Brian Piccolo

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Brian Piccolo

| image = Brian Piccolo 1967.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Piccolo in 1967

| number = 41

| position = Halfback

| birth_date = {{birth date|1943|10|31}}

| birth_place = Pittsfield, Massachusetts, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|1970|06|16|1943|10|31}}

| death_place = New York, New York, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 0

| weight_lb = 205

| high_school = St. Thomas Aquinas {{nowrap|(Fort Lauderdale, Florida)}}

| college = Wake Forest (1961–1964)

| undraftedyear = 1965

| pastteams =

Chicago Bears ({{NFL Year|1965|1969}})

| highlights =

Chicago Bears No. 41 retired
Second-team All-American (1964)
ACC Player of the Year (1964)
First-team All-ACC (1964)
Wake Forest Demon Deacons No. 31 retired

| statlabel1 = Rushing yards

| statvalue1 = 927

| statlabel2 = Rushing average

| statvalue2 = 3.6

| statlabel3 = Rushing touchdowns

| statvalue3 = 4

| statlabel4 = Receptions

| statvalue4 = 58

| statlabel5 = Receiving yards

| statvalue5 = 537

| statlabel6 = Receiving touchdowns

| statvalue6 = 1

| pfr = P/PiccBr00

}}

Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was an American professional football player who was a halfback for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) for four years. He played college football for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He died at age 26 from embryonal cell carcinoma, an aggressive form of germ cell testicular cancer, first diagnosed after it had spread to his chest cavity.

Piccolo was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song, with a remake TV movie of the same name filmed in 2001. He was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068315/ Brian's Song IMDB ]

Early life

Piccolo was born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the youngest of three sons of Joseph and Irene Piccolo. The family moved south to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, when Piccolo was three, due to his parents' concerns for his brother Don's health. Piccolo and his brothers were athletes, and he was a star running back on his high school football team, although he considered baseball his primary sport.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UZ9RAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Km0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7320%2C2456010|newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Morris |first=Jeannie |title=Young, confident Pic chooses the NFL |agency=(from Brian Piccolo: A Short Season) |date=January 20, 1972 |page=10}} He graduated from the former Central Catholic High School (now St. Thomas Aquinas High School) in Fort Lauderdale in 1961.

Piccolo played college football at Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; his only other scholarship offer was from Wichita State. He led the nation in rushing and scoring during his senior season in 1964,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UghPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UgEEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6024%2C2228688 |newspaper=Toledo Blade |location=Ohio |agency=Associated Press |title=Piccolo top grid scorer |date=December 10, 1964 |page=62}} and was named the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Player of the Year,{{cite web |title=1964 Atlantic Coast Conference Year Summary |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/conferences/acc/1964.html |website=sports-reference.com |access-date=April 20, 2020}} yet went unselected in both the AFL and NFL drafts.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CC4sAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EcwEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6386%2C4968593 |newspaper=Spartanburg Herald-Journal |location=South Carolina |agency=Associated Press |title=Pro loops bypass Wake's Piccolo |date=November 30, 1964 |page=9 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/add_piccolo_brian.html|publisher=ESPN Classic|title=Brian's life a Song of friendship, courage |last=Puma |first=Mike |date=November 10, 2003|access-date=August 6, 2013}}

In the balloting for the Heisman Trophy won by John Huarte of Notre Dame, Piccolo was tenth, just ahead of Joe Namath of Alabama, and future teammate Gale Sayers of Kansas.{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1964/11/25/page/35/article/huarte-wins-heisman-gridiron-trophy |newspaper=Chicago Tribune|agency=Associated Press |title=Huarte wins Heisman gridiron trophy |date=November 25, 1964 |page=1, sec. 3 }}{{cite web |url=http://heisman.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=30&path=football |work=Heisman Trophy |title=John Huarte |date=1964 |access-date=January 25, 2017}}

A season earlier in 1963, Darryl Hill of the University of Maryland was the first and only African-American football player in the ACC. According to Lee Corso, a Maryland assistant coach at that time, Wake Forest had "the worst atmosphere" of any campus the Maryland football team visited. Piccolo went over to the Maryland bench, walked Hill over to the area in front of the student section and put his arm around him, silencing the crowd.Recounted on the ESPN College GameDay broadcast November 15, 2008

Following his spectacular senior season, Piccolo married his high school sweetheart, Joy Murrath, on December 26, 1964. They had three daughters: Lori, Traci, and Kristi.

