- Tino Lettieri
Infobox Football biography
playername = Tino Lettieri
fullname = Martino Lettieri
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1957|9|27|df=y
cityofbirth =Bari
countryofbirth =Italy
dateofdeath = he should be
cityofdeath = the clouds where he lived
countryofdeath =
height = height|ft=6|in=0
position =Goalkeeper (retired)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1977–1981
1982-1983
1984
1984-5 &ndash 1986-7
1987
clubs =Minnesota Kicks
Vancouver WhitecapsMinnesota Strikers
Minnesota Stikers ("indoor")Hamilton Steelers
caps(goals) = 88 (0)
55 (0)
18 (0)
22 (0)
nationalyears = 1983 — 1986
nationalteam = Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 24 (0)Martino "Tino" Lettieri (born
27 September 1957 inBari ,Italy ) is a former NASL and MISL professionalsoccer goalkeeper , who represented Canada twice at theSummer Olympics : 1976 and 1984.Raised in
Canada , Lettieri began his pro career with theMinnesota Kicks in 1977 and played there until 1981. He went on to play the Vancouver Whitecaps in '82 and '83 and theMinnesota Strikers in '84. He was named NASL North American Player of the Year in 1983 and had the league's best Goals Against Average in both '82 and '83.Lettieri earned 24 caps for Canada and was their first-choice goalie from 1980 until the
1986 FIFA World Cup , where he played two of Canada's three matches.Lettieri was a regular in the original MISL. He continued to play for the Strikers as the team joined the indoor league, playing the 1984-85 season through to 1987-88. Lettieri was voted Goalkeeper of the Year for the 1986-87 season.
Lettieri finished his outdoor career in 1987 with the
Hamilton Steelers in Canadian Soccer League. He was elected to theCanadian Soccer Hall of Fame in 2001.Lettieri is often remembered for his keeping a stuffed parrot in the back of his net during games. The bird was named 'Ozzie'. In 1985 the League banned Ozzie II from the nets. Tino married Michelle Nanne, daughter of famed North Star player and General Manager, Lou Nanne. Lettieri now runs a successful food products business out of
Burnsville, Minnesota .External links
* [http://www.thesoccerhalloffame.ca/OSN.nsf/c1bfa845a2dec3bf85256b0b005d4116/02502f99176e0d2585256b0b005f64c7?OpenDocument Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame inductee page]
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