Everybody Wants to Be From Pittsburgh

I was aware that Pittsburgh enjoys celebrating the accomplishments of its sons and daughters so much that it eagerly seeks out their most tenuous connection to the Pittsburgh area.  However, it was only after publishing my blog on the subject (http://ripachesallover.blogspot.com/2014/06/six-degrees-of-pittsburgh-connection.html) last week that I realized how many people want to claim some “Burger Cred” (as my friend Ron calls it) for themselves.

Of course I already know how popular Pittsburgh can be as a weekend destination.  I happened to have a haircut appointment in downtown Pittsburgh this past Saturday, a sunny, breezy day with temperatures in the 70’s when the Three Rivers Arts Festival and a Pirates home game were happening at the same time.  The Pirates Game was a sell-out and LITERALLY thousands of people woke up that morning and said, “Hey, it's such a nice day – let’s go to the Three Rivers Arts Festival!”  I don’t know the actual statistics but I do know that I've been in smaller crowds in Times Square on the day after Thanksgiving.

A number of Friends expressed their Pittsburgh Pride at being first degree Pittsburghers (i.e. born and raised), even those who are now living in far-flung places like Florida and the Philippines . Yes, no matter how far you roam, Ron and Mary, you can still call Pittsburgh home.

It was still a surprise that some of the people who read my blog very much wanted a connection to Pittsburgh.  My friend Barry asked if living in Morgantown or other northern points in West Virginia counted as having a Pittsburgh connection.  Sadly, I had to break it to him that no one in West Virginia can claim to be from Pittsburgh.  In fact, most West Virginians I've known do not seek nor would accept such a designation.  Even Pittsburgh reporters don’t claim West Virginians for Pittsburgh.

My friend Dan feels that any fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers should get to be an honorary Pittsburgher, but I am afraid we really have to draw the line there.  Choosing to root for a city’s football team does not a citizen make, and besides there is more to Pittsburgh than just the Steelers.  Right?  The Pirates or Penguins, you say?  What about our non-sports related accomplishments, people?  Pittsburgh boasts ground-breaking accomplishments in the fields of robotics and transplantation, the largest museum devoted to a single artist and the most bridges of any city in the nation, and a thriving cultural scene, to name just a few.  And no, if you visit the city to enjoy any of these, it does not make you a Pittsburgher (unless of course you move here).