48 years ago today. Pitt Stadium. The Backyard Brawl. I was there. Were you?

[JoseLind13]

before my birth.

My user namesake Chico Lind (the baseball player that retired from MLB 23 years ago) was a 6 year old playing tee ball at that time.

 

[Delpanther]

My parents were in elementary school, so no.

Explains why you're so clueless about Pitt FB and Pitt athletics generally..

 

[DC_Area_Panther]

I was at the game. It was my first year of grad school. My roommates left at halftime. When I got back to our apartment the guys couldn't believe we had won.

It was the "last hurrah" for the seniors who were part of Dave Hart's first and only really good recruiting class. In those days freshmen couldn't play varsity football so there was a freshman team that played a 4 game schedule. Three years earlier, the Havern, Pilconis, et al. freshman team played the WVU, PSU, Ohio State and ND freshmen teams. I believe they beat the WVU freshmen easily at Ambridge HS stadium and I watched them lose to the ND freshmen (QB'd by Joe Theisman) 15-18 on a snowy night at Forbes Field. I don't recall the scores vs PSU and Ohio State freshmen (road games?) but I believe they lost both those games.

 

[wbrpanther]

Rumor had it the WVU fans were outside the WVU locker room, trying to storm it as if a scene from the French Revolution

True story. They are wanted to hang Bowden. And they haven’t gotten any more civilized since then.

 

[wbrpanther]

Explains why you're so clueless about Pitt FB and Pitt athletics generally..

LOL. Del, you’re too much.

 

[jtownknowitall]

October 17 is a great day in Pittsburgh sports history.

47 years ago the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series.

39 years ago the Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Baltimore Orioles to win the World Series.

 

[4Mark_Marty]

My girlfriend (now wife) was a student at Pitt (I at Penn State) and we went to the PItt/WVU game at PItt Stadium. Pitt trailed 35-8 at the half and she, not being much of a football fan, wanted to leave. I said let's just watch a bit of the 2nd half. We'll leave as soon as WVU scores again. They never did. Pitt scored 28 unanswered points and won 36-35 in one of the greatest games I have ever seen.

I was 1.

 

[SoufOaklin4Life]

Explains why you're so clueless about Pitt FB and Pitt athletics generally..

Yes ,
My apologies for being 40

Fortunately- it seems like experience and age doesn’t add sense

 

[wmpitt]

I was 11 years old watching the game with my grandfather high up in section 18. He wanted to leave at half time, tired of seeing all the loses Pitt had endured the previous 5-6 years. I can still remember telling him Pitt would come back after halftime and can still see his face when Pitt scored the last touchdown.
If I remember, Pitt gave a small cow bell out with a sticker on them that said Hail to Pitt 1970. Wish I still had one...

 

[ChooChoo Panther]

I was there with wife and another couple. It was a year after we graduated from Pitt. Same thing, decided to watch start of 2nd half before leaving. Glad we stayed for entire game.

Yes, 3 of our 4 years were Dave Hart won 1 game per year!

 

[BFo8]

These two teams had a near repeat 19 years later when Pitt was able to overcome a 31-9 fourth quarter deficit to salvage a 31-31 tie in Morgantown. That one a hell of a game as well.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

These two teams had a near repeat 19 years later when Pitt was able to overcome a 31-9 fourth quarter deficit to salvage a 31-31 tie in Morgantown. That one a hell of a game as well.

I was at that one.

We were posting over the weekend about coaches not understanding when to go for two and when to just kick the point, and that game is a perfect example of a coach screwing that up. Pitt was down 22 and scored three touchdowns and a field goal and instead of winning the game all it got them was a tie because Mike Gottfried didn't understand that when you are down 22 and you score a touchdown you never, ever go for two.

 

[Saboteur]

I was not there but vividly recall the score and story being shared on whatever college football scoreboard show.....truncated and frilless as they were then. Just the score shown and some commentary on the big comeback.
I was 10.

 

[BFo8]

I was at that one.

