Photo for the Mirror by Jarrod Prugar. Former Steeler Ike Taylor signs autographs for a fan at PNG Field on Thursday.
By Jarrod Prugar
For the mirror
Former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor put his love for baseball on full display Thursday night when he threw his first pitch before the Altoona Curve’s 4-2 victory over the Bowie Baysox at PNG Field in front of 4,504 fans.
“When I was younger, I was a catcher, I also played center field, and whenever I was eligible to pitch, I pitched. But yes, baseball was my first love,” Taylor recalls.
Of course, it was football that paved the way for Taylor, who was drafted by the Steelers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. The rest, as they say, is history.
“To actually get drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers and actually play defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers … we’re talking about the Steel Curtain,” Taylor said.
Taylor etched his name in Steelers history with two Super Bowls and a 12-year career in Pittsburgh, a place the New Orleans, Louisiana native calls home.
“Coming to this city, man, it just taught me a lot, a lot about life,” Taylor said. “One thing I say about the city of Pittsburgh: Bring your lunchbox to work. There’s nothing flashy. There’s nothing extravagant. People just go to work, take care of their family, and that’s regardless of how much money you have.”
Taylor was very proud to be able to wear black and gold as a player. And today, ten years after his last NFL game, he is even prouder.
“My legacy with the Pittsburgh Steelers is bigger than the Pittsburgh Steelers themselves,” Taylor said. “I always tell people, if I were a hyphenated name, it would be Taylor-Rooney.”
Now Taylor can be seen on the road, observing college football players and providing input at scouting meetings.
“They let me attend scouting meetings when I was active,” Taylor said. “I always knew I wanted to be in the front office. I know some of them probably thought I was clowning or acting, but I was dead serious.”
Taylor has always felt he had a knack for scouting and an eye for talent. That helped him transition into his job, but what helped him most was the appreciation from guys like Art Rooney, Mike Tomlin and others.
“I think everyone wants to feel valued at some point in their life. Once you see that, you just do what you have to do,” Taylor said. “There’s no time to go to work. There’s no nine-to-five job. You just do what you have to do.”
At this point in his post-playing career, Taylor is exactly where he wants to be. His son will finish his high school football career in the fall and has already committed to Michigan.
“To be in this position, I just have to go through different avenues,” Taylor said. “I can come to Altoona and throw out the first pitch, so I’m just thankful that I was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, not to mention that I got so many draws.”
Go away
On the last pitch of the game, Jase Bowen placed a pitch from Cameron Weston well over the left field fence to end the Curve’s four-game losing streak and close the game with a win for Altoona.
The big hit was made possible by Sammy Siani’s single and Yoyner Fajardo, who reached a base with two outs due to catcher interference.
“My hitting coach gave me a full swing and approach and I was just lucky that he put me in a spot that fit into that approach and I took a good swing and thank God the ball went over the fence,” Bowen said.
Bowen, like many others on the Curve team, has had a difficult time of late, but his plan worked perfectly and paid off in a big way.
“That was one of his best at-bats in a long time,” Altoona manager Robby Hammock said. “He went up there and had a plan to see something above the plate that he could hit, and he made a couple of good at-bats and narrowly missed, he hit a couple of good pitches and caught one that he could handle and hit it. It was pretty impressive.”
Dombkowski dominates
Left-hander Nick Dombkowski threw four scoreless innings as a replacement for Grant Ford. He was the only pitcher to not allow a walk or a hit and also recorded four strikeouts.
“He had all his throws under control and that’s what he needs to do,” Hammock said. “He was able to keep guys back and forth, especially with his fastball and changeup, and he did that really well. They had trouble adjusting and that’s what he does when he’s in shape. That’s what he looks like.”
