Gino Cappelletti obit

Gino Cappelletti, Patriots Hall of Famer, Dead at 89: 'Legendary Human'

 

He was not on the list.

Gino Cappelletti, one of the original members of the then-Boston (now New England) Patriots in 1960, died Thursday morning in his home surrounded by family, the team confirmed. He was 89.

Cappelletti had an 11-year career with the Patriots after playing with the University of Minnesota. As a five-time AFL All-Star and 1964 MVP, he finished his career as the AFL's all-time leader in points (1,100) and field goals (170).

Throughout his career, he also led the AFL in scoring five times and holds the top two scoring seasons in AFL history in 1964 (155 points) and 1961 (147 points). In 1992, Cappelletti joined John Hannah and became the second Patriots player to be inducted into the team's hall of fame.

He was also named to the Patriots all-time team during the franchise's 50th anniversary season in 2009.

"My heart aches after learning of Gino Cappelletti's passing this morning," said Patriots owner Robert Kraft in a release. "For the first 51 years of this franchise's history, Gino contributed as an all-star player, assistant coach and broadcaster. You couldn't be a Patriots fan during that era and not be a fan of Gino's. The Patriots have had many iconic, fan-favorite players over the years. Gino was the first."

"As great of a player as he was, he was an even better person and storyteller," he added. "On behalf of my family and the entire Patriots organization, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Gino's wife, Sandy, their three daughters, Gina, Cara and Christina, and their 10 grandchildren, as well as the many others who will be mourning his loss."

Cappelletti was one of only three players to play in every game in the AFL's 10-year history, along with Jim Otto and George Blanda, according to the NFL. His jersey, No. 20, has since been retired by the Patriots.

After a successful football career, Cappelletti — nicknamed "The Duke" — spent seven seasons as a sports broadcaster and later temporarily returned to the sidelines as a special teams coach. He remained a broadcaster until 2011.

Following the news of his death, tributes flooded social media for Cappelletti.

Tom Brady reposted the tribute from the Patriots on his Instagram Story, writing, "An amazing man and friend. We will miss you Gino! We always had such special conversations❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻."

Drew Bledsoe tweeted, "Truly saddened to hear of the passing of the great Gino Cappelletti. Legendary human and a great friend to all who knew him. Rest In Peace Gino."

"Love & prayers to the family of Gino Cappelletti," Scott Pioli, former Patriots VP of player personnel and NFL analyst, also tweeted alongside a photo of the two. "Gino was a friend, voice of wisdom & adopted Godfather during my time @Patriots - always had a hug, smile & "my paisan" for me. His stories/history lessons of the #AFL & #NFL were magic & calmed me on many road trips. Godspeed paisan."

Cappelletti was born in Keewatin in northern Minnesota, on March 26, 1934. He attended Keewatin High school in his hometown, and was employed on the railroad and in iron ore mines during his teenage years. He went on to play college football at the University of Minnesota, where he was a quarterback, backing up All-American Paul Giel. Cappelletti kicked extra points, but the Golden Gophers did not kick field goals in those years. However, as a sophomore in 1952, Cappelletti talked the coach into letting him try a game-winning 43-yard kick against Iowa.

 

As a senior in 1954, Cappelletti switched to T-quarterback and led Minnesota to a 7–2 record, missing the final game with an elbow injury, a 27–0 loss at Wisconsin. He was named to the All-Big Ten second team, but was not selected in the 1955 NFL draft.

Cappelletti played quarterback for the Sarnia Imperials of the Ontario Rugby Football Union in Canada during 1955. He joined Toronto Balmy Beach in 1956, but was drafted into the U.S. Army in mid-season, returning to Canada in 1958. Cappelletti signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, but was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders, was later cut, and went back to the ORFU, leading the Sarnia Golden Bears (the team having changed its name in 1956) to the league championship.

Cappelletti was out of professional football in 1959, back in Minnesota. With the launch of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960, he joined the Boston Patriots and was initially a kicker and defensive back. He switched to offense late in that season and teamed up with quarterback Babe Parilli to form a tandem nicknamed "Grand Opera Twins", due to their Italian surnames. Cappelletti won AFL MVP honors in 1964, led the league in scoring five times and was a five-time AFL All-Star. One of 20 AFL players active during the entirety of the league's ten-year existence, Cappelletti was also among just three players who played in every one of his team's AFL games.[citation needed] He played with the Patriots all 11 years in Boston, from 1960 through the 1970 NFL merger season, and retired in late August 1971 at age 37; he was the AFL's all-time leading scorer with 1,130 points (42 TDs, 176 FGs and 342 PATs) and among the AFL's top ten all-time receivers in yards and in receptions. Cappelletti had two of the top five scoring seasons in pro football history, with 155 points in 1964 and 147 points in 1961 (14-game seasons). His Patriots team scoring record lasted until it was broken by Adam Vinatieri on December 5, 2005.[18] At the time of his death, Cappelletti was the Patriots' 12th all-time leading receiver in receptions with 292 catches and 10th in receiving yards with 4,589 yards. He was 5th in Patriots history in receiving touchdowns with 42, and had the second-most field goal attempts (333) in team history behind Stephen Gostkowski.

During Cappelletti's pro career, he also returned punts and kickoffs, played defensive back and even had one pass completion for a touchdown. He was the second AFL player to record three interceptions (of Tom Flores) in a regular-season game, scored 18 points or more in a game ten times and scored 20 or more points in a game eight times. He set the AFL single-game record by scoring 28 points in the Patriots' 42–14 rout of Houston on December 18, 1965. Cappelletti is the only player in professional football history to run for a two-point conversion, throw for a two-point conversion, catch a pass, intercept a pass, return a punt and return a kickoff in the same season. He kicked six field goals (without a miss) in a 39–10 win at Denver on October 4, 1964, and became one of only two AFL kickers with at least four field goals per game for three consecutive games. Cappelletti led the AFL in field-goal percentage in 1965.

NFL record

    Most seasons leading league in points scored: 5, (1961, 1963–1966; tied with Don Hutson and Stephen Gostkowski)