“FENWAY'S BEST PLAYERS”

1963-1968 #1   GINO CAPPELLETTI   K/E Gino Cappelletti attended the University of Minnesota where he played back-up quarterback three season. He kicked extra points, but the team did not kick field goals in those years. They did not even practice the play, but as a sophomore, he talked the coach into letting him try a 43-yarder in a tie game with Iowa. He made it, and the Gophers went on to win. In 1954, as a senior, Cappelletti switched to T-quarterback and led Minnesota to a 7-2 record. He was named to the All Big 10 second team, but was not drafted by any NFL team. He tried out with the NFL's Detroit Lions after graduating in 1955 but failed to make the team. Instead he played quarterback for the Sarnia Imperials of the ORFU in Canada during 1955. He joined Toronto Balmy Beach in 1956, but was drafted into the U.S. Army in mid-season. He returned to Canada in 1958 and signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL, but was traded to the Saskatchewan Roughriders and later cut. He went back to the ORFU, leading the Sarnia Golden Bears to the league championship. He then joined the Boston Patriots of the newly organized American Football League in 1960. Gino kicked the first field goal in AFL history in the Patriots' opening game against the Denver Broncos. He is one of the most recognized figure in franchise history. A versatile player, he played wide receiver and kicker for the Patriots from 1960-70 and was the Patriots all-time leading scorer until 2005 when he was surpassed by Adam Vinatieri. He led the American Football League in scoring five times and holds two of the top five scoring seasons in league history – 147 points in 1961 and 155 points in 1964, a season in which he named the AFL’s Most Valuable Player. He led the AFL in scoring in 1961 and from 1963 through 1966, and scored more than 100 points 6 straight seasons, from 1961 through 1966., retiring after the 1970 season and becoming a commentator on the Patriots' radio network. During his 11 seasons, he caught 292 passes for 4,589 yards, a 15.7 average, and 42 touchdowns. He kicked 342 of 353 extra point attempts and made 176 of 333 field goal attempts for a total of 1,130 points. He averaged 9.5 points per game over a 6-year period. (The Patriots record was 47-29-8 over these 6 seasons) No other Professional Football player has averaged more points per game over a 6-year period; and he averaged 7.5 points per game over an 11-year period, while no other player has averaged more points per game over an 11-year period. He accounted for at least 34% of his teams total points scored over an 8-year period. He was the All-Time Points leader in AFL history and was voted an AFL All-Star five times. He also remains among the top 10 receivers in Patriots history. After his playing career ended, Gino moved into the broadcast booth with his longtime partner Gil Santos. For the better part of the past quarter century, Santos and Cappelletti had been the voices of the Patriots for millions of New England football fans. In 1992, Gino was inducted in the Patriots Hall of Fame. He was named to the Patriots all-time team during its 50th anniversary season in 2009 and the All-AFL team in 1971 and in 2012, he retired from broadcasting. He still ranks third all-time in Patriots history in scoring with 1,130 career points, as well as 10th with 292 receptions and 12th with 4,589 receiving yards. Gino Cappelletti passed away at age 89, on May 12, 2022.