Geez. 58. That sucks. I remember a parade in my hometown after the glory days ended - it was probably around the time I was in high school - 1985-87. Dwight White was the grand marshall of the parade. Isn't it weird how many ex-Steelers have died in the last 5 years or so? Still A Dog, what's the best Dwight White story you have?
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It was May of 1975. I was at an afternoon party at a flea-bag apartment building on General Robinson Street on Pittsburgh's North Side. About 3 blocks from Three Rivers Stadium. About 1 block from where PNC Park is today.
I had been to many of these "parties" before all over the North Side. Mostly they were excuses to smoke weed, drop acid, and drink beer.
But the mood at this one was particularly odd. There was a German Shepherd puppy who was getting high and banging his head on the coffee table. And our old buddy Freddie was coming by for a visit.
Freddie lived on the North Side and worked for the Steelers at that time. With the exception of Franco Harris, every Steeler I ever met was introduced to me by Freddie. His good buddies were Frenchy Fuqua and Craig Hanneman (who turned Freddie on to rubbing snuff). But he had lots of friends on the Steelers.
So Freddie shows up and we're partying so much a cloud of smoke fills the room like a Cheech & Chong movie. We had a keg of Michelob going in the kitchen. Jimi Hendrix, The Allman Brothers, and Elvin Bishop are blasting away. People keep coming and going. Deals are being made. Everything is cool.
Until "Fairchance Woody" passes out and somebody thinks he overdosed on something. Freddie says, "I got to get out of here fast." Don't know why. Anyway he gets on the phone and calls someone to pick him up pronto. So, in ten minutes who shows up to pick up Freddie in a powder blue Cadillac? Yep, the Mad Dog, Dwight White.
So I say, "Freddie, invite him in to have a beer or catch a buzz."
But Freddie says, "No man, if it was just me and you he might do it. But it's too crazy today. Wouldn't be good if he's here and the cops or an ambulance shows up on account of Woody's dumb ass."
So I watched Freddie jump in Dwight White's Cadillac and drive away. And that was the last time I saw him.
So I hope the Mad Dog (who crawled out of a hospital bed to score the first points EVER for the Pittsburgh Steelers in an NFL Championship contest by sacking Fran Tarkenton in the end zone for a safety) is driving around with Turnpike Ernie Holmes in a big blue Cadillac up in heaven.
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