Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1490816
F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 3 5 9 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M TRUE BLUE NFL great Franco Harris never forgot his Penn State roots H e was getting ready to step away from his computer on the morning of Dec. 21 when Penn State sports historian Lou Prato noticed a headline on one of the Pittsburgh news- paper websites he regularly visits. Franco Harris had died at age 72. It was shocking, saddening news. Harris was only days away from having his jersey retired by the Pittsburgh Steelers on the 50th anniversary of his most legendary moment, the Immacu- late Reception, a play in which he caught a deflected pass and raced into the end zone to beat the Oakland Raiders and touch off the Steelers' rise from perennial stragglers to four-time Su- per Bowl champions. Prato and Harris had become acquainted when the former Nittany Lion fullback emerged as one of Joe Paterno's most vigorous defenders amid the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky scandal. In the years that followed, they got to know each other better, crossing paths at football games, banquets and other Penn State gatherings. Harris' advocacy had helped Prato earn a place as an honorary member of the Penn State Football Letterman's Club. When the news broke of his passing, Prato teared up. "It was like a death in the family," he recalled. "That's how I felt about it. Tears came to my eyes." After gathering his thoughts, Prato sent an email to Harris' wife, Dana. "You may never read this," he wrote, "but I want to extend my deepest sympathy to you and your entire family." In the days that followed, Harris was celebrated far and wide for his many on-field accomplishments at Penn State and with the Steelers. He retired as the NFL's third-leading all-time rusher with 12,120 yards, compiling eight 1,000-yard seasons and winning Pro Bowl recognition nine times. Harris was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1990, and even more famous than his bust in Canton is the statue that greets passengers at the Pittsburgh International Airport. It depicts Harris scooping up Terry Bradshaw's de- flected pass in 1972, a pose that by now has surely been seen by millions of passengers. Prato, a western Pennsylvania native and lifelong Steelers fan, knew all about Harris' playing career, but he also knew another side of the NFL great. For a guy with his own statue, Harris was remarkably unassuming. "He was one of the nicest celebrities I've ever run into, and I've run into a lot of celebrities in my life," Prato said. "He had a nice, soft voice, and I never saw the man angry. I attended some of those trustees meetings when he would get up and complain [about the university's response to the scandal]. M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M Harris ran for 2,002 yards in his three seasons at Penn State and ranks 18th in school history in career rushing yards. PHOTO COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETICS