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by David Finoli (Author), Tom Rooney (Author)
Celebrate fifty defining moments in Pennsylvania sports history.
Few states in the nation can boast as vibrant and fascinating a sports heritage as Pennsylvania. With the Immaculate Reception, Franco Harris transformed a struggling Steelers franchise into a legendary one. On the other side of the state, the Philadelphia Flyers once struck a symbolic blow during the Cold War by overwhelming CSKA Moscow. The origins of pro football possibly lie in Greensburg, and an NFL title was "stolen" in Pottsville. The greatest college football team no one's ever heard of hails from Carlisle, and college football's oldest rivalry still rages between Lafayette and Lehigh. The most dominant performance ever in professional basketball took place in Hershey, where the great Wilt Chamberlain poured in one hundred points in a single game.
Historians David Finoli and Tom Rooney bring these stories--and many more--to life in this thrilling ride through all things sports in the Keystone State.
Author Biography
Having grown up in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, David Finoli is a passionate fan of Western Pennsylvania sports, which has been the subject of most of the books he has produced. A graduate of the Duquesne University School of Journalism, where he is featured on the Wall of Fame in Duquesne's journalism and multimedia department, Finoli has penned 47 books highlighting the stories of the great franchises in this area, such as the Pirates, Penguins, Steelers, Duquesne basketball and Pitt football, to name a few. His books are featured on his website www.21-66books.com and have won several honors.
Winner of Pittsburgh Magazine's Best of the 'Burgh local author award for 2018, Finoli lives in Monroeville, Pennsylvania, with his wife, Vivian. He also has three children, Tony, Matt and Cara; a daughter-in-law, Susan; a son-in-law, Andrew; and four grandchildren, River, Emmy, Ellie and Rocco.
This is Tom Rooney's 10th collaboration with David Finoli and books about Western Pennsylvania sports history. Rooney is completing his 50th year in the sports and entertainment business, first marketing and then running teams and venues. He started his career in marketing at The Meadows Racetrack outside of Pittsburgh. Then a decade with the Edward J DeBartolo Corporation, officing at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena where he rose to executive director in charge of booking events and simultaneously marketing the Pittsburgh Penguins and their other indoor soccer and football franchises. Then a decade in the 1990s eventually as President of Pace Facilities Group based in Houston, TX where was in charge of launching music venues domestically and in London. Back to Pittsburgh as President of Lemieux Group which owned the Penguins and the in 2003 starting his own company, The Rooney Sports & Entertainment Group which does feasibility work on new venue startups. He also works on sports related nonprofits such as the Chuck Cooper Foundation and the Josh Gibson Foundation. "This is my 10th book with David but my favorite because I was able to write in the first person. More like the memoir I will never do. A lot of fun," Rooney said.
