The coach with a human face

MAZZONE He left us at 86 years old. Carlo Mazzone's teacher was bad luck, which interrupted his career as a footballer due to a fractured tibia. The president of Ascoli Rozzi consoled him, entrusting him with the role of coach. And from that moment he was one of the greatest: human, free-range, visceral, correct, loyal. Forerunner of total football, Ajax style, he guided Totti, Baggio, and even Guardiola, the Everest of the benches. HUMAN

DON PEREGO Pinotti, 65 years old, still finds it hard to believe it: the Sanga Basket factotum is celebrating promotion to the women's Serie A1. He says that in 1997, thanks to the support of Don Perego, a Milanese priest, he created a mini-basketball team. At the first training session, in a hall under the church, 5 girls showed up, then 15, then 37, and at the end of the season 60. Don Perego, now deceased, rightly trusted in Providence. ILLUMINATED

GAMBETTI Cardinal Mauro Gambetti is a great sports fan: «I played football, and I support Juventus, but Serie A has lost its soul, and only looks at business». Since 2021 he has been vicar of His Holiness for the Vatican City, archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, and archpriest of the Fabbrica di San Pietro: «Practicing a discipline is good not so much for the individual, but for the whole of society, because it invites, free of charge, to encounter and solidarity". SPORTS

BARTALI Gino Bartali's bicycle has arrived on display at the Museum of Memory of Assisi, granted by the collector Trevisan, through the intercession of the champion's granddaughter Gioia. It is the one with which, in 1949, he came second in the Tour de France. We remember that Gino, with the phrase "Good is done, but not said", saved dozens and dozens of Jews from deportation, transporting false identity documents in the tube of his two-wheeler. HEROIC

CASTROGIOVANNI The historic prop of the national rugby team talks about his Academy, where disabled kids are also at home. This is the idea of the monumental Martin Leandro Castrogiovanni (1.99 m x 117 kg), lion of a thousand scrums and battles, with 119 appearances in blue. He returned to Italy to Calvisano at the age of 20 in 2001, after being born in Argentina, with his father from Enna. It welcomes 200 young people every week, aged 6 to 17. STATUARIO

CZESTOCHOVA For the first time the football team from the city of the Black Madonna, Rakòv, won the Polish title. It is a story that travels from Nazi drama to sporting triumph. Here played an ace like Blaszczykowski, known as Kuba, ex Fiorentina, who when he was 10 years old saw his father kill his mother. Only faith allowed him to process such atrocious mourning. Now he is a happy and generous father of 3 children. BLESSED

DISABLED The Summer World Games for athletes with intellectual disabilities took place in Berlin: 7 thousand young participants from 190 countries, with 97 Italians competing. The inclusive inauguration show preceded the oath of the competitors, with a motto that is the essence of every sport: «May I win, but if I don't succeed, may I try with all my might». Turin will host the winter edition of the Games from 8 to 16 March. SPECIALS


Carlo Nesti
NP October 2023