Bert Patenaude

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Bertram ("Bert") Patenaude (November 4, 1909, Fall River, Massachusetts – November 4, 1974, Fall River, Massachusetts) was an American soccer player. Although earlier disputed, he is now officially credited by FIFA as the scorer of the first hat-trick in World Cup history. His parents were of French Canadian origin.

Patenaude's historic day came on July 17, 1930, as the United States played Paraguay in the inaugural World Cup. Bert scored in the 10th minute. A second goal in the 15th minute had been credited several different ways: as an own goal by Aurelio González (according to the RSSSF), a regular goal by the US's Tom Florie (according to the official FIFA match record), or as Bert's second goal (according to the United States Soccer Federation). A 50th minute goal by Patenaude gave the US a 3-0 win over the South Americans. The dispute on the second goal had led to confusion over the first-ever World Cup hat-trick, as Argentina's Guillermo Stábile scored one against Mexico just two days after the USA-Paraguay game. However, FIFA announced on November 10, 2006 that Petenaude was indeed the first person to score a hat-trick in World Cup play, confirming that he scored all three goals. [1]

Patenaude played just four games for the US (three in the World Cup and a friendly against Brazil) but scored six goals (he had another one in the World Cup opener, a 3-0 win over Belgium, and two in a 4-3 loss to Brazil, the last goals an American would score against the South American giants until Preki got one in 1998).

Patenaude played pro soccer in the old American Soccer League, scoring 114 goals in 158 games. He won three US Open Cups, two for the Fall River Marksmen (1930, 1931), and one for St. Louis' Central Breweries (1935), each time teaming up with Billy Gonsalves.

He was inducted into the United States National Soccer Hall of Fame in 1971.

He died on his 65th birthday of undisclosed causes.

[edit] External links

• Bert Patenaude's hat-trick, the first ever hat-trick scored in the FIFA World Cup