Soccer has always played a big part in Vito Bucco's life.
In fact, the only thing the Beverly resident says he enjoys watching on television is soccer. So you can imagine that thoroughly enjoyed all the World Cup Games from South Africa this summer.
Bucco was born in Italy and came to this country when he was 14 years old. His family settled in Beverly, and he has lived in the Garden City ever since.
From the time he was a young child, Bucco enjoyed kicking a ball around. So it was only natural he wanted to get his own team going.
In 1957 that dream came true when he started the Beverly Soccer Team. Donations came in to help the team, ranging from 50 cents to 15 dollars — a lot of money in those days. Most of the donations were a dollar here and there, with the grand total coming to $236.75. That was enough money to buy uniforms from Cor-Nix Store on Cabot Street, which was the only sporting goods store in the city at the time.
"I came to this country in 1950 and played for Al Lopes in Peabody for a couple of years (on the CLC soccer team)," said Bucco. "That was fun, but I really wanted to get my own team going and there were plenty of Italian boys in Beverly wanting to play.
"In Italy, the only sports we had were bicycle racing and soccer. After (World War II) ended, Italy was a very poor country. We had to make a soccer ball out of a bunch of rags all tied together. We took very good care of that ball because it was all we had. But when I came to the United States there were so many balls my eyes popped out. What a difference; here kids have the chance to play so many different sports. It's like heaven."
Bucco's mother, Anita, sewed numbers on the shirts, and the team was ready to go. The players came from Italy, Greece, and a couple just over from Hungary after the 1956 revolution against the Soviet Union. Many didn't speak any English, but the language of soccer is universal. They all wanted a chance to play.
"We were only together for that one season in 1957," said Bucco, a plasterer in Beverly. "I was just married and once we started a family I was afraid to play any longer, because if I got hurt I didn't have any insurance. A couple of the Greek fellows, who came down from Lowell to play, went in the service and others were getting married, so at the end of the summer we went our separate ways."
Beverly played at Innocenti Park and the lines on the field were put down with lime supplied by Bucco's boss, Clemenzi Plastering. The hat was passed at every game to get enough money to pay the referee. "The most money we ever got was $12.50, and the ref made $8.50," said Bucco.
"We played Boston Italia B, Boston Celtic B, Salem State College, Everett, Newton and Medford. We stayed local for the most part and didn't travel to Fall River like the Peabody team did. There were mostly Italians on the Everett and Newton teams, but Medford was all American boys. A lot of them played for Salem State, and that was the only team we couldn't beat. We could never figure out why because we beat everybody else."
Bucco's wife Janice grew up in Beverly. She went to a couple of games, but admits she really didn't understand much about soccer.
Bucco played fullback, and he believes the game prepares people for every other sport.
"The field is 120 yards by 60 yards, and you have to be in very good shape to run up and down," said Bucco, who is now 75 years old. "If you can play soccer you can play any other sport because it increases the capacity of your lungs."
Because he started playing at such a young age, Bucco says his feet are always the first thing he uses instead of his hands. It is just a natural instinct.
His grandson, Franklin Bucco, who is 14, plays soccer for Hamilton-Wenham.
"He's an all-around athlete," he said. "My granddaughter, Amalia Crawford, used to play, too. She's 16 now and goes to Bishop Fenwick where she plays field hockey. They have so many different opportunities and sports that I never had. I get nervous watching them play, but it's always exciting."
But maybe nothing beats having played for the "unknown" 1957 Beverly team.
"I am happy we had our own Beverly team, even if it was just for one year," Bucco remembers. "We had so much fun playing, even though there was very little interest in soccer back then. It's nice to see how big the sport is getting.
"Some of the guys on that team are now 85 years old. It's nice to remember that season 43 years ago."
