The Dapper Dan Charities were founded by ''

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'', also known simply as the PG, is the largest newspaper serving Greater Pittsburgh, metropolitan Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Descended from the ''Pittsburgh Gazette'', established in 1786 as the fi ...

'' editor

Al Abrams Albert Edward Abrams (February 29, 1904 – March 3, 1977) was an American sports journalism, sportswriter who wrote for the ''Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'' from 1926 until his death in 1977, serving as its sports editor from April 1947 to March 1974. ...

in 1936. It is one of the oldest nonprofit and fundraising community sports clubs in the world and the oldest in

Western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the Unite ...

. 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

, which directly funds activities and equipment for nearly 7,000 youths annually. The organization also sponsored the annual Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Previous fundraisers included the occasional Dapper Dan Open golf tournament in the 1930s and 1940s, World Heavyweight Titles hosted at

Forbes Field Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland (Pittsburgh), Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the fir ...

in the 1950s and 1960s and the Roundball Classic hosted at the Civic Arena from 1965 until the 1980s. Through

Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central ...

broadcaster Bob Prince's friendship with Fred Hutchinson the Dapper Dan Charity awarded

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

's annual Hutch Award at the annual banquet until at least 1993.

Dapper Dan awards

Banquet festivities

Various years the Dapper Dan Banquet has been a who's who of

sports, and attracted national and even international stars and entertainers. In 1993 George Wendt and David Lander hosted the event. Howard Baldwin, Craig Patrick, Lanny Frattare,

Marty Schottenheimer Martin Edward Schottenheimer (; September 23, 1943 – February 8, 2021) was an American professional football linebacker and coach who served as a head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for 21 seasons. He was the head coach of the Cl ...

, Rod Woodson, Ambassador Dan Rooney, Art Rooney, Mark May, John Brown, Sal Sunseri,

Hank Aaron Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one ...

, Myron Cope, Lou Holtz, Terry Francona, Pat Mullins, Dave Robinson, Len Dawson,

Lou Groza Louis Roy Groza (January 25, 1924 – November 29, 2000), nicknamed "the Toe", was an American professional American football, football Tackle (gridiron football position), offensive tackle and placekicker while playing his entire career for th ...

, Bud Wilkinson, Bob Prince, Governor Lawrence and Todd Blackledge have all participated in recent events.

References

External links

Dapper Dan history page
* {{Pittsburgh sports Organizations based in Pittsburgh Charities based in Pennsylvania Organizations established in 1936 Sports in Pittsburgh