Danilo Piroddi: «When I was a child Riva broke my arm, but he remains in my heart»
At 9 years old he was hit by a fireball from the center forward traveling at 120mph and fractured his ulna and radius: from that episode a relationship was born that lasted until yesterday
Danilo Piroddi was 9 years old, Gigi Riva was his idol and broke his arm . Not voluntarily, obviously, but a whip from the center forward who was traveling at over 100 km per hour hit him and caused him a double fracture.
The child of yesterday is an adult today, and remembers those facts with a smile and a hint of emotion.
«It was the championship following the championship, we were at Acqua Acetosa where Cagliari was training before a match against Lazio. My father, a die-hard Cagliari fan, took me there, we climbed over a fence and I stood behind a door. Shortly after, one of his shots hit me full on. And who forgets that?".
It was calculated, underlines Piroddi, that Riva's shot was traveling at 120 km per hour : «It caused me a double fracture in my arm, ulna and radius . Back then the balls were made of leather, not those of today, and if they hit you they would seriously hurt you. They took me to San Giacomo, the hospital in Via del Corso, and there Doctor Ziaco, Lazio's team doctor, put me in a plaster cast."
Una foto recente di Danilo Piroddi (Archivio)
What if Riva autographed his cast? «It's bullshit – Piroddi continues – but he was very kind to me, he came to visit me and I'm still grateful to him . I asked him for one of his shirts and a ball, but he only had one of the number 11, at the time it was like that and not like today when you can also find the shirts in the shop. so he didn't give it to me."
The result was a relationship that lasted until yesterday: «I live in Sicily – Piroddi continues – but we remained in contact. We talked, I also had to go to Cagliari. But now... ".
«I was very sad about his death – concludes Piroddi –. But in any case Gigi remains in the heart, and that's what counts ."
(Unioneonline)
