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Congrats to Bill Nunn


One of the builders of the original Steel Curtain receives a high honor tonight. He's a man well-known and loved in the Black community and among insiders in Steeler Nation. And he's not well known among the general public, certainly not outside of Pittsburgh, even though he personally owns six Super Bowl rings.

Star-divide

Bill Nunn is among eleven greats being inducted into the inaugural class of the Black College Football Hall of Fame. The ceremonies are in Atlanta.

The class includes Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, Buck Bachanan, Willie Gallimore, Deacon Jones, Willie Lanier, Ben Stevenson, Tank Younger, Coaches Eddie Robinson and Jake Gaither, and Bill Nunn.

Pretty fast company, huh? Especially for a guy who never played a down of college football.

Our man Bill was a serious hoopster in college, on an undefeated West Virginia State team in 1948, and turned down an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters. Instead, he went to work as a sportswriter for the Pittsburgh Courier. In the days of segregation, when white folks would joke that Grambling was "gambling college," Bill would cover those small black colleges and he developed a lifelong network of friends and confidantes among coaches, players, and knowledgeable fans.

The Chief, who had a black player on his first team in 1933, and who hired the first black assistant coach and broadcaster (Lowell Perry was both), hired Bill Nunn as a part-time scout in 1967. By 1969, Art Rooney persuaded Nunn to work for the Steelers full-time, and the results can be found in the NFL history books.

The Black College Hall of Fame describes his efforts this way: "A true innovator, he constructed a bridge between the Steelers and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Five Super Bowl Rings later, Nunn is among the most legendary NFL scouts of all time."

Among the players from some of those schools the Steelers drafted or signed as free agents from the historically Black colleges in his early years were L.C. Greenwood (Arkansas AM&N), Mel Blount (Southern), Frank Lewis (Grambling), Dwight White (East Texas State), Joe Gilliam (Tennessee State), Ernie Holmes (Texas Southern) John Stallworth (Alabama A&M) and Donnie Shell (South Carolina State). Wow.

That's three-quarters of the Steel Curtain, from schools that few people had ever heard of. And the best damned cornerback to ever wear the Black and Gold. And Stallworth, whose draft story is one of the great tales of scouting skullduggery. Stallworth was timed by a group of scouts (including Nunn) on a wet field in ill-fitting shoes, and had a terrible time in the 40. Nunn, who knew from his network of friends and informers that Stallworth was special, had already "misplaced" game film of Stallworth and didn't share it with other teams. He then "caught a cold" and stayed behind an extra day to time Stallworth and work him out on a dry field. The Steelers were able to get John Stallworth in the fourth round, thanks to the work of Bill Nunn.

And there were so many more. Don't think Bill Nunn didn't have major input in the choice of Joe Greene!

As the P-G article points out, the Black College Hall of Fame actually understates the resume of Bill Nunn. It speaks of "five Super Bowl Rings late," when Bill actually has six.

That's because he continues to work part time as a Steeler scout, at age 84.

A true gentleman, he resists the temptation to call Coach Dad, "young fella."

Congratulations to Bill Nunn from a proud and grateful Steeler Nation!


Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10051/1037345-66.stm#ixzz0g5vVY717

Comment 12 comments  |  4 recs  | 

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84 years young

amazing all those players and the caliber of players they were that he scouted.

by PCISteeler on Feb 20, 2010 1:20 PM EST reply actions  

Nunn

deserves the honor as well as the accolades for helping to build the Pittsburgh Steelers into perennial Lombardi competitors. Appreciate the post Homer. Good work.

When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen

by 5020 on Feb 20, 2010 2:50 PM EST reply actions  

when they hid his film form the other teams that wanted to scout him

that is a classic story, to bad you can’t do that anymore with the advent of YouTube and the like

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Llyod, Andy Russel, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene and Jerry Kramer
"the earth moves when Sean Payton walks...Because his balls are just that huge." Anarchon after Super Bowl XLIV
Canal Street Chronicles resident Steelers Fan

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 20, 2010 11:40 PM EST up reply actions  

And there is so much invested in scouting at every level

you’re right, its unlikely that something like that would ever be possible again. Major pro sport are such huge business now, its not just competition at game time.

by Twell on Feb 22, 2010 12:33 PM EST up reply actions  

Wow, what an amazing job

Chances are the Steelers wouldn’t have won half as many Super Bowls without his efforts.

Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.
Napoleon Bonaparte

Stampede Blue's Resident Steelers Fan

"[T]he Steelers have been evil pieces of crap for a long time who play dirty and seek to injure their opponents, and one day there will be a reckoning."
FriarBob

Can't you just feel the love?

by LV Steelers Fan on Feb 20, 2010 7:14 PM EST reply actions  

Great post Homer!

Read somewhere that Nunn approached Dan Rooney a couple of years back to discuss retirement. Rooney’s response was that “You’re not going anywhere.”

The Rooney’s family’s history with black players/personnel is long distinguished and pretty much unknown to people who haven’t dug pretty deep into Steeler lore. That so many members of the Steel Curtain teams of the 70s came from historically black colleges is one of those little known facts that needs to aired more widely. Who better to lead league efforts for more inclusion in hiring than the Rooneys.

Thanks for the effort Homer.

by Ivan Cole (RickVa) on Feb 20, 2010 7:51 PM EST reply actions  

dan rooney is respected in the hood

probably because he could secretly dance like the old guy in the six flags commercials

by klompus on Feb 20, 2010 7:55 PM EST reply actions  

Very nice post

Devoted and motivated individuals like Bill Nunn are among the reasons the Pittsburgh Steelers is (are?) the finest football team, and possibly sports franchise, in the world

I may be old but I... oh d*mn, I forgot what I was going to say.

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 20, 2010 8:51 PM EST reply actions  

Thanks Homer J...

I had read the article in the post gazette, but you gave some more info and it’s appreciated. Always finding more reasons to love my Steelers.

by SteelersFnRule on Feb 24, 2010 12:04 PM EST reply actions  

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