The Dapper Dan Charities were founded by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editor Al Abrams in 1936. It is one of the oldest nonprofit and fundraising community sports clubs in the world and the oldest in Western Pennsylvania. The foundation fundraises for its charities primarily through the annual "Dapper Dan Banquet". Started in 1936, the first few banquets honored such regional figures as Art Rooney, Jock Sutherland and John Harris. In 1939, the banquet began an annual tradition of naming the region's "Sportsman of the Year" and in 1999 the "Sportswoman of the Year". In recent decades, all charitable contributions raised by the banquet go to the Boys and Girls club of Western Pennsylvania, which directly funds activities and equipment for nearly 7,000 youths annually. The organization also sponsored the annual Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic.[1][2]

Previous fundraisers included the occasional Dapper Dan Open golf tournament in the 1930s and 1940s, World Heavyweight Titles hosted at Forbes Field in the 1950s and 1960s and the Roundball Classic hosted at the Civic Arena from 1965 until the 1980s.

Through Pittsburgh Pirates broadcaster Bob Prince's friendship with Fred Hutchinson the Dapper Dan Charity awarded Major League Baseball's annual Hutch Award at the annual banquet until at least 1993.[3][4][5][6]

Dapper Dan awards

Year Sportsman Sport
or Team		 Sportswoman Sport
or Team		 Lifetime Achievement Sport
or Team		 Venue
1939 Billy Conn boxing William Penn Hotel[7]
1940 Fritzie Zivic boxing William Penn [8]
1941 Aldo Donelli Steelers William Penn [8]
1942 Bill Dudley Steelers William Penn [8]
1943 Rip Sewell Pirates William Penn [8]
1944 Frankie Frisch Pirates William Penn [8]
1945 Billy Conn boxing William Penn [8]
1946 Bill Dudley Steelers William Penn [8]
1947 Ralph Kiner Pirates William Penn [8]
1948 Bill Meyer Pirates William Penn [8]
1949 Ralph Kiner Pirates William Penn [8]
1950 Joe Geri Steelers William Penn [8]
1951 Murry Dickson Pirates William Penn [8]
1952 Red Dawson Panthers William Penn [8]
1952 Stan Musial Cardinals William Penn [8]
1953 Lew Worsham golf William Penn [8]
1954 Dudley Moore Dukes William Penn [8]
1955 John Michelosen Steelers William Penn [8]
1956 Dale Long Pirates Penn-Sheraton[8][9]
1957 Dick Groat Pirates Penn-Sheraton [8]
1958 Danny Murtaugh Pirates Penn-Sheraton [8]
1959 Elroy Face Pirates Hilton[8]
1960 Arnold Palmer golf Hilton [8]
1960 Dick Groat Pirates Hilton [8][10]
1961 Roberto Clemente Pirates Hilton [8]
1962 Lou Michaels Steelers Hilton [8]
1963 John Michelosen Steelers
1964 Delvin Miller horse racing
1965 Vernon Law Pirates Hilton [11]
1966 Roberto Clemente Pirates
1967 Baz Bastien Penguins
1968 Steve Blass Pirates
1968 Dick Hoak Steelers
1969 Red Manning Dukes
1970 Danny Murtaugh Pirates
1971 Willie Stargell Pirates
1971 Danny Murtaugh Pirates
1971 Roberto Clemente Pirates
1972 Chuck Noll Steelers
1973 Johnny Majors Panthers
1974 Joe Greene[12] Steelers Hilton
1975 Terry Bradshaw Steelers
1976 Tony Dorsett Panthers
1977 Franco Harris Steelers
1978 Dave Parker Pirates Hilton[13]
1979 Willie Stargell Pirates Stan Musial Cardinals Hilton
1980 Hugh Green Panthers
1981 Jackie Sherrill Panthers Art Rooney Steelers Hilton [14]
1982 Joe Paterno[15] Lions Joe Schmidt[16] Pitt Hilton[17][18]
