City of champions … and heartbreak: Pittsburgh’s 10 toughest losses
By John Sacco
For the Observer-Reporter
newsroom@observer-reporter.com
Pittsburgh has celebrated plenty of big wins and had more than its share of painful losses. These are the 10 most-aganozing defeats
That the Pittsburgh sports scene has been suffering for a while now is a frustrating fact.
While there hasn’t been a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching loss around here for some time, a Pittsburgh sports fan would likely risk a difficult loss for a chance at playing in a meaningful game in any of the major sports at this point.
After a process of nominating the worst losses in Pittsburgh sports history, 21 individuals with media and sports communications backgrounds were selected to rank those losses to produce a top 10. Over the next several paragraphs the list is revealed and four others were selected to discuss those losses in more depth.
Enjoy or despair.
The worst losses are:
1992 – Pirates unraveled in the 9th inning of Game 7 at Fulton County Stadium in Atlanta. In the 1992 NLCS, Atlanta pinch-hitter Francisco Cabrera’s single scored a sliding Sid Bream to send Pittsburgh to a stunning defeat instead of to the World Series.
2. 1993 – David Volek’s overtime goal in Game 7 of the NHL Patrick Division final at the Civic Arena denied the Penguins a shot at three consecutive Stanley Cup trophies. The Penguins’ 56 wins and 119 points earned them the Presidents’ Trophy. Pittsburgh also posted a 17-game winning streak, an NHL record.
3. 1994 – Heavily favored Steelers are stymied by the San Diego defense and the Chargers do just enough with a handful of big plays to pull out a shocking 17-13 AFC Championship game victory at rainy Three Rivers Stadium.
4. 1972 – Pirates lose winner-take-all NLCS Game 5 to Cincinnati Reds when Bob Moose throws a wild pitch at Riverfront Stadium and George Foster scores the winning run. Pittsburgh was trying to win consecutive World Series championships.
5. 1995 – Two Neil O’Donnell interceptions derailed the Steelers chances and Dallas avenged two previous Super Bowl losses to Pittsburgh with a 27-17 victory at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona, in Super Bowl XXX.
6. 1981 – Pitt blows a 14-0 lead and gets blitzed, 48-14, by Penn State at Pitt Stadium. The Panthers were ranked No. 1 and were on a 17-game winning streak. But the Nittany Lions, who were 8-2, resolved themselves and dominated the rest of the way.
7. 1975 – The Penguins become only the second team in history to blow a 3-0 playoff series lead and lose four straight to the New York Islanders, including a 1-0 loss in Game 7 at the Civic Arena. Pittsburgh scored 14 goals in the first three games and managed just four in the last four. The Islanders switched from starting goaltender Billy Smith to Glenn Chico Resch during the series.
8. 2009 – Scottie Reynolds goes coast-to-coast through Pitt’s defense and Villanova beats the Panthers, 78-76, in the Elite 8. The Panthers got 18 points and 10 rebounds from DeJuan Blair, and Sam Young poured in 28 points, in the NCAA East Region final.
9. 1980 – No.1 ranked Pitt loses to Florida State, 36-22, at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla. The Panthers end up going 11-1, but undefeated Clemson wins the national championship. The Seminoles benefitted greatly from their kicking duo as Bill Capece kicks four field goals and punter Rohn Stark averaged 48.1 per punt to dictate field position.
10. 1991 – Pirates lose Games 6 and 7, via shutout, at Three Rivers Stadium to the Atlanta Braves and lose the NLCS. Atlanta completed a worst-to-first to win the World Series by silencing the Pittsburgh bats.
The Pirates’ NLCS loss in 1992 was an overwhelming No. 1 choice.
“Personally, witnessing it and working for the Pirates at the same time, I can see how that would affect all fans,” said Jim Trdinich, the club’s historian. “By far that was the worst night and worst loss in my professional life.
“The 1972 loss was a tough one because the Pirates were coming off the ’71 World Series championship. Having to lose that way, instant heartbreak right there.
“In 1991, I remember Gary Varsho standing at third base and Andy Van Slyke just missing hitting a walk-off home run,” Trdinich continued. “He hit it foul by five to 10 feet. Alejandro Pena busts off a curve and strikes him out. That was it and then we lost Game 7. That Game 6 loss in ’91 was one of the tougher losses.”
“It’s hard to have a tougher loss than a Super Bowl defeat,” said former Steelers and NFL beat writer Ed Bouchette. “The Super Bowl is the Super Bowl. But the loss to San Diego . . . I walked with a friend after the game. His parents lived in Bloomfield and we went over to his house. I never heard Pittsburgh so quiet after a game. It was silent.”
