FILE - Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris (32) eludes a tackle by Oakland Raiders' Jimmy Warren as he runs 42-yards for a touchdown after catching a deflected pass during an AFC Divisional NFL football playoff game in Pittsburgh, Dec. 23, 1972. Harris' scoop of a deflected pass and subsequent run for the winning touchdown — forever known as the "Immaculate Reception" — has been voted the greatest play in NFL history. On the 50th anniversary of the "Immaculate Reception" — Friday, Dec. 23, 2022 — Pittsburghers recall how it boosted morale during the collapse of the steel industry and has served as a cultural rallying point ever since.
Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.
Harry Cabluck / AP Photo
FILE - Pittsburgh Steelers' Franco Harris (32) eludes a tackle by Oakland Raiders' Jimmy Warren as he runs 42-yards for a touchdown after catching a deflected pass during an AFC Divisional NFL football playoff game in Pittsburgh, Dec. 23, 1972. Harris' scoop of a deflected pass and subsequent run for the winning touchdown — forever known as the "Immaculate Reception" — has been voted the greatest play in NFL history. On the 50th anniversary of the "Immaculate Reception" — Friday, Dec. 23, 2022 — Pittsburghers recall how it boosted morale during the collapse of the steel industry and has served as a cultural rallying point ever since.
Airdate: December 21, 2022
Pittsburgh Steelers fans and the world overall were shocked at the news of former Steeler and Hall of Fame running back Franco Harris’ death Tuesday night.
Harris died just two days before the 50th anniversary of that play, which became known as the Immaculate Reception – a play where Harris snagged a deflected pass from Terry Bradshaw and ran 60 yards into the end zone with under ten second to go in a playoff game against the then Oakland Raiders.
It has been called as the greatest play in NFL history.
Just last weekend, Associated Press reporter Peter Smith wrote a story about how the Immaculate Reception was a turning point not just for the Steelers, but for Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. Appearing on The Spark Wednesday, Smith talked about why the play was so monumental,”This was the first playoff win ever for the Steelers. And obviously it began that great dynasty, the great run in the seventies. So the NFL, when it listed its top 100 or so plays of all time, put this one as number one. So it would be big enough just to be the biggest play of all time. But it was even bigger than that. It was a cultural touchstone that people still refer back to.”
Smith said the Immaculate Reception can be pointed to a spark for Pittsburgh in more than just sports,”The Steelers, they’re named for the steel industry. And yet the industry was it was in decline in the seventies, although the really awful collapse happened probably more in the eighties, but it was already heading in that direction. So the things that very much defined Pittsburgh at that time, the kind of hardhatted steelworkers, the blue collar grit, a lot of that was really, really precarious at that time. And yet, this was the ultimate case of the underdog pulling it out, out of nowhere and it became the stuff of — I cover religion. And, I have heard it used in sermon illustrations. You’ve heard it in motivational talks. It’s like this is bigger than a game. This is life, never give up. There’s always a way. You can always find a way. So,it’s taken on a meaning that kind of that the whole the whole region has adopted of we can do it, a real can do.”
