Vince Lombardi (June 11th 1913 - September 3rd 1970) was a trainer of American football and gained many titles. During the 9 years of its mandate to the head of the Green Bay Packers, of 1959 with 1967, it gained five championships including the two first Super Bowl. The trophy given to the winners of the test was famous besides in 1970 Vince Lombardi Trophy in homage to its memory as much as with its legend.

Biography

Vincent Thomas Lombardi was born on June 11th 1913, with Brooklyn, New York of a father of Neapolitan origin , Enrico “Harry” Lombardi, butcher of his state, and Matilda Izzo, the girl of a hairdresser whose parents also had immigrant of Italy.
In 1928, at the 15 years age, it enters to the seminar to follow a program of study spread out over six years in order to become priest but at the conclusion of the fourth year Lombardi gives up the vocation and joined the college Saint Francis where it is impassioned for the football team. He will not remain about it less one enthusiast Catholique all his vie.

In 1933, Lombardi thanks to its qualities of player obtains a purse to join the Université Fordham in the Bronx in which it cultivates his love of the play within the Rams de Fordham . On the school level, Lombardi obtains moreover a license in June 1937, five days after its twenty-fourth anniversaire.
After two last years as player semi-professional with the Eagles of Brooklyn, Lombardi accepts a work of assistant trainer in Sainte Cécilia, college catholic of Englewood, New Jersey. In 1940 it marries Marie Planitz, cousin of one of her former fellow-members of Fodham. In 1942 it takes the responsability for the team of Holy Cecilia which it will direct 5 ans.

After a short return to Fodham as professor of physical education, it seizes the occasion to become assistant near the team of West Point, celebrates it American military academy; footboard for professional football. This experiment will durably influence its style and its way of carrying out a team. It remains five years there before joining the New York Giants, always like second. We are in 1954, and Lombardi, 41 years old, starts its career professionnelle.

In January 1959, he becomes the trainer high-speed motorboat of the Green Bay Packers with a brilliant success. At the conclusion of the season 1967, it takes one year of retreat before returning in 1969 to help the Washington Redskins. However, and right before the camp of drive preceding its second season with the head by Redskins, Vince Lombardi is seen too tardily diagnosing a Cancer of the Intestin. He dies ten weeks later, the September 3rd 1970

Career

Gren Bay Packers

In January 1959, the 45 years age, Lombardi reaches the position of trainer and managing general Green Bay Packers. The Packers had just lost 10 of the 12 matches which they had played during the season 1958. Lombardi imposes new more muscular methods, works its incomparable speeches of motivation: it awaits its players an absolute devotion and considerable efforts. The improvement is immediate, its team finishing with 7 victories for 5 defeats as of 1959.
For its second year at their head, Lombardi leads the packers to the finale of the championship NFL, but undergoes a bitter defeat. He declares whereas to lose the occasion to gain the title is unacceptable and that will not reproduce any more under its crook. In the weeks which follow, the New York Giants propose to him to take the orders of the team but it declines the offer. Irony of the history, Packers étrillent the Giants for the title 1961 on the score of 37-0 and beat again finally them championship 1962 by 16 to 7. They are the first two titles of a series of five during the nine years of the reign of Lombardi. It leads the packers to three consecutive championships in 1965, 1966, and 1967, the two last taking for the first times the name Superbowl.

The popularity of Lombardi was then so large that Richard Nixon could indicate it as a support of countryside for the American presidential election of 1968 before one of its advisers recalls him that Lombardi had engaged near Robert F. Kennedy…

Washington Redskins

Lombardi leaves the direction of the drive of the Green Bay Packers with Phil Bengtson after the season 1967 with the aim of prepare the future while remaining managing director of the team for the year 1968. The packers make one disappointing season, finishing with 6 victories for 7 defeats and 1 match nul.
In 1969 Vince Lombardi turns over to the drive while agreeing to deal with the Washington Redskins in order to break a fourteen losing seasons series.

Honors

Its death in 1970 is accommodated in the pain by the world of the American football as well as by part of America. The president Nixon went until sending a telegram of condolence signed “the people”. One week after its death, the trophy of the NFL given to the winners of the Superbowl was renamed trophy Vince Lombardi in its honneur.
Vince Lombardi became a legendary incarnation of the values of the American football.

External bonds

• Biography of Vince Lombardi on the site of the Pro Football Hall off Famed

• Statistical of Vince Lombardi on the site '' Head coaching statistics ''
• Site dedicated '' VinceLombardi.com ''

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Simple: Vince Lombardi