Oct 17, 2018 4 min read

With big sports names like Stan Musial and Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. as former local residents, Donora likes to call itself the “Home of Champions.” Adding clout to its claim is the fact that Donora High School won back-to-back WPIAL football championships in 1944 and ’45, and the basketball team also won the championship in 1945.

Donora High School is only the second in WPIAL history to win championships in the same year for its football and basketball teams. The other is Wilkinsburg, which won both championships in 1922.

Last year, the Donora Historical Society tapped into the city’s august sports history by organizing a “Game Film Event” at the town’s Croatian Club. Organizers converted its high school football game films from the 1950s and ’60s to a DVD and screened them in the social hall.

“Even though the films are in black and white and without narration, the 40 or so attendees really enjoyed them,” said Mark Pawelec, historical society volunteer.

Some of those in attendance were former football players and enjoyed watching themselves play football on the big screen so much they bought copies of the DVDs, which have proved to be a significant fundraising source of income for the society.

Following on the success of last year’s project, the historical society is planning another get-together at Croatian Club, 329 Castner Ave., at 6 p.m. Saturday. During the evening, which is free, Brian Charlton, society archivist, will present part one of a PowerPoint program titled “Donora Dragons – 1904 to 1968” that will include film, photos and newspaper clippings.

Because there’s so much material to cover, the presentation will cover the Donora Dragons from its inception, when the team was called the “Orange and Black” and played with leather helmets, but without face masks, on Gilmore Field on the Monongahela River up through 1945. If the event is successful, organizers will stage a future part two, covering the team from 1946 to the final whistle in 1968, when the school merged with Monongahela to form Ringgold School District the following year.

Most of the material in the presentation is from the archives of Donora Historical Society, as well as the Coach Jimmy Russell collection donated by his daughter, Judy Russell Smith, in 2013.

Russell, who graduated from Charleroi High School in 1926, coached the Dragons from 1931 to 1964. At Notre Dame, he played football under coach Knute Rockne from 1926 to 1930, and it was Rockne who wrote a letter of recommendation for him when he applied for the position of coach at Donora.

“We’re fortunate that Russell was both a history teacher as well as coach because he kept a collection of scrapbooks full of information on the Dragons,” Pawelec said.

During the presentation, Charlton will tell stories of Coach Russell and players Stephen Acai, Jake Kovalcik, Arnold “Pope” Galiffa, “Deacon” Dan Towler, Lou “Bimbo” Cecconi, Bob Rosborough and many others.

“Galiffa graduated from Donora High School in 1945 and went on to become an All-American quarterback at West Point,” Charleton said. “After serving in the Korean War, Coach Vince Lombardi contacted him to play football for the New York Giants. After three years in the NFL, he played football for Toronto in the Canadian League.”

Dan Towler, 1946 grad, made small school All-American while attending Washington & Jefferson College. Drafted by the Cleveland Rams, he led the National Football League in rushing in 1952. He retired in 1956 to study for the ministry.

Those who attend the presentation will be able to purchase newly minted orange “Donora – Forged in 1901” T-shirts and crewneck sweatshirts.

Former coaches, players, cheerleaders, band members and fans from any era are encouraged to attend.

“Through the event, the historical society is forging a partnership with a local social club,” Pawelec said. “We’re also bridging the gap between the older and younger generations of area residents.”

For more information, call 724-823-0364 or email donorahistoricalsociety@gmail.com with questions.