We were posting over the weekend about coaches not understanding when to go for two and when to just kick the point, and that game is a perfect example of a coach screwing that up. Pitt was down 22 and scored three touchdowns and a field goal and instead of winning the game all it got them was a tie because Mike Gottfried didn't understand that when you are down 22 and you score a touchdown you never, ever go for two.

I had forgotten about that.

After Van Pelt threw his 3rd or 4th INT late in the third quarter I remember turning off the tv for a while because I just couldn’t take it anymore, so I missed the start of the comeback.

That was in the days when you would see coaches screw that up quite a bit, which looking back is pretty remarkable since most of it is just basic math.

 

[thom67]

I was there. I left at half time!

 

[mike412]

I was in Vietnam. Listened to the game on Armed Services Radio. I think it started at 0300 there. I don’t know why I got up to listen to it and why I didn’t turn it off and go back to sleep at halftime, but I kept listening.

I had graduated from Pitt in 1968, and knew Havern from when he was a QB on the freshman team. The touted QB on that team had been Don Pasqualic from Ohio, but he transferred from Pitt in his sophomore year. Havern started the final freshman game against Notre Dame at Forbes Field and almost engineered a great comeback win against a ND freshman team led by Joe Thiesman.

After Pitt scores two quick TDs to make it 35-24, it got interesting. Denny Ferris had a great game running the FB and Havern managed the game beautifully in the 2nd Half.

One interesting bit of Trivia: Under Dave Hart, Pitt only won 1 game each year he was the Head Coach. We beat West Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and William & Mary. If Hart could have scheduled 10 schools starting with a W, we might have gone 10-0.

 

[California Panther]

Yes, 3 of our 4 years were Dave Hart won 1 game per year!

Seems like there are quite a few of us from the Dave Hart era on the board.

 

[paulbl99]

My wife and I, students then, were there. Being a die-hard fan, I never leave games early. Paid off at this game.

Davy Haven! Bill Pilconis!

Go Pitt!

White Shoes Dave Havern...First Pitt player who wore them if remembering correctly..copied Joe Willie lol.

loved his style he was a pretty damn good player on shitty teams....teams handcuffed by the Eggheads and the remarkable Ath Dept dead wood at Pitt.

 

[NC Panther]

I was there as well - begged my dad not to leave at halftime and it worked.
We were in the end-zone opposite the scoreboard where we scored the final TD.

That game and when we beat Georgia 27-3 for the NC were the wildest, greatest two days in Pitt FB history for me.

 

[Delpanther]

LOL. Del, you’re too much.

Gotta buy you a drink one of these days, wbr!

 

[fairgambit]

Seems like there are quite of us from the Dave Hart era on the board.

Since it was 48 years ago I am surprised at how many were actually at the game. I've counted 18 so far.

 

[goalieman]

Since it was 48 years ago I am surprised at how many were actually at the game. I've counted 18 so far.

Attendance for that game was 44,479.

 

[drp1tt]

My girlfriend (now wife) was a student at Pitt (I at Penn State) and we went to the PItt/WVU game at PItt Stadium. Pitt trailed 35-8 at the half and she, not being much of a football fan, wanted to leave. I said let's just watch a bit of the 2nd half. We'll leave as soon as WVU scores again. They never did. Pitt scored 28 unanswered points and won 36-35 in one of the greatest games I have ever seen.

I was there with my dad. I was so mad at the half that I told him I was leaving and going home. I wasn’t driving yet. We lived in Erie. Lol. I watched the 2nd half by myself at the top of the steps. We still laugh about that and is a memory I will never forget.

 

[Delpanther]

Seems like there are quite of us from the Dave Hart era on the board.

DePasqua was the coach the...I believe it was his second year.

 

[paulbl99]

DePasqua was the coach the...I believe it was his second year.

They called him DePizza , had a joint lol....hopefully it was better than his teams.

 

[FreeportPanther]

I was in Vietnam. Listened to the game on Armed Services Radio. I think it started at 0300 there. I don’t know why I got up to listen to it and why I didn’t turn it off and go back to sleep at halftime, but I kept listening.

