In 1973, I worked as a part time cab driver for Yellow Cab of Pittsburgh. I was attending Duquesne University during the day. One night while traveling through the Liberty Tunnel to downtown Pittsburgh, about two-thirds of the way through, my Big Yellow Checker Cab stopped dead in the left lane. After many attempts to restart the cab, I got out and walked back to the car directly behind me, a powder blue Javelin sports car, to explain to the driver that I could not move. The Javelin driver opened his window and the large, immediately recognizable face of Franco Harris appeared. He smiled and told me to get back in the cab: He would push me out of the tunnel.
His sparkling, new Javelin engaged with the 1.5 ton Checker and slowly pushed me out of the infamous tube, without a moment’s hesitation. I think of how many linebackers and defensive backs during his career felt that same push while Franco ground out another first down.
R.I.P. Franco.
Edward Michael Cawley
West Chester, Pa.
First Published: December 22, 2022, 5:00 a.m.