When a former Pittsburgh Steelers player also enjoys raising flowers and helping people get jobs, it covers the full range of his personality and accomplishments.
John Binotto’s biggest source of pride was helping thousands of people land jobs during his long career as a director of various technical training schools in the area, retiring in his 70s from the Rosedale Technical College now in Kennedy.
“He was the strongest guy I ever knew and the gentlest guy I ever knew,” his son Larry Binotto, 69, of Peters said. “He took pride in getting people jobs, he loved the outdoors and he grew flowers.”
Mr. Binotto, 96, of Peters, who played seven games as a Steelers fullback in 1942 and was listed for years as the second longest-living former Steeler, died Friday from complications from a fall in ManorCare Health Services in Peters.
As a boy, he lived on a farm near the village of Lawrence in Peters, where his mother continued operating Binotto’s Grocery Store after his father’s death, when Mr. Binotto was only 7. As a child, he had a pet groundhog that hid socks and a crow that could unclip clothes pins from neighbors’ clotheslines, allowing their clothes to fall to the ground.
Mr. Binotto graduated from Cecil High School and then Duquesne University, where he became a university Hall of Fame running back on its undefeated 1941 team. But the coach ignored invitations to major bowl games, while awaiting a Rose Bowl bid that never came. Because the team never played a bowl game that season, Mr. Binotto’s always described his team as being “undefeated, untied and uninvited.”
Out of college, he was signed by the Cleveland Rams, but Steelers owner Art Rooney acquired him in a trade.
Mr. Binotto started only one game that season, gaining 59 yards in 17 carries (3.5 yards per carry) before being released. He later joined the Philadelphia Eagles for two games, losing 10 yards in just one carry. At that time of life, he married the late Mary E. Wilkins Binotto.
After Mr. Binotto left football, he eventually would join the Army Air Corps during World War II as a second lieutenant but wasn’t sent overseas because one brother was a prisoner of war and other brothers already were in combat units in Europe. As a pilot, he flew B-17s and B-25s and taught pilots how to take off and land on short runways.
Following the war, he held an unspecified job involving airports throughout the Pittsburgh tri-state area, among other jobs before spending 21 years directing a technician training school on the North Side and then serving as director of the Dean Institute of Technology in West Liberty. He ended his career at Rosedale, with each school growing during his tenure.
Jack Bogut on his KDKA Radio show twice name him as Pittsburgh’s best boss based on Mr. Binotto’s secretary sending in a nominating letter — typed slanted on paper with words bleeding off the page — claiming he was so nice that he refused to fire her, despite her poor typing skills.
In retirement, Mr. Binotto continued picking corn, fishing, hunting and growing flowers of all kinds, with pride in growing straight roses, said his daughter, Jeanine Smith, 64, of Peters. He also enjoyed telling stories during Duquesne University reunions.
“When I think of dad, I think of a very strong man,” she said. “As a kid, I knew you followed the rules. But he was the softest-hearted person I ever knew.”
And, by the way, Ben Agajanian, known as “The Toeless Wonder,” who was a placekicker for the Steelers in 1945, continues as the longest-living former Steelers player. He was born three months before Mr. Binotto.
In addition to son Larry and daughter Jeanine, Mr. Binotto also is survived by two sons, Gary Binotto and John Binotto Jr., both of Peters, and 10 grandchildren, one step-grandchild, five great grandchildren and one step-great grandchild.
Visitation will be held 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. today at Salandra Funeral and Cremation Services, 304 West Pike St., Canonsburg, with a blessing service at 10 a.m. Tuesday, then entombment in the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Peters. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Donnell House, 155 Wilson Ave., Washington, PA 15301.
David Templeton: dtempleton@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1578.
First Published: February 22, 2016, 5:00 a.m.
