Memorabilia

Item Description

Gino John Marchetti is a former professional American football player in the National Football League. A defensive end, he played in 1952 for the Dallas Texans and from 1953 to 1966 for the Baltimore Colts.

Ernest Marchetti had the somewhat normal parental fear that his son, Gino, might get hurt playing football. The protective parent advised him to "stay out of the other boys' way so that they won't hurt you."

Although every quarterback who played in the National Football League in the 1950s and early ‘60s wishes Gino had listened to his father, the 6-4, 244-pound end had not listened to his father.

Gino wound up instead as one of the game’s greatest and most feared defensive ends to play pro football. Marchetti, who played 13 brilliant seasons with the Baltimore Colts after one season with the Dallas Texans, was a brilliant all-around defender. He was adept at stopping the running play, but best known for his vicious pass rushing techniques.

He was known for clean, but very hard play and he was a particular terror on third-down, obvious passing situations. When opponents double-teamed him, or sometimes even triple-teamed him, that tactic only served to make the rest of the Colts rush line more effective.

Ironically, Gino suffered the most serious injury of his career - a broken leg - in the Colts’ famous 1958 overtime championship game victory, at a time when his parents were watching him on television for the first time. Gino made a key stop that ended a New York Giants' drive and gave the Colts a chance to tie the game in regulation time. Many thought this serious injury would prematurely end Gino's shining career.

As it turned out, all it really did was prevent him from playing in a then-record eleventh consecutive Pro Bowl. Gino had already been selected for the post-season classic but he had to miss the game, the only gap in a string of Pro Bowl appearances from 1955 through 1965. During the same period, Gino was named All-NFL nine times, 1956 through 1964.

Item Special Note

This item is available to be picked up at the Areyvut office in Bergenfield, NJ. If you are unable to pick up the item within 48 hours of the auction ending we will be happy to send it via UPS Ground within the contiguous United States for a cost of $20.