Cesare Rubini
Encyclopedia
Cesare Rubini (2 November 1923 8 February 2011) was an Italian basketball
player and coach, and water polo
player. One of the greatest European coaches of all time, Rubini was inducted intto the Basketball Hall of Fame
in 1994, the first and to this day one of the few Italian basketball figures to receive such an honour, together with Dino Meneghin
and Sandro Gamba
. He has also been inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame
.
, where he graduated in 1941. The same year he began to play for Olimpia Milano
, the most prestigious Italian basketball club at that time. He however had a long-lived passion for water polo: this led him later to become one of the rare world sportsmen to play at the highest level in two different team sports.
In 1946 he won a silver medal with the Italian basketball national team in the European Championships held in Geneva
. The following year, he also won a silver medal at the European Championships, but this time with the water polo national team. In the meantime he had assumed the role of player-coach of Olimpia Milano: in 1948, however, he was called by the national teams of both sports. Rubini chose water polo, and won a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics
in London
, beating the Netherlands
in the final. With Rubini as a full-time player, Italy could boast what was to be called the "Golden Settebello", one of the most valuable water polo teams ever, which also won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics
and at the Turin
European Championships of 1954
. In both the events, Italy was behind traditional rivals of Yugoslavia
and Hungary
.
Rubini, also as player-coach, won 6 national titles in water polo with Canottieri Olona of Milan
, Rari Nantes of Naples
and Camogli
teams. He totalled 84 caps for the Italian national team, 42 of which as captain.
As a basketball player, Rubini won 5 national titles in a row, from 1950 to 1954. After 1956 he devoted only to the coach role, winning 10 national titles with Olimpia. In these years he set an unparalleled record of a 322 victories and 28 defeats. As coach of the Milan team, Rubini totalled 488 victories, including the European Winner's Cup of 1966 and two European Cup Winner's Cups in 1971 and 1972: these were the first international victories of Italian basketball clubs.
As the manager of the national basketball team, Rubini took also part in the first international victories of Italy: these include the silver medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics
. At the European Championships, Italy was first in 1983 at Nantes
, second in 1991 at Rome
and third in 1985 at Stuttgart
.
Rubini was involved into his beloved sports until his death: he promoted water polo formation for young athletes, and was Honorary President of Olimpia Milano.
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player and coach, and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player. One of the greatest European coaches of all time, Rubini was inducted intto the Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
in 1994, the first and to this day one of the few Italian basketball figures to receive such an honour, together with Dino Meneghin
Dino Meneghin
Dino Meneghin is an Italian former professional basketball player. He is widely considered as the best Italian player ever, as well as one of Europe's all time greats. A 2.06 m tall center, Meneghin was born in Alano di Piave, Veneto...
and Sandro Gamba
Sandro Gamba
Alessandro Gamba , better known as Sandro Gamba, is an Italian basketball coach and former professional basketball player....
. He has also been inducted in the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
.
Career
Rubini started to play basketball for his high school team in his native TriesteTrieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
, where he graduated in 1941. The same year he began to play for Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano
Olimpia Milano is a Lega Basket Italian professional basketball team, based in Milan, Italy, founded in 1936 by Milan businessman Adolfo Bogoncelli. Its colors are red and white, and the team is sometimes referred as "Scarpette Rosse" because team officials imported from the United States red...
, the most prestigious Italian basketball club at that time. He however had a long-lived passion for water polo: this led him later to become one of the rare world sportsmen to play at the highest level in two different team sports.
In 1946 he won a silver medal with the Italian basketball national team in the European Championships held in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
. The following year, he also won a silver medal at the European Championships, but this time with the water polo national team. In the meantime he had assumed the role of player-coach of Olimpia Milano: in 1948, however, he was called by the national teams of both sports. Rubini chose water polo, and won a gold medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, beating the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in the final. With Rubini as a full-time player, Italy could boast what was to be called the "Golden Settebello", one of the most valuable water polo teams ever, which also won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
and at the Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
European Championships of 1954
1954 in sports
1954 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* NFL Championship – Cleveland Browns win 56-10 over the Detroit Lions* Ohio State Buckeyes - college football champions.-Artistic gymnastics:* 1954 World Championships...
. In both the events, Italy was behind traditional rivals of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
.
Rubini, also as player-coach, won 6 national titles in water polo with Canottieri Olona of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Rari Nantes of Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
and Camogli
Camogli
Camogli is a small Italian fishing village and tourist resort located on the west side of the peninsula of Portofino, on the Golfo Paradiso at the Riviera di Levante, in the province of Genoa on the Italian Riviera. its population was of 5582 inhabitants. The name means "house of wives"...
teams. He totalled 84 caps for the Italian national team, 42 of which as captain.
As a basketball player, Rubini won 5 national titles in a row, from 1950 to 1954. After 1956 he devoted only to the coach role, winning 10 national titles with Olimpia. In these years he set an unparalleled record of a 322 victories and 28 defeats. As coach of the Milan team, Rubini totalled 488 victories, including the European Winner's Cup of 1966 and two European Cup Winner's Cups in 1971 and 1972: these were the first international victories of Italian basketball clubs.
As the manager of the national basketball team, Rubini took also part in the first international victories of Italy: these include the silver medal at the 1980 Summer Olympics
1980 Summer Olympics
The 1980 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event celebrated in Moscow in the Soviet Union. In addition, the yachting events were held in Tallinn, and some of the preliminary matches and the quarter-finals of the football tournament...
. At the European Championships, Italy was first in 1983 at Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, second in 1991 at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and third in 1985 at Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
.
Rubini was involved into his beloved sports until his death: he promoted water polo formation for young athletes, and was Honorary President of Olimpia Milano.