I had graduated from Pitt in 1968, and knew Havern from when he was a QB on the freshman team. The touted QB on that team had been Don Pasqualic from Ohio, but he transferred from Pitt in his sophomore year. Havern started the final freshman game against Notre Dame at Forbes Field and almost engineered a great comeback win against a ND freshman team led by Joe Thiesman.

After Pitt scores two quick TDs to make it 35-24, it got interesting. Denny Ferris had a great game running the FB and Havern managed the game beautifully in the 2nd Half.

One interesting bit of Trivia: Under Dave Hart, Pitt only won 1 game each year he was the Head Coach. We beat West Virginia, Wisconsin and William & Mary. If Hart could have scheduled 10 schools starting with a W, we might have gone 10-0.

One of the guys shown catching a crucial pass in those highlights is Joel Klimek, the TE. One of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet, he came back to Pitt after his service in Viet Nam.

He was a member of a mortar crew. Said when he first got there, he had to carry the base plate of the mortar because he was the junior guy and it was the heaviest piece. Wasn't long before he was carrying the sight, because his seniority had increased quickly and it was the lightest part.

Used to see him shaving, and he looked like he had pimples on his chest and shoulders, but they were actually pieces of shrapnel bealing out of his skin! He was from anthracite country in Eastern PA, and had a cup of coffee in the NFL, with the Patriots, I believe.

Joel roomed with "The Drooper", Doug Ginden, who also is seen in those highlights. Ginden had made a nice acrobatic catch in the UCLA game where Pitt won on the coast, and had his picture in newspapers throughout the country. Good hands, tall, but timed with a sundial. From Downingtown, PA.

Quite a crew! Those were the days.

 

[FreeportPanther]

They called him DePizza , had a joint lol....hopefully it was better than his teams.

This year was his high water mark at 5-5. Had them ranked 15 at one point, but then Oklahoma came to town with their new fangled wishbone offense.

No one had ever seen anything like it, they faked the dive into the line, 11 Pitt players bit on it, and the crowd went nuts at the stop.....only to see the Oklahoma RB, Washington, I believe, jogging by himself with the ball down the right sideline for the first of many TD's.

DePasqua was so impressed with the thumping, he tried to institute the offense here. Problem was, it didn't work with W. PA lumbering players. Back then, our RB's were caught from behind downfield by defensive tackles!

 

[upj87]

I was in Vietnam. Listened to the game on Armed Services Radio. I think it started at 0300 there. I don’t know why I got up to listen to it and why I didn’t turn it off and go back to sleep at halftime, but I kept listening.

I had graduated from Pitt in 1968, and knew Havern from when he was a QB on the freshman team. The touted QB on that team had been Don Pasqualic from Ohio, but he transferred from Pitt in his sophomore year. Havern started the final freshman game against Notre Dame at Forbes Field and almost engineered a great comeback win against a ND freshman team led by Joe Thiesman.

After Pitt scores two quick TDs to make it 35-24, it got interesting. Denny Ferris had a great game running the FB and Havern managed the game beautifully in the 2nd Half.

One interesting bit of Trivia: Under Dave Hart, Pitt only won 1 game each year he was the Head Coach. We beat West Virginia, Wisconsin and William & Mary. If Hart could have scheduled 10 schools starting with a W, we might have gone 10-0.

what was it like hearing Adrian Cronauer belt out "loose football"?

 

[Black_Man_Panther]

Explains why you're so clueless about Pitt FB and Pitt athletics generally..

Yeah. Gotta feel sorry for anyone too young to see Dorsett, Marino, Green or even Ironhead. Also explains the inflammatory negativity. They know nothing else.

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

Yeah. Gotta feel sorry for anyone too young to see Dorsett, Marino, Green or even Ironhead. Also explains the inflammatory negativity. They know nothing else.

yeah but they did see Larry Fitz, Dion Lewis, James Conner, Shady & Aaron Donald. Star power isn't our problem. Depth and being weak at other key positions is (name the last dominant linebackers since Blades & Session. McKillop? That's about it)

 

[Slick Manager of Champs]

And you being there explains why you're so unrealistic and clueless about Pitt's place in the college athletics landscape in 2018.

