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Visiting Pittsburgh? Look at these top 76 Pittsburghers who have made their names over the years
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Dr. Jonas Salk worked at the University of Pittsburgh where he developed the polio vaccine.
Visiting Pittsburgh soon? If you are, here's a list of my top 76 Pittsburghers who have made their mark in the U.S. and around the world. Why is this important? When you visit a city, it's educational to know who was born or raised or worked in that locale. You can visit their museum, as in the case of Andy Warhol, who has a stunning three-story art museum in Pittsburgh. Or if you are attending a sporting event, say the Pittsburgh Pirates, you will know that the great Honus Wagner was born, died, and played for the home team. If you're lucky enough to get tickets to a Steeler game, you'll glory in all of the great names who have been raised in Pittsburgh and went on to great careers elsewhere, such as Dan Marino, Joe Montana, or Joe Namath.
Some of the greatest industrialists of our time were born or worked in Pittsburgh and used their fortunes to leave behind treasure troves. For example, the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Oakland has an exceptional dinosaur exhibit that Andrew Carnegie personally chose. Nearby, the Phipps Conservatory, funded by Carnegie's partner Henry Phipps, offers year-round flower shows. And Heinz Hall, in downtown Pittsburgh, attracts orchestras, ballet corps, and musicals to its stage, all due to the largesse of the H.J. Heinz fortune.
I tried to name 100 top Pittsburghers and fell short by 24 names. But perhaps you can help me out with my list. Of my 76 names, however, I feel that there are three people who are the cream of the crop: Andrew Carnegie, who used his vast fortune from steel-making to introduce libraries across the country and fund everything from Carnegie Hall in New York City to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace as well as the pre-eminent Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh; Fred Rogers, who continues to influence children with his Mr Rogers Neighborhood television show; and Dr. Jonas Salk, who worked at the University of Pittsburgh and saved numerous lives with the development of the polio vaccine.
Who are your top three?
Aguilera, Christina: modern singer and song-writer
Angle, Kurt: Olympic wrestling champion
Blaisdell, George: inventor of the Zippo lighter
Blanda, George: Professional football player
Bly, Nellie: revolutionary woman journalist
Buell, Eric: founder of Buell Motorcycle Company
Carnegie, Andrew: early 20th century industrialist, philanthropist, founder US Steel
Carson, Rachel: writer and biologist
Cassatt, Mary: influential artist
Cather, Willa: influential American writer
Chabon, Michael: Celebrated American author
Christie, Lou: famous singer-songwriter
Clark, D.L.: inventor and owner of the Clark Company candy manufacturer and Clark bar
Como, Perry: Italian-American recording artist and television host
Conrad, Frank: father of public broadcasting
Cope, Myron: sports announcer and inventor of the Steelers Terrible Towel
Cowher, Bill: Pittsburgh Steeler football coach and television analyst
Cuban, Mark: businessman and basketball team owner
Danilo, Paul: Soccer Hall of Fame member
Davis, Ernie: first African-American Heisman Trophy winner
Dillard, Annie: Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist
DiOrio, Nicholas: Soccer Hall of Fame member
Ditka, Mike: professional football player
Ellis, Albert: psychologist who developed Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
Ferris, George W.: inventor of the Ferris wheel
Forbes, General John: British general who named Fort Pitt
Franz, Chris: drummer for punk rock group The Talking Heads
Frick, Henry Clay: industrialist and art patron
Fulton, George: steam-boating designer
Garver, Chris: tattoo artist
Goldblum, Jeff: movie and television actor
Gorshin, Jr., Frank: American actor, comedian, and impressionist
Graham, Martha: modern dance pioneer
Griffey Jr., Ken: major league baseball player
Hall, Charles Martin: inventor of aluminum production and founder of ALCOA
Hatch, Orrin: U.S. State Senator
Harris, Sidney: inventor and entrepreneur of Tom Tucker mint ginger ale
Heinz, H.J.: international industrialist, catsup and food manufacturer
Heinz, H. John III: U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania and heir to the H. J. Heinz Company
Horne, Joseph: regional department store founder
Jones, Shirley: television and movie actress
Kaufmann Sr., Edgar: department store owner, Fallingwater owner
Keaton, Michael: film actor and director, best-known for Batman role
Kelly, Gene: actor, dancer, singer, director, producer
Langley, Samuel: aviation pioneer
Lemieux, Mario: hockey center and owner of the Pittsburgh Penguin hockey club
Marino, Dan: famed University of Pittsburgh and Miami Dolphin quarterback
Marshall, General George: military leader, Secretary of State
Mays, Billy: TV pitchman
McCullough, David: Pulitzer Prize winning author, lecturer
Mellon, Andrew: banker, politician, Secretary of the Treasury
Miller, Dennis: television and stand-up comedian
Montana, Joe: National Football league quarterback and Super Bowl winner
Namath, Joe: National Football league quarterback and Super Bowl winner
O’Hair, Madalyn Murray: founder of the American Atheists
Palmer, Arnold: PGA golfer
Paul, Ron: presidential political contender and member of House of Representatives
Pearlstein, Philip: contemporary realist painter
Phipps, Henry: industrialist
Rinehart, Mary Roberts: world-acclaimed writer, playwright, and war correspondent
Rogers, Fred: television host of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood
Romero, George: movie director
Rooney, Art: founder and owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers
Russell, Charles: founder of Jehovah’s Witnessess
Salk, Jonas: medical researcher
Selznick, David: movie producer
Stargell, Willie: World Series and Golden Glove Pittsburgh Pirate baseball player
Starzl Thomas: transplant surgery pioneer
Stein, Gertrude: writer and feminist
Taylor, Paul: Dancer and modern choreographer, started Paul Taylor Dance Company
Unitas, Johnny: pro football great
Wagner, Honus: Pittsburgh Pirate all-star baseball player
Wannstedt, Dave: professional and collegiate football player and coach
Warhol, Andy: pop-art iconic painter
Westinghouse, George: inventor and industrialist of Westinghouse Electric
Wilson, August: Pulitzer-winning playwright
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