AUTHENTIC New York Cosmos Autographed Team Soccer Ball. Original hand signed by all players way beyond the usual 11 players from 70’s squad. This ball is Very RARE in that it has more than 24 signatures. Names like Giorgio Chinaglia. Franz Beckebauer Carlos Alberto from 2 world cups won by Brazil plus many more as their signatures are on different panels across the ball. This ball is a personal tribute to me for pre game bandaging of their injured limbs for several years from the seventies to early 1980’s. As an athlete myself who loved soccer but excelled in volleyball and played on my college varsity and later on played semi professional volleyball in Europe I found myself being in love with all sports and the thrill of being involved with world class athletes. I studied athletic training in Indians state and graduated with a degree In athletic training. As this was a very small program in UI I knew well all the graduates on a personal level. Two of the graduates became the athletic trainers of the NY Cosmos. I became a full time athletic trainer for a local university. From its early start in 1970, s to early 80’s. Arnold T and David C along with Team surgeon DR X a close personal friend became the backbone of the medical assistance of all the players. My involvement with the team was as a volunteer athletic trainer giving my assistance during high visibility games especially with international games. I rarely missed a game as I would enter the stadium in New Jersey with my fellow trainers and would watch the games. I would bandage injured joints and parts of their bodies so the players can perform without causing further stress to their injured joints. After bandaging I would watch the games. In most instances the official trainers I mentioned did not even need my assistance. I saw so many many fantastic games with much heralded players of world famous reputations such as Pele who will go into history as one of soccers greatest legends along with Carlos Alberto of the Brazilian 2 time world. Cup he participated in. All the panels are signed by the appreciative players. Unfortunately Pele’s signature is missing because he had an emergency family situation and was away for a while. Anyway the time has come to part with this treasured memory as I also have other NY Cosmos soccer balls which include Pele’s signature. I mentioned the trainers names and the the team doctor as proof of my collaboration with the team. I did go on to on to blaze other careers but those early years as an athletic trainer always bring back a sense of fulfillment in my life. Look thru all the pictures to see the signatures of so manny world class players. This is a one of a kind memorabilia given to me by all those players who signed it to thank me for my help. Some of the signatures are a close second to the stature achieved by Pele. Look thru the panels to see their names. Although not in pristine condition because if it were in pristine condition its uniqueness would command a price in the manny thousands. Nevertheless the much heralded famous names are on the panels. I leave it to your discretion to decipher the other names besides the ones I mentioned. PS: Although all signatures are authentic please verify yourself which signatures of Cosmos players are depicted in each of the panels. Since I did not certify which signatures belong to which players I can only quarantee all signatures are authentic NY Cosmos Players! I also don’t remember the exact year the ball was signed. For approximate year look up the years Giorgio Chinaglia played. Thru those early years I received a few balls so I kept no record of who signed and what year. I put up 24 signatures but there are more than 24. Normally there are 11 signatures on a team soccer ball. But as I said this item is unique and extremely rare to have that many signatures of world class soccer players. The remaining signatures not pictured I leave as a surprise to the lucky winner! Due to its rarity and the overwhelming amount of signatures 24 plus of former heralded players from Cosmos initial startup in the 70’s. This is a true rarity. 95% of signed soccer balls by team players have 11 signatures this ball has more than double the reason being is if the personal nature I mentioned previously. That’s what makes it a rarity.
