Brian Piccolo

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Brian Piccolo
Date of birth October 31, 1943
Place of birth Pittsfield, MA
Date of death June 16, 1970
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg)
Position(s) Running back
College Wake Forest
Retired #s Chicago Bears #41
Statistics
Team(s)
1966-1969 Chicago Bears

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.

Contents

[edit] Early Life

Piccolo 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.

[edit] College Career

Piccolo was offered football scholarships from both Wichita State and Wake Forest, but he chose Wake Forest. During his senior season in 1964, Piccolo led the nation in rushing and scoring and was the ACC Player of the Year. He graduated in 1965.

[edit] 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, but was 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.

[edit] Death & 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 and was diagnosed with cancer. In November of that year, Piccolo had surgery in New York 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.

In 1980, students at Wake Forest 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.

[edit] Brian's Song

1971 version (left) and 2001 version (right)
1971 version (left) and 2001 version (right)

Brian's Song first aired on ABC in 1971 staring James Caan as Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers. The film tells the story of Piccolo's friendship with Gale Sayers. The made-for-TV movie is loosely based on Sayers' autobiography, and the screenplay was written by veteran screenwriter William Blinn. The true story was such a success on television that it was later shown in theaters. Though an inspirational movie, several scenes never happened, including the final scene, where Sayers comes to the hospital as Piccolo is taking his last breath. According to Sayers' book, he was not even in the same state when Piccolo died. A remake was filmed in 2001 for ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney starring Mekhi Phifer and Sean Maher.

The musical theme to Brian's Song, "The Hands of Time," was a popular tune during the early 1970s. The music for the film was by Michel Legrand, with lyrics to the song by Marilyn and Alan Bergman. Nashville pianist Floyd Cramer performed a popular version of the song.

[edit] 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.

[edit] External links

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