Brian Piccolo

Brian Piccolo at NFL.com

Louis Brian Piccolo (October 31, 1943 – June 16, 1970) was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears for four seasons. He died from embryonal cell carcinoma, which was found as a large tumor in his chest cavity. He was the subject of the 1971 TV movie Brian's Song. Piccolo was portrayed in the original film by James Caan and by Sean Maher in the 2001 remake.

Early life

Piccolo - the youngest of three sons - was a star football player in high school, but considered baseball his primary sport. He graduated from the former Central Catholic High School (now Saint Thomas Aquinas High School) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida in 1961. In memory of Piccolo's accomplishments, the school's football stadium is named after him. Also, at the end of every football game, the school's marching band plays The Hands of Time, the theme from Brian's Song.

He played college football at Wake Forest. He led the nation in rushing during his senior season in 1964, yet went unselected in the 1965 NFL Draft.

Brian was married to his high school sweetheart, Joy Murrath, on December 26, 1964. They had three daughters.

NFL career

Because he was not selected in the 1965 NFL Draft, Piccolo tried out for the Chicago Bears as a free agent. He made the team for the 1965 season, but only earned a spot on the taxi squad, better known today as the practice squad, meaning he could practice but not suit up for games. In 1966, Piccolo was on the main roster but played primarily on special teams. By 1967, his playing time increased as a back-up to starting tailback Gale Sayers, and in 1969, he was moved up to starting fullback, with Sayers as the tailback. He played in the NFL from 1966 – 1969 and scored five touchdowns. [1]AND HE HAD A FREIND NAMED GALE SAYERSώ HI EVERY ONE

Death and legacy

The Bears were in the midst of a 1-13 season in 1969, the worst record in the 85-year history of the franchise, when Piccolo was sent for a medical examination following the tenth game in mid-November, and was diagnosed with cancer. Soon after, Piccolo had surgery at Sloan-Kettering in New York City to remove the tumor. He had another surgery in April 1970 to remove his left lung and pectoral muscle. After being bothered by chest pain, Piccolo was re-admitted to the hospital in early June, and doctors determined the cancer had spread to other organs. Piccolo died on June 16, 1970 at the age of 26.

In 1980, students at Wake Forest University, Piccolo's alma mater, began the Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund Drive in memory of Piccolo. 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.

In 2006, Brian Piccolo's second cousin, also named Brian Piccolo, was a sophomore linebacker on the Plant High School, Tampa, Florida, football team which won the state championship in December.

Comcast SportsNet profiled Brian's legacy and the lasting impression he left in the June 2007 episode of 'net Impact.

Brian's Song

Main article: Brian's Song

The film Brian's Song, loosely based on Gale Sayers' autobiography, tells the story of the friendship between Piccolo and Sayers. It first aired on ABC in 1971, starring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Sayers, and was such a success on television that it was later shown in theaters. A remake was filmed in 2001 for ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney starring Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.

Biography

Piccolo's biography, Brian Piccolo: A Short Season, was written by Jeanne Morris (the wife of Chicago Bear teammate Johnny Morris) and featured passages written by Piccolo himself for a planned autobiography.

External links

• Brian Piccolo biography at Bears History
• Brian's life a Song of friendship, courage - Brian Piccolo biography at ESPN.com
• Database Football.com - Brian Piccolo
• Pro Football Reference.com - Brian Piccolo