Editing Myron Cope (section)

== Terrible Towel ==
{{Main|Terrible Towel}}
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| quote  = I said, what we need is something that everybody already has, so it doesn't cost a dime. So I says, 'We'll urge people to bring out to the game gold or black towels,' then I'll tell people if you don't have a yellow, black or gold towel, buy one. And if you don't want to buy one, dye one. We'll call this the Terrible Towel.
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| source =  — Myron Cope on the invention of the [[Terrible Towel]]<ref name="pittoriginal">{{cite news |author = KDKA |title = Myron Cope Was A 'Pittsburgh Original' |publisher = CBS Broadcasting |date = 2008-02-27 |url = http://kdka.com/steelers/Myron.Cope.dies.2.663862.html |access-date = 2008-02-29 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080302030114/http://kdka.com/steelers/Myron.Cope.dies.2.663862.html |archive-date = 2008-03-02 }}</ref>
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Cope played a large role in the invention of the Terrible Towel.<ref name=ESPN>{{cite news|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3266796 |title=Former Steelers broadcaster, Terrible Towel creator Cope dies |access-date=2008-05-15 |date=2008-02-28 |publisher=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref> Needing a way to excite the fans during a [[1975–76 NFL playoffs#Divisional playoffs|1975 playoff game]] against the [[Baltimore Colts]], Cope urged fans to take yellow dish towels to the game and wave them throughout.<ref name="pittoriginal"/> Originally, Cope wanted to sell [[rubber]] [[Jack Lambert (American football)|Jack Lambert]] masks, but realizing the high costs for the masks, opted for the inexpensive option for the Terrible Towel. The Terrible Towel has gained much popularity since its invention and "is arguably the best-known fan symbol of any major pro sports team".<ref name=ESPN/> The catchphrase is: "The Terrible Towel is poised to strike, and so are The Steelers."

In 1996, Cope gave the rights to The Terrible Towel to the [[Allegheny Valley School]] in [[Coraopolis, Pennsylvania|Coraopolis]], Pennsylvania.<ref name="AVSchool"/> The school provides care for more than 900 people<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avs.net/mission.cfm |title=Mission & History |access-date=2008-10-28 |publisher=Allegheny Valley School |archive-date=February 26, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060226080826/http://www.avs.net/mission.cfm |url-status=dead }}</ref> with [[intellectual disabilities]] and [[Disability|physical disabilities]], including Cope's son who has severe [[autism]].<ref name="nerw43"/> Proceeds from the Terrible Towel have helped raise $6 million for the school.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://avs.merakey.org/terrible-towel.html |title=The Terrible Towel® {{!}} Merakey Allegheny Valley School (USA)<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2021-01-11 |archive-date=2020-11-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201110191055/https://avs.merakey.org/terrible-towel.html |url-status=live }}</ref>