Beano Cook - Biography

Biography

Cook received his unusual nickname at the age of seven from a neighbor in Pittsburgh, as a reference to his recent move from Boston (nicknamed Beantown).

Cook graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1954, then served for two years in the U.S. Army. He was a sports publicist for the University of Pittsburgh from 1956 to March 1966, worked for the Miami Dolphins for one season, served as a publicist for both ABC and CBS in New York, and spent time as a vice president with the Pittsburgh Civic Arena when it was run by Edward DeBartolo, Sr. In between those stints, Cook volunteered with VISTA in Florida in 1976. For a brief period in the late 1980s, Cook did commentary on WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.