Steel city vs. China

The national media missed the point of the federal indictment against the Chinese hackers. This did not come out of Pittsburgh just because the companies were here. This came out of Pittsburgh because the guys behind the investigation and prosecution are Pittsburghers. The best line of my story on the FBI’s top investigator is that his father was a steelworker. This is personal. Those of us who grew up here get that.

Hundreds of other U.S. companies have been hacked by the Chinese military officials accused in a federal indictment of breaching Pittsburgh-area companies, the FBI’s top cyber investigator told the Tribune-Review.

Bill Nunn Jr. — Steelers scout, pioneering journalist

Steelers scout Bill Nunn Jr. was gracious about spending time with me over the past few years. Actually, he wasn’t. Not always. Often, he wanted to know why I cared so much about his story. His personal story.

My answer was always the same: Because he lived such an interesting life. He lived an eternity before the Steelers ever discovered him. Grew up with famous black entertainers and athletes coming to his home. Starred at Westinghouse High School and West Virginia State University — next to the first black men in the NBA.

Nunn had a shot at breaking that barrier too. But in a move that only made me love him more, he chose newspapers over professional basketball. Sure, it was a different time. But still. An ink wretch. Like me.

The rest of the story Steelers fans know. Here’s my take on the man who died Tuesday. He witnessed history — and made it.

 

Portrait of Bill Nunn Jr. seated at desk with documents and typewriter, possibly in Pittsburgh Courier Newspaper office, c. 1950-1960 Heinz Family Fund © Teenie Harris Archive, Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh

Bill Nunn Jr., a black sports reporter for The Pittsburgh Courier, still could not sit in the press box at Forbes Field three years after Jackie Robinson started for the Brooklyn Dodgers.