1983 Dan Marino Panthers Franco Harris Steelers Hilton[19]
1984 John Stallworth Steelers Hilton
1985 Louis Lipps Steelers Bill Dudley[20] Steelers Hilton
1986 Mario Lemieux Penguins Hilton
1987 Syd Thrift Pirates
1988 Mario Lemieux Penguins Hilton
1989 Roger Kingdom Panthers (track) Hilton
1990 Jim Leyland Pirates Hilton
1991 Bob Johnson Penguins Hilton[21]
1992 Bill Cowher Steelers Hilton [3]
1993 Jay Bell Pirates
1994 Bill Cowher Steelers
1995 Jaromír Jágr Penguins
1996 Kurt Angle wrestling Hilton[22]
1997 Jerome Bettis Steelers Hilton[23]
1998 Joe Paterno Lions Hilton[24]
1999 Mario Lemieux Penguins Suzie McConnell-Serio Rockers/Oakland Catholic Dan Marino[25] Pitt Hilton
2000 Jason Kendall Pirates Dori Anderson Blackhawk High Mike Ditka[26][27] Aliquippa Hilton
2001 Kordell Stewart Steelers Carol Semple Thompson[28] golf Chuck Noll[29] Steelers Hilton[30]
2002 Ben Howland Panthers Swin Cash UConn Huskies Lanny Frattare Pirates Hilton[31]
2003 Larry Fitzgerald Panthers Kelly Mazzante Lady Lions The 1979 Champion Teams Pirates
Steelers		 Hilton[32]
2004 Ben Roethlisberger Steelers Lauryn Williams olympics Arnold Palmer Golf Convention Center[33]
2005 Jerome Bettis Steelers Agnus Berenato Panthers Joe Paterno Penn State Hilton[34][35]
2006 Sidney Crosby Penguins Swin Cash Detroit Shock Dan Rooney[36] Steelers Convention Center
2007 Sidney Crosby Penguins Agnus Benerato Panthers (None bestowed) Convention Center[37]
2008[38] Mike Tomlin Steelers Shavonte Zellous Panthers Dick LeBeau Football Petersen Events Center
2009 Evgeni Malkin Penguins Penn State Volleyball Lions Bruno Sammartino wrestling Petersen Events Center [39]
2010 Jamie Dixon Panthers [40] Suzie McConnell-Serio Dukes Joe Greene Steelers Convention Center [41]
2011 Dan Bylsma, Marc-André Fleury[42] Penguins Pittsburgh Passion[42] Women's football Mike Ditka[43] Panthers Convention Center
2012 Andrew McCutchen[44] Pirates Taylor Schram[44] PSU Women's soccer Hines Ward[44] Steelers Convention Center
2013 Clint Hurdle[45] Pirates Patrice Matamoros[46] Pittsburgh Marathon Franco Harris[47] Steelers Convention Center
2014 Antonio Brown Steelers Christa Harmotto Penn State (Volleyball) Jim Kelly Football Convention Center
2015 Antonio Brown[48] Steelers Meghan Klingenberg[48] United States women's national soccer team Dick Groat[48] Pitt basketball (broadcasting) Convention Center
2016 Mike Sullivan and Jim Rutherford Penguins Amanda Polk Oakland Catholic/Olympics Rocky Bleier Steelers Convention Center
2017 James Conner Steelers Heather Lyke Pitt Panthers Jerome Bettis Steelers Convention Center
2018 Cam Heyward Steelers Pitt Panthers Women's Volleyball Pitt Panthers Bill Hillgrove Pitt Panthers Westin Hotel

Banquet festivities

Various years the Dapper Dan Banquet has been a who's who of Western Pennsylvania sports, and attracted national and even international stars and entertainers. In 1993 George Wendt and David Lander hosted the event.[3] Howard Baldwin, Craig Patrick, Lanny Frattare, Marty Schottenheimer, Rod Woodson, Ambassador Dan Rooney, Art Rooney, Mark May, John Brown, Sal Sunseri, Hank Aaron,[49] Myron Cope, Lou Holtz,[50] Terry Francona, Pat Mullins, Dave Robinson, Len Dawson, Lou Groza, Bud Wilkinson,[51] Bob Prince, Governor Lawrence and Todd Blackledge[14] have all participated in recent events.

