Dapper Dan Charities

The Dapper Dan Charities were founded by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editor Al Abrams in 1936. It is one of the oldest nonprofit and fundraising community sports clubs in the world and the oldest in Western Pennsylvania. The foundation fundraises for its charities primarily through the annual "Dapper Dan Banquet". Started in 1936, the first few banquets honored such regional figures as Art Rooney, Jock Sutherland and John Harris. In 1939, the banquet began an annual tradition of naming the region's "Sportsman of the Year" and in 1999 the "Sportswoman of the Year". In recent decades, all charitable contributions raised by the banquet go to the Boys and Girls club of Western Pennsylvania, which directly funds activities and equipment for nearly 7,000 youths annually. The organization also sponsored the annual Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic.[1][2]

Previous fundraisers included the occasional Dapper Dan Open golf tournament in the 1930s and 1940s, World Heavyweight Titles hosted at Forbes Field in the 1950s and 1960s and the Roundball Classic hosted at the Civic Arena from 1965 until the 1980s.

Through Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince's friendship with Fred Hutchinson the Dapper Dan Charity awarded Major League Baseball's annual Hutch Award at the annual banquet until at least 1993.[3][4][5][6]

## Dapper Dan awards

[edit]

Year  | Sportsman  | Sport
or Team  | Sportswoman  | Sport
or Team  | Lifetime Achievement  | Sport
or Team  | Venue

