He's a Pittsburgh legend. Jock Sutherland won two national championships as a player at the University of Pittsburgh and five as a coach. He also coached the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Sutherland is buried at Homewood Cemetery among Pittsburgh dignitaries such as Frick, Mellon and Heinz. Some Pitt football alumni noticed that Sutherland's grave did not live up to its surroundings and to the man he was. They want to change that.
As a player at Pitt, Sutherland lost only one game. He graduated from Pitt's Dental School and then replaced Pop Warner as Pitt's coach. Over 14 seasons, from 1924-1938, he piled up 144 wins, 28 losses and 14 ties.
In 1946, Sutherland became the coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was only 59 years old when he became sick during a scouting trip. He died a short time later after surgery for a brain tumor in 1948.
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Bill Hillgrove has been the voice of Pitt football for 44 years. He knows better than anyone about the greatness of Sutherland.
"He was unique and he died young," Hillgrove said.
Sutherland was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951. To many outside Pitt, his story has faded and his final resting place has been forgotten.
"I don't know if there's much of a Sutherland family anywhere now. He was never married so, as a result, it kind of just drifted away," Hillgrove told Channel 11 sports director Alby Oxenreiter.
Sutherland's gravesite is beautiful and serene, but it's nondescript. A group of Pitt football alumni wants to change that. Hillgrove is leading the way with former Pitt kicker Carson Long. Their goal is to raise money for a permanent shrine.
"The grassroots effort has raised about $7,600," Hillgrove said. "That's enough to get it through a year of maintenance. They'd like to do it in perpetuity."
Hillgrove envisions a shrine benefiting a legend.
"I think it would be a shrine, plants, flowers, something that catches the eye more than we see here," he said.
It would be a testament to a Pitt loyal son, dowered in eternal youth, like the University he represented.
"We've got to remember. We've got to remember," Hillgrove said. "The Pitt family is in the process of doing a better job of remembering."
If you would like to donate to help restore Sutherland's gravesite, you can mail a check to the following address:
The Sutherland Restoration Fund
Box 506
Ashland, Pa. 14921
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