Art Rooney Sr.

Steelers founding owner and chairman (1933-88) Art Rooney was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1964.

'I DIDN'T LIKE LOSING GAMES AND I DIDN'T LIKE LOSING MONEY. BUT I'LL TELL YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART: WHATEVER I LOST IN MONEY I WAS LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO LOSE IT. I'D PAY TO LOSE IT...¦TO KEEP IN THIS GAME. I LOVE IT THAT MUCH.'

'Having a piece of the Pro Football Hall of Fame come back to Pittsburgh is a special occasion and something my grandfather would have been very proud of,' said Rooney II. 'To be able to be in the same shoes he filled a long time ago and be here today to represent him is very special and an honor I cherish.'

Arthur Joseph Rooney Sr. (January 27, 1901 - August 25, 1988) was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise in the National Football League. Rooney began his life and career as a marginal player in the history of Pittsburgh, but by the time of his death, he was one the city's most beloved residents.

Art Rooney Sr. was one of the most beloved individuals ever in sports.

Art Rooney was always an exceptional athlete and he held middleweight and welterweight titles from the AAU Boxing Championships and he was also named to the U.S. Olympic Boxing Team in 1920, however he did not participate He played major league baseball, but was unable to continue after an injury to his arm. He also played semi-pro football in the Pittsburgh area. Art Rooney and his wife, Kathleen McNulty, were married on June 11, 1931, and they had five sons; Dan, Art Jr., twins Pat and John, and Tim. They also had 34 grandchildren and one great-grandchild, who is also the grandson of New York Giantsâ?? owner, Wellington Mara.

Every Steeler fan knows the story or how Art Rooney, the founder of their great team, funded the purchase of his football franchise in 1932 by a win on the horses. It was suggested that he won $250,000 - which is a lot of money today, let alone all those years ago. Fortunately for Steeler fans, Mr. Rooney decided to invest his winnings in a pro football team.

Now's not the time for me to write a lengthy feature on Steelers founder Art Rooney, but I wanted to share a couple of nuggets I recently learned about him. Of course, some of you may be welll...

The sons of Art Rooney Sr., 25 years after his death, continue to honor their iconic father's legacy and hold dear his possessions.

LEAD: Art Rooney Sr., the founder of the Pittsburgh Steelers and a figure on the American sports scene for more than half a century, died yesterday at Mercy Hospital in Pittsburgh, eight days after suffering a stroke in his office at Three Rivers Stadium. He was 87 years old.

Arthur Joseph Rooney, Sr. (January 27, 1901 â?? August 25, 1988), often referred to as "The Chief", was the founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football franchise in the National Football League (NFL), from 1933 until his death. Rooney was also a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, an Olympic qualifying boxer, and part or whole owner in several track sport venues and Pittsburgh area pro-teams. He was the first president of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 1933 to 1974, and the first chairman of the team from 1933 to 1988.