Steelers' Keisel shears beard for charity
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Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel shaved his beard for charity at Diesel on the South Side Thursday. -
Steelers president Art Rooney was first in like to take a whack at Keisel's beard. -
Steeler Aaron Smith clips a bit off Brett Keisel's beard. -
Steeler Hines Ward has a bit off fun with a piece of Keisel's beard.
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Steelers defensive end Brett Keisel climbed the stairs to the stage, arms outstretched, as machine-generated smoke poured around him from the ceiling. Rock music serenaded his audience and vibrant lights flashed his silhouette against the backdrop, rapid-fire.
Then he got a haircut.
Sitting in a barber's chair on the stage Thursday night at Diesel Club Lounge on East Carson Street, Keisel watched helplessly as celebrity barbers, including Steelers president Art Rooney II, defensive end Aaron Smith and wide receiver Hines Ward, snipped bits and pieces of his luscious beard away. The proceeds of the event went to the cancer programs at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
"It was a legendary evening down here at Diesel," said a clean-shaven Keisel, who had clearly recognizable facial features and was probably several pounds closer to his required training camp weight. "The beard transformed and left. What an awesome night it was to be able to raise money for Children's Hospital."
PG VIDEO: STEELERS' KEISEL SHAVESMore than 400 people paid $25 to watch as the beard Keisel had grown since training camp and that had attracted so much attention during Super Bowl week finally perish at the hands of Rooney, Smith, Ward, lineman Doug Legursky and defensive line coach John Mitchell. Event organizers estimated ticket and T-shirt sales and an auction raised about $30,000 for Children's Hospital.
Chris Gessner, president of Children's Hospital, said some of the money raised can help right away, while some will fund research projects seeking future cures and treatment programs.
"This has been a wonderful event for us," he said. "We are so excited to have such a wonderful relationship with the Pittsburgh Steelers."
First Published February 25, 2011 12:00 am
