Posted on February 7, 2012
Michael Lewis got an opportunity to know Harry Keough and the surviving members of the U.S. 1950 World Cup team, including Harry Keough, that stunned England. Keough passed away on Tuesday morning at 84. Here is his remembrance of one meeting eight years ago on Jan. 16, 2004:
By Michael Lewis
TropiGol.com Editor
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It could not have gotten any better than this at the Charlotte Convention Center on Friday, Jan. 16, 2004.
In a period of about three hours that morning, I got an opportunity to have breakfast with the five surviving members of the U.S. team that jolted England, 1-0, in the 1950 World Cup, pick up my writing award from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America and interview 14-year-old wonderkid Freddy Adu, the top choice in the Major League Soccer SuperDraft.
Not a bad morning. Heck, not a bad month for most of us.
Of course, the highlight of the day, month and perhaps year was finally getting an opportunity to meet the likes of Frank Borghi, Gino Pariani and John Souza (I already knew Walter Bahr and Harry Keough quite well from many previous encounters, but it’s always great to see them again).
They’re living legends.
Adu? Hopefully, we will be able to call him one some day.
As the only journalist who was invited to this special breakfast by the National Soccer Hall of Fame, I was able to talk to these gentlemen — off the record — about the game and life in general.
Then it was off to the media room at the convention for a one-on-five interview with these men before the draft. I had about 20-30 minutes to ask questions about the game, how soccer has changed and even the young Mr. Adu. It wasn’t nearly enough time as I would have wanted, but I figured it was about a half hour more than anyone else got.
For someone who has seen the world and then some, covering World Cups, Olympics and tournament in Australia, Italy, France, Korea, Japan, Chile and Brazil, among other countries and talking with the likes of Pele, it would be easy to become jaded.
Not this journalist. I treasure every interview, whether it is big or small. I have to admit I will treasure my time spent with the Fab Five, as I nicknamed them, more than most. Every day I work in my office I will be reminded of our get-together. I am having a story I did about a special reunion in Belo Horizonte, the site of the upset, with Bahr, Keough and the late English World Cupper Wilf Mannion, mounted and framed and placed on my wall.
That was a special visit, special time and special story.
The story was autographed by the Fab Five.
That will be one sportswriter’s most treasured trophy.
That Friday morning certainly will be difficult to top.
Perhaps that well-known credit card commercial can put it into proper perspective.
A soccer video from one of the vendors at the NSCAA convention: $19.95
Dinner with friends at the convention: $50.25
Having breakfast with the five surviving members of the U.S. 1950 World Cup team that upset England: Priceless.
Categories: Editorial, North America, U.S.A.
Tags: 1950 World Cup, Frank Borghi, Freddy Adu, Gino Pariani, Harry Keough, John Souza, National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Walter Bahr
Loading ...
