Mention the name Edson Arantes do Nascimento to a sports fan and some might recognize it.
Others would give you a quizzical look.
Mention the name Pel茅 and it鈥檚 a different reaction.
The Brazilian soccer legend who led his country to three World Cup titles passed away from cancer on Thursday at the age of 82.
I was lucky enough to watch the world鈥檚 most popular footballer play live.
Bobby Lenarduzzi was even luckier 鈥� he got to play against him.
It was a magical night when Pel茅 and the New York Cosmos arrived in Vancouver to play the Whitecaps on June 30, 1977 in front of 30,277 supporters in a sold-out Empire Stadium.
鈥淚 knew because of the fact that Pel茅 was playing with them that there would be a big crowd there. Between Pel茅, Franz Beckenbauer and Giorgio Chinaglia, they all had superstar status but it was Pel茅 who was the main drawing card. The atmosphere was fantastic. People came just to see him,鈥� recalled Lenarduzzi.
Pel茅 would be held off the scoresheet as the Whitecaps defeated the Cosmos in a wild 5-3 match. Vancouver got two goals each from Derek Possee and Buzz Parsons in defeating the New York side that would win the first of its back-to-back NASL Championships two months later.
Lenarduzzi pointed out the match would be the genesis of a Whitecaps team that would win a championship two years later. The crowd that came to see Pel茅 saw quality soccer that resulted in a rise in the Whitecaps attendance. Interest grew in the team, as did expectations.
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鈥淭hat鈥檚 the type of impact he had on North America. It鈥檚 the type of impact he had everywhere he went. Even if you didn鈥檛 know much about soccer, you knew about Pel茅,鈥� said Lenarduzzi.
As for the match itself, Lenarduzzi remembers being star-struck, even as a professional footballer, and then having to reset.
鈥淵ou almost had to pinch yourself. Then you had to say 鈥極K that鈥檚 enough now鈥�. The hero worshipping is over because you have a game to play,鈥� explained Lenarduzzi, who remembered as a seven-year-old watching Pel茅 weave his magic during Brazil鈥檚 1962 World Cup win, then as teen, watching him play a pair of friendlies at Empire Stadium in the early 鈥�70s.
But this wasn鈥檛 the same Pel茅 that had led Brazil to glory that Lenarduzzi was facing that night. At the age of 37, his physical skills had diminished but Pel茅 still had a few tricks up his sleeve.
鈥淗e had dropped deeper from the position he had played in his peak, which was more up top. He was more of a provider. I remember the ball at his feet鈥� he would give you a look that would suggest he would be going in that direction then he would cut back on you and he did it so quickly that he would wrong-foot the defender and then have that little burst of speed to get away from you. I remember he did that on a number of occasions,鈥� said Lenarduzzi.
So did the then 22-year-old Lenarduzzi have enough wisdom to exchange jerseys with Pel茅 after the match?
鈥淚t鈥檚 funny you bring that up. Here鈥檚 the wildest thing. I was talking to my brother Sam today - we actually have a picture with Pel茅 in our street clothes with him in the middle. It was up on the wall at my parents鈥� house forever until my mom passed. Sam has it now and they used it for a story on Global TV. While we are having this conversation, Sam tells me that he actually got Pel茅鈥檚 jersey at the end of that game. I鈥檓 like 鈥榳hat?鈥� And he tells me that he can鈥檛 find it. It鈥檚 somewhere in storage. I said 鈥榓re you nuts? You have his jersey?鈥� I never even knew that and he brings it up to me today matter-of-fact. I told him that I鈥檇 be spending my day trying to find that thing,鈥� said Lenarduzzi.
As great of a footballer as Pel茅 was, perhaps the biggest compliment that can be said of him was how humble he was despite all of his tremendous accomplishments.
鈥淗e always played to the crowd. He knew why he was in North America. I鈥檓 not sure every player of that stature would do it but he did. Bruce Wilson (a former Whitecap and longtime Canadian National Team member) knew him from this time in New York.
He said Pel茅 was the most down-to-earth guy you would ever want to meet.
鈥淔or all that he had done, there was no ego, there was no arrogance,鈥� said Lenarduzzi.
Veteran B.C. sports personality Bob 鈥渢he Moj鈥� Marjanovich writes twice weekly for Black Press Media. And check out his weekly podcast every Monday at or your local Black Press Media website.
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