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1939  | Billy Conn | boxing |  |  |  |  | William Penn Hotel[7]
1940  | Fritzie Zivic | boxing  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1941  | Aldo Donelli | Steelers |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1942  | Bill Dudley | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1943  | Rip Sewell | Pirates |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1944  | Frankie Frisch | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1945  | Billy Conn  | boxing  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1946  | Bill Dudley  | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1947  | Ralph Kiner | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1948  | Bill Meyer | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1949  | Ralph Kiner  | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1950  | Joe Geri | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1951  | Murry Dickson | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1952  | Red Dawson | Panthers  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1952  | Stan Musial | Cardinals |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1953  | Lew Worsham | golf  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1954  | Dudley Moore | Dukes |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1955  | John Michelosen | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | William Penn [8]
1956  | Dale Long | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Penn-Sheraton[8][9]
1957  | Dick Groat | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Penn-Sheraton [8]
1958  | Danny Murtaugh | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Penn-Sheraton [8]
1959  | Elroy Face | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[8]
1960  | Arnold Palmer | golf  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [8]
1960  | Dick Groat | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [8][10]
1961  | Roberto Clemente | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [8]
1962  | Lou Michaels | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [8]
1963  | John Michelosen  | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1964  | Delvin Miller | horse racing  |  |  |  |  |
1965  | Vernon Law | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [11]
1966  | Roberto Clemente  | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1967  | Baz Bastien | Penguins |  |  |  |  |
1968  | Steve Blass | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1968  | Dick Hoak | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1969  | Red Manning  | Dukes  |  |  |  |  |
1970  | Danny Murtaugh  | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1971  | Willie Stargell | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1971  | Danny Murtaugh  | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1971  | Roberto Clemente  | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1972  | Chuck Noll | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1973  | Johnny Majors | Panthers |  |  |  |  |
1974  | Joe Greene[12] | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1975  | Terry Bradshaw | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1976  | Tony Dorsett | Panthers  |  |  |  |  |
1977  | Franco Harris | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1978  | Dave Parker | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[13]
1979  | Willie Stargell  | Pirates  |  |  | Stan Musial  | Cardinals  | Hilton
1980  | Hugh Green | Panthers  |  |  |  |  |
1981  | Jackie Sherrill | Panthers  |  |  | Art Rooney | Steelers  | Hilton [14]
1982  | Joe Paterno[15] | Lions  |  |  | Joe Schmidt[16] | Pitt  | Hilton[17][18]
1983  | Dan Marino | Panthers  |  |  | Franco Harris  | Steelers  | Hilton[19]
1984  | John Stallworth | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1985  | Louis Lipps | Steelers  |  |  | Bill Dudley[20] | Steelers  | Hilton
1986  | Mario Lemieux | Penguins  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1987  | Syd Thrift | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1988  | Mario Lemieux  | Penguins  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1989  | Roger Kingdom | Panthers (track)  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1990  | Jim Leyland | Pirates  |  |  |  |  | Hilton
1991  | Bob Johnson | Penguins  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[21]
1992  | Bill Cowher | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | Hilton [3]
1993  | Jay Bell | Pirates  |  |  |  |  |
1994  | Bill Cowher  | Steelers  |  |  |  |  |
1995  | Jaromír Jágr | Penguins  |  |  |  |  |
1996  | Kurt Angle | wrestling  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[22]
1997  | Jerome Bettis | Steelers  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[23]
1998  | Joe Paterno | Lions  |  |  |  |  | Hilton[24]
1999  | Mario Lemieux  | Penguins  | Suzie McConnell-Serio | Rockers/Oakland Catholic | Dan Marino[25] | Pitt  | Hilton
2000  | Jason Kendall | Pirates  | Dori Anderson  | Blackhawk High  | Mike Ditka[26][27] | Aliquippa  | Hilton
2001  | Kordell Stewart | Steelers  | Carol Semple Thompson[28] | golf  | Chuck Noll[29] | Steelers  | Hilton[30]
2002  | Ben Howland | Panthers | Swin Cash | UConn Huskies | Lanny Frattare | Pirates  | Hilton[31]
2003  | Larry Fitzgerald | Panthers  | Kelly Mazzante | Lady Lions | The 1979 Champion Teams  | Pirates
Steelers  | Hilton[32]
2004  | Ben Roethlisberger | Steelers  | Lauryn Williams | olympics  | Arnold Palmer  | Golf  | Convention Center[33]
2005  | Jerome Bettis  | Steelers  | Agnus Berenato | Panthers | Joe Paterno  | Penn State  | Hilton[34][35]
2006  | Sidney Crosby | Penguins  | Swin Cash  | Detroit Shock | Dan Rooney[36] | Steelers  | Convention Center
2007  | Sidney Crosby  | Penguins  | Agnus Benerato  | Panthers  | (None bestowed)  |  | Convention Center[37]
2008[38] | Mike Tomlin | Steelers  | Shavonte Zellous | Panthers  | Dick LeBeau | Football  | Petersen Events Center
2009  | Evgeni Malkin | Penguins  | Penn State Volleyball | Lions  | Bruno Sammartino | wrestling  | Petersen Events Center [39]
2010  | Jamie Dixon | Panthers [40] | Suzie McConnell-Serio  | Dukes | Joe Greene | Steelers  | Convention Center [41]
2011  | Dan Bylsma, Marc-André Fleury[42] | Penguins  | Pittsburgh Passion[42] | Women's football  | Mike Ditka[43] | Panthers  | Convention Center
2012  | Andrew McCutchen[44] | Pirates  | Taylor Schram[44] | PSU Women's soccer  | Hines Ward[44] | Steelers  | Convention Center
2013  | Clint Hurdle[45] | Pirates  | Patrice Matamoros[46] | Pittsburgh Marathon | Franco Harris[47] | Steelers  | Convention Center
2014  | Antonio Brown | Steelers  | Christa Harmotto | Penn State (Volleyball)  | Jim Kelly | Football [1] | Convention Center
2015  | Antonio Brown[48] | Steelers  | Meghan Klingenberg[48] | United States women's national soccer team | Dick Groat[48] | Pitt basketball (broadcasting)  | Convention Center
2016  | Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford | Penguins  | Amanda Polk | Oakland Catholic/Olympics  | Rocky Bleier | Steelers [2] | Convention Center
2017  | James Conner | Steelers  | Heather Lyke | Pitt Panthers  | Jerome Bettis | Steelers [3] | Convention Center
2018  | Cam Heyward | Steelers  | Pitt Panthers Women's Volleyball | Pitt Panthers  | Bill Hillgrove | Pitt Panthers [4] | Westin Hotel

## Banquet festivities

[edit]