The Aaron Hernandez series currently being run by the Boston Globe gives a pretty good depiction of what it takes to make the playoffs these days. Urban Meyer is about as low as they get. Also hiring a head coach with baggage from a sex assault when your program is coming off a major sex abuse scandal is another indication of what it takes to win big.

 

[recruitsreadtheseboards]

Seems like there are quite of us from the Dave Hart era on the board.

That's kind of scary if you think of it. It shows the avid Pitt fans ages, and how we have lost generations of fans.

 

[fairgambit]

That's kind of scary if you think of it. It shows the avid Pitt fans ages, and how we have lost generations of fans.

Or it may be that fans of that era, many retired, have more time to spend on a message board.

 

[wbrpanther]

I was in Vietnam. Listened to the game on Armed Services Radio. I think it started at 0300 there. I don’t know why I got up to listen to it and why I didn’t turn it off and go back to sleep at halftime, but I kept listening.

I had graduated from Pitt in 1968, and knew Havern from when he was a QB on the freshman team. The touted QB on that team had been Don Pasqualic from Ohio, but he transferred from Pitt in his sophomore year. Havern started the final freshman game against Notre Dame at Forbes Field and almost engineered a great comeback win against a ND freshman team led by Joe Thiesman.

After Pitt scores two quick TDs to make it 35-24, it got interesting. Denny Ferris had a great game running the FB and Havern managed the game beautifully in the 2nd Half.

One interesting bit of Trivia: Under Dave Hart, Pitt only won 1 game each year he was the Head Coach. We beat West Virginia, Wisconsin and William & Mary. If Hart could have scheduled 10 schools starting with a W, we might have gone 10-0.

You gotta remember though. We beat William and Mary but William didn't show up.

 

[wbrpanther]

I watched the video and the score was 35-30 before Pitt scored their last td....no biggie, just wondering. long time ago.

If I remember correctly their 4th TD made it 35-28 and thru some kind of mix up they went for 2 and made it. I think Havern hit TE Joel Klimek for the 2 point conversion. Joel was a Viet Nam vet from the little town of Seanor just outside of Windber.

 

[wbrpanther]

No, just that terrible rock music that all the kids listened to - and at too loud a volume.

Yeah. That "terrible" stuff is still popular today, 50 years later.

 

[upj87]

If I remember correctly their 4th TD made it 35-28 and thru some kind of mix up they went for 2 and made it. I think Havern hit TE Joel Klimek for the 2 point conversion. Joel was a Viet Nam vet from the little town of Seanor just outside of Windber.

nope. listen to the game call with links posted...it was 35-30 when Pitt scored the go ahead td and there is also a point where Pitt had 24 via the narrator...also, it that had been the case (35-28) it seems there have would have been a bit more lore (from the 365,000 now known to have been in attendance) about Pitt going for a win and not a tie...

 

[wbrpanther]

Gotta buy you a drink one of these days, wbr!

I bet we could drum up some good conversation.

 

[wbrpanther]

nope. listen to the game call with links posted...it was 35-30 when Pitt scored the go ahead td and there is also a point where Pitt had 24 via the narrator...also, it that had been the case (35-28) it seems there have would have been a bit more lore (from the 365,000 now known to have been in attendance) about Pitt going for a win and not a tie...

Yep. Just watched the video. Klimek caught the 2 point conversion after the first td. Watching that brought back great memories. Four long drives. 4th down conversions. Havern to Pilconis. Then pandemonium. I'm in that post game crowd somewhere. Actually got chillbumps watching that.

 

[fairgambit]

nope. listen to the game call with links posted...it was 35-30 when Pitt scored the go ahead td and there is also a point where Pitt had 24 via the narrator...also, it that had been the case (35-28) it seems there have would have been a bit more lore (from the 365,000 now known to have been in attendance) about Pitt going for a win and not a tie...

Pitt went for 2 on their 1st 3 TD's, so they had 8, then 16, then 24. When they got to 30, they went for 2 and missed. Then, when they scored to make it 36, they went for 2 and missed again.