The Penguins also have had their hearts broken through the years.
“Obviously, there were more hockey fans in 1993 than in 1975,” said Penguins historian and former O-R beat writer Bob Grove. “People had trouble dealing with the aftermath of that loss (in ’93). Look, we had a team which couldn’t have been any more on top of its game. They were the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions. They had swept a good Chicago team in the 1992 final and they ended the regular season on an NHL record 18-game winning streak. That’s the top of the top. Most people would say they were on the verge of a dynasty with one more cup win.
“They were playing at a dominant level, and then to have a series lead and have it slip away to a very average team …”
Pitt’s 1980 loss to Florida State was devastating. The Panthers were loaded with talent and experience.
“Pitt had great leadership and maturity, there is no question that one hurt more because that team was clearly better than the rest of the teams in the country,” said Pitt historian and author Sam Sciullo Jr.
“For me, it was a much tougher loss than the Penn State loss in 1981. Pitt wasn’t as good that season and benefitted from a soft schedule. I don’t view that as the upset others think it was.”
Honorable Mention
Pirates
2014 – Pirates lose the Wild Card playoff game to San Francisco Giants at PNC Park.
2015 – Pirates get shut down by Chicago Cubs Jake Arrieta and lose the Wild Card game at PNC Park.
1975 – John Candelaria strikes out 14 Cincinnati Reds but the Pirates lose Game 3 and are swept out of NLCS at Three Rivers Stadium.
Steelers
1972 – One week after the Immaculate Reception, the upstart Steelers had undefeated Miami on the ropes but a fake punt turned the tide in the Dolphins’ favor and led to a 21-17 loss in the AFC Championship game at Three Rivers Stadium.
1997 – Denver tops the Steelers, 24-21, in the AFC Championship at Three Rivers Stadium. Kordell Stewart runs and throws for TDs but his three interceptions are too much to overcome.
2001 – Special teams crushed the Steelers as New England returned a punt and field goal for touchdowns and Drew Bledsoe and rookie Tom Brady deal Pittsburgh a 24-17 defeat at then-Heinz Field. Antwan Harris’ 49-yard blocked TD field goal return left the Steelers down 18 points.
2010 – Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay take advantage of Steelers mistakes to win Super Bowl XLV, 31-25, in Arlington, Texas. A fourth-quarter fumble by Rashard Mendenhall was particularly difficult.
Penguins
1997 – The Florida Panthers pull off a stunner, defeating the Penguins, 3-1, in Game 7 of the Prince of Wales Conference finals at the Civic Arena. Goalie Tom Barrasso allowed a Tom Fitzgerald goal from the blueline.
2000 – In Game 4 of the NHL Eastern Conference finals, Philadelphia defeated the Penguins, 2-1, in the fifth overtime. Keith Primeau ends it with a goal at 2:35 a.m.
Pitt basketball
1988 – Vanderbilt’s Barry Goheen hits a game-tying, three-point shot in the closing seconds as Pitt eschews a foul and the Commodores upset the Panthers, 80-74, in overtime. Pitt players, including Charles Smith and Sean Miller, talk afterwards about confusion about fouling prior to Goheen’s shot.
2002 – Kent State defeated Pitt, 78-73 in overtime, denying the Panthers a spot in the Elite 8. Pitt rallied to tie the game but could not overcome the Antonio Gates-led the Golden Flashes.
2003 – Marquette topples Pitt, 77-74, in the Sweet 16 as Dwayne Wade scores 22 points. The Panthers’ Donatas Zavackas did not play in the final eight minutes after arguing with coach Ben Howland. He then took off his shoes as if to quit.
2011 – No. 1 seed Pitt is upset by Butler in the second round of the NCAA tournament, 71-70. The end was chaotic as both teams were called for fouls in the final seconds.
Pitt football
1982 – No. 1 Pitt gets upset by Notre Dame, 31-16, at Pitt Stadium. It was the greatest victory in Gerry Faust’s disappointing career as coach of the Fighting Irish. Fumbles were especially devastating to the Panthers.
2009 – The Panthers blow a 21-point lead and lose at home to Cincinnati in what was essentially the Big East Conference championship. Cincinnati hit a big TD pass late to gain a 45-44 victory. A botched hold on an extra point by Pitt was the difference.
Pitt women’s volleyball
2024 – Pitt lost 3-1 to conference rival Louisville in the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. The No. 1-seeded Panthers lost to the Cardinals in the NCAA semifinals at the KFC Yum in Louisville, coming up short in their quest to reach the title game. Pitt’s season ended at the final four for the fourth consecutive season.
John Sacco writes a column about local sports history for the Observer-Reporter.