Eusebio

Source

• Born: 25 January 1942
• Birthplace: Lourenco Marques (now Maputo), Mozambique
• Best Known As: Portugal's all-time top-scoring footballer

Name at birth: Eusebio da Silva Ferreira

Eusebio was born and raised in Mozambique, but in 1961 he began playing professional football for Benfica. Playing for Portugal, Eusebio became one of the top scorers in history. Known as "The Black Pearl" or "The Black Panther," Eusebio was the top scorer for the Portuguese League every year from 1964 to 1973, leading Benfica to ten league championships and 5 cup victories. He finished his playing years in North America, then went into coaching. In 1998 Eusebio was inducted into the International Football Hall of Champions.

• Born: 1705
• Died: 1739
• Genres: World

Biography

The popularity of Jose Antonio Da Silva's stage satires, prose dialogue, and songs failed to save him from the bigotry that Brazil bestowed upon the Jews in the 18th century. Despite joining a Franciscan order to divert suspicion, evidence of his circumcision, Sabbath observance, and fasting resulted in him being burnt to death in October 1739. A collection of works was published anonymously, as Theatro Comico Portuguez, at the end of the century. Silva suffered from anti-Semitism most of his life. Although his family converted to Catholicism, they continued to secretly embrace their Jewish roots. While his father, a poet and lawyer, was able to convince many that he was a devout Catholic, his mother was far less compromising. Outspoken about her Jewish heritage, she was deported to Portugal and imprisoned in 1713. Shortly afterwards, Silva and his father moved to Portugal. Although he found writing an escape from his personal struggles, Silva was as outspoken as his mother. As the result of an article, written while studying law at the University of Coimbra, he was arrested on a charge of "Judaizing" in 1737 and so brutally tortured that he spent the rest of his life partially crippled. ~ Craig Harris, All Music Guide