Bert Trautmann

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:35 am

I was going to put this in sport but I'm not sure if Martino reads it. Bert Trautmann has been awarded an OBE (order of the british empire) in Berlin, ahead of the state visit by queen elizabeth.

So, who is Bert and what did he do to deserve this? Well you can't make this sort of stuff up. He was a German soldier in the second world war. He was taken prisoner and was sent to England. After the war he became the goalkeeper for Manchester City. This in itself was amazing. Folks at home were not too fond of stormtroopers at the time. He became a legend, however, by playing almost half of the 1956 FA Cup final with a broken neck. By rights the injury should have killed him. How fucking hard is that!?! This further cemented him in the affections of the fans.

I'm telling you, even Rocky in his movies didn't hang on to win with a broken vertabrae. I think it would be fair to say that if Bert had been an american there would have been a movie or two made about him.

Tommy Martyn · Post by **Tommy Martyn** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:36 am

I thought I had fucking logged in.

martino · Post by **martino** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:13 pm

i thank you for this interesting pointer, tommy. as a matter of fact i am seldom interested in spectator sports and do not normally look at the sports section of this bb. all the better that you were kind enough to post it here.

trautmann is not a name in my household but he sounds like a classy bloke indeed. for some follow-up in the guardian, goto

http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Sto ... 91,00.html

Tommy Martyn · Post by **Tommy Martyn** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 2:58 am

Yeah, everyone should read that story. I should also point out that back inthis era "soccer" was played with a leather ball. It was much heavier than a modern ball (esp when wet) and shoulder charging the keeper was not a foul. I grew up with this tale so I'm biased but still, what a story.