Game On!

[catscradle]

So where did the Steelers get their emblem? Why from my daddy!

I knew the Steeler's logo came from the steel industry, but I wasn't aware it came from my dad's company specifically. My dad worked for Republic Steel for 34 years before being forced to retire in the mid 80s when the Youngstown mills finally went bust. I remember when I was little looking at my dad's work helmut. On one side there was the steel logo, now immortalized by the Pittsburgh Steelers. On the other side there was this caricature of a badass mill boss that looked like a cross between the bull dog and the bank robber from the old Bugs Bunny cartoons.

My enthusiam for the Steelers in the superbowl isn't so much about loving the team - I mean, I kinda hate football - I think it's more a happy nostalgia for a bygone era. My dad, ironially, hates the Steelers (He's a Browns fan). But I think I can understand his feelings considering that Republic Steel forced him out of a job and cut off all spousal benefits several years after he retired without warning. Youngstown died when the mills closed. It's 20 years later and it still hasn't recovered from the loss. So where the steel logo reminds me of being a little girl wearing her dad's oversized helmut around the house, it reminds him of all the misery and heartache of losing a job and being unable to support his family.

Still, I'm happy the Steelers are going to the Superbowl. It's nice to see Pittsburgh in the game.

Comments

[babaca.livejournal.com]

I knew the symbol was representive of Steel as well, but I didn't know that either. Huh. And that's even neater that your father worked for the company that owns the symbol (Although I'm sorry that they forced him out of a job though).

[catscradle.livejournal.com]

Republic Steel, like the rest of the mills around the Ohio valley area, succumbed to the foriegn competition and became obsolete. Just about all the employees lost their job. It was a very sad thing that occured in my home town - much like what happened in Flint, Michigan when General Motor's pulled out. Still, when I think of the Steeler's it reminds of a different time.