NFL career

Because he was not selected in the 1965 NFL draft or AFL draft,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=umMzAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZOoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1794,65810 |newspaper=Miami News |last=Crittenden |first=John |title=Piccolo playing own tune after pro draft marches by |date=December 16, 1964 |page=4B }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Piccolo tried out for the Chicago Bears as a free agent.{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t7FVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kUANAAAAIBAJ&pg=5756,5308946 |newspaper=The Robesonian |agency=Associated Press |title=Bears sign on draft rejectee|date=December 30, 1964 |page=8}} He made the team for the 1965 season, but only on the taxi squad (known today as the practice squad), meaning he could practice but not suit up for games. In 1966, he made the main roster but his playing time was primarily on special teams. In 1967 he got more playing time backing up superstar starting tailback Gale Sayers, which increased after Sayers' knee injury in November 1968.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xkUxAAAAIBAJ&sjid=sBAEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3379%2C2084700 |newspaper=Milwaukee Sentinel |agency=UPI |title=Bears beat 49ers 27–19, but lose Sayers for year |date=November 11, 1968 |page=1-part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pCJbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=504NAAAAIBAJ&pg=4613,1940799 |newspaper=Nashua Telegraph|agency=Associated Press |title=Piccolo replace Sayers in Bears' starting unit |date=November 16, 1968 |page=12 }}{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=dtQfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KtkEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4919,3588604|newspaper=Fort Scott Tribune |title=Brian Piccolo back in lineup |agency=NEA |date= July 11, 1969|page=6}} Piccolo's biggest statistical year was 1968, during which he posted career bests with 450 yards on 123 carries (a 3.7 average), two touchdowns, and 28 receptions for 291 yards (a 10.4 average).{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/P/PiccBr00.htm|title=Brian Piccolo|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=September 24, 2015}}

In 1969, Piccolo was moved up to starting fullback, with Sayers returning as halfback, placing the two in the same backfield on offense.

Players at that time were still segregated by race for hotel-room assignments. At the suggestion of the Bears' captain, the policy was changed and each player was reassigned by position, so that wide receivers would room together, quarterbacks would room together, etc. Running back was the only position of the 1969 Bears with one black and one white player, Sayers and Piccolo, respectively.

Cancer and death

The Bears were in the midst of a 1–13 season in 1969, the worst record in their history.{{cite web|url=http://www.jt-sw.com/football/pro/teams.nsf/histories/bears|title=Chicago Bears History|work=jt-sw.com|access-date=September 24, 2015}} Piccolo had earned a place in the starting lineup as an undersized fullback. Their only win came in the eighth game on November 9, a 38–7 home win over struggling Pittsburgh. Piccolo opened the scoring at Wrigley Field with a {{nowrap|25-yard}} touchdown reception in the first quarter.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=v58oAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LigEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7198%2C7388304 |work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press dispatches |title=Bears end famine by routing Steelers |date=November 10, 1969 |page=15, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=feANAAAAIBAJ&sjid=32wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6802%2C1375549 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |last=Sell |first=Jack |title=Steelers 'good' for what ails Bears, 38-7 |date=November 10, 1969 |page=28}}{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/11/10/page/77/article/bears-come-out-of-hibernation-38-7 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Rollow |first=Cooper |title=Bears come out of hibernation |date=November 10, 1969 |page=1, section 3}} The next week in Atlanta, he scored a fourth-quarter touchdown on a one-yard run,{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NjkoAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MigEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7178%2C4518278 |work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=press dispatches |title=Falcons set scoring record of 48 points in rout of Bears |date=November 17, 1969 |page=16, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1969/11/17/page/81/article/bears-go-back-to-sleep |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Rollow |first=Cooper |title=Bears go back to sleep |date=November 17, 1969 |page=1, section 3}} and then voluntarily removed himself from the game, something he had never done,{{cite news |url=http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1970/06/17/page/75/article/bears-mourn-for-a-friend |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |last=Damer |first=Roy |title=Bears mourn for a friend |date=June 17, 1970 |page=1, section 3}} raising great concern among his teammates and coaches. Breathing while playing had become extremely difficult for him, so when the team returned to Chicago, he was promptly sent for a medical examination at which he was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma.[http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/brianpiccolo.aspx Brian Piccolo, Chicago Bears Running Back 1965–1969]

