JOHNNY U: It was a game to be remembered. So much so that now, well over 60 years later, Keith Charles of Jamestown, N.Y., wanted to learn more after hearing so much about it.
Keith writes, “For years my father talked about growing up and playing football at St. Bernard’s.” His father was Joseph Charles, Class of 1950.
“One game in particular was an exceptionally hard fought game, where several players on both sides were hurt.” The “Bernies” were playing against St. Justin High School in Pittsburgh. One of the St. Justin players was Johnny Unitas, Class of 1951. Unitas later became a quarterback in the NFL, playing most of his career with the Baltimore Colts.
“The Ramblers beat them the previous year in Pittsburgh and earned the victory here in Bradford,” Keith stated. “But the cost was losing some key players for the rest of the season, and they lost their next four games.
“So the prototype of today’s NFL quarterback named to the NFL Silver Anniversary all time team got beat one day in Bradford, Pa.”
Keith said Taffy at the Bradford Area Public Library was very helpful in helping him find this article about the game in the Oct. 3, 1949, edition of The Era. The headline reads “Ramblers Defeat St. Justin Of Pittsburgh, 7-6; 3rd Win.”
The article even had a photograph with Unitas, then a halfback, along with St. Bernard halfback Bill Gobbi, St. Bernard player Joe Piersimoni and referee Sam Benedict.
Unitas is mentioned a couple times in the story, too, such as here: “St. Justin’s Tom Unitas, who started the game in place of regular quarterback Tom Higley, got the Ramblers in trouble on the first whistle. He kicked off to open the game and (St. Bernard halfback Bill) Pecora took the ball on his own to ten and was downed immediately.”
We think calling Unitas “Tom” was a typo by the newspaper — his description otherwise matches Johnny in every way.
Keith talked to Bill Moore of Bradford, who he says is quite the local sports buff. “His wife and my mother have been good friends for almost 70 years,” Keith wrote. Bill “tells me Unitas had a tryout with the Steelers at St. Bonnies. He apparently pocketed the $5 bus fare and hitchhiked home.”
