Sad News : "Gino Pariani, who played for the United States on the 1950 team that produced one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history, has died. He was 79. He died Wednesday night after having bone cancer for two years, his family said Thursday. Pariani, the son of Italian immigrants, grew up playing soccer in St. Louis' famed Italian neighborhood, "The Hill" and was part of the mostly amateur team that jolted the soccer world with its 1-0 defeat of powerful England in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A few days after he married, Pariani boarded a plane for Brazil with his St. Louis teammates. The Americans won 1-0 on a header by Joe Gaetjens in the 37th minute." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/soccer/05/10/bc.soc.obit.pariani.ap/index.html My Condolenses to his Family, Friends, and the US Soccer Community. May he Rest In Peace! Thanks For Everything, Gino!!!
I think there are now only 2 left alive. At least he lived to see the movie. All Hail the Saints of Belo Horizonte. -bs
Just a minor correction - there are @ least 3 still with us from that '50 team: Keough, Borghi and Bahr. Gino is kickin with the big boys now. Thanks for the memories Gino.