Who Is Bud Recktenwald?

I received an e-mail from the Senator John Heinz History Center promoting a pep rally for the Gridiron Glory Exhibit this Saturday, October 6th. Here's a brief description:

Steelers Hall of Famer Franco Harris and several special guests will help the Senator John Heinz History Center kick off its new exhibition, Gridiron Glory: The Best of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, at a public pep rally event on Sat., Oct. 6, at 10:00 a.m. in the History Center parking lot on 12th and Smallman Street.

Visitors to the Gridiron Glory Kickoff and Pep Rally can be the first to see the new blockbuster exhibition, which includes more than 200 football artifacts from the Pro Football Hall of Fame collections, exclusive videos from the vaults of NFL Films, and a special section on the Steelers and football in Western Pa.

The Steelerettes – the first and only cheerleaders in franchise history– will get visitors fired up, while Pittsburgh Power player Mike Washington will ceremoniously “kick off” the exhibit with a live field goal attempt through the original Three Rivers Stadium goal post outside of the History Center.

The “Ultimate Steelers Fan” Bud Recktenwald will join mascot Steely McBeam and other passionate Steelers fan groups to wave their Terrible Towels and show off their black and gold pride.

Let’s stop right there. First, how does someone become the “Ultimate Steelers Fan” and can you really call yourself the Ultimate Steelers Fan if you’re being joined by Steely McBeam? There are thousands and thousands, if not millions of Steelers fans across the world. Therefore, how does Bud Recktenwald get to call himself the Ultimate Steelers Fan?

Apparently, Recktenwald (I’m just calling him Bud for the rest of this post; much easier to type) is recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame as the Ultimate Steelers Fan as part of a fan promotion sponsored by VISA. While I found information about Bud in this Pocono Record article and in the Pro Football’s Most Passionate Fans eBook by Harvey “Mr. Steeler” Aronson, a search for “Recktenwald” on the Pro Football Hall of Fame website does not have any results. So is Bud living off this Ultimate Steelers Fan label based on winning a contest? Plus, how did Harvey Aronson get the Mr. Steeler nickname? If Art or Dan Rooney gave either of these gentlemen the nicknames, I’d be fine with it, but otherwise, it’s a little suspect. I don't go around calling myself the Ultimate Mr. Ramblings. Actually, maybe I should!

In full disclosure, I've had some e-mail correspondence with Harvey Aronson in the past. Seems like a good guy and really does have a passion for the Steelers.

For more information on Gridiron Glory, visit the Heinz History Center website and click here to learn more about the kickoff and pep rally.