Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Features the Nellie King Fund

The first newspaper article about the Nellie King Fund appeared in today's Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Nellie's family and friends thank Mr. Bill Zlatos, the author of the article. Here is an excerpt:

There may not be a bronze statue of late Pirates pitcher and broadcaster Nellie King outside PNC Park, but his family and friends are creating a memorial of their own....

Nellie King grew up in Shenandoah, Penna. during the Great Depression. His father, a coal miner, died when King was 6, and two years later he was shuttled off to the Milton Hershey Industrial School. After graduating from the orphanage's high school in 1945, he began a series of tryouts until he landed a job with the Pirates.

His daughters said the scholarship fund will serve King's twin interests of sports and journalism. There may also be a link to the Hershey School and Duquesne University.

Michael Murray, King's nephew and former president of the Boys and Girls Club of Western Pennsylvania, said King served on the chapter's board and helped raise money for it.

"He was always looking out for the underdog," said Murray.

Family and friends have raised $6,000 to date, but they need $19,000 more to start granting scholarships. Laurie King hopes the family will award the first scholarship in the fall of 2011.

"We think there's enough people who truly like and love this guy that they'll support his philosophy via a program such as this that will help children who are in need get an education," Murray said.