Three days before the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception and hours before his surprise passing, Franco Harris connected with fans over his iconic moment.
PITTSBURGH — Sitting in front of his 22-year-old likeness frozen in the moment of his history-defining play, Pittsburgh Steelers Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris grinned. He was recounting the tedious process of creating the mold used to sculpt his face for the iconic Immaculate Reception statues that greet visitors at the Pittsburgh International Airport and the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.
Harris remembered breathing through two straws stuck up his nose as dental alginate sat on his face, covering every pore for more than 20 minutes. As the plaster-like material hardened, it captured every wrinkle and crevasse of his face. The petroleum jelly he slathered on before the alginate was applied was supposed to make it easier to remove the dried cast, but a couple of his beard and eyebrow hairs remained embedded in the mask when artist Gerry Embelton carefully peeled it away.
“It wasn’t bad until they tried to take it off, and then they’re taking my beard off with it,” Harris said with a chuckle. “My beard hair did grow back.”
For 15 minutes Tuesday morning, Harris sat across from me and told me about the statue and what it meant to him.
“I thought that’d be a nice way to greet people coming into Pittsburgh,” Harris said, “… it was only supposed to be up, I believe, for six months or a year. And I’m still standing.”
Less than 24 hours later, Harris’ son Dok confirmed his dad died overnight. Waking up to the news was surreal. I was just with him. How could he be gone?
If Harris was slowing down at 72 years old, his schedule and zest for life didn’t show it. He had the same twinkle in his eye as he told stories in his signature deep, soft-spoken tone. Our interview was one of dozens of appearances and events he had lined up this week for the 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.
A sold-out panel was scheduled for Thursday — Franco Harris and the Immaculate Reception: 50 Years Later — featuring a Steelers trio of Harris, Joe Greene and John “Frenchy” Fuqua, and Oakland Raiders linebacker Phil Villapiano at the same museum where Harris talked with me Tuesday morning. There was also a smaller, intimate gathering of his friends and family for dinner scheduled at the museum this week.
