It's said that the game of soccer was born in Florence, and in the middle ages it was so popular that even the Popes were known to play. Giuoco del Calico Fiorentino (Florentine kick game) came to be known as simply calico, which is still what the Italians call their soccer today. Every June, in conjunction with St. John’s Day, the Florentines host a tournament that resembles those early days. Teams are made up of players from one of four neighborhoods in the old city center; Santa Maria Novella (red), Santa Croce (blue), Santo Spirito (white), and San Giovanni (green). While we were in Tuscany last week they had the preliminary matches, and so today we see Santa Maria Novella take on Santa Croce for the championship. Now erase every mental picture you have of today’s soccer and transport yourself back over 500 years. Think Roman Coliseum, gladiators, and fighting to the death. (Well almost.) These guys looked like they were on a day pass from prison, although supposedly they need to pass a criminal background check to play. About the only similarity from today’s modern game is that you try and score more goals than your opponent. The field is a giant sand pit, about 6 inches thick laid on top of a hard stone piazza. The goals run the length of each end with the opening between 3 and 7 feet off the ground. Other than that it’s one period of 50 minutes, and you can kick or throw the ball. When we told Cole the rules his comment was, “that will be easy”. One more thing; any rules to govern play beyond those I’ve just mentioned don’t exist. Anything you want to do to your opponent to keep him away from your goal is pretty much ok. This became very apparent as soon as the opening whistle blew, as everyone paired off with an opponent and started fighting. Cole’s next comment…”What’s happening?!”. Brawls and broken noses were everywhere. Kicking and punches below the belt...just part of the game. And nothing stops play once you start the match. Medical personnel just weave around the action and carry off the wounded on stretchers. Not that anyone cared (unless you’re from the neighborhood), but Santa Maria Novella won 7-3.
This guy caught my eye during the match as he reminded me of Russell Crowe in the movie Gladiator. Beaten and broken, this was no acting. After the match (his team lost), he slowly walked to the endzone that his neighborhood was seated, and with his head hung low, tapped his fist to his chest. He had battled hard for the pride of the neighborhood and lost, but his love remains true. After refusing any medical treatment, apparently needing to further prove his toughness, he finally gave in to the ice pack.
