Sport: Bartered Ballplayer

Eager to bolster its team for the coming futebl (soccer) season, Rio de Janeiro's Vasco da Gama club, one of coffee-growing Brazil's eight major-league futeból teams, tried last week to buy a famed Uruguayan player named Figliola. To their dismay, the Vasco da Gamas discovered that Figliola had already been signed up by a football club in Genoa, in coffee-hungry Italy. More eager than ever, they cabled Genoa, offered to buy his contract. Prompt was the reply: the Italian Football Federation would permit the Genoese club to release Figliola if the Brazilian club would pay for him with coffee beans.

...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!