Various years the Dapper Dan Banquet has been a who's who of Western Pennsylvania sports, and attracted national and even international stars and entertainers. In 1993 George Wendt and David Lander hosted the event.[3] Howard Baldwin, Craig Patrick, Lanny Frattare, Marty Schottenheimer, Rod Woodson, Ambassador Dan Rooney, Art Rooney, Mark May, John Brown, Sal Sunseri, Hank Aaron,[49] Myron Cope, Lou Holtz,[50] Terry Francona, Pat Mullins, Dave Robinson, Len Dawson, Lou Groza, Bud Wilkinson,[51] Bob Prince, Governor Lawrence and Todd Blackledge[14] have all participated in recent events.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Wunderley, Ken (February 15, 2016). "Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic March 26 at Pitt". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
2. ^ "Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic". Wrestlingclassic.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
3. ^ a b c "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
4. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
5. ^ "The Southeast Missourian - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
6. ^ "Schenectady Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
7. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y "Dapper Dan Dinner Set at Hilton Feb .3: Big Sports Party to Hit Town for 27th Anniversary". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 12, 1962. Retrieved 2015-06-23. "The coming Dapper Dan Dinner will mark the fourth year in succession that it has been held in the huge Hilton Ball Room. The previous 23 fetes were staged at the old William Penn Hotel, later the Penn-Sheraton."
9. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
10. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
11. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
12. ^ "Mean Joe Star of Dapper Dan Weekend". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 8, 1975. p. 10. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
13. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
14. ^ a b "Beaver County Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
15. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
16. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
17. ^ "Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1999 · Page 16". newspapers.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
18. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
19. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
20. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
21. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
22. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
23. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
24. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
25. ^ "High Honors: Marino, Lemieux, McConnell Serio share spotlight". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
26. ^ "Allegheny Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
27. ^ "Paterno To Be Inducted Into Pittsburgh Hall of Fame on Saturday". gopsusports.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
28. ^ "Sportswoman of the year: Thompson's investment in golf pays big dividends for her, game". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
29. ^ "Chuck Noll: Always more than just a coach". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
30. ^ "Dapper Dan: Pittsburgh sports luminaries feted at banquet". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
31. ^ "Dapper Dan Dinner: Bradshaw-Noll reconciliation inspires crowd". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
32. ^ "Magic of No. 1 takes the spotlight at Dapper Dan dinner". post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
33. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
34. ^ "Honorees Paterno, Berenato, Bettis share Dapper Dan spotlight". post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
35. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
36. ^ "Rooney, Cash, Crosby honored at Dapper Dan Dinner". post-gazette.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
37. ^ Finder, Chuck (2008-04-02). "Dapper Dan: Crosby, Berenato humble winners - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
38. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (2009-02-15). "2009 Dapper Dan Awards: Mike Tomlin & Shavonte Zellous". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
39. ^ Dvorchak, Robert (2010-03-26). "Dapper Dan: Malkin, Sammartino, Penn State volleyball claim awards - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
40. ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (2010-12-26). "Dapper Dan Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year: Jamie Dixon and Suzie McConnell-Serio - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
41. ^ Sanserino, Michael (2010-12-05). "Dapper Dan Dinner: Ganassi chosen for new award 2011 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
42. ^ a b Anderson, Shelly (2012-01-22). "Dapper Dan 76th Honorees: Bylsma, Fleury, Passion headline 2012 dais". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
43. ^ Sanserino, Michael (2012-01-01). "Dapper Dan Honors - Ditka, doctor to receive awards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
44. ^ a b c "McCutchen honored as Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 30, 2012. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013.
45. ^ Brink, Bill (2013-12-21). "Pirates manager Hurdle humbled by pick for Dapper Dan - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
46. ^ Werner, Sam (2013-12-21). "Dapper Dan Sportswoman gave marathon new life as director - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
47. ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (2014-02-01). "Dapper Dan: Franco Harris a player for all times - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
48. ^ a b c Menendez, Jenn (2016-02-18). "Dapper Dan awardee Dick Groat savors another moment in spotlight". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
49. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
50. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
51. ^ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Dapper Dan history page
* Award history at the Wayback Machine (archived June 2, 2010)

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