Former Steeler and Super Bowl champ Bleier to speak at Friendly Sons Dinner

WILKES-BARRE — Former Pittsburgh Steelers running back, and four-time Super Bowl Champion Rocky Bleier will be the guest speaker at the Greater Wilkes-Barre Friendly Sons of St. Patrick 76th anniversary dinner.

The event is set for March 11, at Genetti’s Hotel and Conference Center.

Tickets are $75 and can be purchased from any member of the Friendly Sons, or by calling Steve McGough, ticket chairman, at 570-262-3110. Black tie is encouraged.

Bleier, who will turn 76 on March 6, played college football at the University of Notre Dame and graduated with a degree in business management. During his junior season in 1966, the Fighting Irish won the national championship. Bleier was selected in the 16th round of the 1968 NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After his rookie season with the Steelers, Bleier was drafted into the U.S. Army on Dec. 4, 1968, during the Vietnam War. While in Vietnam, Bleier was wounded in the left thigh by an enemy rifle bullet.

While he was down, an enemy grenade landed nearby. Bleier lost part of his right foot in the blast. He was later awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

After several surgeries, Bleier made his way back into the Steelers camp in 1970. Bleier, however, could not walk without pain.

After several seasons — and hard work — he made his way into the Steelers starting lineup in 1974. From there, Bleier played in the first four Steeler Super Bowl victories and caught the touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw that gave Pittsburgh a lead it would never relinquish in the Super Bowl XIII defeat of the Dallas Cowboys.

Bleier retired after the 1980 season. He finished with 3,865 career rushing yards and 25 touchdowns. At the time of his retirement, Bleier was the Steelers fourth all-time leading rusher.

Bleier wrote a book about his experiences called “Fighting Back: The Rocky Bleier Story.” The book made it into a television movie in 1980.

Bleier became a public speaker on the topics of retirement and financial management. He also became a motivational speaker, talking to his audiences about his life story.

Bleier remains humble, yet reflective, on his contributions to the Steelers and how his life turned from tragedy to triumph.

“When I look back on my football career, it was worth it to go through those early years and the uncertainty of what might happen,” he said.