References

  1. ↑ Wunderley, Ken (February 15, 2016). "Pittsburgh Wrestling Classic March 26 at Pitt". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved March 31, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic". Wrestlingclassic.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-22. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  3. 1 2 3 "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  4. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "The Southeast Missourian - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  6. ↑ "Schenectady Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  7. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 "Dapper Dan Dinner Set at Hilton Feb .3: Big Sports Party to Hit Town for 27th Anniversary". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 12, 1962. Retrieved 2015-06-23. "The coming Dapper Dan Dinner will mark the fourth year in succession that it has been held in the huge Hilton Ball Room. The previous 23 fetes were staged at the old William Penn Hotel, later the Penn-Sheraton."
  9. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  10. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  11. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  12. ↑ "Mean Joe Star of Dapper Dan Weekend". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 8, 1975. p. 10. Retrieved November 8, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  14. 1 2 "Beaver County Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  15. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  16. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  17. ↑ "Indiana Gazette from Indiana, Pennsylvania on February 22, 1999 · Page 16". newspapers.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  18. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  19. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  20. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  21. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  22. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  24. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  25. ↑ "High Honors: Marino, Lemieux, McConnell Serio share spotlight". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  26. ↑ "Allegheny Times - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  27. ↑ "Paterno To Be Inducted Into Pittsburgh Hall of Fame on Saturday". gopsusports.com. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  28. ↑ "Sportswoman of the year: Thompson's investment in golf pays big dividends for her, game". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  29. ↑ "Chuck Noll: Always more than just a coach". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  30. ↑ "Dapper Dan: Pittsburgh sports luminaries feted at banquet". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  31. ↑ "Dapper Dan Dinner: Bradshaw-Noll reconciliation inspires crowd". old.post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  32. ↑ "Magic of No. 1 takes the spotlight at Dapper Dan dinner". post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  33. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  34. ↑ "Honorees Paterno, Berenato, Bettis share Dapper Dan spotlight". post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  35. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  36. ↑ "Rooney, Cash, Crosby honored at Dapper Dan Dinner". post-gazette.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  37. ↑ Finder, Chuck (2008-04-02). "Dapper Dan: Crosby, Berenato humble winners - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  38. ↑ Dvorchak, Robert (2009-02-15). "2009 Dapper Dan Awards: Mike Tomlin & Shavonte Zellous". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2009-02-25. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  39. ↑ Dvorchak, Robert (2010-03-26). "Dapper Dan: Malkin, Sammartino, Penn State volleyball claim awards - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  40. ↑ Fittipaldo, Ray (2010-12-26). "Dapper Dan Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year: Jamie Dixon and Suzie McConnell-Serio - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2010-12-30. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  41. ↑ Sanserino, Michael (2010-12-05). "Dapper Dan Dinner: Ganassi chosen for new award 2011 - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  42. 1 2 Anderson, Shelly (2012-01-22). "Dapper Dan 76th Honorees: Bylsma, Fleury, Passion headline 2012 dais". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2012-01-27. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  43. ↑ Sanserino, Michael (2012-01-01). "Dapper Dan Honors - Ditka, doctor to receive awards". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
  44. 1 2 3 "McCutchen honored as Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 30, 2012. Archived from the original on February 6, 2013.
  45. ↑ Brink, Bill (2013-12-21). "Pirates manager Hurdle humbled by pick for Dapper Dan - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-08. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  46. ↑ Werner, Sam (2013-12-21). "Dapper Dan Sportswoman gave marathon new life as director - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-25. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  47. ↑ Fittipaldo, Ray (2014-02-01). "Dapper Dan: Franco Harris a player for all times - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette". Post-gazette.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-19. Retrieved 2014-02-20.
  48. 1 2 3 Menendez, Jenn (2016-02-18). "Dapper Dan awardee Dick Groat savors another moment in spotlight". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Archived from the original on 2017-02-18. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  49. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  50. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
  51. ↑ "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com. Retrieved 3 May 2018.
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