Other than maybe the Green Bay Packers’ foam cheeseheads, there is no symbol of sports fandom quite as iconic as the Terrible Towel. Often imitated, never duplicated, today is a special day in the history of the Terrible Towel as it was introduced on this day 49 years ago in 1975, per the Heinz History Center on X.
The late and great Myron Cope, a legendary sportscaster for the Steelers, created the towel all those years ago as a cheap way for fans to have something to show their fandom at playoff games that year. Originally, they were asked to bring any yellow, gold, or black towel they could get their hands on.
Cope later trademarked the towel, and proceeds have been continually donated to Allegheny Valley School, which helps care for people with mental and physical disabilities. Cope’s son was a student at the school. The towel has raised millions of dollars for that school over the years.
Here is an excerpt of Cope describing the advent of the Terrible Towel.
“I had no idea what would happen. I show up the first game, my goodness, there’s not a towel to be seen in the whole joint,” Cope said in an old video shared on X. “And pals are dropping by my radio booth and needling me, ‘You’re a loser again, Cope.’
“The team comes and appears in the tunnel for the introductions. From nowhere come like 30,000 towels.”
Cope said that a minimum of three miracles occurred in that game and then delivered his famous line, “The Terrible Towel is poised to strike.”
Needless to say, the tradition has been a smashing success. It was introduced for the divisional round against the Baltimore Colts and the Steelers rode the wave all the way to their second Super Bowl championship after winning their first the year prior.
The towel will forever be a part of Steelers lore, and Cope’s genius invention will forever be a part of the stadium atmosphere. It has been a part of five of the team’s six Super Bowl championships and countless other all-time memories in Steelers history.
Home or away, you will always see the Terrible Towel being twirled in the stands.
