{"id":2357,"date":"2012-10-29T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/?p=2357"},"modified":"2015-01-08T16:43:00","modified_gmt":"2015-01-08T21:43:00","slug":"y-a-tittle-agony-of-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsinteractive.post-gazette.com\/thedigs\/2012\/10\/29\/y-a-tittle-agony-of-defeat\/","title":{"rendered":"Y.A. Tittle: Agony of defeat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Sept. 20, 1964:<\/strong>\u00a0If you\u2019re a baby boomer, you\u2019ve probably seen this photograph before. It\u2019s been called the \u201cagony of defeat picture\u201d \u2014 a phrase obviously coined by a boomer familiar with the dramatic introduction to ABC\u2019s Wide World of Sports.<\/p>\n

The image was made at Pitt Stadium on a Sunday afternoon in autumn of 1964. New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle had just been the recipient of a ferocious hit by Steelers defensive end John Baker. Tittle was 38 years old \u2014 ancient, by football standards. He was one of the NFL\u2019s best quarterbacks. But the moment this picture was made, Tittle\u2019s career was nearing a painful conclusion. \u201cThat was the end of my dream,\u201d he\u2019d later say.<\/p>\n

The photographer was the Post-Gazette\u2019s Morris Berman, himself something of a legend. You\u2019ve probably seen his 1945 picture of the bodies of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress hanging upside down. Those who worked with Berman at the PG say he always wore a suit, a tie and a smile. We often come across Berman\u2019s photographs in the PG archives. They stand out as being carefully composed, and show that Berman had a knack for capturing moments that were at once surprising and representative of whatever news event he was covering.<\/p>\n

Berman\u2019s image of Tittle is one of a handful of football pictures that transcend the game. It stands as a reminder of what we all must face \u2014 aging, and the deterioration of our skills and abilities. In Berman\u2019s picture, Tittle looks like a man who has lost his place in the world. It\u2019s a painful and not uncommon thing.<\/p>\n

Oh, and one other note: The Steelers won the game, 27-24.<\/p>\n

Order this photo at<\/span>\u00a0PG Store<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

PG sportswriter Bob Dvorchak tells more of the story behind the famous picture of New York Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle .<\/em><\/p>\n

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