Hall of Fame Soccer Player, Coach. Considered by many to be one of the greatest soccer players produced by the United States, he is best known for his role in the 1950 World Cup where his cross to Joe Gaetjens led to the winning goal vs England in what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in World Cup history. As an amateur player, he played with the Philadelphia Nationals and was selected to and started for the 1948 Summer Olympic team in London. He turned professional after the Olympics and won the American Soccer League title in 1950, 1951, 1953, and 1955 with the Nationals and a further title in 1956 with Uhrik Truckers of Philadelphia. In 1950 he was selected to the World Cup team. He played in all three matches in Brazil, setting up the winning goal vs England. He was the long time captain of the United States team, playing for them from 1948 to 1957. He was a school teacher during his professional soccer career and coached in high school, which led him to his second profession as a coach. He coached the Philadelphia Spartans and Philadelphia Ukrainians before moving to the college ranks in 1970 with Temple. His biggest fame as a coach came with Penn State, where he was coach from 1974 to 1988, leading the Nittany Lions to a Final Four appearance in 1979 and was Coach of the Year the same year. He was played by Wes Bentley in the 2005 movie "The Game of their Lives" and featured in the 2009 documentary "A Time for Champions". He was inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 1976. His three sons all played in the first North American Soccer League, and two of them, Matt and Chris both won Super Bowl rings as placekickers in the NFL.
Hall of Fame Soccer Player, Coach. Considered by many to be one of the greatest soccer players produced by the United States, he is best known for his role in the 1950 World Cup where his cross to Joe Gaetjens led to the winning goal vs England in what is considered by many to be the biggest upset in World Cup history. As an amateur player, he played with the Philadelphia Nationals and was selected to and started for the 1948 Summer Olympic team in London. He turned professional after the Olympics and won the American Soccer League title in 1950, 1951, 1953, and 1955 with the Nationals and a further title in 1956 with Uhrik Truckers of Philadelphia. In 1950 he was selected to the World Cup team. He played in all three matches in Brazil, setting up the winning goal vs England. He was the long time captain of the United States team, playing for them from 1948 to 1957. He was a school teacher during his professional soccer career and coached in high school, which led him to his second profession as a coach. He coached the Philadelphia Spartans and Philadelphia Ukrainians before moving to the college ranks in 1970 with Temple. His biggest fame as a coach came with Penn State, where he was coach from 1974 to 1988, leading the Nittany Lions to a Final Four appearance in 1979 and was Coach of the Year the same year. He was played by Wes Bentley in the 2005 movie "The Game of their Lives" and featured in the 2009 documentary "A Time for Champions". He was inducted into the US Soccer Hall of Fame in 1976. His three sons all played in the first North American Soccer League, and two of them, Matt and Chris both won Super Bowl rings as placekickers in the NFL.
Bio by: Kenneth Gilbert
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