George Simcich

Giorgio Renato Simcich (Simčič)... sports family (tennis son Paul)... both of his parents were born in Rijeka, ITA... he was born during the Second World War when his hometown Rijeka was still part of Italy (after 1943, it was part of Yugoslavia)... grew up playing football, water polo, tennis and volleyball... he was five years old when he started playing football in the local parks (”wearing sandals and playing on rocky terrain”) and 12 years old when he started playing for Torpedo’s junior club... favourites have included Gianni Rivera, Pelé, AC Milan... he was 22 years old when he moved from Rijeka, YUG to Toronto, CAN in February 1964... he was 27 years old when he became a Canadian citizen in 1969...

represented Canada in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in 1972...