
“The fact that it goes to charity is just a great thing,” said Mt. Lebanon resident Luke Lombardo. “That shows it's more about the city, more about the town. It's not just about merchandise, it’s about community.”
“How many teams try to copy this?” said Rudy Faynor of West Mifflin. “There’s only one Terrible Towel.”
Learn more about what the Towel means for Steelers fans in the video player above.