Remembering Donora

DONORA FOOTBALL 1945
Considered one of the greatest football teams in WPIAL history, Donora allowed just 13 points all season and won a WPIAL title. Nine players from this team went on to play football at Pitt and another, running back Deacon "Dan" Towler, played in the NFL after a college career at Washington and Jefferson.

STAN MUSIAL
Musial was not just a standout baseball player at Donora in the late 1930’s, he was also a talented football and basketball player. “Stan the Man” played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1941-63 and his 3,630 hits are still fourth all time behind only Pete Rose, Ty Cobb and Hank Aaron. A three-time National League MVP, seven-time batting champion and a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Musial passed away in 2013.

LOU “BIMBO” CECCONI
Cecconi earned 11 out of a possible 12 varsity letters in high school and was a key member of three WPIAL Championship football teams, including the legendary 1945 team. He also led the basketball team to state runner-up honors. Cecconi went on to become a four-year starter at quarterback for Pitt, as well as becoming a basketball and baseball standout.

ARNOLD GALIFFA
Galiffa (above) was a teammate of Cecconi’s on the dominant Donora teams of the mid-1940’s ’s and won 12 varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball and track. Nicknamed “Pope,” Galiffa went on to earn 11 varsity letters in football, baseball and basketball at West Point. He earned All-American status at Army and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame.