Forrest (Jap) Douds was the first coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but not
the baseball team. He was hired by Art Rooney as player-coach in
1933 when Rooney was granted the NFL franchise for Pittsburgh.
Rooney chose the familiar name of Pirates for his new pro team and
it was not until 1939 that Rooney changed the name to Steelers – at the request of the baseball
Pirates. Forrest, an offensive tackle and
linebacker, played five years of pro football, including the 1933
and 1934 seasons with the Pirates. Earlier he had played with the
Providence Steamrollers, the Portsmouth (OH) Spartans, and the
Chicago Cardinals. He was one of Rochester High
School’s all time star football linemen and linebackers and played
on two championship teams. The 1920 Rams won the Beaver County title
and claimed the state crown after crushing Monessen, 33-0. In 1921,
Rochester again won the county title and tied Westinghouse, 0-0, in
a WPIAL title game. After high school, Forrest starred at Bellefonte
Academy and Washington and Jefferson College, where he was the
roommate of Carl Aschman. Jap won college All American
honors three times, including selection to the official Grantland
Rice teams in 1927 and 1928. He was the first gridder to play in two
East-West games.
Forrest (Jap) Douds was the first coach of the Pittsburgh Pirates, but not
the baseball team. He was hired by Art Rooney as player-coach in
1933 when Rooney was granted the NFL franchise for Pittsburgh.
Rooney chose the familiar name of Pirates for his new pro team and
it was not until 1939 that Rooney changed the name to Steelers – at the request of the baseball
Pirates. Forrest, an offensive tackle and
linebacker, played five years of pro football, including the 1933
and 1934 seasons with the Pirates. Earlier he had played with the
Providence Steamrollers, the Portsmouth (OH) Spartans, and the
Chicago Cardinals. He was one of Rochester High
School’s all time star football linemen and linebackers and played
on two championship teams. The 1920 Rams won the Beaver County title
and claimed the state crown after crushing Monessen, 33-0. In 1921,
Rochester again won the county title and tied Westinghouse, 0-0, in
a WPIAL title game. After high school, Forrest starred at Bellefonte
Academy and Washington and Jefferson College, where he was the
roommate of