File:Grave of Louis Brian Piccolo (1943–1970) at Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery, Evergreen Park, IL.jpg

Soon after initial surgery at Sloan-Kettering in Manhattan, New York to remove the tumor, he underwent a second procedure in April 1970 to remove his left lung and left pectoral muscle. Bothered by continuing chest pain afterward, he was re-admitted to the hospital in early June where doctors determined the cancer had spread to other organs, particularly his liver. He died in the early morning of June 16 at the age of 26.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=O3UfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YigEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3867%2C3283575 |work=Milwaukee Journal |agency=press dispatches |title=Cancer fatal to Piccolo of Bears at 26 |date=June 16, 1970 |page=13, part 2 }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KiBOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Wu0DAAAAIBAJ&pg=7215%2C338436 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |location=(Spokane, Washington) |agency=Associated Press |title=Brian Piccolo is dead at 26 |date=June 17, 1970 |page=19}} The month before Piccolo's death, Gale Sayers accepted the George S. Halas Award for Most Courageous Player and told the crowd they had selected the wrong person for the award. He said, "I love Brian Piccolo, and I'd like all of you to love him, too. Tonight, when you hit your knees to pray, please ask God to love him, too."

Dick Butkus, Randy Jackson, Ralph Kurek, Ed O'Bradovich, Mike Pyle, and Gale Sayers were the six Bears teammates who served as pallbearers at Piccolo's funeral at Christ the King Catholic Church in Chicago on June 19. He was buried at Saint Mary Catholic Cemetery in Evergreen Park, Illinois.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2206&dat=19700617&id=ep8yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_ukFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4222,3953766 |newspaper=Miami News |title=Piccolo services Friday |agency=Associated Press |date=June 17, 1970 |page=2C }}{{Dead link|date=October 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

