Carl Gentile
Encyclopedia
Carl Gentile is a former U.S. soccer forward
. He played one season in the National Professional Soccer League
and two in the North American Soccer League
, all three with the St. Louis Stars. He also earned six caps with the U.S. national team
in 1968.
where he graduated from Christian Brothers College High School
in 1962. He is a member of the CBC Alumni Hall of Fame. Gentile went on to play for St. Louis University, gaining first team All-American
recognition in 1965. That year St. Louis also won the NCAA championship
. In 2009, Gentile was named to the St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team
.
of the National Professional Soccer League
(NPSL). When the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League
(NASL), the Stars moved to the NASL. Gentile played the 1968 NASL season, then left the team. He returned for the 1971 NASL season.
. The U.S. lost its first match of qualifying on March 16 when Surinam defeated the U.S. 1-0. Gentile scored three goals two days later in a 4-2 win over Panama. He scored again two days later in a 2-1 loss to Mexico which put the U.S. out of contention for the tournament.
Gentile earned his first cap with the U.S. national team on September 15, 1968. A month later he earned his second cap, this time as a defender in a 6-3 victory over Haiti
. He then played three 1970 FIFA World Cup
qualification matches, all three wins, the first over Canada
and the next two over Bermuda
.
in the St. Louis Cardinals
farm system and attempted to become a professional American football
kicker, trying out for the Houston Oilers in 1970.
He was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame on October 20, 1995.
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He played one season in the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
and two in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
, all three with the St. Louis Stars. He also earned six caps with the U.S. national team
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in 1968.
Youth
Gentile grew up in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where he graduated from Christian Brothers College High School
Christian Brothers College High School
Christian Brothers College High School , is a Lasallian Catholic college preparatory school for young men in St. Louis, Missouri. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis and is owned and operated by the De La Salle Christian Brothers Midwest District.-Early years :The school...
in 1962. He is a member of the CBC Alumni Hall of Fame. Gentile went on to play for St. Louis University, gaining first team All-American
Division I First-Team All-American (soccer)
The Division I First-Team All-Americans are the best eleven U.S. college soccer players as selected by the NCAA.-1970–1983:From 1970 to 1983 the NCAA only named defenders and forwards in addition to one goalkeeper.-1983–present:...
recognition in 1965. That year St. Louis also won the NCAA championship
NCAA Men's Soccer Championship
The NCAA began conducting a Men's Division I Soccer Championship tournament in 1959 with an eight-team tournament. Currently, the tournament field consists of 48 teams...
. In 2009, Gentile was named to the St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team
St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team
The St. Louis University Men's Soccer Half-Century Team was announced September 30, 2009 by the St. Louis University Department of Athletics in celebration of the first 50 years of soccer at SLU...
.
Professional
In 1967, Gentile signed with the St. Louis StarsSt. Louis Stars (soccer)
The St. Louis Stars were a soccer team based in St. Louis, Missouri that played in the original NASL from 1967 to 1977.-History:The St. Louis Stars, founded in 1967 as a team in the NPSL were the first ever professional soccer team in St. Louis. The team was headed by Bob Hermann who later went on...
of the National Professional Soccer League
National Professional Soccer League (1967)
The National Professional Soccer League was a North American professional soccer league that existed for only the 1967 season before merging with the United Soccer Association to form the North American Soccer League. It had ten charter members, nine from the United States and one from Canada...
(NPSL). When the NPSL merged with the United Soccer Association
United Soccer Association
The United Soccer Association is a former professional soccer league featuring teams from the United States and Canada. The league survived only one season before merging with the National Professional Soccer League to form the North American Soccer League. All the teams in the league were imported...
in 1968 to form the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL), the Stars moved to the NASL. Gentile played the 1968 NASL season, then left the team. He returned for the 1971 NASL season.
Olympic and national teams
In 1964, Gentile joined the U.S. Olympic team as it attempted, but ultimately failed, to qualify for the 1964 Summer Olympics1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
. The U.S. lost its first match of qualifying on March 16 when Surinam defeated the U.S. 1-0. Gentile scored three goals two days later in a 4-2 win over Panama. He scored again two days later in a 2-1 loss to Mexico which put the U.S. out of contention for the tournament.
Gentile earned his first cap with the U.S. national team on September 15, 1968. A month later he earned his second cap, this time as a defender in a 6-3 victory over Haiti
Haiti national football team
The Haiti national football team represents Haiti in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Haïtienne de Football, the governing body for football in Haiti. Haiti's home ground is Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince and their head coach is Edson Tavares...
. He then played three 1970 FIFA World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
qualification matches, all three wins, the first over Canada
Canada men's national soccer team
The Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
and the next two over Bermuda
Bermuda national football team
The Bermuda national football team is the national team of Bermuda and is controlled by the Bermuda Football Association. A member of CONCACAF, it is not among its strongest teams....
.
Other sports
Gentile played professional baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
in the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
farm system and attempted to become a professional American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
kicker, trying out for the Houston Oilers in 1970.
Coaching
Gentile now coaches with the St. Louis Soccer Club, now known as Saint Louis Scott Gallagher.He was inducted into the St. Louis Soccer Hall of Fame on October 20, 1995.