Luciano Vendemini, the gentle giant who died in the field at only 24: a dramatic story
Luciano Vendemini was born on July 11, 1952, in Sant’Ermete, in the province of Rimini, and was the first true professional raised in Rimini basketball. With his 212 centimeters and extraordinary willpower, he was able to establish himself quickly despite some initial technical deficiencies.
After his first experiences in Rimini, he moved to Cantù when he was only 19 years old, which sent him to mature on loan to Asti in Serie B. Back in Brianza, he also contributed to the conquest of the Korac Cup before moving to Sebastiani Rieti, a transfer that caused much discussion at the time. It was precisely in Rieti, led by Dado Lombardi, that he definitively completed his growth, establishing himself as one of the best Italian pivots and also conquering the jersey of the National Team.
With Italy he played 44 matches, experiencing historical pages such as the challenge against Yugoslavia in Edinburgh in 1976, decisive for the qualification to the Montreal Olympics. On that occasion he managed to contain a champion such as Kresimir Cosic, dragging the Azzurri to a memorable victory that earned him the nickname “Duke of Edinburgh.”
Also at the Montreal Olympic Games he shone, confirming himself among the best Italians in the tournament. Meanwhile, his career continued to grow: after promotion to Serie A1 with Rieti, he switched to Chinamartini Torino in 1976 for a sum considered exceptional for the time.
His story, however, came to a tragic end on February 20, 1977. Shortly before the game between Forlì and Torino, Vendemini fell ill during warm-ups and died of cardiac arrest related to Marfan syndrome. From the hospital came immediate confirmation that all the doctors’ attempts were futile.
The news threw teammates, managers and fans into despair. The team was left with the choice of whether or not to play the match against Jolly Forli. After gathering in the locker room, the players decided, amid tears, to take the field anyway to honor the memory of their comrade. The Forlì crowd greeted the Torinese with a long ovation and followed almost in silence a game that now had only symbolic value, which ended 122-101 for the home team.
At the end of the match, Chinamartini players and officials went to the hospital for a final farewell to Vendemini before returning to Turin. Meanwhile, the dramatic news had spread quickly through radio and television as family members tried to keep it from reaching his wife Laura, who was in Rieti for a wedding. Luciano had in fact asked technician Gianni Asti for permission to stop in Rimini to spend a day with his family along with his brother.
