Former O-R reporter Lolley left legacy
Dale Lolley, an award-winning reporter who covered the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter for 24 years, and was the newspaper’s outdoors editor for an even longer tenure, died early Wednesday morning of cancer. He was only 56 years old.
A native of Fryburg in Clarion County, Lolley joined the O-R in 1992 as a sports writer. That was back when newsrooms were often loud and bustling with many reporters. Dale was one of the loudest and most opinionated. And that’s what everybody who worked with Dale loved about him. It made him successful in this business.
In 1993, a little more than a year into his stay at the O-R, Lolley was assigned to cover the Steelers beat, which he did until he ended his full-time O-R employment in 2017. He then became a contributing columnist, focusing on pro football. His weekly picks against the NFL betting line were a popular part of his columns.
What quickly became apparent during Dale’s stay at the O-R is that he could handle deadlines, not only as a writer but as an editor and page designer as well, and in this business that’s the first thing you are evaluated on. Can you write a 15-inch story in 15 minutes? That’s a question often asked during job interviews for sports writers.
Dale could handle and meet any tight deadline. Always. He was as reliable as the sun rising each morning.
Dale’s reliability and his ability to remain calm in pressure situations made the job of every other person in the O-R’s sports department easier.
It didn’t matter if he was covering a Super Bowl in Tempe, Ariz., or a baseball playoff game under the lights in Upper St. Clair or writing about a high school football coach hiring or firing – Dale joked that he always got stuck having to write the firing stories – he would come through. He did his job and he did it well. His work writing three stories on a tight deadline – with quotes – from Super Bowl XXX between the Steelers and Dallas Cowboys is something that still amazes me. It was one of the most impressive bits of journalism I’ve seen in more than 40 years in the business.
Though he became a fixture in the area for his coverage of the Steelers – his final jobs were as a host of The Drive on Steelers Nation Radio and a contributing writer and editor for Steelers.com – and appeared on WPXI-TV’s popular Sunday night “The Final Word” it’s in baseball where Dale left his legacy.
One of the things that interested Dale shortly after moving to Washington was the Pony League World Series. Later, from his work as a reporter, and watching his sons play youth baseball and his position as president of Washington Youth Baseball’s Pony League division, Dale could see what was happening at the world series. Teams that were coming to Washington each August were becoming more travel-team oriented, with rosters stocked with players from many different towns. Washington’s entry remained only players chosen from the city’s league. It was unfair for Washington to be playing such multi-town all-star teams, Dale would say.
“I know he felt that way. That was something he talked about,” said Noah Lolley, Dale’s oldest son. “I played in the World Series in 2011 and every year it was the same thing – Washington would lose two games. It was frustrating for Washington. We were pulling from six or eight teams that had about 11 players on each and were playing teams that were pulling players from everywhere.”
So Dale did something about that problem. The Founders League, which now fields the Washington County entry in the Pony League World Series, was Dale’s idea. He helped create the league that now includes every PONY organization in Washington County, except for Peters Township.
“There was some talk at the time about the world series leaving Washington,” Noah Lolley explained. “Washington would lose two games in the world series and then the people in town would stop going to the games. Dad wanted to keep it in Washington and wanted the (host) team to have a chance to win.”
It wasn’t a popular change at the time, which Dale admitted, but it was what was best for the world series and the area. Just look at this year’s event. Washington County made it to the championship game and the large crowds were back. The world series now appears to be on solid ground in Washington.
And each time I cover a future Pony League World Series game in Washington, especially those featuring the Washington County entry, I’ll think of my friend.
Dale is survived by his wife, Amy, sons Noah and Tanner, and daughter Madelyn.
A gathering of family and friends will be held Saturday from 9 a.m. until the service at noon at Pittsburgh Cremation & Funeral Care in McMurray.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Dale’s name to Washington Youth Baseball, PO Box 851, Washington, PA 15301.
Sports editor Chris Dugan can be reached at dugan@observer-reporter.com