Mt. Lebanon honors Art Walker with field dedication
According to Dr. Melissa Friez, superintendent of schools, Mt. Lebanon’s No. 1 priority is its students, and Art Walker Sr. exemplified that philosophy as an educator and a coach.
“We strive for it to be that kids are first, ” said Friez. “Mr. Walker is an example of putting kids first and even many, many years after he’s retired, he always talks about the students and the impact that they have had on him. His memory is incredible because he remembers them all, and you can tell that his passion continued for them far after his days serving our school district.”
Although Walker retired in 1993, many of his former charges turned out to pay tribute to him when Mt. Lebanon dedicated its football field in his name on Oct. 23.
Dr. Robert Schilken was one of those former football players. He helped Mt. Lebanon to win back-to-back WPIAL championships in 1980 and 1981 before playing for the University of Pittsburgh while earning a medical degree. Today, he is an orthopedic surgeon with Allegheny Health Network.
Schilken first acknowledged the turnout, which included more than 100 former players.
“It’s awesome to see so many players from all the different generations. Guys, that I grew up with and who I watched play, and then some of the guys that played after me. It’s good to see them all come back and honor Coach Walker.
“He was a legend here,” Schilken added. “He coached us. He taught us.”
From 1967 to 1987, Coach Walker led Mt. Lebanon to five WPIAL football championships in 1970, 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1984. He compiled a 170-56-6 record that included 10 conference championships and three WPIAL runner-up trophies. He was inducted into the WPIAL Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Mt. Lebanon’s athletic Hall of Fame as one of the first Distinguished Blue Devils in 2018.
In addition to coaching the football team for 21 seasons, he taught history from 1959-1987 and served as athletic director from 1987 to 1993.
According to Dale Cable, who served on the Art Walker Field Naming Committee, the distinction was deserving.
“Mr. Walker was the quintessential face of Mt. Lebanon Blue Devil football for several decades, a respected teacher and championship coach who positively impacted students and student athletes alike,” he said. “He made Mt. Lebanon a better community.”
Chip Dalesandro agreed. A 1976 Mt. Lebanon High School graduate, he has been involved in the youth and high school football programs as a coach since the early 1980s. Dalesandro has known Walker since he was 9 years old.
“Nobody deserves this more (than Art),” Dalesandro said at the naming ceremony. “He was a tremendous teacher. A great individual,” he added. “I’m just happy we could all be here and part of this wall that we all built for him.”
Walker, who turned 90 on St. Patrick’s Day, was accompanied at the dedication by his wife, Beverly. The couple have been married for 69 years. They have three daughters, Jeannine, Colleen and Carrie, and one son, Art Walker, Jr. who followed in his father’s footsteps as a champion high school football coach in Western Pennsylvania.
Art Jr. served as his dad’s ball boy before he earned All-America honors playing football at Clarion University. He embarked on his coaching career at Central Catholic, winning two WPIAL titles and one state crown before taking the reins at North Allegheny, where he has captured five WPIAL titles and two state championships since 2005.
Before beating his father’s former team, 24-6, Art Jr. spoke at the dedication ceremony.
“It was pretty emotional,” he said as he left to coach his Tigers on the visitors’ sideline. “I’m glad I made it through that. I didn’t know if I would because I spent a lot of time growing up on this field. It’s crazy where I am now with my guys over there and what’s going on with my dad.
“It’s unbelievable. Amazing,” he added. “I’m blown away.”
The recognition had a similar impact on Walker Sr.
“It’s kind of taking my breath away,” he said. “It’s truly so wonderful. A great, great honor and all these people showing up, my former players and everybody, it’s been a great evening, a very special night.”
Walker noted he was about 75 when he stepped away from coaching. After Mt. Lebanon, he led Shady Side Academy to its only WPIAL title, then served as an assistant to his son. He retired with a career record of 207-73-6.
“Sure I miss it, but it was time to step away,” Walker said. “I had a great time.”
It was an era that made a difference in Mt. Lebanon.
“Mr. Walker left such an impact on the lives of many people and all of them were willing to come together and recognize him; as an educator, that’s the greatest honor that you can ever have. That your kids that you served come back and care about you the way that you cared about them says a lot. It says he was an educator first but he also was an incredible human being,” Friez said.
Pep talks and pace
Art Walker inspired his football players at Mt. Lebanon.
His pre-game speeches were remarkable as well as his pacing for the action on and off the field.
While no oration in particular stood out for Dave Turzak, the center on Lebo’s 1984 WPIAL championship club recalled how pumped the Blue Devils were to play for Walker.
“His pre-game talks would build and build and build that you just wanted to run through that door and bust out onto the field,” Turzak said prior to a ceremony held Oct. 23 that dedicated the Mt. Lebanon High School stadium playing surface in Walker’s honor.
James Moore shared his own one-on-one conversation regarding Walker. Moore attended the renaming dedication with his former teammate as well as Mark Saghy from Upper St. Clair.
Moore, who lives in Scott Township, recalled twisting his ankle during gym class. He was questionable for that 1984 championship game but went on to win Player of the Game laurels in leading Lebo to a 20-12 win against Gateway.
“All day long, (Walker) kept giving me a look. He was not very happy with me. He told me, ‘You better be able to play,’ and I was. After the game, he just came over and gave me a big hug and let me know how much he cared about me.”
Walker cared about speed, too. His teams kept the action going and the pressure on its opponents as they won five district championships and 10 conference titles during his tenure at Mt. Lebanon.
“Everything was play fast with Art,” said Chip Dalesandro.
A 1976 Mt. Lebanon High School graduate, Dalesandro has known Walker since he started playing football at 9 years old.
“Play fast. Make a mistake, make it fast. Get over it. Keep moving on.”
Dalesandro added that was Walker’s philosophy and he has adopted it as his own, whether on the field or in life.
“I learned a lot from Art,” he said. “He’s a good man.”