Legacy

In 1972, Brian Piccolo Middle School 53 opened in Queens, New York on Nameoke Street in Far Rockaway. The school name was chosen by students after the first airing of Brian's Song. The football jersey that belonged to Brian Piccolo that was displayed in the lobby has been missing since the school was renovated in the late 1990s.
In August 1973, Orr Middle School, located on the West Side of Chicago on Keeler Avenue, was renamed after Piccolo to the Brian Piccolo Specialty School.
In 1980, students at Wake Forest, Piccolo's alma mater, began the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund Drive in his memory.{{cite web|url=http://www.wfu.edu/studentdev/4piccolo.php|title=Campus Life & Leadership|work=wfu.edu|access-date=September 24, 2015}} They raised money for the Comprehensive Cancer Center at the Bowman Gray Medical Center of Wake Forest University. In addition, the Brian Piccolo Student Volunteer Program was established to provide undergraduates with an opportunity to work at the Cancer Center as volunteers. A residence hall at Wake Forest is also named in his honor.{{cite web|url=https://zsr.wfu.edu/special/exhibit/wfu-buildings-and-roads/piccolo-residence-hall/|title=Piccolo Residence Hall|work=wfu.edu|access-date=October 30, 2024}}
In memory of Piccolo's accomplishments, the St. Thomas Aquinas High School football stadium in Fort Lauderdale is named after him. At the end of every football game, the school's marching band plays "The Hands of Time", the theme from Brian's Song.
Brian Piccolo Sports Park and Velodrome in Cooper City, Florida, a Fort Lauderdale suburb, is named for him.
Comcast SportsNet profiled Piccolo's legacy and the lasting impression he left in the June 2007 episode of 'net Impact.
Each season since 1972, the Atlantic Coast Conference has awarded the Brian Piccolo Award to the conference's "Most Courageous Player". In 2007, the recipient was Matt Robinson of Wake Forest, the fourth player from Piccolo's alma mater to be given the award; Wake Forest Quarterback Sam Hartman became the sixth in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://theacc.com/news/2022/11/28/athlete-awards-wake-forests-hartman-named-2022-brian-piccolo-award-recipient.aspx|title=Wake Forest's Hartman Named 2022 Brian Piccolo Award Recipient|date=November 28, 2022|access-date=November 28, 2022}} Since 1970, the Chicago Bears have also handed out an award by the same name to a rookie and (since 1992) a veteran who "best exemplifies the courage, loyalty, teamwork, dedication and sense of humor" of Piccolo. The winners are chosen by the Bears' veteran players.{{cite news|last=Biggs|first=Brad|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2012/04/24/bears-lb-roach-wins-piccolo-award/|title=Bears LB Roach wins Piccolo Award|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=April 24, 2012|access-date=December 28, 2012}}
An Italian-American organization named UNICO (an acronym for Unity, Neighborliness, Integrity, Charity, and Opportunity) honors his memory each year by awarding the Brian Piccolo Award to courageous and outstanding athletes of Italian-American heritage. In 2009 Brian's brother Don attended his first UNICO award ceremony in Rivervale, New Jersey, where he delivered a speech.
The Chicago Bears honored Piccolo by retiring his jersey number 41.{{Cite news|url=http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html|title=Chicago Bears {{!}} Uniform history|access-date=May 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407205428/http://www.chicagobears.com/tradition/uniform-history.html|archive-date=April 7, 2018|url-status=dead}}

''Brian's Song''

The film Brian's Song, loosely based on Gale Sayers' autobiography, tells the story of the friendship between Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers and their time together while playing football for the Chicago Bears, up until Piccolo's death.{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-vNNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=14oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7230%2C1997924 |newspaper=Free Lance-Star |location=Fredericksburg, Virginia |agency=(Los Angeles Times) |last=Murray |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Murray (sportswriter) |title=America misses Piccolo |date=September 16, 1971 |page=11 }} It first aired Tuesday, November 30, 1971, on ABC, less than 18 months after his death, and starred James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers. The movie was seen by 55 million viewers, half of the U.S. population that owned televisions at that time.{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Mike |date=2020-09-23 |title=Gale Sayers, NFL Superstar at Center of 'Brian's Song,' Dies at 77 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/gale-sayers-nfl-superstar-at-center-of-brians-song-dies-at-77-4065816/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} Its success on television led to it also being later shown in theaters.

A remake aired in 2001 on ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney, and starred Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.{{Cite web |date=2002-01-22 |title=Brian's Song - Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/la_cancion_de_brian |access-date=2024-01-12 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}

Biography

Piccolo's biography, Brian Piccolo: A Short Season, was written by Jeannie Morris (a journalist whose husband was former Bears teammate Johnny Morris) and featured passages written by Piccolo himself for a planned autobiography.

References

External links

[http://www.bearshistory.com/lore/brianpiccolo.aspx Brian Piccolo biography at Bears History]
[https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Piccolo_Brian.html Brian's life a Song of friendship, courage] – Brian Piccolo biography at ESPN.com

[https://wakespace.lib.wfu.edu/handle/10339/62824 Wake Forest Magazine tribute (July 1970, pages 32-33)]

{{Footballstats |nfl=Brian-Piccolo|cfl= |afl= |espn= |cbs= |yahoo= |fox= |si= |pfr=PiccBr00 |dbf=PICCOBRI01 |rotoworld=}}

Category:1943 births

Category:1970 deaths

Category:American people of Italian descent

Category:Chicago Bears players

Category:Deaths from cancer in New York (state)

Category:Deaths from testicular cancer in the United States

Category:NFL players with retired numbers

Category:Players of American football from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Category:Players of American football from Berkshire County, Massachusetts

Category:Sportspeople from Pittsfield, Massachusetts