On December 23, Pittsburgh Steelers fans celebrated the 40th anniversary of the “Immaculate Reception,” an improbable play that gave the “Black and Gold” their first playoff victory of the modern era, with a monument that will be installed near Heinz Field, the Steelers’ home. In the waning seconds of the game against the Oakland Raiders, quarterback Terry Bradshaw threw a pass intended for John “Frenchy” Fuqua, who was leveled on a fierce hit by the Raiders’ Jack Tatum. The ball ricocheted away and, before it touched the ground, Steelers running back Franco Harris caught it and sprinted 42 yards for the decisive touchdown in a 13-7 victory. The game was a watershed moment for the franchise, which won its first Super Bowl two years later, and four total during the 1970s.
The team hired Pittsburgh-based Matthews Bronze Architctural Products to build the marker. It features a solid-bronze plaque, which contains a bas-relief sculpture of Harris, and flat-relief background that was developed using Matthews’ ImageCast™ technology. The monument’s black-granite base, which Matthews cut and polished, came from a Pennsylvania quarry. On the sidewalk in front of the monument, a granite inlay depicts the yard and hash marks from the field at Three Rivers Stadium, where the Steelers played until 2000. The monument was installed on West General Robinson St. near Heinz Field.
However, the monument to past Steeler glory couldn’t carry the team to victory that day. The Cincinnati Bengals defeated the Steelers 13-10, and eliminated them from the playoffs.