Mark Cuban, an entrepreneur and the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, was born in Pittsburgh in 1958 and raised in Mount Lebanon. That meant that as a teenager, Cuban was witness to some of the greatest Steelers teams in history, with the 1970s Steelers and the Steel Curtain playing a big part of his early life. In a recent episode of Peyton’s Places on ESPN+, Cuban talked with former NFL QB Peyton Manning about his love for the Steelers and his recollection of where he was during the Immaculate Reception game on Dec. 23, 1972.
“It wasn’t on television in Pittsburgh, it was only on radio. I was downstairs in our basement, I remember going outside because I had a hoop outside thinking this game is over and I was mad. And I hear my dad and my brother just screaming and yelling and coming back in, but it was only on radio so we really couldn’t see it. So we had to wait for the highlights to see what actually happened,” Cuban said.
Like a lot of Steelers fans at the time, Cuban assumed the game was over with the Steelers trailing 7-6 with under 30 seconds left. The remarkable play by Franco Harris to not give up on the play even when the ball looked like a surefire incompletion made sure it wasn’t a Steelers loss, and it’s a play that’s still fondly remembered as one of the best of all time.
Cuban spent his whole childhood in Pittsburgh and even went to the University of Pittsburgh for a year before transferring to Indiana University. Upon graduation from IU, Cuban returned to Pittsburgh and took his first job out of college with Mellon Bank. He has a lot of ties to the city, and like many Steelers fans who were around in 1972, can recall exactly where he was during the Immaculate Reception.
It’s one of those plays and moments that seems to transcend sports, and I’m sure that’s what many people were feeling at the time, along with pure joy and elation knowing that the previously hapless Steelers had finally won a playoff game. While Pittsburgh went on to lose in the AFC Championship game to the Miami Dolphins, being able to beat Oakland and win in the postseason meant a lot. It went on to change the Steelers’ fortunes, as they’d win four Super Bowl throughout the 1970s.
It’s always cool to hear people recall their memories or stories of the Immaculate Reception, and it’s no different with Cuban. While he’s likely much more focused on the Dallas Mavericks and the exploits of Luka Doncic, it’s clear the Steelers will always hold a place in his heart.
Watch the clip below:
