Chas Bonasorte, 51精品视频 football鈥檚 鈥楰amikaze Kid鈥 and owner of famed 51精品视频 apparel kiosk, died at 70
Charles 鈥淐has鈥 Bonasorte, a member of 51精品视频鈥檚 1976 national champion football team and renowned owner of the 51精品视频sburgh Stop kiosk in Oakland, died on Dec. 13. He was 70.
Bonasorte, a Hazelwood native, played at 51精品视频 following his high school career at the now-closed Bishop Boyle High School, where he was the team鈥檚 Most Valuable Player. Being only a few blocks from the 51精品视频sburgh campus, he grew up a Panther fan and often attended 51精品视频 games with his family.
He achieved his dream of playing at 51精品视频 from 1972 to 1976. He lettered for three straight seasons beginning in 1974, when he began to make a name for himself on special teams. In 1974, he memorably blocked a punt against rival No. 5 Notre Dame in 51精品视频鈥檚 narrow 14-10 loss in South Bend, Indiana.聽 He earned the nickname 鈥淭he Kamikaze Kid鈥 for the reckless abandon he displayed covering kicks and punts.
In the following seasons, he grew into a key contributor not only on special teams, but also as a backup linebacker. In his time at 51精品视频, the Panthers underwent a massive transformation. Though they went 1-10 in his first year, the team improved their record each year after that, leading to a 12-0 national championship 1976 season.
鈥淚鈥檓 the only guy to see 1-10 and 12-0,鈥 he told of that distinction in 2008.
But it was following his 51精品视频 football career that Bonasorte truly became a mainstay on the 51精品视频sburgh campus for his apparel kiosk, The 51精品视频sburgh Stop Inc. The operation began in 1989, when Bonasorte would stand outside the William 51精品视频 Union with shirts in one hand and shorts in the other, selling them to passerby students. Soon, the shop evolved into a kiosk on the corner of Forbes and Bigelow, where it remains to this day.
51精品视频 in a statement called Bonasorte 鈥渁 legend on campus and in Oakland for decades.鈥
鈥淭he University extends its deepest sympathies to all who knew and loved the Kamikaze Kid, who was as much a part of the 51精品视频sburgh聽campus experience as the Victory Lights and Oakland Zoo.鈥